José Luis Fernández

Ethics and the Board of Directors in Spain: The Olivencia Code of Good Governance

In an open, unregulated and globalised economy, it is logical that the problem of corporate government not only occupy the time of academics, but also preoccupy both companies and the public administration. Corporate governance varies depending on several factors, such as the culture of a particular country, the economic situation and the organisational structures. Thus, there is no single recipe which can be applied automatically and is universally valid in all contexts. However, it is possible to propose some general principles which have duly stood the test of experience and are recognised as providing valuable guidance for efficient corporate governance.

Bodega Jiménez‐Landi and Javier Benjumea Chair: the collaborative creation of a strategic stakeholder management approach in a small Spanish enterprise

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to attempt to gain a deeper understanding on small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and point out some of the most serious barriers for small Spanish companies to implement such kind of strategic approach and connect it with its day‐to‐day operations.Design/methodology/approach – After laying out the conceptual framework, and after giving a short description of the Spanish institutional landscape on corporate social responsibility (CSR), the paper focuses on SMEs and the practical issues relating to strategy design, core business and implementation as identified by managers and academics.Findings – The paper shows a joint venture and a strategic partnership between the Javier Benjumea Chair and a new small Spanish company, in which the partners start a process of mutual help and learning. That partnership is itself an interesting experiment as a case of collaboration between the enterprise and an academic institution.Research limitations/implications – This is o...

Consumers’ Loyalty Related to Labor Inclusion of People with Disabilities

Purpose: the purpose of this paper is to show that reporting the corporate commitment to labor exclusion of people with disability correlates with the increase of consumer loyalty. Methodology: It is a theoretical revision that will relate consumer loyalty to three main topics: disability and labor exclusion, responsible consumerism toward disability, and corporate communication to increase loyalty of those consumers that are concerned about this problem. Findings: • Disability is an invisible phenomenon that concerns the whole of human society. So, the exclusion of the collective appears as a great social problem that might be dealt by the companies to be perceived as responsible. • Responsible companies are awarded with the loyalty of the consumers. • Clear corporate information about the commitment with this problem will reinforce the loyalty toward the brand. • This information can be given in an informal way or by following a certification process. The impact of those methods will depend on how disability is understood by each consumer. Originality/value: This paper focuses on a topic usually neglected by companies and even by literature. However, the fact that more and more companies are paying attention to this problem allows us to think that we are facing a social change that will challenge companies.

ESTRATEGIAS PARA PROGRAMAS DE VOLUNTARIADO CORPORATIVO

The objective of this research is to study the strategies to implement Corporate Volunteer programs effectively based on the motivations that guide employees to participate in this type of programs. The lack of knowledge about the most effective policies and strategies may be behind the low participation quotas that companies have in their Corporate Volunteering Programs. We carried out a qualitative empirical study in Spain to define a model that incorporates these policies and strategic axes, starting from the motivations and determinants of employee participation in Corporate Volunteer programs.

Audit of a Competitive Intelligence Unit

ABSTRACT The Spanish business environment associates the function of competitive intelligence (CI) to customer-focused marketing area. The fact that competitive intelligence is not seen as a high value-added tool in terms of security, technological vigilance, and strategic vision makes us ask ourselves if Spanish companies realize that CI is an essential source for improving competitiveness and verify if companies have implemented this function appropriately. This article proposes a review of the CI implementation process in Spanish companies. This research work provides an audit of processes carried out with the objective of identifying areas of improvement not only in the implementation but also in the sustainability of the intelligence programs so the reader can audit a function in terms of sustainability of the program. According to this research, the scope of the auditory work in CI is in initial phases, more centered on the auditing of resources than intelligence, the focus of the audits in CI is based on the measures of product control and usability for clients and the implementation of CI audits in Spanish companies as a way of strengthening and legitimizing CI units. Finally, based on the results and needs of the study, we propose a CI auditing process.

Epistemological Approach to Sustainability

Abstract Despite the boom corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are enjoying nowadays in the agendas of both small and big companies, we still have difficulties in providing a clear definition of the concept of sustainability. There is no consensus on the criteria to be used to define and enhance responsible management that creates sustainable development. After a systematic revision of the literature, authors have been mapping the limits of the research already done at different levels, dimensions, and horizons, so we do have a 360° map of the research on sustainability. Future developments are also explored to enrich and align the diverse approaches demanded to define this wide, complex, and by now, equivocal concept and the conclusions reveal the many gaps not yet covered in the research field, signposting key issues for further work.