Part of The Elgar Series on Central Banking and Monetary Policy, this book explores the relationship between central banking, monetary policy and the economy at large. It focuses on the specific relationship between central banking, monetary policy and social responsibility as central banks wake up to new realities. The book examines this relationship not only in connection to the economic, monetary and financial impact of the so-called 'unconventional' monetary policies, but also in connection to the functioning of today's democracies. A new framework and model for central banking is proposed in this rethinking of monetary policy, and the role of central banks as institutions in democracies is considered. Scholars and students interested in central banking and monetary policy, the issue of social responsibility and the relationship between central banks and democracy will benefit from the ideas presented by the editors and authors of Central Banking, Monetary Policy and Social Responsibility.

This open access book examines a particular factor in the enduring international success of German companies. Beyond industrial specialization, peaceful labor relations, local financial markets and the "miracle of the Mittelstand", it focuses on a characteristic aspect of governance within the German economy: The Chambers of commerce and industry. Important characteristics of the Chamber system are emphasized - including obligatory membership for firms as well as participatory rules of their self-administration. In turn, the book examines the institution's self-governance, its services, and its mission regarding the general representation of interests. Moreover, the book also identifies the advancement of the dual system of professional education as a central element of the Chamber system. Following an introduction about how the Chamber system works, interviews, case studies and historical explanations help to exemplify the true spirit inherent to this form of representation. In particular, they reveal the essence of how the Chambers contribute to the global success of German companies and foster their corporate responsibility in a practical way. Given its scope, the book will be of particular interest to professionals, policymakers and researchers concerned with how institutional organization can support commerce and industry for the public good. The book was developed in collaboration with Laura Sasse and the Practical Wisdom Society.

The impact of businesses on a country's economy extends beyond just the monetary effects of the company. The ethical standard to which a business upholds itself can have a crucial impact on the development of a country's economy Empowering Organizations through Corporate Social Responsibility addresses the implementation of businesses' ethical standards in both emerging and advanced economies, interpreting the social impact of this issue in a global context. Highlighting case studies, interdisciplinary perspectives, and strategies in business management, this book is a pivotal reference source for academics, researchers, post-graduate students, and professionals concerned with the development of the business sector.

This book analyzes the growing importance of information disclosure in Japanese universities in the context of the country's changing circumstances from both a macroscopic and microscopic perspective, with a focus on the concept of universities as organizations. This macroscopic analysis is based on available data concerning the various information disclosure practices of Japanese universities and includes a discussion of their strengths and weaknesses. As for the microscopic analysis, questionnaires and various other quantitative methods have been used to study overall satisfaction with the level of disclosure among students and teachers in public and private universities, including differences between Japanese and Chinese students. The results of these surveys have then been analyzed to identify the main factors informing students' views on the subject. Finally, additional insight into the practice of information disclosure in Japanese universities has been provided in a series of representative case studies, which should help promote further study concerning the practical applications of such disclosure. Based on the above analysis, this book proposes a social responsibility-based approach to university information disclosure, which incorporates stakeholder theory-based identification of public information content, an underlying focus on disclosure as a means to realize universities' social responsibilities, identification of the types of information that universities should seek to disclose, recommendations for developing a framework for the systematic disclosure of such information, and recent disclosure trends. As part of this approach, recommendations concerning the arrangement of different sources of information, thoughts on building a publicly accessible platform for sharing university information, and key points underlying the systematic disclosure of information within universities are also proposed. Finally, this book is helpful in identifying further areas of research, including but not necessarily limited to the ideas and legal principles underlying the construction of a university information disclosure system, the development of information disclosure systems based on social responsibility, and the development of various standards for the disclosure of information. The ideal approach would ensure that all stakeholders are provided with meaningful access to relevant information, and that transparency takes precedence over any competing considerations as part of an overriding effort to improve university administration and oversight.

As environmental legislation grows more stringent in response to the escalating climate crisis, some of the world's largest corporations have adopted fraudulent mechanisms to keep their margins of profit, and achieve improper competitive advantage. Such mechanisms can lead to problems in the supply chain, a decrease in market value, diminished trust in brands, increased surveillance of companies, as well as damage to the environment. This book offers a holistic view of the nature and consequences of environmental fraud, bringing together practical examples, empirical research data, and management theory. It will be of interest to academics working in the fields of sustainability management, business ethics, and corporate social and environmental responsibility.

Alongside increasing demands for transparency and accountability, business governance is transforming due to decades of economic turmoil, regulatory reform, and technological change. There is now a holistic approach to this concept, as it is no longer just about running companies and organization efficiently. Ethics and Decision-Making for Sustainable Business Practices is a critical scholarly resource that examines issues of sustainability, ethics, governance, and cultural influence in the business world. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as entrepreneurship, cost management, environmental business, and cultural diversity, this book is geared towards managers, leaders, researchers, and organizations interested in the integration of sustainable business practices.

This edited volume discusses the development of the new social and impact economy in ten countries around the globe. The new social and impact economy is an attempt to conceptualize developments after the 2008 economic crisis, which emphasized the pifalls of the Neo-Liberal economic system. In the aftermath of the crisis, new organizational entities evolved, which combined social and business objectives as part of their mission. Using data gathered by two recent international research projects-the ICSEM project and the FAB-MOVE project-the book provides an initial portrait of the forces at play in the evolution of the new social and impact economy, linking those to the past crisis as well as to Covid19 and comparing the emergence of the phenomenon in a varied group of countries. The book begins with an overview of the classical definitions of social economy and proposes a comprehensive concept of new social and impact economy, its characteristics, and sources. Ten country chapters as well as a comparative chapter on international social economy organizations follow. The volume concludes with an overall analysis of the data from the country chapters, forming a typology of social economy traditions and linking it to recent Post Capitalism trends. Creating a conceptual framework to analyze the new phenomena in social economy, this volume is ideal for academics and practitioners in the fields of social economy; social, economic and welfare policies; social and business entrepreneurship in a comparative fashion; social and technological innovation as well as CSR specialists and practitioners.

A Financial Times Book of the Year 2020! Should companies be run for profit or purpose? In this ground-breaking book, acclaimed finance professor and TED speaker Alex Edmans shows it's not an either-or choice. Drawing from real-life examples spanning industries and countries, Edmans demonstrates that purpose-driven businesses are consistently more successful in the long-term. But a purposeful company must navigate difficult trade-offs and take tough decisions. Edmans provides a roadmap for company leaders to put purpose into practice, and overcome the hurdles that hold many back. He explains how investors can discern which companies are truly purposeful and how to engage with them to unleash value for both shareholders and society. And he highlights the role that citizens can play in reshaping business to improve our world. This edition has been thoroughly updated to include the pandemic, the latest research, and new insights on how to make purpose a reality.

This collection examines how greed should be understood and appraised. Roundly condemned by virtually all religions, greed receives mixed appraisals in the domains of business and economics. The volume examines these mixed appraisals and how they fare in light of their implications for greed in our everyday world. Greed in children is uniformly criticized by parents, other adults, and even children's peers. However, in adulthood, greed is commended by some as essential to profit-seeking in business and for offering the greatest promise in promoting economic prosperity for everyone. Those who advocate a more permissive position on greed in the adult world typically concede that some constraints on greed are needed. However, the supporting literature offers little analysis of what greed is (as distinct from, for example, the effort to meet modest needs, or the pursuit of ordinary self-interested ends). It offers little clarification of what sorts of constraints on greed are needed. Nor is careful attention given to difficulties children might have in making a transition without moral loss from regarding greed as inappropriate to its later qualified acceptance. Through a secular approach, this book attempts to make significant inroads in remedying these shortcomings.

* A thoroughly updated new edition, now reflecting the current business climate of featured countries * Features entries from over 220 philosophers, theologians, social scientists, management professors, and practitioners * Maintains the standard terms and concepts in business ethics * Interweaves the lessons learned from recent instances of financial malfeasance by companies such as Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing, and Tyco * Includes many new subjects such as corporate citizenship, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and socially responsible investing * Contains entries pertaining to the increasingly sophisticated technology and science of today's world: E-Business, Internet and Business Ethics, nanotechnology, and biodiversity

'This Handbook is a long-needed, comprehensive examination of fair trade's multifaceted and shifting coordinates by leading scholars from a wide range of disciplines. An invaluable resource for researchers and students alike.' - Daniel Jaffee, Portland State University 'Raynolds and Bennett have done a major service with this excellent Handbook, providing a sweeping overview of the past quarter century of fair trade work and research. The book offers wide-ranging insights from top experts concerned with theory and practice, and careful attention to fair trade's gains and losses. It will be of great interest to practitioners, activists, and scholars, and bound to be a cornerstone for the next phase of fair trade work and research.' - Gavin Fridell, Saint Mary's University, Canada Fair trade critiques the historical inequalities inherent in international trade and seeks to promote social justice by creating alternative networks linking marginalized producers (typically in the global South) with progressive consumers (typically in the global North). This unique and wide-ranging Handbook analyzes key topics in fair trade, illuminating major theoretical and empirical issues, assessing existing research, evaluating central debates and identifying critical unanswered questions. The first of its kind, this volume brings together 43 of the foremost fair trade scholars from around the world and across the social sciences. The Handbook serves as both a comprehensive overview and in-depth guide to dominant perspectives and concerns. Chapters analyze the rapidly growing fair trade movement and market, exploring diverse initiatives and organizations, production and consumption regions, and food and cultural products. Written for those new to fair trade as well as those well versed in this domain, the Handbook is an invaluable resource for scholars and practitioners interested in global regulation, multi-stakeholder initiatives, social and environmental certification, ethical labeling, consumer activism and international development. Contributors: C.M. Bacon, G. Balineau, L. Becchetti, E.A. Bennett, V. Bezencon, K. Brown, S. Brown, S. Castriota, P. Conzo, E. Davenport, B. Doherty, C. Getz , M.K. Goodman, N. Greenfield, A. Herman, A. Hughes, B. Huybrechts, J. Keahey, R. Le Velly, A. Linton, M.A. Littrell, W. Low, S. Lyon, R. Makita, A.M. Martin, H. Maryanski, M. McConway, G. Moore, T. Mutersbaugh, V. Nelson, L.T. Raynolds, D. Reed, M-C. Renard, R.A. Rice, L. Riisgaard, C. Rosty, A.M. Smith, S. Smith, D. Stevis, S. Suranovic, A. Tallontire, P. Utting, B.R. Wilson

Is corporate social responsibility (CSR) a universal idea? Is the same exact definition of CSR relevant for any organization, regardless of context? Or would such a definition need to be adapted to fit different types of organizations, in different cultures, industries and sectors? This book discusses how CSR should preferably be practiced. The expert authors share their knowledge on whether a broad definition of CSR can be practiced as is or if it first has to undergo changes to suit the context. The leading group of contributors argues that anyone wishing to adopt the CSR idea in their organization needs to take the context into account and, thus, find a version of CSR that fits the specific industry, sector, national culture, religion and so on, in which the organization exists. The book discusses the universality of CSR and includes a comparison of the relevance of a broad, general definition of CSR for organizations in contexts such as Buddhism and Islam, developing countries and the food processing, shipping and pharmaceutical industries. Guidelines for conducting studies on the examination of the relevance of CSR for organizations in any particular generalized context are also provided. Academics, students and practitioners involved in the fresh field of CSR will find this an essential resource. Contributors include: A. Ahmad, T. Aroni, A. Athanasopoulou, F. Azmat, W.L. Chan, J.E.-T. Cheah, D.K. Davidson, I. Fafaliou, S. Goerpe, P. Gottschalk, G.M. Hall, J.M. Hansen, M. Z. Haque, S.-w. Hsu, D. Jamali, C. Karam, M. Lekakou, L. Montanheiro, B. OEksuz, A. OErtenblad, P. Perry, P. Reinmoeller, J.W. Selsky, E. Stefanidaki, I. Theotokas, W. Visser, J. Weikert

This book addresses the status quo of Corporate Social Responsibility practices and their development since 2008. How have things changed in the practice of CSR? What new opportunities and challenges have arisen? The book reports on an international set of cases and case studies on how CSR is practiced at business and organizations in various countries. It analyzes country-specific and industry-specific issues, as well as general global issues in connection with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The contributions gathered here provide comprehensive information on CSR for both practitioners and researchers around the globe.

Exclusions from Patentability reviews the history of the adoption of exclusions from patentability under the European Patent Convention since its first conception in 1949 through to its most recent revision. The analysis shows how other intellectual property treaties, such as UPOV, the Strasbourg Patent Convention, PCT, the EU Biotech Directive and TRIPS have affected the framing of the exclusions. Particular attention is given to those exclusions considered the most contentious (computer programmes, discoveries, medical treatments, life forms and agriculture) and those decisions which have been most influential in shaping the approaches by which the exclusions have been interpreted. The 'morality' exclusion and the interpretation of the exclusions are discussed critically and suggestions for coherent interpretation are made.

Globalization has altered in significant ways the tools available to regulate international commerce. One result is the emergence of ethics codes, codes of responsible conduct, and best practice codes designed to win adherence to internationally acceptable norms of conduct on the part of corporations and other organizations interacting in the global marketplace. This volume looks at these developments with particular focus on five topic areas: respect for human rights, treatment of labor, bribery and corruption, environmental protection, and international finance and the control of money laundering. What is significant about these developments is the emerging emphasis on self-regulation as the primary method for raising standards of corporate conduct. The contributors examine the reasons for the emergence of ethical codes and the phenomenon of self-regulation within the context of globalization and look at the role of national governments, international government institutions and other international organizations in shaping and enforcing them. They also study the implications of these developments for corporate governance and the changing roles of national and international institutions in the regulation of international commerce. Authoritative and engaging, Ethics Codes, Corporations and the Challenge of Globalization will be of great interest to scholars and practitioners in the areas of business, economics, political science, labor, and corporate environmentalism.

Drawing on original sources found in the first century of Islam and guided by contemporary developments in the field of business ethics, this book offers Islamic perspectives on ethical conduct in the marketplace: what organizations and other market actors do to deal with monumental challenges in today s market. The book outlines a framework for business ethics and offers a theory for understanding market ethics. Throughout the book, subjects covered underscore the necessity of ethical conduct and shed light on the interplay of several forces that shape ethical perspectives and morality in the workplace. The book creatively addresses the history and theory of ethics in the marketplace. It also discusses Islamic ethical perspectives in the context of Judaism and Christianity. Likewise, it outlines what companies working in the Muslim environment have to undertake to sustain their competitive advantage. The book, therefore, is of interest to business managers, researchers, policymakers, and students of organization and religion. Contents: 1. The Meaning and Scope of Business Ethics in Islam 2. Sources of Ethical Problems in Business 3. Islamic Ethics and Free Market Economy 4. Ethics and Profit Making 5. Leadership 6. The Ethics of Banking and Financial Services 7. Organization and Work 8. Marketing Ethics and Consumerism 9. Ethics and Human Resource Management in Modern Organizations 10. Social Responsibility and Sustainability Bibliography Index

Ever since Sutherland coined the term 'white-collar crime', researchers have struggled to understand and explain why some individuals abuse their privileged positions of trust and commit financial crime. This book makes a novel contribution to the development of convenience theory as a framework to understand and explain 'white-collar crime'. The framework integrates well-known theories from criminology, management and other fields to explain the occurrence of offenses. It is found that autobiographies indicate a strong presence of neutralization techniques in the behavioral dimension of convenience theory, while internal investigations indicate a strong presence of organizational opportunities to commit 'white-collar crime'. Survey research, on the other hand, is found to indicate a strong belief that chief executives sometimes have the motive to commit financial crime in times of crisis, in times of great challenges, and in times of greed. The book concludes that the only feasible avenue to combat this type of crime is to make it less convenient. This book will appeal to criminology and criminal justice students at both bachelor and master levels, as well as those studying business and law. Practitioners, including consultants in global auditing firms, attorneys and police academy students will also benefit from the overview of convenience theory research.

A Prospect Book of the Year 'Never before, in years of reviewing books about buildings, has one brought me to tears. This one did.' Rowan Moore, Observer Book of the Week On 14 June 2017, a 24-storey block of flats went up in flames. The fire climbed up cladding as flammable as solid petrol. Fire doors failed to self-close. No alarm rang out to warn sleeping residents. As smoke seeped into their homes, all were told to 'stay put'. Many did - and they died. It was a disaster decades in the making. Peter Apps exposes how a steady stream of deregulation, corporate greed and institutional indifference caused this tragedy. It is the story of a grieving community forsaken by our government, a community still waiting for change.

While skeptics once saw the concept of business ethics as an oxymoron, modern businesses are proving them wrong. Success depends not only on educating young professionals about ethical practices, but on the implementation of these practices in all aspects of a company The Handbook of Research on Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibilities explores the fundamental concepts that keep companies successful in the era of globalization and the internet. Investigating the implementation of best practices and how ethics can be taught to the next generation of business experts, this handbook is an essential reference source for students, academics, business managers, or anyone interested in the increasingly interdisciplinary field of business ethics and its applications in the world today.