Cristina Neesham

Is there an East‐European social model?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the recent social welfare performance of old and new members of the European Union, and to establish whether a specific East‐European social model (ESM) is emerging.Design/methodology/approach – The concept of social model is explored in the context of the historical development of economic and social policy integration in the European Union, with emphasis on reform measures and the EU enlargement process post‐1990. Guided by Sapirs typology of ESMs, the performance of 15 West‐European countries is analysed and compared with that of ten East‐European countries, relative to key economic and social indicators. The results are then used to determine whether a typology of East‐ESMs could be produced.Findings – Social welfare performance in the new EU members indicates two different patterns and levels of development, which at this stage separate East‐European countries into two distinct groups. While two divergent trends may be emerging, it is perhaps too soo...

Examining the influence of servant and entrepreneurial leadership on the work outcomes of employees in social enterprises

Abstract The present study examines the relative influence of two distinct leadership styles, servant leadership and entrepreneurial leadership, on the organizational commitment and innovative behavior of employees working in social enterprises. Analyzing data from 169 employees and 42 social entrepreneurs, we found that, although servant leadership was positively related to followers’ organizational commitment, the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and organizational commitment was insignificant. In contrast, whilst we found evidence that entrepreneurial leadership was positively related to followers’ innovative behavior, the relationship between servant leadership and employees’ innovative behavior was insignificant. Our research contributes to the underdeveloped literature on leadership in social enterprises by exploring the relative effectiveness of different leadership styles (namely an entrepreneurial leadership style and a servant leadership style) in promoting follower work attitudes and behaviors in social enterprises. In addition, our research demonstrates the importance of leadership over and above followers’ individual differences such as pro-social motivation and creative self-efficacy.

The social value of business: lessons from political economy and process philosophy

In this study we consider the role of business management in delivering good in society, from the perspective of the philosophical work of Adam Smith, Karl Marx and Alfred North Whitehead. We find that Whiteheads process explanations of the nature of experience and consciousness articulate meaningfully with Smiths idea of ‘self-love’ and Marxs conceptualisation of ‘rich-experience’. As a result, we argue that business practice must reconnect with society in a more appropriate understanding of a good as something beyond a mere economic entity. Using principles of process thought, we make recommendations as to how this might be achieved in daily management practice.

Profit‐making vs human value: philosophy's contribution

Purpose – This paper responds to the increasing concern among both the public and the academic community regarding the negative effects of for‐profit activities of organisations on society, in particular on human development and well‐being. It does so by aiming to examine the main theories regarding the possibility of positive and/or negative relationships between the management of for‐profit activity and human value. It aims to identify guiding principles to assist organisations in meeting the business imperative of respecting and considering their effects on human rights wherever they operate.Design/methodology/approach – This paper takes a conceptual approach drawing from economic, social and political philosophy literature to investigate four perspectives on the relationship between the management of for‐profit activity and human value.Findings – The need for management theory to develop a typology of factors determining positive, negative or mixed effects of for‐profit activity on human value is iden...

When paradigms meet: interacting perspectives on evaluation in the non-profit sector

This study examines a public debate in Australia, arising from a national government report, around how social contribution in the nonprofit sector should be assessed. Guided by several meta-perspectives on evaluation, we identify connections between foundational assumptions and normative positions on evaluation espoused by non-profit organizations (NPOs), and examine the ways in which the inter-paradigmatic context of the non-profit sector contributes to the emergence of NPOs’ different normative positions on evaluation. We conclude that particular paradigmatic orientations of NPOs (positivism, interpretivism, constructivism) lead to particular perspectives on how NPOs should engage with alternative paradigms (monism, impartial pluralism, radical pluralism).

The Value of Ethics Education for Parliamentarians

This chapter examines the rationale for ethics education for parliamentarians, in view of the public significance of ethical behaviour in the discharge of the parliamentary role. The themes explored here are the public exemplary nature of parliamentarians’ behaviour, the relationship between this behaviour and social norms, the types of outcomes that explicit and implicit ethics education and/or training can be expected to deliver, the means and processes by which these outcomes can be produced, and the responsibilities of those who do and/or can play a key role in the ethics education process (e.g. leaders of the institution of parliament, experienced members and staff, role models of the past, ethics specialists, political parties, the media and the public). This chapter briefly reviews current ethics education practices in parliaments, and outlines, evaluates and recommends a new approach to parliamentary ethics education which is likely to be more effective in contemporary democracies.

Value Creation as Business Commitment to Responsible Consumption

Abstract In this paper we propose a typology of firm-stakeholder relationships based on four different states of consumption, leading to a new model of business commitment to responsible consumption. In developing this typology, we apply a physiological theory of consumption to define business as a nexus of activities capable of producing four different types of value: subsistence, growth, indifference and excess. The model represents a more coherent conceptualization of business management, drawing upon long-term multi-dimensional value management in firm-stakeholder relations. Thus, in our model, we establish normative connections between value creation and responsible consumption, and indicate more specific measures of value creation for stakeholders, by promoting subsistence and growth, and discouraging indifference and excess. We are thus taking value creation stakeholder theory one step further, by exploring how different levels of value or utility could inform integrative, convergent value creation processes within the firm as a network of stakeholders.