Developing a capstone course on ecological and social sustainability in business education

Sustainability is an important goal of management education, but it has not been integrated properly into all the functional courses. One option for management schools attempting to fix this misalignment is to offer a course that provides an integrated approach to sustainability. This article attempts to structure the contents of a capstone course on sustainability that touches on all the dimensions of sustainability in different management functions. I present the key topics in sustainability and, based on a thorough literature review, identify the categories that constitute the content for a proposed course on business sustainability. The proposed topics pertain to conceptual tools for understanding the issues, different stakeholders, and functional areas. This course will fill the sustainability gap in the current curriculum in management education.     

Perceived corporate social responsibility and job satisfaction in grocery retail: A comparison between low- and high-productivity stores

The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and job satisfaction is underexplored in the retail sector. We aim to fill this gap by unpacking these constructs to analyse their interrelationships. Moreover, conceptualising productivity as a contextual factor able to generate multiple stressors for retail employees, we compare the CSR-job satisfaction relationship between low- and high-productivity stores. We argue that CSR strategies effectively contribute to maintaining high job satisfaction in both retail contexts. Working on a sample of 708 grocery retail chain employees, we apply structural equation modelling and multigroup regressions to test our hypotheses. The results show that CSR positively influences job satisfaction. In detail, internal CSR benefits job satisfaction more than external CSR. CSR strategies effectively work to strengthen job satisfaction even in high-productivity stores. These findings contribute to the debate about the employees’ job satisfaction management in busyness and high-productive retail contexts.     

Exploring the antecedents of social liabilities in CVC triads—A dynamic social network perspective

This study addresses the emergence of social liabilities by taking a social network perspective on intra- and interorganizational network configurations using the hitherto unexplored example of the corporate venture capital (CVC) triad (CVC unit, corporate business unit, and portfolio company). We investigate social capital and social liability resulting from network formation and transformation and assess their impact on interorganizational knowledge transfer and creation. Examining 12 CVC triads in Germany, we identify new antecedents of social liability, show that social capital can initially facilitate knowledge transfer and creation, and that structural and personal lock-ins may eventually turn that capital into a liability. We make key theoretical contributions to the social network and CVC literature.     

Greening Goliaths versus emerging Davids — Theorizing about the role of incumbents and new entrants in sustainable entrepreneurship

This paper proposes a model of how incumbents and new entrants engage in sustainable entrepreneurship. We suggest that in the early stages of an industry's sustainability transformation, new entrants (‘Emerging Davids’) are more likely than incumbents to pursue sustainability-related opportunities. Incumbents react to the activities of new entrants by engaging in corporate sustainable entrepreneurship activities. While these ‘Greening Goliaths’ are often less ambitious in their environmental and social goals, they may have a broader reach due to their established market presence. This paper analyses the interplay between ‘Greening Goliaths’ and ‘Emerging Davids’ and theorizes about how it is their compounded impact that promotes the sustainable transformation of industries.     

Corporate Social Responsibility in franchise chains: Specificities,insights from French franchise chains’ CSD,and avenues for future research

Although franchise chains are increasingly committed to environmental, social, and societal transitions, only a few researchers have focused on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the specific case of franchising. The aim of our paper is to discuss the specificities and challenges of CSR in franchising, explore how franchisors report on their sustainable practices, and emphasize subsequent directions for future research. In order to do so, we focus on the Corporate Social Disclosure (CSD) practices of twenty-two retail and service franchisors operating in the French market where regulations of non-financial information disclosures exist for large companies. Our findings show that these franchisors disclose rich and diversified information about their CSR activities. However, franchisors’ disclosures can vary significantly, especially depending on their chain size and whether they are subject to reporting regulations. Our research contributes to the literature on CSR in franchise chains, as well as the practice.     

The heuristic‐systemic model of sustainability stewardship: facilitating sustainability values,beliefs and practices with corporate social responsibility drives and eco‐labels/indices

Using a framework from the heuristic‐systematic model and the value‐belief‐norm (VBN) theory, this study tests consumers’ systematic conjunction of sustainability values, beliefs and practices, and examines the heuristic influence of sustainability stewardship on the consumers’ VBN framework. In this study, sustainability stewardship within the textile and apparel industry refers to approaches that can facilitate the corporate social responsible (CSR) drive and eco‐labels/indices in corporate sustainability practices. Data from 239 US college students were analyzed using a structural equation modeling method. The findings confirmed that only the CSR drive is significant as heuristic sustainability stewardship in facilitating the consumer's systematic process in the VBN framework, while eco‐labels/indices do not moderate consumers’ sustainable practices. In particular, the current CSR drives in the textile and apparel industry strengthen consumers’ values in the altruistic, self‐enhancement and biospheric dimensions, and, further, lead to the sustainability practices of eco‐citizenship, green consumption and green product purchasing, through the mediation of proenvironmental belief. Comprehending these dynamics can empower marketers and researchers to devise pertinent ideas and practical applications of sustainability stewardship to academia and to the textiles and apparel industry.     

Motivating intention to take action on behalf of an out-group: implications for the use of advocacy messages in social marketing strategies

ABSTRACT

In psychological research, the Social Identity Theory has been used to explain people’s motivation to take action in support of causes predominantly with a focus on in-group action. This study takes up the call to extend the limited attention given to intent-to-act on behalf of an out-group. Our research investigates support for the legalisation of medical marijuana (an out-group) and concludes that message structure is critical to increasing the likelihood of intent-to-act in support of an out-group. Specifically, we show that messages delivered from a legitimate advocate for the issue will generate empathy towards those affected and anger towards the perceived injustice, motivating intent to take action. Social marketers, charged with engaging communities to support programmes targeted at disadvantaged minority groups within the population, will benefit from the results of this research.     

Logistics Innovation and Social Sustainability: How to Prevent an Artificial Divide in Human–Computer Interaction

Human–computer interaction (HCI) is a cornerstone for the success of technical innovation in the logistics and supply chain sector. As a major part of social sustainability, this interaction is changing as artificial intelligence applications (Internet of Things, autonomous transport, Physical Internet) are implemented, leading to larger machine autonomy, and hence the transition from a primary executive to a supervisory role of human operators. A fundamental question concerns the level of control transferred to machines, such as autonomous vehicles and automatic materials handling devices. Problems include a lack of human trust toward automatic decision making or an inclination to override the system in case automated decisions are misperceived. This paper outlines a theoretical framework, describing different levels of acceptance and trust as a key HCI element of technology innovation, and points to the possible danger of an artificial divide at both the individual and firm level. Based upon the findings of four benchmark cases, a classification of the roles of human employees in adopting innovations is developed. Measures at operational, tactical, and strategic level are discussed to improve HCI, more in particular the capacity of individuals and firms to apply state‐of‐the‐art techniques and to prevent an artificial divide, thereby increasing social sustainability.     

Managing socio-political risk at the subnational level: Lessons from MNE subsidiaries in Indonesia

Within emerging markets, institutional conditions vary significantly at both the country and subnational levels. Although the extant literature recognises the types of risk faced by multinational enterprises (MNEs) in emerging markets, it has hitherto paid scarce attention to explaining how MNEs manage such risk at the subnational level. Reporting on four case studies from Indonesia, we outline how MNEs ensure their success by maintaining active relationships with a variety of non-market actors—including opinion leaders, government officials, and communities at the subnational level. In our study, we developed a conceptual framework, showcasing how MNEs can manage socio-political risk within heterogeneous institutional settings.