Corporate Responsibility Management Research Articles

김정은 집권 이후 북한 경제 관련 법령의 변화

JAfter Kim Jong-il died in December 2011, his son Kim Jong-un implemented various economic reform measures to solve North Korea's economic problems, and accordingly, significant changes occurred in North Korean economy-related laws. The purpose of this article is to analyze the changes in North Korea's economy after Kim Jong-un came to power, focusing on North Korean laws and regulations. Since the enactment of the Socialist Constitution in 1972, the fundamental ideology of the North Korean economy has been ‘socialist relations of production(nationalization of the means of production)’, ‘independent national economy’, and ‘planned economy’, which have been maintained even after Kim Jong-un took power. However, after Kim Jong-un came to power, North Korea adopted a new method of economic management called the “socialist corporate responsibility management system,” which was also specified in the 2019 amended constitution. The Socialist Enterprise Responsible Management System granted “actual management rights” to enterprises, and as a result, the autonomy of enterprises was greatly expanded. In particular, enterprises and farms were able to plan and produce on their own under the names of 'enterprise index' and 'farm index', respectively, and decide the price to sell, which is a significant change in the socialist planned economy. can be said However, it is questionable how much the socialist responsible management system can achieve in a situation where the ownership and management of enterprises are not separated. Various measures to improve the economy have been implemented since the early days of Kim Jong-un's reign, and the results are being completed and organized through the revision of relevant laws and regulations. From the time Kim Jong-un came to power until 2019, North Korean economy-related laws were mainly revised in the direction of expanding the management rights and autonomy of enterprises and farms. However, after 2020, it has changed in the direction of strengthening control over enterprises and society as a whole. As a result, there is a possibility that the autonomy of enterprises or private economic activities will shrink in the future. It is necessary to pay attention to changes in North Korea's economy-related laws in the future.

Changes in Corporate Responsibility Management during COVID-19 Crisis and Their Effects on Business Resilience: An Empirical Study of Swiss and German Companies

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the activities and performance of companies worldwide. This article examines in what ways corporate responsibility management and corporate responsibility reporting activities have changed during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland and Germany, and how corporate responsibility management is related to aspects of business resilience in terms of maintaining expected financial performance during the COVID-19 crisis in Swiss companies. To answer these questions, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of company reports of the top 10 Swiss and German companies in terms of market capitalization, as well as a quantitative survey among Swiss managers. Our results show that during the period under consideration, (i) a majority of the companies analyzed in Switzerland and Germany expanded their sustainability reporting, both overall and in all sustainability dimensions; (ii) there is a tendency for corporate responsibility management to move away from upstream and downstream sustainability topics and focus more on in-house sustainability topics; and (iii) there is a correlation between the two corporate responsibility topics of local recruitment and occupational health and expected financial performance as an aspect of maintained business resilience in times of crisis.

A Case Study of LightStay (2010–2017)—Hilton’s Corporate Responsibility Management System

This paper focuses on Hilton’s proprietary sustainability performance measurement system (SPMS) called LightStay (2010–2017). It draws on the case-study method and relies on three principal sources of information: in-house documents, a questionnaire completed by users of LightStay and interviews conducted with external experts. Specifically, the paper traces the system’s evolution and highlights its distinctive features, exploring the challenges and trade-offs related to the design and workings of an SPMS in a hotel multinational. The study shows, among other things, how LightStay, using an internationally approved methodology of data collection, calculation, metrics and benchmarking, compares a hotel’s predicted and actual environmental performance. It concludes by arguing that LightStay is a holistic platform that not only integrates precise measurement of the firm’s environmental effects with its business operations and strategic goals but also acts as a repository of sustainability knowledge and a facilitator of organisational learning. Its value and originality lie in providing unique insights into the workings of a proprietary SPMS at a nonanonymised hotel company.

중국의 협동농장 개혁이 북한에 주는 시사점 -신제도경제학 관점에서-

In this study, China’s agricultural and rural development factors after reform of the collective farm are analyzed, and the possibility of deepening reform of the North Korea’s collective farm is reviewed using the theory of new institutional economics as the framework of the analysis, and the implications were drawn based on the results. Along with China’s reform of the collective farm, ‘the household contract responsibility system’ was implemented to restore the management system centered on individual farmers, which guaranteed private property rights. The development of the ‘Hyangjin enterprise’ meant the development of the associated industries in agriculture and rural areas, and the increase in business activities resulted in the reduction of transaction costs. The market economy was promoted by improving the market system, including the government-led purchase system reform, to ensure freedom of contract among market players. Recently, the market economy has been revitalized in North Korea due to the implementation of the system for farmhouse responsibility management and corporate responsibility management and the development of marketplaces (Jangmadang). But there is not enough desire for production due to the limited guarantee of private property rights; The risk for businesses could be increased, because government transfered excessive autonomy to corporates; Jangmadang should be improved qualitatively through the monitoring and supervision.

Analysis of trends and performance of CSR mining companies

Concept of social responsibility has become part of the strategic management theory; interaction with stakeholders is becoming an object of control, the categories of relationship and social capital are being formed and developed, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is morphing into corporate responsibility. This modern approach is aimed at creating a relationship of trust with stakeholders, which helps to contribute to the development of both the local community and the country, as well as to the sustainable development of both the company and the national economy. The main characteristics of mining companies operating in mineral-extracting countries are their significant contribution to GDP and tax revenues, the influence of many unfavourable factors on the workers and the need to compensate for their effects, and a high level of human impact on the environment. All this determines the importance of ensuring their sustainable development and designing a strategy and mechanisms of interaction with society based on corporate social responsibility. The purpose of the study is to justify a systematic approach to corporate responsibility management in the development strategies of mining companies. In the article examines the position of CSR in the activities of mining companies, justifies the need for the transition to a proactive approach in the field of managing corporate social responsibility of mining companies.

Institute of corporate responsibility in the system of valuation for stakeholders

The principles and terms for providing corporate responsibility of economic agents of different levels are determined. Formation features of modern system for providing corporate responsibility of economic agents are examined on the example of agents operating in the field of port activity. The purpose of the article is to study concepts of development of the mechanism for corporate responsibility in order to optimize the system of stakeholders’ interaction in the process of creating values. The method of system analysis was applied in studying concepts and preconditions for the functioning of corporate responsibility management systems. The systemic structural method helped in studying basic measures to increase the corporate responsibility level of enterprises of port activity. The goal of creating a system of corporate responsibility should be associated with the achievement of the maximum possible effect of functioning of the economic agent. Needs and contributions of stakeholders should be interlinked in order to increase corporate responsibility. The main stakeholders in the field of port activity and criteria for satisfying their needs, contribution and opportunities in the field of corporate responsibility have been identified. The proposed system of criteria for the effectiveness will improve the mechanism of corporate responsibility management.

Developing a university CSR framework using stakeholder approach

Contemporary organisations are paying a growing attention to the social impact of their business activities in pursuit of favourable economic outcomes and sustainable competitiveness. Universities increasingly enact corporate social responsibility strategies with the aim of strengthening both their customer and employee satisfaction. However, since organisations have limited resources to invest in CSR activities, they need to prioritise their CSR objectives and this can be accomplished by taking the expectations of their stakeholders into consideration. Based on a stakeholder approach, a survey was conducted with the aim of assessing main stakeholders' expectations and perceptions concerning CSR practices implemented by universities. Moreover, in order to address the absence of practical tools and models for corporate responsibility management, the present study led to the development of a conceptual framework for crafting and implementing a CSR strategy at university level.

Developing a university CSR framework using stakeholder approach

Contemporary organisations are paying a growing attention to the social impact of their business activities in pursuit of favourable economic outcomes and sustainable competitiveness. Universities increasingly enact corporate social responsibility strategies with the aim of strengthening both their customer and employee satisfaction. However, since organisations have limited resources to invest in CSR activities, they need to prioritise their CSR objectives and this can be accomplished by taking the expectations of their stakeholders into consideration. Based on a stakeholder approach, a survey was conducted with the aim of assessing main stakeholders' expectations and perceptions concerning CSR practices implemented by universities. Moreover, in order to address the absence of practical tools and models for corporate responsibility management, the present study led to the development of a conceptual framework for crafting and implementing a CSR strategy at university level.

The Status and Evaluation of Economic Reforms of the Four-Year-Old Kim Jong Un Regime: Geopolitical Strategies and the Performance of Opening Policies

With Kim Jong Un in power for the past four years, North Korea has extensively carried out reform in the business and agriculture sectors through such measures as the 12.1, 3.16, and 5.30 discourses following the 6.28 policies in 2012, and expanded the opening of the country to the outside world by designating a total of 26 special economic zones and economic development zones. More reform has been going on which is intensified compared to 7.1 measures in 2002. The corporate decentralization policies such as the socialism corporate responsibility management system have promoted decentralization along with the measures for establishing provincial-level economic development zones. Considering the background of North Korea’s confidence over security are successful nuclear tests and satellite launches, and reflection of the political changes in Northeast Asian region, including China’s rise and Russia’s Far East Asian policy, this paper predicts there will be further expanded reforms in North Korea in the future.

Corporate responsibility management in fast fashion companies: the Gap Inc. case

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the strategic role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in global fast fashion companies.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the management literature on CSR, corporate social performance and the benefits of a socially responsible behaviour, a conceptual framework of corporate responsibility management is presented. The Gap Inc. case is analyzed to prove how CSR commitment creates stakeholder partnerships and improves corporate brand image.FindingsThe main output of corporate responsibility management is solid stakeholder relationships resulting in: employee attraction and motivation, powerful brand, enhanced consumer perceptions, profitability. Through the corporate responsibility management process, fast fashion companies can obtain a sustainable development.Originality/valueExisting CSR research is primarily focused on a specific level of analysis. Instead the corporate responsibility management framework aims to contribute to a comprehensive analysis of CSR. Moreover it addresses the role of CSR practices in the fast fashion sector which has been rarely investigated to date.

A quest for corporate sustainability in forest-based industry: a resource-based perspective

Growing interest in corporate sustainability has translated into growing concerns about how corporate responsibility management can be more effectively integrated with economic business goals, challenging organizations to shift their priorities toward more holistic strategies and performance assessment models which encompass measures related to both multiple stakeholders and responsibilities. Although interactions between corporate (social) strategy, sustainability performance, and business competitiveness have received considerable attention in both theory and practice over the past three decades, the phenomenon is under-investigated in forest-based industry, which is undergoing broad structural changes and global shifts in market demand and supply. This dissertation aims to fill this gap by approaching it from the resource-based view of the firm and empirically investigating a variety of aspects in an attempt to provide an overview of state-of-the-art corporate sustainability in global forest-based industry and to capture a structured view of the relationships between sustainability performance, competitiveness and economic performance among forest-based companies. The results indicate that both larger and small forest-based companies seem to have clear stakeholder orientations. Driven by legal requirements aspects, small companies tend to adopt informal corporate responsibility strategies and tools to meet their stakeholder expectations. A majority of large forest industry companies appear to have implemented corporate responsibility mainly with a profit-maximizing assumption and a relatively defensive approach parallel to and beyond their core business. To these large companies, environmental and economic issues are dominant in disclosure and profitability, while regional differences are not decisive in formulating strategies for sustainability reporting. Furthermore, the results bolster previous findings that have reported a positive return on corporate responsibility initiatives in terms of profitability, suggesting that corporate responsibility can enhance value creation for forest-based companies. To that end, a differentiated business-oriented approach is necessary in managing the business case for sustainability.