scholarly journals Proactive Corporate Sustainability via Social Innovation—A Case Study of the Hennes & Mauritz Grand Challenge in Bangladesh

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 599
Author(s):  
Veronika Tarnovskaya ◽  
Sara Melén Hånell ◽  
Daniel Tolstoy

The purpose of the study is to explore how a multinational enterprise can use social innovations to drive change and solve grand challenges in an emerging market context. This paper brings market-shaping literature into a sustainability context, particularly by studying the implementation of social innovations in an emerging market context. Specifically, the study involves an in-depth qualitative study of H&M’s fair living wages program in Bangladesh. We find that H&M is tackling utterances of grand challenges revealed by orchestrating social innovation in collaborations with local stakeholders. Social innovation is carried out in ongoing projects involving multiple stakeholders. The study contributes to current literature by revealing that multinational enterprises indeed can use social innovation to drive change in emerging markets, although this requires long-term commitment, an ability and willingness to shape the surrounding business environment, and a prominent standing among key stakeholders.

2021 ◽  
pp. 097215092110476
Author(s):  
Ashok Ashta

National identity has been found to be a basis for othering and resistance in host country managers at multinational enterprises overseas’ affiliates. An original model of employee’s resistance using national identity has developed a nuanced understanding of how resistance manifests. This research tests this original model in a multinational enterprise’s office in the emerging market and power distance accepting India. A case study design was adopted. Interpretive analysis of the data indicates that the newly developed model could apply to Indian situations, and collateral inductive reasoning proposes a further refinement to this model. Thus, besides verbal othering, it is found that the use of space and rituals can also be used in the acts of resistance and further it is proposed that such acts are not necessarily continuous, but can manifest intermittently. Hence, the practising international human resources manager now has a broader lens to assess resistance manifestation, facilitating sooner remedial countermeasures. The cross-cultural study is among the pioneers in studying national identity as a means of resistance in a power distance accepting context in general, and the under-researched advanced economy, emerging market Japan–India international business dyad specifically. It contributes to cross-cultural management (CCM) literature by surfacing the darker side of globalization—the power retained by the parent company and concomitant subordination of the host country manager that results in resistance. This study adds to the under-researched India–Japan global business scholarship.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Collins Osei ◽  
Joseph Amankwah-Amoah ◽  
Zaheer Khan ◽  
Maktoba Omar ◽  
Mavis Gutu

PurposeIn almost every large business, there is a growing recognition of the importance of organisational agility in improving their marketing responsiveness and business survival. However, limited insights have been offered by scholars on multinational enterprises and their marketing agility in emerging markets context. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various manifestations of agility and the various strategies adopted to sustain agility by an emerging economy multinational enterprise (EMNE) which started in the late 1990s as a small firm operating within the fresh fruit and juice industry in Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilised empirical qualitative data from an emerging African economy to develop a three-stage model of how agility manifests overtime.FindingsThe authors find that successful development and deployment of international marketing agility strategy adopted by an EMNE from emerging markets hinge on building relationships, being socially responsible and being innovative in standardisation and adaptation in response to, and in anticipation of, the rapidly changing business environment.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is based on data from one organisation. Future research can consider using multiple cases from different countries to further understand marketing agility in emerging markets and when such firms internalise into developed markets.Originality/valueThis paper extends research on standardisation/adaptation debate and research on agility, to address the gap on international marketing agility. Hitherto, there was no significant research on marketing agility in emerging markets which focused on highly perishable products such as fruits. This research provides unique insight into how marketing agility could be developed, deployed and sustained in emerging African markets.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-371
Author(s):  
Heiko Berner

Social innovations are targeted measures that are capable to resolve social problems (Rammert 2010) and they are directed towards an improvement of the situation (Gillwald 2000). Finally, they are directed towards an amelioration of the situation (Gillwald 2000). In Austria it is argued that ethnic business represents a type of social innovation (Haberfellner 2000). The question the paper addresses is if and to what extent ethnic business goes hand in hand with social developments and possibly boosts social change. Entrepreneurs of Turkish origin in Salzburg are the focus of analysis. The paper starts with a definition of the term ‚social innovation‘ (1), the issues of ethnic vs. migrant business (2.), followed by the description of the labour market situation of Turkish migrants in Salzburg and discrimination in the labour market (3.), and, to to round up, the analysis of biographic interviews with Turkish entrepreneurs in Salzburg (4.). The preliminary results show that there exist social problems such as the lower socio-economic situation of Turkish migrants in Salzburg and discrimination in the labour market. These problems can be seen as basis for the need of social innovations. But nevertheless Turkish run ethnic businesses in a strict sense of the word are no social innovation because they do not act against the problems in an intended way; they rather work on their own account. They may overcome disadvantages on the labour market but their actions are not directed towards overcoming the problem per se. It is much rather a transintentional aspect (Schimank 2010), which goes beyond the economic interest of the actors.


Think India ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
Debarati Das Gupta

ITC Limited is a multi-business conglomerate that has, among its business portfolio Agri-Business, that has grown since its inception in 1990 to be one of Indias largest exporters of agricultural products, with core competencies in select commodities like feed ingredients, food grains, marine products, processed fruits, contributing 56% of nearly US$ 5.4 billion of ITCs foreign exchange earnings over the last ten years (2013). However, the very nature of the business makes it highly dependent on water, a scarce natural resource. Infact, in a research done by the United Nations Population Fund (November 6, 2003), as much as two-thirds of the worlds population is predicted to be under high water stress in 2025. To meet these qualms, ITC has formulated an innovative model - the Soil and Moisture Conservation Programme. This Situational Case Study, targeted towards management students, studying Corporate Governance, Strategic Management, Business Environment, Business Policy, aims to identify the embedded sustainability model of ITCs Agri-business division, analyse it in terms of its challenges and impact, and initiate discussion about Corporate Sustainability vis-a-vis Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This original work may also be undertaken for developmental related workshops/ training programmes for students and working professionals of innovation, CSR, sustainability and shared, among others, in various Chambers of Commerce and Academic forums on the same. It is, however, not intended to serve as an endorsement, source of data, or illustration of effective or ineffective management. Certain names and information could have been disguised for confidentiality.


Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Daniel Shapiro

This chapter reviews the literature on foreign direct investments among emerging economies (E-E FDI), focusing on the motivations behind E-E FDI, country-specific advantages and firm-specific advantages associated with emerging-economy multinational enterprises (EMNEs), and spillover effects of E-E FDI on host-country economic and institutional development. We identify the following topics as posing important questions for future research: EMNEs’ ability to leverage home-government resources and diplomatic connections to promote investment in other emerging economies; nonmarket strategies of EMNEs in emerging economies; ownership and corporate governance affecting investment strategy and performance of EMNEs; E-E FDI contributions to sustainable development in host countries. Future studies should also consider potential heterogeneity among EMNEs by integrating insights from institutional theory, network theory, political science, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable-development research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3237
Author(s):  
Pyounggu Baek ◽  
Taesung Kim

As ethical management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and corporate sustainability (CS) are increasingly permeating business discourse, contemplating the role of human resources (HR) in helping organizations with socially responsible management is a proactive acceptance of stakeholders’ expectations while reinforcing the field’s identity and contribution. In response, the we examined the HR policies and practices of 46 multinational enterprises (MNEs) listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) World 2018/2019 to add new insights to the literature and inform the HR field on how to move forward with socially responsible HR. Content analysis and inductive conceptualization of the MNEs’ HR activities produced a triangular pyramid for socially responsible HR, constructed with eight major themes at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Building on the findings, we suggest implications for practice and research, and conclude with urging the HR community to demonstrate leadership in setting the agendas and facilitating change toward socially responsible management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 820-848
Author(s):  
Pierre-Yves Donzé

Whereas the globalization of medicine since the middle of the 19th century has primarily been approached as the sociopolitical and cultural outcome of imperialism, this article argues that Western big business also played a major role through the worldwide export of standardized medical technologies. It focuses on the expansion of Siemens on the X-ray equipment market in non-Western countries during the first half of the twentieth century. This German multinational enterprise experienced slight growth from the mid-1920s onwards but relied mainly on two markets (Argentina and Brazil). It specialized in providing large-scale equipment to a few urban hospitals and engaged during the 1930s in large-scale hospital development together with local authorities and international organizations in various countries (China, Peru, and Central Africa). However, Siemens had great difficulty in expanding its business to include private doctors and inland outlets, where it faced intense competition from other Western X-ray producers. This paper emphasizes that this shortcoming stemmed from a direct application of the European strategy (high-quality, expensive equipment for hospitals) to non-Western markets, where health systems differed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 891-900
Author(s):  
Iban Lizarralde ◽  
Audrey Abi Akle ◽  
Mikhail Hamwi ◽  
Basma Samir

AbstractCurrent development of renewable energy systems (RES) is characterised by an increasing participation of citizens in the upstream decision-making process. These citizens can be future users of the RES but also members of a Renewable Energy Community that develop RES. They can be at the same time Renewable Energy producer, investor and consumer. Moreover, several type of businesses and terms are used to cope with social innovations within the energy sector: local renewable projects, sustainable energy communities or community of renewable energy production. So, actors' engagement opens new solutions for designers who are induced to share alternatives before making decisions. They usually impose constraints since the early phases of the design process. This approach implies for designers to consider new criteria related to citizens motivations and barriers. This paper presents a study to define the main factors that drive people to contribute in social innovation schemes for clean-energy transition. After a state of the art, a survey about 6 main factors and 18 criteria is presented. The analysis based on the responses from 34 participants (i.e. experts) reveals 2 most important factors of motivation and 2 principal barrier sources.


Author(s):  
Heba Mohamed Adel

The purpose of this article is to use strategy mapping (SM) and balanced scorecard (BSC) in portraying and assessing green entrepreneurial supply chain management (GESCM) performance of a vertically integrated entrepreneurial supply chain in an Egyptian emerging market of organic beverages industry. Based on thematic literature review and qualitative research (in-depth interviews with experts, focus groups, observations, and reports’ analysis), multi-item measurement quantitative BSC scale and strategy map were proposed to measure and communicate the GESCM performance of a hierarchical chain with multiple nodes and cross-functional green practices. This article conceptually contributes to the active debate on contemporary GESCM performance measurement. It integrates the literature of green production and operations management, strategic management and entrepreneurial supply chain management (ESCM) to investigate the unexplored context of GESCM research. It empirically assesses GESCM performance of an attractive network using BSC and maps its strategy with its multidisciplinary environment-friendly practices. The GESCM performance was measured in terms of four integrated perspectives (innovative and proactive processes, learning and growth, financial gains and supply chain stakeholders’ delight). Results showed that BSC and SM are effective and efficient tools in managing the performance of a successful GESC in an emerging market. Royal Herbs’ BSC key performance indicators (KPIs), which were used in assessing a GESCM strategy, indicate improvements along the BSC’s four perspectives. Results give green entrepreneurs/manufacturers in an emerging market as Egypt a comprehensive view on how they can effectively assess/improve their GESCM performance. It draws attention to the importance of investing in GESCM practices for maintaining sustainable development in a clean business environment. It helps practitioners, academics and policymakers in Egypt to bridge the gap between theory and practice regarding GESCM performance. From an interdisciplinary perspective, it provides insights on improving the ESCM performance of the industry without harming its natural environment.


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