Matthew C. Mitchell

Student Perceptions of Internationalization, Multiculturalism, and Diversity in the Business School

Over the last five decades, business schools all over the world have adapted their strategies for introducing the theoretical and pedagogical consequences of globalization. Educational institutions have gone to great lengths to internationalize their curricula to stay current with the most recent trends in the globalizing economy. As this evolution takes place, the issues of multiculturalism and diversity are increasingly included in the internationalization dialogue. In this article we use qualitative focus groups to examine how U.S. business students experience the relationships among internationalization, multiculturalism, and diversity. Next, we consider the role of international business faculty in addressing this issue. We conclude by offering recommendations for successfully integrating these perspectives into a coherent curriculum.

An institutional perspective of the MNC as a social change agent: the case of environmentalism

Purpose – Using an institutional theory perspective this paper aims to examine the influence of multinational corporations (MNCs) on host country institutional environments.Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual piece that introduces the concept of the country institutional profile (CIP) as a useful theoretical framework for analyzing the host country institutional environment.Findings – The existing model that describes the MNC as a social change agent within host country institutions is extended. This is accomplished by utilizing the CIP as a more formal conception of the host country institutional environment. The model is then used to examine a specific case of the MNC impact on the host country level of environmentalism.Originality/value – The value of the contribution lies in the application of the CIP for analyzing the host country institutional environment. Furthermore, this framework is applied to the case of the MNCs impact on host country environmentalism.

Spiritual institutional entrepreneurs: an introduction and examination

The business environment has undergone dramatic changes over the past decades that have brought about new expectations within the work environment. Entrepreneurship is one of many areas that has been affected by this shift. In fact, the definition of entrepreneur has evolved beyond the traditional external focus to include an internal organizational perspective known as institutional entrepreneur (IE). IEs initiate structural change within their organizations that transforms the way business is conducted. Current research has demonstrated the importance of workplace spirituality as an element in developing an inclusive organizational culture. In this paper, we draw from the institutional entrepreneurship literature to examine the rise of IEs who champion the development of spiritual workplaces. We call these individuals spiritual institutional entrepreneurs (SIEs). We also present a conceptual model for analyzing the role of SIEs and offer notable executive exemplars who reimagined their organizations through the lens of workplace spirituality.

Taboo no more: a qualitative country institutional profile of life insurance in China and India

Purpose - – This paper aims to compare the emergence and evolution of organizational fields through an analysis of the life insurance industries in two large emerging markets. Using institutional theory as a conceptual framework, we compare the regulatory, cognitive and normative dimensions of the life insurance industry in China and India. Design/methodology/approach - – The authors introduce a qualitative variation of the country institutional profile (CIP) that has been traditionally implemented as a quantitative analytical tool used to describe differences in national environments. This newly proposed methodology captures the socially embedded aspects of the phenomenon more completely than commonly employed survey-based methodology. Findings - – This analysis leads to a three-dimensional typology of constructs and themes within each national environment. These themes include the importance of regulation and protectionism, the domestic savings culture, family support structures and human capital development within the industry. The authors conclude by comparing these typologies to consider the implications for studying change in organizational fields across contexts. Originality/value - – As the authors reflect on the evolution of organizational fields, they demonstrate how the interplay of historical factors and new global norms results in a negotiated stance between compliance with new norms and allegiance to local interests. In terms of methodological contribution, we show how the socially embedded aspects of the examined phenomenon are explored more completely by the proposed qualitative CIP than through its quantitative variation. This approach and the analysis illustrate a complex interplay of local and global norms within a selected industry that may be missed by other research methods.

Spirituality and corporate social responsibility: interpenetrating worlds, by David Bubna-Litic, Farnham, Gower Publishing Limited, 2009, 244 pp., US

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and spirituality are both fields of study within the management literature that have finally reached a critical mass within the last decade. In his most recent...