A digital platform for ethical advertising and hybrid business models for news organizations: are they greening methods for ‘news deserts’?

This article suggests that the adoption of hybrid business models coupled with the establishment of an ethical advertising platform could help counter the emergence of news deserts. The latter are geographic areas and policy issues lacking coverage because of the crisis of the commercial model of news provision. Three clusters of characteristics are used to streamline and compare business models: (1) revenue models, (2) patrons and their motives, and (3) legal frameworks for the incorporation of the organization. Hybrid business models are designed by mixing the principles underpinning the Benefit Corporation or the Low-profit Limited Liability Company (L3C), with the basic characteristics of commercial and non-profit news organizations. The term ethical advertising refers to promotional activities that non-profits and other organizations dedicated to social goals normally undertake, including marketing, fundraising, or public-awareness campaigns. Based on data published by the Internal Revenue Services, this article argues that a digital platform for ethical advertising could face a demand worth over $1 billion a year. Additionally, this platform could effectively match non-profits’ demand for an audience with a pro-social attitude with non-profit and hybrid news organizations’ need for additional revenue streams.

Better Benefits for Better Business: Certified Benefit Corporations Connected Through Internal Communications

Despite the broad body of research examining Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communications, there remains a lack of literature discussing the expansion of Certified Benefit Corporations (B Corps), which are businesses that meet a verified social and environmental performance to advance social good. Existing research analyzes the connection of internal communications and CSR. The following research reviews this relationship and suggests that more for profit companies qualify to be an effective B Corp due to shared qualitative characteristics of internal communications. The characteristics reviewed are corporate storytelling, triple bottom line values, and the importance of key decision makers. The literature review connects CSR and internal communications to form the foundation of 21 interview questions. The interview questions were used to identify qualitative characteristics of B Corps through an in-depth interview process. Top key decision makers in B Corps were selected to interview to gather qualitative information on their internal communications. The interview questions led to an open dialogue about the influence B Corps has had on each company. Each interview was transcribed accordingly and discussed in the research below. Three themes were discovered after reviewing the primary research. The overall consensus suggests that a sense of strong internal communications in a company can be represented in a Certified Benefit Corporation.

Signaling the Adoption of the Benefit Corporation Model: A Step towards Transparency

Using the signaling theory as a reference, this research conducts an in-depth analysis of the adoption of the benefit corporation model, a legal and governance framework introduced into Italian regulations in 2016 following legislation introduced by many US states between 2010 and 2013. Focusing on the experience of Italian benefit corporations, we explore how these businesses manage their signaling environment (signaler, signal, receiver, and feedback) to obtain greater transparency. The analysis focuses on companies’ bylaws, websites, and non-financial reports and suggests that the adoption of this new hybrid business model will only translate into an opportunity for greater transparency for one in four benefit corporations. The ability to strengthen the effects of adopting this model, adequate resources, and a long-term approach are required. The model, therefore, appears to present an opportunity for larger companies that have already invested adequately in the development of communication (web) and reporting (report) tools. The results seem to suggest that, on the contrary, for small companies with less experience, transformation into a benefit corporation may generate a risk of ambiguity.

Signaling the Adoption of the Benefit Corporation Model: A Step towards Transparency

Using the signaling theory as a reference, this research conducts an in-depth analysis of the adoption of the benefit corporation model, a legal and governance framework introduced into Italian regulations in 2016 following legislation introduced by many US states between 2010 and 2013. Focusing on the experience of Italian benefit corporations, we explore how these businesses manage their signaling environment (signaler, signal, receiver, and feedback) to obtain greater transparency. The analysis focuses on companies’ bylaws, websites, and non-financial reports and suggests that the adoption of this new hybrid business model will only translate into an opportunity for greater transparency for one in four benefit corporations. The ability to strengthen the effects of adopting this model, adequate resources, and a long-term approach are required. The model, therefore, appears to present an opportunity for larger companies that have already invested adequately in the development of communication (web) and reporting (report) tools. The results seem to suggest that, on the contrary, for small companies with less experience, transformation into a benefit corporation may generate a risk of ambiguity.

Are Changes in Corporate Governance an Answer?

This chapter explores the potential for changes in corporate governance to overcome the decoupling problem in private regulation, through a detailed examination of the case of benefit corporations. In the United States, a benefit corporation is a type of for-profit corporate entity that includes among its goals — in addition to profits — a positive impact on society, workers, the community, and the environment. The chapter argues that the B-Corp movement is a false promise because of the legal limitations of actors to seek remedy if a benefit corporation does not meet its “benefit goals” and because of a variety of issues in the certification process for such a corporation. This argument is supported through the analysis of the private regulation program of a leading benefit corporation, which shows that its status has in no way improved coupling between private regulation practices and outcomes. It would seem that the benefit corporation certification is simply another modern ritual of due diligence, although there is a need for additional research on benefit corporations to confirm this conclusion.

Las «benefit corporations» norteamericanas

La Benefit Corporation es la nueva forma de empresa social surgida en el panorama legislativo norteamericano. Sobre la base de una estructura de sociedad mercantil capitalista, se pretende poder obtener resultados en beneficio del interés general. Este tipo social, trata de aunar los legítimos intereses financieros de los accionistas, con los de los otros stakeholders de la compañía. Para ello los administradores deberán aplicarse en la obtención de beneficios, pero a través del ejercicio de una actividad empresarial que, en su conjunto, tenga un impacto positivo en la sociedad y en el medio ambiente. Este impacto positivo, deberá poder ser, a su vez, objeto de evaluación a través de su contraste con normas estandarizadas, ideadas y aprobadas por terceros. Recibido: 10 junio 2013Aceptado: 30 julio 2013

Exploiting Digital Skills in Higher Education

Thus far, digital transformation had a strong impact on business and society. The large-scale adoption of digital technologies changed social relationships and opened up to new opportunities for higher education. Currently, the interplay between innovation and digitalization become are among the most important assets for the educational system. In this light, this chapter aims to explore how digital skills and competencies modify the issue of co-creation in higher education. The authors use the case study analysis to explore such theme. The Little Genius International case is presented and discussed: an international alternative school in English for digital natives recognized as the best benefit corporation for the world. The main contribution of the chapter is that it outlines what are the new digital skills and competencies enabling a better understanding of the concept of students' co-creation in HEIs.

Sustainable Practices in an Online College

Achieving sustainability goals for an online institution were evaluated through a qualitative case study including observation techniques, document reviews, and subcommittee narratives highlighting the practices and achievements from American College of Education's 2020-2021 Benefit Corporation (B Corp) subcommittee implementation. The purpose of this study was to explore how the subcommittees impacted goals of sustainability within the college. Full-time employees volunteered, and three subcommittees were formed, which include community, environment, and workers. The result was that each of the three subcommittees were able to make an impact and increase the overall score on the B Impact Assessment Scorecard, which is an evaluation used to certify or recertify a B Corp. Lessons learned in 2020 included but were not limited to faculty and staff members being more engaged, motivated, and taking ownership of meeting sustainability goals for the organization.