scholarly journals A conceptual framework for ecological economics based on systemic principles of life

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 831-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fritjof Capra ◽  
Ove Daniel Jakobsen
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Economic System ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Ecological Economics ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to refer to ecological economics using two meanings of the term “ecological”. In the strict scientific sense, ecological economics refers to an economic system that is consistent with and honors the basic principles of ecology, which, ultimately, are identical with what the authors call the systemic principles of life. In a broader sense ecological economics refers to economic theory and practice that see the economy as operating within, rather than dominating, the spheres of nature, society, and culture. Design/methodology/approach The authors distill four fundamental principles for ecological economics based on systems theory of life and philosophy of organism. The four principles are; nested systems, self-generating networks, open systems, and cognitive interactions. The authors discuss how these principles can be applied to design an ecological economic system that is life-enhancing on individual, social and ecological levels. Findings The authors argue that ecological economics should give priority to activities that maximize well-being of human and non-human beings, as well as entire ecosystems, and that its central purpose should be to serve the life processes in social and ecological systems. Originality/value In this paper, the authors connect ecological economics to systems theory and come up with principles relevant for developing economic theory and practice within, rather than dominating, the spheres of nature, society, and culture.

Service ecosystem well-being: conceptualization and implications for theory and practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 2657-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pennie Frow ◽  
Janet R. McColl-Kennedy ◽  
Adrian Payne ◽  
Rahul Govind
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Meso Level ◽  
Service Outcomes ◽  
Service Ecosystems ◽  
Service Ecosystem ◽  
Logic Resource

Purpose This paper aims to conceptualize and characterize service ecosystems, addressing calls for research on this important and under-researched topic. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on four meta-theoretical foundations of S-D logic – resource integration, resource density, practices and institutions – providing a new integrated conceptual framework of ecosystem well-being. They then apply this conceptualization in the context of a complex healthcare setting, exploring the characteristics of ecosystem well-being at the meso level. Findings This study provides an integrated conceptual framework to explicate the nature and structure of well-being in a complex service ecosystem; identifies six key characteristics of ecosystem well-being; illustrates service ecosystem well-being in a specific healthcare context, zooming in on the meso level of the ecosystem and noting the importance of embedding a shared worldview; provides practical guidance for managers and policy makers about how to manage complex service ecosystems in their quest for improving service outcomes; and offers an insightful research agenda. Research limitations/implications This research focuses on service ecosystems with an illustration in one healthcare context, suggesting additional studies that explore other industry contexts. Practical implications Practically, the study indicates the imperative for managing across mutually adapting levels of the ecosystem, identifying specific new practices that can improve service outcomes. Social implications Examining well-being in the context of a complex service ecosystem is critical for policymakers charged with difficult decisions about balancing the demands of different levels and actors in a systemic world. Originality/value The study is the first to conceptualize and characterize well-being in a service ecosystem, providing unique insights and identifying six specific characteristics of well-being.

Leading change for success: embracing resistance

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbas Nadim ◽  
Parbudyal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Organizational Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Systems Theory ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Scant Attention

Purpose Organizational change is one of the most researched issues in management and leadership. Change is generally viewed as necessary, with positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Resistance is consequently seen as a surprising outcome. However, much of the management literature focuses on change as organizational dynamics-driven, especially by those at the top, in the interests of those at the top, often with scant attention to the role of employees. The purpose of this paper is to take a different perspective, grounded in the systems theory. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. The authors critically examine theoretical explanations of resistance to change in organizations and offer an alternative perspective. Findings Systems theorists have addressed change, and its necessity in organizational survival, using an open systems model. The open systems theory posits that organizations are social systems that have purposes of their own and is made of parts (employees) that are purposeful and operate within a purposeful larger system – the environment (stakeholders). Change that ignores a key part – employees – will be resisted. Originality/value Using the systems theory, the authors propose several suggestions for organizational leaders and managers to implement sustainable change. These include, among others, recommendations on circular organizational designs, the need for more democratic organizations, purposeful leadership styles and how to include employees in proactive organizational change processes.

scholarly journals Navigating emotion in HR work: caring for ourselves?

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1565-1579
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Rivers
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Photo Elicitation ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emotional Challenges ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand how human resource (HR) practitioners subjectively experience emotions in their working lives and how they navigate emotionally challenging work. Design/methodology/approach A narrative methodology and participant-led photo-elicitation methods were used with five HR practitioners from different sectors to uncover experiences of emotion in their work. Findings Participants describe themselves as perceived by non-HR employees as non-emotional human beings, expected to “take” emotional expression from others, but to display little themselves. HR practitioners use emotion-focussed coping strategies, both self and team-care, to cope with the emotionally challenging work inherent in their role. Research limitations/implications As a pilot study of five participants, further research is needed to strengthen the findings; however, the in-depth qualitative methods used provide rich insight into their working lives. Practical implications HR practitioners’ well-being should not be taken for granted or overlooked in organisations. Opportunities for informal networking with HR communities and training/coaching interventions could provide support on approaches to the emotional challenges faced. Originality/value This paper provides insights into how HR practitioners experience the challenges of their work, in contrast to mainstream research emphasising the impact of human resource management policy and practices on employees and organisations. Attention is drawn to the subjective experience of emotion, rather than the mainstream objectification, managerialisation and generalisation of emotion.

Developing sustainable management theory: goal-setting theory based in virtue

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell J. Neubert ◽  
Bruno Dyck
Keyword(s):  
Goal Setting ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Virtue Theory ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conventional Management ◽  
Goal Setting Theory ◽  
Setting Theory

Purpose – This paper responds to ongoing calls to develop alternative management theory to guide management practice. In particular, the purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the merit of developing sustainable management theory and organizational practices that parallel conventional management theory and practices. Sustainable theory is based on a variation of virtue theory that seeks to achieve multiple forms of well-being for multiple stakeholders in the immediate as well as distant future. To illustrate the approach, the authors develop a sustainable variation of goal setting theory. Design/methodology/approach – The paper includes three parts. First, the authors establish the need for developing sustainable management theory (based on virtue theory) that parallels conventional management theory. Second, the authors identify and briefly review the main tenets of goal setting theory and then describe a Sustainable variation of this theory. Finally, the authors discuss the implications of the paper for management and organization theory and practice. Findings – The conceptual arguments for a sustainable version of goal setting theory based in virtue are supported by research and practitioner examples. Originality/value – Although there is growing concern regarding the shortcomings of management theory and practice based on a materialist-individualist moral-point-of-view, few alternatives have been discussed in detail. This paper presents an alternative based in virtue theory and illustrates how it relates to goal setting theory and practice.

Group relations conferences in China 2014 to 2019: theory and dynamics

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Seth Harkins ◽  
Xiaohua Lu
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Organisational Development ◽  
Group Relations ◽  
Open Systems Theory ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Learning Institutions

This is a longitudinal inquiry into the theory and dynamics of four group relations conferences in China from 2014 to 2019. The study triangulates field notes, document artefacts, and verbatim transcribed interviews to investigate the application of Wilfred Bion's basic assumption (BA) group theory in the context of temporary learning institutions devoted to the examination of authority, leadership, and conscious/unconscious processes in groups. Given that group relations theory and practice in the Tavistock tradition is grounded in psychoanalysis and open systems theory, the study integrates psychoanalytic and psychodynamic systems theory in the analysis and interpretation of conference dynamics. The study concludes that group relations has important implications for psychoanalysis in China in light of: 1) the "psycho boom" in contemporary China; 2) the possibilities of cross-cultural learning and knowledge transfer; 3) cross-cultural trust building; 4) professional development of human services, mental health, and organisational development professionals; and 5) the application of psychoanalytical theory and practices to the understanding of organisational development in China.

The importance of non-equilibrium in the development of economic system (thermodynamic approach)

foresight ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Štefan Volner
Keyword(s):  
Equilibrium State ◽  
Economic System ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
External Environment ◽  
State Theory ◽  
Thermodynamic Approach ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Equilibrium

Purpose – New non-equilibrium systems theory is a very important theoretical and methodological base of survey and understanding of contemporary economic systems and processes. Equilibrium is considered one of the basic conditions of existence and evolution of natural and social systems, according to scientific literature. Generally speaking, it can be presented as true. But the problem is that classical imagination perceives equilibrium as something real and stable – something more stable than basic condition of evolution of systems. Non-equilibrium state was usually understood as something negative, something destructive and something which has to be eliminated. Non-equilibrium state was understood as an anomaly, as an expression of weakening of system security and as a road to extinction. Thermodynamics comes with an idea that equilibrium is a “short” state of the system, equilibrium is very relative and all systems try to meet it, but they will never reach it. Equilibrium is usually connected with classical science and non-equilibrium state is connected with thermodynamics paradigm, with a new methodology of science. Non-equilibrium state is often seen as a basic condition – as an internal source of system evolution and its activities. Non-equilibrium state is a base of new arrangement of systems. Misunderstanding of contemporary non-equilibrium state theory and new expressions or aspects of dynamic processes can bring about negative impacts on the survey and establishment of new global economic system, e.g. new national and local economic systems. Therefore, the non-equilibrium state theory is a methodological base of new perception and survey of contemporary economic systems. Design/methodology/approach – A study of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Findings – Irreversibility and non-equilibrium, occurring in each process and evolutionary phase of economic systems, are connected with accidents and openness. Openness of systems enables (and causes) diversification toward wider system or environment and penetration of external elements and processes to internal structure of the system. A system like this is more sensitive to external and internal changes. Considering this, it is very important to be aware of the fact that entropy has different behavior in “closed” systems – different from behavior in open systems. Open economic systems communicate with external environment, interact with external systems and they exchange the energy. They consume energy of external environment and penetrate it. Elements, nodes and joints in open systems can communicate, connect and integrate with elements, nodes and joints from external systems. The growth of entropy is “smoother” and equilibrium of the system, its sub-systems and elements proceeds despite the non-equilibrium state of elements of the own system. They have to communicate and exchange the energy with external environment. This is because of the non-equilibrium state. Originality/value – This is an original thermodynamic approach to the importance of non-equilibrium in the development of economic systems.

scholarly journals البنية المعرفية للاقتصاد الإسلامي: دراسة مقارنة مع الاقتصاد الوضعي

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (62) ◽  
pp. 43-13
Author(s):  
أحمد إبراهيم منصور
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Economic System ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Basic Concepts ◽  
Cultural Borrowing ◽  
Islamic Economic

يبدأ البحث بإيضاح عناصر الاقتصاد الوضعي التي تمثل مرجعية معرفية للممارسات الاقتصادية، مع التركيز على المنهج والمفاهيم، وينتقل إلى بيان عجز الاقتصاد الوضعي عن تحقيق العدالة والكفاءة. ثم يتناول عدداً من المفاهيم الأساسية ليوضح طبيعة البيئة التي تشكل فيها المفهوم، والشكل الذي تم إنتاجه فيها، ويختار لذلك مفهوم "العمل". ثم يختم بتحليل مسألة الاقتراض الثقافي للمفاهيم ودورها في التمييز بين جهود بناء الأصالة الحضارية أو الوقوع في التبعية الحضارية. ويؤكد البحث أن بناء نظرية اقتصادية إسلامية أمر ممكن لتوفر الإطار المرجعي للنظرية ومنظومة المفاهيم المشكلة لها وأدوات التحليل والتفسير العاملة فيها، ومن ثم يدعو المهتمين بشأن الاقتصادي الإسلامي: فكرأ وممارسة، إلى بذل الجهد اللازم لبناء هذه النظرية. This paper begins by clarifying elements of prevailing economic system characterized by positivist philosophy, with a focus on methodology and concepts.  It exposes the inability of this system to achieve justice and efficiency. The paper then addresses a number of basic concepts to explain the nature of the environment in which the concept has been formed choosing the concept of "work" for that purpose.  It concludes with citing the danger of cultural borrowing of concepts, and its role in creating cultural dependency and harboring efforts of building civilizational identity of the Muslim Ummah. The paper stresses that building an Islamic economic theory is possible, given that a the frame of reference for the theory and the system of concepts that forms it and its tools of analysis are all available, and calls on those concerned with Islamic economics to exert the necessary effort, in theory and practice, to build such theory.

Rules and regulations review on micro-takaful scheme development in Malaysia

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofi Mohd Fikri ◽  
Asmadi Mohamed Naim ◽  
Selamah Maamor ◽  
Mohamad Yazid Isa ◽  
Shahrul Nizam Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Distribution Channel ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Financial Protection ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This study aims to review Although the features of the first micro-takaful are slightly different from the customary long-established takaful settings, the rules and regulations remain unchanged following the original guidelines of operating insurance and takaful. Until Perlindungan Tenang makes its first premiere, the rules and regulations on micro-takaful are gaining ground. The dissimilarity of micro-takaful from the original takaful calls for updated guidelines, so that any micro-takaful scheme launched in the market meets the demand and needs of the targeted population. the current rules and regulations on micro-takaful in Malaysia to determine whether it addresses the basic principles of micro-takaful. Design/methodology/approach This study uses content analysis as the best method to review each guideline in the related rules and regulations across several documents such as microinsurance and micro-takaful discussion paper and guidelines on family takaful products. Findings Overall, the findings reveal that guidelines on micro-takaful operating in Malaysia support the micro-takaful requirement to be affordable, valuable, accessible, understandable and simplified. Matching the rules and regulations with this population feedback, the extended distribution channel may need further scrutiny due to deficit trust among public members toward insurance and takaful. Originality/value The insights presented are of important illumination to achieve long-term sustainability financial protection while preserving human well-being among those underserved.

Ethics and the economy

Humanomics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-58
Author(s):  
Frederick Trainer
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Fundamental System ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Theoretical Discussion ◽  
Ethical Values ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Economics Profession

Purpose – An examination of the economy reveals it to be structured in ways that contradict generally accepted ethical values. This is primarily due to the narrowness of its principles, being focused on the maximisation of monetary costs and benefits and on the separation of the economic realm from the realm of ethics. Economics now exists as an independent realm in which some crucial values can be routinely disregarded. The problematic nature of the economy is most apparent when issues of global sustainability and justice are considered. It is argued that these problems are systemic; they are inevitably generated by the structures built into the current economic theory and practice and cannot be remedied without fundamental system replacement. A radically alternative economy is sketched, in which institutions and practices enable and reward more satisfactory values. Implications for the economics profession are considered, notably to do with the lack of concern with the problems evident within economics. It is suggested that “virtue ethics” best enables thinking about this field. This paper seeks to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a critical theoretical discussion of the ethical implications of the economy. Thus, there is little to say about “methodology” other than that several aspects of conventional economic theory and practice are considered, and in general rejected. Findings – The paper rejects conventional economic theory and practice and points to the need for a radically alternative model. Originality/value – The author is not aware of work making the main points this paper raises, i.e. to do with the important connections with “The Simpler Way” perspective on sustainability and economics.

The supply and demand of social systems: towards a systems theory of the firm

Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladislav Valentinov ◽  
Spencer Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Theory Of The Firm ◽  
Complexity Reduction ◽  
Theoretic Approach ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Organisation

PurposeThe economic theory of the firm apparently concurs with Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems with regard to the primary function of the firm to be complexity reduction, i.e. the alleviation of the cognitive burden on agents whose cognitive capacities are limited. At the same time, however, the theory of the firm ignores the attendant issues of societal sustainability emphasised by Luhmann. The paper aims to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachTaking a theoretical approach, the paper builds on the conceptual construct of “the complexity-sustainability trade-off”, which combines two contrasting aspects of the relationship between a system and its environment, namely, the precariousness highlighted by Luhmann and the embeddedness highlighted by open systems theory. These themes are respectively reflected in the principles of complexity reduction and environmental dependence which constitute the trade-off.FindingsDrawing inspiration from the classic Marshallian presentation of supply and demand in modern economics, the paper argues that the principles of complexity reduction and critical dependence translate into the demand for and supply of social systems. In the proposed systems-theoretic interpretation of the theory of the firm, demand and supply refer to the imperatives of achieving coordination and securing cooperation within the firm, respectively. Thus, in the theory of the firm, the complexity-sustainability trade-off manifests itself as a trade-off between coordination and cooperation.Originality/valueThe implicit focus of the theory of the firm on complexity reduction disregards the nature, importance and fragility of cooperation in real-world firms. In so doing, it impedes the authors’ understanding of unconventional types of business organisation, such as cooperatives. These defects can be corrected by reorienting the theory of the firm according to the proposed systems-theoretic approach, which holds that firms should not be governed or studied in isolation from their environment, as they too often are – and, accordingly, that apparently anomalous forms of organisation should be taken seriously, as they too often are not.

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