A framework for evaluating global policy on sustainability

PurposeRecent research has emphasized the need for engaging non-financial companies in combating money laundering for the efforts to be efficient and effective. To incentivize engagement, several options are available, such as regulation, voluntary disclosure or commitment to international principles such as the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how anti-money laundering fits the aim of the UN Global compact and how anti-money laundering can support the other principles of the UN Global Compact. Furthermore, this paper addresses the necessity to include anti-money laundering in the core principles to reach the overall goal of sustainability by the UN Global Compact. Such an inclusion will incentivize the signatories of the UN Global Compact to include anti-money laundering as a part of their social responsibilities, helping the financial sector in combating money laundering.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology of this paper is a functional approach to law and economics. It seeks to enhance the efficiency of the regulatory framework combating money laundering by including economic incentive theory and addressing new areas of law.FindingsThe paper finds a strong relationship between the UN Global Compact and anti-money laundering. Furthermore, it is concluded that it is necessary to include anti-money laundering as a core principle in the UN Global Compact if the Global Compact is to be efficient and effective in terms of its sustainability goals. The reason being that money laundering to a great extent supplies operational finances to the illegitimate sector related to core issues of the UN Global Compact such as human trafficking, child labor and corruption.Originality/valueThe paper identifies a significant missing element with regard to the core principles of the UN Global Compact. Although most research within anti-money laundering concerns the financial sector and thereby does not address the UN Global Compact, the focus of this paper is the link between anti-money laundering and the UN Global Compact. Furthermore, most research related to the UN global compact does not connect the core principles to the illegal financing of the businesses contradicting the principles. This paper addresses both of the neglected areas and combines them to improve the overall combating of money laundering while supporting the UN Global Compact sustainability goal.

PurposeThe aim is to investigate the state of complex adaptive system (CAS) theory in the organizational theory literature and to provide a map for future studies of CAS theory.Design/methodology/approachAbstracts were searched via electronic database and a range of recently published (1996‐2004) books and articles were identified that contained a relatively concise description of CAS. Content analysis is used to deconstruct the CAS descriptions into “component concepts.” Those concepts are analyzed from multiple viewpoints.FindingsThere is no single, shared, sense of CAS theory. Differing understandings of CAS theory are identified based on “expert version” and “most popularly identified concepts.” Also, differences and similarities are identified between an “academic” version of CAS and a version developed by those who are influenced by both academic learning and practical experience.Research limitations/implicationsStudy is limited to concise definitions of CAS, so could be improved by including more lengthy conversations. Additionally, study is limited to organizational theory, so may be less applicable in other disciplines.Practical implicationsWhen working within a CAS framework, academics should specify their CAS perspective to improve clarity of their work. When using a CAS framework to study organizations, researchers should include a comprehensive suite of concepts. Though not described in depth, no effective application of CAS for organizational change were found.Originality/valueFor those who study CAS theory and theory of theory, this paper provides an important benchmark by identifying a bifurcation in the evolution of CAS theory.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the success factors in a large organization that contributed to the success of organizational transformation (OT) through business diversification using a complex adaptive systems (CAS) framework. This assessment is done to determine how well the CAS framework can explain the success factors that contribute to the success of large-scale organizational change in complex organizations. If the CAS framework is capable of explaining the organizational factors that lead to the success of change implementation, the managers can employ this framework to increase the likelihood of success while implementing change.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses qualitative research methodology. The data were collected from the case study organization (CSO) through 40 in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic deductive analysis approach.FindingsThe CAS framework explains the success factors that contribute to the success of OT through business diversification.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a comprehensive guide for change implementation by combining the insights from the CAS framework with identified success factors (for change implementation) from the case organization.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in extending the principles of existing change models, for successful change implementation by using the CAS framework. The prescribed change models and the CAS framework/complexity theory are two distinct sets of literature; this paper successfully merges the two to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines for change implementation. By doing so, this paper highlights the fact that alternative, non-linear, change approaches, instead of conventional multistep change models, can be effective in implementing large-scale organizational change successfully given the complexities of current organizational environments.

PurposeA slew of conventional change models and theories appear in the extant change literature. Despite being theoretically sound, these a priori structured approaches to organizational change management have questionable application given the rapidly changing business environments. Novel approaches, offering greater flexibility to fast changing external conditions, may offer superior models to organizational change and organizational transformation (OT) in particular. In this paper, the application of a complex adaptive system (CAS) framework, from complexity theory (CT), for managing OT is assessed theoretically.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual paper.FindingsA review of the extant change literature suggests that current approaches and models for organizational change are limited in their ability to reflect OT responses to today's highly dynamic external environments. New models are required to inform and guide organizations. A new model, i.e. CAS framework, is deemed suitable to guide the OT implementation.Originality/valueThis paper critically analyses different approaches to change management, consolidates CAS framework, reviews its applications in the field of management and presents a case for CAS's application for the management of OT.

This chapter introduces business schools as drivers of corporate sustainability and, by extension, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) as an enabler of the success of United Nations (UN) Global Compact. It provides an overview of the Global Compact’s effort to increase and support localization and the potential for PRME to learn from those experiences. The chapter presents suggestions for enhanced collaboration between Global Compact Networks and PRME Chapters on education, research, partnerships, and student engagement. Pioneering examples of collaboration between Global Compact Networks and PRME Chapters in Brazil, India, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and United States are used to illustrate the potential for increased collaboration and the value and impact that it can deliver. PRME’s first Chapters were created in 2012, more than a decade after the first Global Compact Networks started to emerge. This allowed PRME to learn from early experiences, successes and failures of the UN Global Compact in establishing and sustaining a global portfolio of Networks.

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is an initiative of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact and the world’s largest UN initiative on responsible management education. PRME is an integral part of the UN Global Compact, and PRME’s achievements and ambitions provide the author with hope that business of today plays an even more central part in the societal transformation of tomorrow that is needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact was founded in the year 2000. Through PRME, people engage with business school deans, faculty, and students to take action on a range of issues – from poverty, inequality and climate change to sustainable finance and human rights. More than 800 business schools in 98 countries have signed up with PRME to integrate sustainable development into their research, education programs, and partnerships. Educating the next generation of managers about ethics, responsibility and sustainability will help people Recover Better from the COVID-19 crisis.

Uncovering the dark and bright sides of implementing collaborative forecasting throughout sustainable supply chains: An exploratory approach

This article takes the critique by Sethi and Schepers (J Bus Ethics, 2013, in this thematic symposium) as a starting point for discussing the United Nations (UNs) Global Compact. While acknowledging the relevance of some of their arguments, we emphasize that a number of their claims remain arguable and are partly misleading. We start by discussing the limits of their proposed framework to classify voluntary initiatives for corporate sustainability and responsibility. Next, we show how a greater appreciation of the historical and political context of the UN Global Compact puts several of their claims into perspective. Finally, we demonstrate that the alleged promise–performance gap rests on a selected and one-sided reading of the initiative. We close by pointing to some challenges that the initiative needs to address in the future.

Complex adaptive systems-based framework for modeling the health impacts of climate change

In multidisciplinary research interpreting interactions between diverse data sources requires a Complexity approach. A Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) framework allows the relationships of multiple factors to be explored and may provide a more holistic and nuanced understanding. This study is innovative in explaining the potential benefits in a CAS approach to combining bioarchaeological and historical data when examining a rare archaeological skeletal sample of early migrants to South Australia (SA). Macroscopic, radiographic and micro-CT methods were used for the analysis of the skeletal remains of a group of 19th century migrants buried in an unmarked area of St Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery. The relevant historical records explored were from British emigrant ships to SA (1836-1885 CE) and the Church burial records (1847-1885 CE). Evidence of poor oral and general health was present in the skeletal material. Dental developmental defects indicated health insults in early life. Pathological manifestations in bone were compatible with joint and infectious diseases, and metabolic deficiencies. Historical documents recorded that the voyages to SA were challenging, with some ships experiencing a high death rate. Diseases, e.g., measles and scarlet fever, and diarrhoea were frequently recorded as causes of death at sea for both non-adults and adults. In the Colony, burial records showed similar causes of death for non-adults, but for adults, accidents and tuberculosis were often reported. The CAS approach provided insights beyond those from analysis of the individual sources. It increased understanding of emergent, non-predicted outcomes that resulted from interactions between multiple factors, the impact of fluctuating economy, political instability and ideological pressures, on the health of migrants. The CAS framework is a valuable methodology for interpreting health patterns and can be further developed including for a range of historical and contemporary health contexts.

Studies on the application of complex adaptive systems (CAS) framework to describe variations in free healthcare policies during implementation are limited. This study uses a CAS framework to explore interactions among actors and to explain how specific characteristics of CAS framework change in institutional designs of a Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Program (FMCHP) in Nigeria. A qualitative, case study approach was used to collect data on variations in features of FMCHP from policymakers (n = 16) and providers (n = 16) selected by purposeful sampling from the Ministry of Health and two health districts in Enugu State based on their posts in FMCHP, using semi-structured interview. Additional qualitative data were collected through document review. Main actors, their roles, incentives, and power were identified. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis guided by a CAS framework. Six core features of FMCHP changed during implementation, namely, revenue collection, the role of Ministry of Health, the role of the state teaching hospital, introduction of evidence of tax payment, provider payment process, and establishment of a Financial Monitoring Committee. Formal rules alone did not guarantee consistency and stability of policies. Power imbalances, coordination, and cooperation among actors affected fidelity of policy implementation. The CAS phenomena associated with these changes include path dependence, feedback, lever points, emergent behaviors, and phase transition. Managing changes in free healthcare policies requires recognizing the power shifts, nonlinearity of outcomes, unpredictable consequences and feedbacks, and addressing the context, adaptive behavior, and network of actors.

This case study explores transformational change in the context of a large, multi-national corporation facing significant, external environmental threat. Adopting theoretical perspectives from both change management and complex adaptive systems theory, the study depicts conditions created by management that enabled successful transformational change. Findings revealed that a non-linear, emergent and co-created change process based primarily on complex adaptive systems theory, enabled the subject organisation to actively adapt to external challenges. Key management practices that assisted in providing appropriate conditions for transformation included open-mindedness, relinquishing control, organisational agility, valuing the commitment of employees to initiate and enact change, and knowledge sharing.

Complex Adaptive Socio-Technical Systems The Role of Socio-Technical Networks in New Product Development

Purpose – To integrate agency and stakeholder theories with the Jacobs Value Distinction (JVD) thus presenting a micro and macro reconsideration of the JVD for a finer grained perception of the values underpinning corporate and global governance initiatives.Design/methodology/approach – By extrapolating the JVD – commercial and guardian – this chapter examines the roots of moral malaise in the modern global firm. Examples and a theoretical rationale are given for identifying why and how ethical – moral problems continue to occur.Findings – A metaphorical maelstrom is discernible in the global business environment and more turmoil, especially in balancing business values, is emerging for the managers of today’s corporations. Application of the JVD predicts that under certain conditions the hybrid nature of the firm causes managers and shareholders to engage in morally risky behaviour. In further exploring the value basis of the 10 principles of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, it is found that similar values conflict, which intensifies the need for international business managers to beware the moral risks.Research implications – This viewpoint draws upon sound theoretical analysis and future studies should collate case analysis and practitioner interview data to further consolidate the findings. The viewpoint gives managers a useful tool for identifying conflicts of values underlying decisions and forms the basis for continuous improvement in the context of operational and strategic actions in international business.Originality/value of chapter – The integration of the JVD with agency and stakeholder theories is new and critique of the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact via the JVD has not happened previously.

The study of complex adaptive systems has yielded great insight into how complex, organic-like structures can evolve order and purpose over time. Business organizations, typified by semi-autonomous organizational members interacting at many levels of cognition and action, can be portrayed by the generic constructs and driving mechanisms of complex adaptive systems theory. The purpose of this paper is to forge a unified description of complex adaptive systems from several sources, and then investigate the issue of change in a business organization via the framework of complex adaptive systems. The theory of complex adaptive systems uses components from three paradigms of management thought: systems theory, population ecology, and information processing. Specific propositions regarding the nature of dynamical change will be developed, driven by the complex adaptive systems model. Supporting evidence for these propositions is then sought within the existing management theory literature. In doing so, the complex adaptive systems approach to understanding organization change will be better grounded in domain-specific theory, and new insights and research areas will come to light.