Julia Roloff

A Life Cycle Model of Multi-Stakeholder Networks

In multi-stakeholder networks, actors from civil society, business and governmental institutions come together in order to find a common solution to a problem that affects all of them. Problems approached by such networks often affect people across national boundaries, tend to be very complex and are not sufficiently understood. In multi-stakeholder networks, information concerning a problem is gathered from different sources, learning takes place, conflicts between participants are addressed and cooperation is sought. Corporations are key actors in many networks, because the problems addressed are frequently related to business activities. The aim of this article is to conceptualise multi-stakeholder networks by proposing a problem-centred stakeholder definition. From an analysis of several case studies, a life cycle model is deduced that distinguishes seven phases: initiation, acquaintance, first and second agreement, implementation, consolidation and institutionalisation.

The supplier perspective: forging strong partnerships with buyers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify three commonly observed mistakes made when managing suppliers and describe factors that contribute to successful buyer–supplier partnerships. Design/methodology/approach – Five extensive case studies in the automotive and clothing industry, as well as cases discussed in the literature, are analysed. Findings – Barriers to successful partnerships are a too strong emphasis on cost cutting and a too controlling management approach on the part of the buyer, and the abuse of insider knowledge for faking performances on the side of the supplier. Open communication, willingness to engage in mutual learning and encouraging innovations are observed in successful partnerships. Research limitations/implications – A limited number of case studies in the German automotive industry and the Turkish clothing industry are used. Both industries are subject to significant change which means that generalisations should be made with caution. Therefore, we discuss only problem...

In Search of Sustainability? SMEs in Brittany, France

Research on the CSR practice of SMEs suggests that the activities chosen by companies strongly reflect the political, social and economic environment in which they work. This chapter investigates CSR practices among SMEs in Brittany, France, and focuses in particular on the factors which help and hinder CSR engagement. A framework for analysis is developed which reveals the different perceptions of the drivers and brakes of CSR among both active SMEs and those which do not yet engage in CSR. We conclude that in France recent governmental policies encourage engagement in activities which mainly aim at environmental sustainability. It is also found that, managers who have not yet implemented CSR activities are more optimistic regarding their environment’s support for CSR than managers with CSR experience. In addition, SMEs lack information on best practices and funding for investments in CSR.

Konzepte der Unternehmensverantwortung

Seit Beginn des dritten Jahrtausends findet ein neuer Begriff in der Diskussion um die gesellschaftliche Verantwortung von Unternehmen breite Verwendung: ›Corporate Citizenship‹. Die Bezeichnung kommt aus den USA, wo sie unter anderem von dem 1985 gegrundeten Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship eingefuhrt wurde. In Europa verbreitete sich der Begriff Corporate Citizenship erst mit einiger zeitlicher Verzogerung; die Adaption des Begriffes erfolgte dann jedoch sehr schnell und weitreichend. Die Metapher von der Unternehmung als (gutem) Burger ist so attraktiv, dass sie zum Namensgeber von Institutionen wie dem Center for Corporate Citizenship an der Katholischen Universitat Eichstatt-Ingolstadt, dem Centrum fur Corporate Citizenship Deutschland oder dem Center for Corporate Citizenship Austria geworden ist, den Grundungsimpuls fur das Journal of Corporate Citizenship gegeben hat und auch den Titel fur zahlreiche Fachtagungen und Nachhaltigkeitsberichte verschiedener Grosunternehmen liefert. Die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit Corporate Citizenship fullt inzwischen zahlreiche Bucher und ist Gegenstand einer kaum mehr zu uberblickenden Anzahl an Artikeln.

Stakeholder dialogue: strategic tool or wasted words?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify which stakeholder dialogue approach has the best outcomes. Moreover, it is investigated how stakeholder dialogue practices are linked to the quality of stakeholder management and the maturity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Design/methodology/approach Twelve CSR managers of 11 French enterprises are interviewed. Findings Four different types of stakeholder dialogue are identified and their characteristics, as well as the opportunities and risks connected to each approach, are discussed. Research limitations/implications Only a limited number of enterprises operating in France are studied. More research is needed to ensure the generalisability to other countries and to identify the prevalence of each dialogue type. Practical implications Proactive companies manage their stakeholders in a mutually beneficial way and receive more stakeholder support on strategic issues. They discuss issues material to stakeholders, include a wide range of stakeholders and organise frequent meetings. This approach, the Hanoi Dialogue, has the best outcomes and is, therefore, best practice. Social implications Stakeholder dialogue is key for the development of CSR strategies which truly benefit society. Originality/value Although stakeholder dialogues become empirically more relevant, most researchers conduct single-case studies of good practices and do not systematically compare a range of practices.

Non-wage benefits, corporate ownership and firm performance in post-communist economies: evidence from Ukraine

Abstract The economic reforms in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe have fundamentally reshaped ownership and governance of economic production, notably through the privatization of former state-owned enterprises. These reforms were expected to transform management practices by displacing ‘cradle-to-grave’ welfare arrangements administered by state-owned enterprises. Using data drawn from two large samples of Ukrainian establishments, we investigate, in two different time points, the relationship between non-wage benefits and firm performance during the period of transition to a market economy (1994–2004). We found that non-wage benefits continued to be a critical feature of HRM practices in Ukraine during this period, and were positively associated with firm performance.