Buddhist economics: a model for managing consumer society

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 824-832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gullinee Mutakalin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate consumer society through various perspectives. In addition, it applies Buddhist economics as an exemplary model which helps managing consumer society. Design/methodology/approach – The study started by comparing and contrasting the management of consumption between Mainstream and Buddhist economic. In addition, various perspectives such as Marxian economics, Frankfurt School, sociology as well as social critics are added to comprehend consumer society. Finally, it proposed the practices of Buddhist economics as an exemplary model for managing consumer society. Findings – The study found that while Mainstream economics focusses on increasing the amount of goods and services, Buddhist economics focusses on converting the insatiable to satiable desires. There are two viewpoints of the interconnected spheres of consumption and production through the evolution of consumerism; a producer-led approach and a consumer-led approach. This polarization presents the debate in a very well-established tension between structure and agency. Originality/value – This paper proposed an exemplary model for managing consumer society by applying the dialectical relationship of both structure and agency.

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Majid Adeel ◽  
Hafiz Ghufran Ali Khan ◽  
Naveed Zafar ◽  
Syed Tahir Rizvi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among passive leadership, organizational justice and affect-based trust. In addition, the meditating role of affect-based trust between these relationships is also investigated. Design/methodology/approach The data have been collected using anonymously completed questionnaire that has questions regarding passive leadership as independent variable, affect-based trust as mediator and organizational justice as dependent variable. Findings It is noted that the passive leadership is negatively associated with the affect-based trust and perceptions of organizational justice and the mediating role of affect-based trust is also confirmed between these relationships. Originality/value This study provides a new insight for social science knowledge base by explaining the direct relationship of passive leadership with organizational justice and through affect-based trust.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-647
Author(s):  
Haoran Li ◽  
Zhenzhi Zhao ◽  
Ralf Müller ◽  
Jingting Shao

Purpose Followership is the free will recognition of leadership in the commitment toward realization of the collectively adopted organization vision and culture. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between project managers’ leadership and their followership. Most project managers are both leaders and followers at the same time, but research typically investigates only their leadership. This ignores followership as an important aspect in understanding and predicting behavior, and further in the selection of project managers. Design/methodology/approach The method used for this paper is the explanatory in nature and a deductive approach, within which the above research hypothesis is tested through quantitative techniques. Data are collected through a nation-wide survey in China. Data analysis was done through factor analysis, canonical correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings The results show that transformational leadership is positively correlated with transformational followership and transactional followership, and that transactional leadership is negatively correlated with transactional followership. Research limitations/implications The paper supports a deeper investigation into leadership and followership theories. A model for both leadership and followership is developed. The findings from this paper will guide organizations to choose the project managers. Originality/value The originality lies in the new way to examine the relationship between leadership and followership. It is the first study on the relationship of project managers. Its value is new insights, which introduced a new perspective to understand leadership and followership.


2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 394-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Budd ◽  
Diane L. Velasquez

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present ways for managers to attain the phenomenological attitude. Achieving effective communication in organizations like libraries and information agencies is a difficult challenge. The business literature offers some suggestions, but those fall short. Application of phenomenological methods by managers can help meet the challenge and bring people together around the intended messages. Design/methodology/approach – Of utmost importance to effective communication is transcending what can be called the “natural attitude” in favor of the “phenomenological attitude”. This requires recognition by managers of the unique relationship of self and other, plus the realization that action is intentional (meaning that being conscious means being conscious of something). This paper presents ways for managers to attain the phenomenological attitude. Findings – Phenomenological methods of communicating have the potential to engage and involve everyone in the organization by enabling all to comprehend fully the nature of what is communicated and what is to be accomplished. Originality/value – Phenomenology is seldom applied to organizational communication; this paper demonstrates that it presented the wherewithal to help managers improve the effectiveness of libraries and information agencies.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-15

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – The justification of the super wealthy for being, well, super wealthy, is that there is a “trickle down effect” that benefits us mere mortals. This effect supposedly sees the rich and famous spend their hard-earned cash on goods and services supplied by the great unwashed, and invest in companies and projects that require large numbers of people to be gainfully employed. If it was not for such benevolence, presumably the authors would see long lines of people snaking round the block from job centres like the darkest days of the 1980s. Practical implications – This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – This briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Blantern

Purpose This paper aims to draw attention to the significance of “acculturation” in organisations and organising and how learning occurs as micro-practices (organisational poetics). Design/methodology/approach The recognition of the ontological significance of organisational acculturation invites a more critical view of the effects of organisational practices on individual identity, social norms and the accountability of organisations to society. Findings Organising and organisations are cast as nurseries of cultural practices that are so normalised we regard them as “unremarkable”, as “just the way things are” – yet “schooling” of identity and social norms. Practical implications If we want a better world, we should, as citizens, expect more from our organisations and their learning. Social implications The significance here is, from a post-structural, relational stance, that organising and organisations are significant agents in the performance of what it is to be human and our social conditions. As well as goods and services organisations produce “humans”. Originality/value As distinct from the canon of organisational learning literature which is primarily concerned with learning for the effectiveness and resilience of organisations for their own benefit, this paper asserts that what we learn and normalise in organisations structures society – the world we live.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Borge Obel ◽  
Igor Gurkov

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address issues related to better identification of strategic orientation of the firm and the impact of strategic orientation on sustainable development of the firm. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an overview of the existing literature on strategic orientation of the firm, reexamines the major findings and fills the discovered gaps in theoretical constructs and models by new models. Findings In this paper, a new model of strategic orientation is proposed based on the type of relationship of aa firm with its stakeholders who are considered as suppliers of key strategic resources. Relationship between the firm and its particular stakeholder is presented on an input-output like scheme and the variants of the position of the firm towards all its stakeholders serve as foundation for determining strategic orientation types. Next, the authors present orientation of firms of different strategic types towards sustainability. Research limitations/implications The paper outlines several novels problems for strategic management and organizational design theory. Originality/value The paper provides a novel treatment of strategic orientation and particular strategic types.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naailah Nutman ◽  
Khadijah Isa ◽  
Salwa Hana Yussof

Purpose The Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation in Malaysia had raised various responses from many parties involved when the new tax was introduced in 2015 until its abolishment in 2018. GST complexity has been stated as part of the reasons for its resistance and abolishment. The purpose of this paper is to identify causes of GST complexities during its implementation in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on causes of tax complexity from previous studies and conducted semi-structured interviews with tax experts. The respondents comprised of subject matter experts in GST and the findings are based on their numerous years of experiences handling clients with diverse backgrounds. Findings Findings from this study are categorised into legal complexity and declarative complexities. Almost all the causes of complexities from prior studies were encountered by Malaysian businesses. This study concluded that the most likely reasons for the abolishment of GST in Malaysia are: numerous rules and exception to the rules (e.g. 35 tax codes, gifts rules, 21-day rules), frequent changes of GST rulings and guidelines, GST computations that were too difficult for mixed supply and process of GST refund that were onerous and lengthy. Research limitations/implications Limitations of this paper include reliance on the respondents’ ability to accurately and honestly recall details of their experiences, circumstances, thoughts or behaviours that are being asked. Practical implications Despite the abolishment of the GST in Malaysia, it is pertinent to identify the causes of GST complexities that can be learnt by the relevant authorities. Measures can be formulated to mitigate the identified GST complexities to ensure high compliance among businesses with other existing taxes or new taxes (if any) to be introduced in the future. This includes addressing the competency of RMCD officers and businesses on the rules and regulations, minimal rules and exception to the rules, a simplified GST computations for mixed supply and a systematic refund process. Originality/value The research method used is a flexible and powerful tool to capture the voices and the ways respondents make meaning of their experience dealing with the GST matters. The findings reveal a deep understanding of the issues from the views of the experts in the field.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiri Dvorak ◽  
Lenka Komarkova ◽  
Lukas Stehlik

Purpose The market for goods and services is a continually changing environment influenced by many internal and external factors. The majority of economies in the World were deeply hit by the coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) in the first half of 2020. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the role of a crisis, COVID-19 in this case, in moderating the market environment and its ability to accelerate or slow down ongoing processes. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was used to obtain the opinions of 100 customers and 100 local retailers on the digitisation of the shopping process in a medium-sized Czech town. After the first wave of crisis faded away, the respondents reflected on their opinions before, during and after the crisis. The data were processed using linear mixed models respecting repeated measures. Findings The crisis seems to have shifted the interest of both groups towards e-commerce but it did not change the disproportion in opinions between them. The interest of customers was significantly higher, even after the crisis. Research limitations/implications The credibility of the results is limited mainly by the one-time gathering of the data after the crisis. However, the results indicate a persistent challenge to which small retailers are exposed. Originality/value The originality of the results comes from the specific situation brought about by the COVID-19 crisis and the structure of respondents, enabling us to catch an immediate shift of opinions caused by the crisis and to compare the changes in both groups of respondents.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Lichtenthaler

Purpose This paper aims to suggest the framework of shared management, which comprises six major principles. These principles indicate that essential strategy guidelines of firms have been transformed. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper, which draws on recent management innovations and transformations of management practices. Thus, the paper builds on prior academic and practitioner contributions. Findings Management recently has become more SHARED, i.e. sustainable, holistic, analytical, relational, entrepreneurial and dynamic. Each of these principles covers one central dimension of management that has recently been affected by a new logic of sharing. Real-life examples of selected companies are given, and many other firms’ managerial challenges in applying and profiting from these principles are described. Originality/value The six principles indicate that the idea of sharing applies to multiple facets of management, which challenge conventional strategy wisdom. They play a particularly important role in a sharing economy, which involves the collaborative production and consumption of goods and services by multiple persons and organizations. Altogether, the principles provide the basis for the shared management framework, which may serve as a step toward an up-to-date picture and realistic guideline for today’s management in many organizations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-126
Author(s):  
Mehir Baidya ◽  
Kamal Ghose ◽  
Bipasha Maity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to see the role of advertising in the middle of sales-price relationship of two entrepreneur brands in India. Design/methodology/approach – Quarterly data on sales (in units), advertising (net of inflation) and price (net of inflation) have been compiled for two entrepreneur brands over a period 2007-2012. First, elasticity of price is estimated by regressing sales on price. Next, the response of price elasticity to advertising is captured using a semi-logarithmic regression model. Findings – Results reveal that price and sales are inversely related and advertising influences price elasticity negatively. Practical implications – Findings suggest that entrepreneurs/managers should allocate more funds to advertising and at the same time should charge a higher price point in order to increase revenue. Originality/value – By showing a new way of how to measure the effectiveness of advertising beyond traditional ones (inform, persuade or remind) of two entrepreneur brands this research definitely adds some value in the literature of marketing.


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