Addressing Grand Challenges: Current Barriers and Ways to Move Forward

Abstract

Climate change presents a clear and present danger to our society. Businesses and the civil society have made strong commitments and collaborative efforts to address climate change, yet the problem has become increasingly severe. There have recently been growing scholarly interests to understand the barriers of how to effectively deal with current grand challenges, and how such barriers can be overcome. However, important questions remain to identify the best path forward. This symposium brings together leading and emerging scholars in the area to discuss some of these important questions. The four papers in the symposium illustrate unintended consequences from efforts in addressing climate change across different contexts and emphasize the need for strong collaboration at a global scale. The papers suggest solutions to the problem and offer important implications to academics, policies and practices, setting an agenda for future research. The symposium discusses empirical and theoretical connections of research across contexts including institutions, industries, businesses, and organizations’ decision makers, and offer management scholars promising opportunities for future exploration. Non- and Sub-State Action in Post-Paris Climate Governance: Review of a Contested Field Presenter: Julia Grimm; Cambridge Judge Business School Carbon Targets and Target Attainment Presenter: Eun-Hee Kim; Fordham U. Presenter: Patrick J. Callery; Sprott School of Business, Carleton U. The Grasshopper and the Ant: Variation in Organizational Adaptive Responses to Climate Change Presenter: Lucrezia Nava; Cambridge Judge Business School Presenter: Maja Tampe; ESADE Business School A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats: the Effects of Common Ownership on Corporate Social Responsibility Presenter: Kala Viswanathan; Harvard U.