Most ethical studies on gift giving in business are limited to the application of rationalist ethical principles through a “third‐person” judgment to condemn certain practices such as bribes or manipulative actions, or to question the morality of certain commercial gifts or actions in corporate philanthropy. Such ethical analyses are generally based on extrinsic principles that lead to a dichotomous discussion on the morality of gift‐giving in terms of ethically acceptable and unacceptable gifts. Much less attention has been paid to the (...) gift giver's “first‐person” moral judgment. Thus, this paper contributes to this vacuum by drawing from Thomas Aquinas's approach to internal human acts and their moral evaluation. One of Aquinas's crucial points is his distinction between the object chosen (finis operis) and the intention of the agent (finis operantis) as a structural mental unity. From this perspective, the paper proposes a typology of gift giving, which aids reflection when making personal moral judgments in a variety of situations. Accompanied by illustrative examples, eight types of gift‐giving acts are identified and grouped into three categories: ethically unacceptable giving (bribery and manipulative and malevolent gifts), ethically acceptable giving (instrumental and reciprocal gifts), and ethically excellent giving (gratitude, gratuitous, and solidarity gifts). (shrink)

In‐role and pro‐environmental behaviors are perhaps widely studied domains as an outcome of environmental leadership in the field of organizational behavior, yet there is an exiguity of research regarding the impact of eco‐centric leadership on a new dimension of environmental behaviors‐eco‐helping behavior. Based on the tenets of the value‐belief‐norm theory, this study investigates the association between eco‐centric leadership and eco‐helping behavior as well as moderating role of green psychological climate in the hypothesized relationship. Convenience sampling was employed to collect the (...) cross‐sectional data from employees of a wide range of industries in Bangladesh. The findings revealed that eco‐centric leadership influences ecological attitude, in turn affecting eco‐helping behavior in a fully mediated mechanism. However, leadership style appeared not to directly influence the employees' eco‐helping behavior. In addition, favorable intervention from green organizational climate seems to have strengthen the influence of eco‐centric leadership on eco‐helping behavior. This study seeks to shed light on how organizations in developing economies can minimize environmental degradation through the ecological behavior of their employees, guided by ecological leadership. Theoretical contributions, managerial implications, and future research direction are also incorporated. (shrink)

By deploying human-like qualities to non-human entities, anthropomorphism offers users an interactive, cognitive, affective, and social experience. Emerging applications of conversational AI with a blend of anthropomorphism are changing the way businesses interact with customers. To take the field forward, this paper emphasizes the importance of anthropomorphism in AI agents and advocates for the need to systematize, integrate, and categorize existing efforts through a systematic literature review. The authors employ the SPAR-4-SLR protocol, which enables the investigation of a vast array (...) of peer-reviewed journal articles. Our study focuses on articles published over 23 years, from 2000 to 2023, ensuring a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the subject matter. By meticulously analyzing 302 diverse documents, this study unveils the rapid emergence of anthropomorphism in AI. The authors additionally identify six pivotal knowledge clusters that shed light on the phenomenon: human interaction with anthropomorphic AI agents, technology acceptance toward anthropomorphic AI, anthropomorphism in customer service, anthropomorphism in AI-social companions, applications of anthropomorphism, and anthropomorphic AI for interactive marketing. The current review stimulates academicians and scholars to explore uncharted territories and develop novel theoretical frameworks encompassing anthropomorphism in marketing by posing intriguing and thought-provoking questions. (shrink)

The paper interprets and comparatively analyzes the economic conceptions of Christianity and Buddhism and their representative business models. The paper contributes to the business and society literature by showing the relevance and applicability of Christian and Buddhist business models in the Anthropocene era. The paper argues that Christianity and Buddhism represent distinct ontological and anthropological positions, and their economic conceptions and business models are also different. However, their basic ethical values (charity, justice, and solidarity on the one hand, and simplicity, (...) non-violence, and compassion on the other) are not antagonistic but can be considered complementary. The Christian–Buddhist dialog about the economy is much needed if humanity seeks to survive the crises of the Anthropocene. (shrink)

Existing research on innovation ecosystems has primarily focused on advanced economies or higher income settings within emerging markets. This study aims to address how to nurture an innovation ecosystem that fosters entrepreneurship in low‐income contexts in emerging markets. This question is explored through a case study approach, studying the India‐based Honey Bee Network, an organization with extensive experience in poverty alleviation and a specific focus on innovative low‐income innovators and entrepreneurs. This study contributes to the literature on innovation ecosystems by (...) identifying the grassroots innovation ecosystem as a unique type of ecosystem. Furthermore, it theorizes the role of the grassroots orchestrator as the actor who builds bridges between resource‐rich actors and innovators lacking entrepreneurial resources and capabilities. (shrink)

Social sustainability is in its early stages in hospitality and tourism supply chains, especially in developing countries. This research draws on institutional and stakeholder theories to identify the adopted social sustainability practices in Egypt and to determine the factors affecting their implementation. A mixed-method research approach is followed involving interviews of hotel managers and a literature-based questionnaire answered by a total of 187 practitioners from hospitality and tourism supply chains in Egypt. The interviews revealed that social sustainability practices in the (...) two hotels' supply chains are adopted but limited to legal requirements and brand policies. Statistical analysis indicated that local suppliers boost the adoption of social practices. All the studied barriers show very weak correlation with the adoption of social sustainability practices; according to the interviews, this does not imply barriers inexistence, but rather reflects lack of awareness regarding social rights in a culture that tend to preserve social conservatism. The enablers explained significant variations in many social sustainability practices (53 out of 62). This study is unique since it offers a novel approach by linking institutional and stakeholder theories to recognize weaknesses in tourism supply chain social sustainability, thereby providing directions for the future design of sustainable tourism policies. (shrink)

Facing the accumulation of data that suggest near‐future dramatic changes in our way of life, current visions of transition are anchored in an incremental paradigm that excludes radical change. Using science fiction literature and cinema, this article aims to build such drastic change hypotheses and explore the political–ecological features of future societies emerging from a rupture phenomenon. These post‐ecological societies need to be imagined and analyzed in order to better prepare for eventual dramatic changes and to engage in prospective exercises (...) that contemplate the possibility of flourishing for all in the future. Our work builds on the idea that other forms of knowledge, such as artistic and creative insights produced by science fiction literature and cinema, are promising sources of imagination and must be engaged in a dialog with sociology and other social sciences in order to develop hypotheses of possible futures. The paper introduces six such hypotheses called “scenarios” that were induced from the systematic study of a body of work in classical science fiction production. (shrink)

Facing the accumulation of data that suggest near-future dramatic changes in our way of life, current visions of transition are anchored in an incremental paradigm that excludes radical change. Using science fiction literature and cinema, this article aims to build such drastic change hypotheses and explore the political–ecological features of future societies emerging from a rupture phenomenon. These post-ecological societies need to be imagined and analyzed in order to better prepare for eventual dramatic changes and to engage in prospective exercises (...) that contemplate the possibility of flourishing for all in the future. Our work builds on the idea that other forms of knowledge, such as artistic and creative insights produced by science fiction literature and cinema, are promising sources of imagination and must be engaged in a dialog with sociology and other social sciences in order to develop hypotheses of possible futures. The paper introduces six such hypotheses called “scenarios” that were induced from the systematic study of a body of work in classical science fiction production. (shrink)

Flourishing‐for‐all as emerged as a concept to respond to the apparent lack of capacity to translate the sustainability discourse into actual practices conducive to more sustainable societies. In this special issue, we assert that flourishing‐for‐all addresses the gap identified in the sustainability discourse that still needs conversion into practice, and that processes for catalyzing this necessary transformation need to be identified and implemented. The eight papers in this special issue address flourishing‐for‐all from different ontological, epistemological, and methodological perspectives, demonstrating a (...) wide interest in the topic, and the shared belief that both academia and practice must go beyond sustainability to embrace flourishing‐for‐all. They bring to the fore three important features of a flourishing‐for‐all approach: First, it allows for a more profound analysis of systemic sustainability‐related problems; secondly, it highlights new relationships among the problem‐related variables; thirdly, it extends the repertory and reach of possible solutions. (shrink)

Flourishing-for-all as emerged as a concept to respond to the apparent lack of capacity to translate the sustainability discourse into actual practices conducive to more sustainable societies. In this special issue, we assert that flourishing-for-all addresses the gap identified in the sustainability discourse that still needs conversion into practice, and that processes for catalyzing this necessary transformation need to be identified and implemented. The eight papers in this special issue address flourishing-for-all from different ontological, epistemological, and methodological perspectives, demonstrating a (...) wide interest in the topic, and the shared belief that both academia and practice must go beyond sustainability to embrace flourishing-for-all. They bring to the fore three important features of a flourishing-for-all approach: First, it allows for a more profound analysis of systemic sustainability-related problems; secondly, it highlights new relationships among the problem-related variables; thirdly, it extends the repertory and reach of possible solutions. (shrink)

In this perspectives article, we maintain that the current local to global sustainable development predicaments we face are the result of humanity's impact on the Earth System (ES)—that is to say, on the very systemic fabric of the ES (i.e., its functioning and configuration), combined with an insufficiently coherent application of sustainable development policy to address and resolve this systemic problem. In response to what is an urgent crisis, we propose four foundational guiding principles, which we contend provide an overarching (...) framing that, if implemented, would offer an approach to steer global sustainable development policy in a manner that would be to the benefit of the ES and the securing of a flourishing future for all. Our principles are applicable at the levels from a local business ecosystem, national‐regional networks, to global policy. (shrink)

In this perspectives article, we maintain that the current local to global sustainable development predicaments we face are the result of humanity's impact on the Earth System (ES)—that is to say, on the very systemic fabric of the ES (i.e., its functioning and configuration), combined with an insufficiently coherent application of sustainable development policy to address and resolve this systemic problem. In response to what is an urgent crisis, we propose four foundational guiding principles, which we contend provide an overarching (...) framing that, if implemented, would offer an approach to steer global sustainable development policy in a manner that would be to the benefit of the ES and the securing of a flourishing future for all. Our principles are applicable at the levels from a local business ecosystem, national-regional networks, to global policy. (shrink)

Purpose‐driven businesses have a stated objective to contribute to the welfare of society and the planet alongside generating shareholder value. As interest in purpose‐driven businesses grows, an emerging “purpose ecosystem” of advisers, investors, and enablers offers different types of support for businesses wanting to transition to sustainability. This paper examines how the transition towards purpose‐driven business in Australia and the United Kingdom requires addressing challenges facing this support ecosystem at three levels. First, at the individual level where support providers need (...) to build the capabilities of managers who are experiencing tensions around integrating societal and environmental purpose while facing pressure for maximizing shareholder value. Second, the support providers working within the purpose ecosystem offering professional advice and finance face their own tensions between environmental or social objectives and commercial pressures. Third, there are challenges facing actors in the ecosystems aiming to change the wider policy and institutional environment but facing lobbying from those wanting to keep “business as usual.” We identify practical implications for those parts of the purpose‐driven business ecosystem providing support. This includes building capabilities to combine social, environmental, and commercial purpose; coordination among support providers; and creating an institutional environment to avoid “purpose wash.”. (shrink)

Purpose-driven businesses have a stated objective to contribute to the welfare of society and the planet alongside generating shareholder value. As interest in purpose-driven businesses grows, an emerging “purpose ecosystem” of advisers, investors, and enablers offers different types of support for businesses wanting to transition to sustainability. This paper examines how the transition towards purpose-driven business in Australia and the United Kingdom requires addressing challenges facing this support ecosystem at three levels. First, at the individual level where support providers need (...) to build the capabilities of managers who are experiencing tensions around integrating societal and environmental purpose while facing pressure for maximizing shareholder value. Second, the support providers working within the purpose ecosystem offering professional advice and finance face their own tensions between environmental or social objectives and commercial pressures. Third, there are challenges facing actors in the ecosystems aiming to change the wider policy and institutional environment but facing lobbying from those wanting to keep “business as usual.” We identify practical implications for those parts of the purpose-driven business ecosystem providing support. This includes building capabilities to combine social, environmental, and commercial purpose; coordination among support providers; and creating an institutional environment to avoid “purpose wash.”. (shrink)

This article advances sustainability towards a new logic that favors the flourishing of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and well-being from North to South. It presents a Global Dual-Perspective (GDP) and a Dynamic Equilibrium Framework (DEF) that inform sustainability, management, and international business with a paradoxical view of the SDGs and a strengthened analysis that outlines the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in addressing the SDGs within and across the North–South. This article reveals that organizations will effectively unleash virtuous cycles of (...) SDGs and well-being when confronting and juxtaposing environmental, health, social, economic, and law-oriented goals. Furthermore, virtuous cycles will be more successful when splitting and integrating short- and long-term conflicting goals within and across the North–South to fuel systemic resilience and sustainable development. (shrink)

There is general agreement among sustainability professionals that sustainability needs to be implemented for all and not selectively for just a few. We argue that it is time to urgently act on sustainability and climate change. We suggest plausible actions by businesses, governments, consumers investors, and others. Not acting now risks the closing of a window of opportunity and potential social and economic instabilities.

Employee shareholder associations (ESAs) have emerged as a novel, and widely underestimated actor in the European corporate arena, established to collect and pool the shares and voting power held by a company's employees. As such, they parallel existing institutions for employee representation, potentially empowering employees in their role as shareholders and possibly even providing a counterweight to traditional company owners. Unfortunately, we know little about the actual functioning, the inner workings, and, particularly, the ESAs' contributions to date. To address these (...) shortcomings this paper explores the limitations but also the potential of ESAs in large, German listed companies to contribute to employee share ownership (ESO), to organizational democracy (OD), and to corporate sustainability (CS). Our findings show that, as far as ESOs and OD are concerned, in the specific German context, ESAs usually do not offer alternatives to (or even to compete with) existing employee representation but are instead rather dependent on cooperation with them. Regarding CS, any contribution here is closely linked to the ESAs' own principles and depends on the extent to which the ESA management takes them seriously and prioritizes them over other objectives. (shrink)

Employee shareholder associations (ESAs) have emerged as a novel, and widely underestimated actor in the European corporate arena, established to collect and pool the shares and voting power held by a company's employees. As such, they parallel existing institutions for employee representation, potentially empowering employees in their role as shareholders and possibly even providing a counterweight to traditional company owners. Unfortunately, we know little about the actual functioning, the inner workings, and, particularly, the ESAs' contributions to date. To address these (...) shortcomings this paper explores the limitations but also the potential of ESAs in large, German listed companies to contribute to employee share ownership (ESO), to organizational democracy (OD), and to corporate sustainability (CS). Our findings show that, as far as ESOs and OD are concerned, in the specific German context, ESAs usually do not offer alternatives to (or even to compete with) existing employee representation but are instead rather dependent on cooperation with them. Regarding CS, any contribution here is closely linked to the ESAs' own principles and depends on the extent to which the ESA management takes them seriously and prioritizes them over other objectives. (shrink)