Irresponsible Actions Research Articles

Chief sustainability officers and corporate social (Ir)responsibility

AbstractResearch SummaryHow will a chief sustainability officer (CSO) influence corporate social performance? Building upon the upper echelons perspective and the attention‐based view, this study argues that while a CSO helps channel managerial attention to a firm's social domain, managerial attention is more likely to be directed to negative issues than to positive issues. In addition, such relationships are contingent on the focal firm's governance design and its industry culpability. Analysis of a sample of S&P 500 firms for the period of 2005–2014 largely renders support to our predictions.Managerial SummaryWhile more and more firms start to put a chief sustainability officer (CSO) on its top management team (TMT), the implications for corporate social performance of CSO presence remain unclear. With a sample of S&P 500 firms, we find that the presence of a CSO increases the firm's socially responsible activities (CSR) and reduces its socially irresponsible activities (CSiR). Moreover, CSO presence has a greater effect on reducing CSiR than on increasing CSR. These relationships become stronger when the firm has a sustainability committee on the board and is in a culpable industry.

#MeToo and lessons in stakeholder responsibility

AbstractBusiness ethics literature regularly examines obligations of firms. This article examines the contrary and relatively under‐explored notion of obligations of stakeholders. It does so by discussing incidents of sexual misconduct arising under the umbrella of the #MeToo movement. This article explores how the theory of stakeholder responsibility can aid firms in understanding and addressing complex issues associated with stakeholder irresponsibility. It examines the moral responsibilities of regime members in the context of #MeToo incidents to provide a conceptual framework for firms addressing issues associated with irresponsible stakeholder actions.

Reflective Inquiry: Why Area is Never Negative?

Reflective Thinking is an important process for an educator to be more professional. Educator can have reflective thinking with doing reflective inquiry. The reflective inquiry has a doctrine, that we not receive immediately something into information, but it’s requires examined and proven to be accepted as information. Information that examine in this inquiry is statement about area is never negative. A deep inquiry to prove that area is never negative lead to a re-reconstruction of the belief system within self, thereby generating new perspective and providing alternative solution to answer why area is never negative? Although it’s not clearly defined that area is never negative, why people accept it as a common sense? What underlies that area is never negative, even teacher itself don’t know the reason? Doesn’t teaching without understanding is consider as irresponsible action to student? Worried with this condition researcher try to figure it out and prove area is never negative with relation between measure, metric, dimension, length, and area in real set. Measure is foundation in this relation, with measure defined non-negative, causes metric and dimension defined with non-negative value. Resulting length as measure in dimension one is non-negative and proved that area is never negative.

Negative screening and sustainable portfolio diversification

A critical issue for socially responsible investors is the selection of the potential companies to invest in. For retail investors, the easiest and more intuitive option is to apply a negative screening approach to avoid investing in companies with bad reputation. In this line, companies involved in scandals regarding irresponsible activities which have become notorious in the mass media will be excluded from the potential companies. Implementing this process in a consistent and objectivity way is not an easy task, especially with worldwide portfolios. Nevertheless, there already exist complex databases which offer sensitive information to investors. This paper describes one of these databases. Furthermore, the problems of implementing such a negative screening methodology are presented, which are mainly related with the proper diversification of the resulting investment portfolios.

Consumer responses to corporate social irresponsibility: The role of moral emotions, evaluations, and social cognitions

AbstractWe investigate the mediating roles of moral emotions and attitudes between perceptions of corporate irresponsible actions, on the one hand, and consumer responses, on the other hand, and further examine their contingencies based on consumer social cognitions. Our findings show that, for corporate transgressions, multiple social cognitions (moral identity, relational and collective self‐concepts, and affective empathy) moderate the elicitation of negative moral emotions (contempt and anger) and overall evaluations (attitudes), which, in turn, lead to negative responses toward the company (negative word of mouth, complaint behaviors, and boycotting). Our study adds to extant research on corporate social irresponsibility by examining three generic reactions people have toward corporate social irresponsibility and demonstrating important boundary conditions. In addition, hypotheses are tested on a sample of adult consumers. Implications for communication by firms are considered.

Characterizing Actions in a Dynamic Common Pool Resource Game

We conducted a dynamic common pool resource experiment and found large differences among groups in the total benefits (surplus) obtained from the resource. To shed light on the factors underlying the differences, we characterized individual appropriation decisions as irresponsible, sustainable, or constructive, and defined a measure of the intensity of such actions. We then examined the relationships between group-level success and the frequency and intensity of the individual actions, finding that the average intensity of irresponsible actions was the best predictor of group success. We interpreted this as suggestive evidence that policies aimed at preserving and maximizing the benefits of renewable resources should above all else aim to reduce the intensity of irresponsible actions.

Business Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility

This study examines the relation between a firm’s business strategy and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. Using a comprehensive measure of business strategy based on the Miles and Snow (Organizational strategy, structure, and process, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1978, Organizational strategy, structure, and process, Stanford University Press, Stanford 2003) theoretical framework, we find that firms following an innovation-oriented strategy (prospectors) are associated with better CSR performance than those following an efficiency-oriented strategy (defenders). Specifically, compared with defenders, prospectors engage in more socially responsible activities, fewer socially irresponsible activities, and perform better in both stakeholder- and third-party-related CSR areas. Taken together, our results suggest that business strategy is an important determinant of CSR performance. Prospectors take advantage of CSR, as their innovation-oriented strategy allows them not only to benefit more from CSR, but also to have more tolerance for the uncertainty, risk, and long time-horizon associated with CSR engagement.

Los accidentes y el incumplimiento de las leyes de tránsito

En las décadas pasadas los automotores eran simples carruajes, pero en la actualidad con un motor se realizan trabajos como mover las cosas de un lugar u otro. Debido a este moderno invento, los vehículos son capaces de desarrollar velocidades cada vez más altas, resultando indispensable comenzar a pensar en la idea de desarrollar elementos de seguridad, para evitar acontecimientos de tránsito con consecuencia nefastas, actualmente han sido deficientes para la prevención de accidentes de tránsito, puesto que no existe seguridad y capacitación vial para las personas que son usuarias de estos medios de transportes. La Ley de Tránsito tiene por objeto organizar, planificar, fomentar y regular la circulación por las vías terrestres, de los vehículos y de las personas que intervienen en el sistema de tránsito. Cabe señalar que la ley establece las normas y principios generales; el reglamento se refiere a la aplicación de las leyes en las diferentes condiciones; aquí manda las normas a cumplir para todo ciudadano en relación con el tránsito ya sea que esté actuando como conductor, pasajero o peatón.
 Los accidentes de tránsito, se producen a consecuencia de una acción riesgosa, irresponsable o negligente de un conductor, esto se da en la vías o lugares destinados al uso público o privado, ocasionando personas muertas, individuos con lesiones diversas gravedad o naturaleza, al igual trae daños materiales en vehículos, carreteras o infraestructura.

"˜Resource Misery" and the Politics of Resource Governance in the Petro-States of Africa

The discovery and exploitation of petroleum resources in a number of African countries has thrown into prominence the "resource curse" thesis which suggests that resource wealth causes problems for a country. This article argues that petroleum resources, like all natural resources, are not a curse; instead, it is the actions and decisions of various actors involved in the struggle for such resources that lead to misery, particularly for the victims. The inappropriateness of the concept "resource curse" in the context of Africa has moved this writer to propose an alternative concept "resource misery“ to reflect the actual condition that tends to befall a country and the victims owing to the often irresponsible actions and decisions of powerful actors involved in the abuse of natural resources. The article expands on seven maxims that, if embraced and implemented, should enable the new petro-states of Africa to escape resource misery.

Problems of Studying Regional Toponymicon in Linguistic Ecology Aspect

This article studies linguistic ecology parameters for describing a regional toponymic system, which are related to intra- and extralinguistic factors including morphological derivation adaptation, local aspects and specifics of residents’ life. The notion of name uniqueness within a region is introduced. Attention is paid to linguistically toxic names of inhabited localities: multicomponent names and names contradictory to the current social situation. The authors conclude that it is essential to find a balance between the language system and the language practice and the primary task of studying regional toponymicon in linguistic ecology aspect is to find means and methods protecting geographical names from the negative influence of both language environment and irresponsible actions of language speakers nominating a geographical object.

Understanding the consequences of pride and shame: How self-evaluations guide moral decision making in business

Understanding how morally responsible and irresponsible business actions lead to feelings of pride and shame can help us learn more about what motivates moral decision making. This study examines how these particular self-conscious emotions interact with two variables depicting a person's other-orientation, which is made up of other-directed values and perspective-taking. Through an experimental design, we unpack their conjoint influence on moral decisions that either promote the organization or repair the damage done to it. By doing so, we contribute to the existing literature by clarifying nuances between self-conscious and moral emotions, and by testing the specific influence of pride and shame on moral decision-making.

Ethical Responsibility - An Arendtian Turn

ABSTRACT:This article contends that Hannah Arendt’s writing can add value to current discussions on responsible leadership. Specifically, considering responsibility through an Arendtian lens offers insights that deepen our understanding of the interconnections among leadership, responsibility, and ethical action. Turning to Arendt can, therefore, increase our grasp of the complexities of leading responsibly. She shows how acting responsibly requires not only ethical forethought but also a willingness to judge for ourselves. Her emphasis on judgment enriches discussions on responsible leadership, encouraging us to think more deeply about what it might mean to act responsibly, and how such action connects with ethics. Examples of irresponsible action are explored as they concern individual and collective judgment in particular political and corporate contexts. Thus, it is by engaging with the messy realities of everyday life that an Arendtian turn can help us rethink leadership, ethics, and responsibility in new and productive ways.

Biosecurity Implications for the Synthesis of Horsepox, an Orthopoxvirus.

This article examines the biosecurity and biodefense implications resulting from the recent creation of horsepox virus, a noncirculating (extinct) species of orthopoxvirus. Here we examine the technical aspects of the horsepox virus synthesis and conclude that orthopox synthesis experiments currently remain technically challenging-and will continue to be so, even once this work is published in the scientific literature. This limits potential misuse by some types of nefarious actors. We also examine the implications of one stated purpose for the recreation of horsepox virus: the development of a smallpox vaccine. If the development is successful, it could take advantage of US government incentives for the priority FDA review of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against biosecurity threats. However, if this case leads to the determination that this incentive is counterproductive for security, the newly created priority review voucher program should be more clearly defined or limited based on need. Limiting the program could have costs that require further consideration, however, as general incentives for biodefense medical countermeasure development are required for MCMs to be available. Finally, while the recreation of horsepox virus was not technically trivial, nor was it cell-free, this experiment was a de facto demonstration of already-assumed scientific capabilities. The ability to recreate horsepox, or smallpox, will remain no matter what policy controls are put into place. It will be impossible to close off all avenues for nefarious misuse of gene synthesis, or misuse of biological materials more broadly. As a result, we advocate for the implementation of policy, regulations, and guidance that will make illicit recreation harder, more burdensome, more detectable, and, thus, more preventable without having sweeping negative consequences for the research enterprise. As part of our biosecurity efforts, we must also encourage and enable scientists to participate actively and to do all they can to safeguard their technical fields from irresponsible or illicit actions.

Strategic and institutional sustainability: corporate social responsibility, brand value, and Interbrand listing

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of strategic and institutional (normative) corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand value and brand reputation, based on the strategic and legitimacy theory of CSR. It argues that because CSR strengths represent firms’ proactive approach to satisfy their stakeholders’ interests, the authors expect that this proactive approach is likely to generate an accumulated level of reservoir of goodwill that is positively related to the level of brand value. In contrast, the authors would expect that social irresponsibility (CSR concerns), as a measure of firms’ reactive position to stakeholders’ interests, adversely affects the incremental change in this reservoir of goodwill.Design/methodology/approachThis paper measures strategic CSR using CSR strengths and normative (institutional) CSR from CSR concerns scores from the MSCI ESG (Kinder Lydenburg Domini). This paper measures the level of brand value from the Interbrand listing, and it measures the brand reputation based on changes in brand value and brand ranking from Interbrand’s 100 global brands.FindingsThis paper finds evidence to support the authors’ theory that one-, two- and three-year lagged CSR strengths positively affect the level of brand value. This study also finds empirical evidence to support the authors’ hypothesis that CSR concerns adversely affect changes in brand value and brand ranking. This study concludes that the differing impacts of CSR strengths and CSR concerns help the authors better understand the impacts of firms’ pro-action and reaction to stakeholders’ interests ion brand values and ranking.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that strategic CSR enhances brand value, while socially irresponsible activities that are against social norms, values and ethics adversely affect the companies’ legitimacy and adversely affect changes in brand reputation.Originality/valueThis research offers a new perspective to distinguish the differing impacts of CSR strengths and concerns on brand value and brand reputation.

Self-Conscious Emotions and Moral Decision Making in Business

Understanding how morally responsible and irresponsible management actions lead to feelings of pride and shame can help us learn more about what motivates moral decision making. This study examines...

Creolization as resistance to PCSR: The contested field of the past at the Guiana Space Center

Various types of organizations are confronted to the challenge of engaging in CSR with stakeholders who hold the memory of their past irresponsible actions and consequently remain hermetic to any a...

CEO Ability and Corporate Social Responsibility

This study examines the impact of chief executive officer (CEO) ability on firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. We find that firms’ CSR performance increases with CEO ability. Specifically, firms with more able CEOs are associated with more socially responsible activities and fewer socially irresponsible activities, and are associated with more stakeholder CSR rather than third-party CSR. We further find that the positive relation between CEO ability and CSR is weakened for CEO who is also the chair of the board and for CEO who is close to retirement; and is weakened when the CSR emphasis exerted by a firm’s external environment is high. Our results are robust after controlling for firm fixed effects and to the use of multiple measures of CSR performance and CEO ability. Overall, our evidence is consistent with our conjecture that more able CEOs have less career concerns so that these CEOs are more willing to undertake long-term investments in socially beneficial activities, leading to better CSR performance.

CEO risk-taking incentives and socially irresponsible activities

This study examines the relationship between CEO risk-taking incentives, measured by the sensitivity of CEO wealth held in options to a change in stock return volatility or Vega, and socially irresponsible activities using a large sample of U.S. firms during the period 1992–2012. Our results for the period before the 2007 financial crisis suggest that CEO risk-taking incentives are positively related to socially irresponsible activities. In addition, we find that a firm's socially responsible actions may act as a moderator, strengthening the aforementioned relationship. The results after the 2007 financial crisis show no evidence of a significant relationship between CEO risk-taking incentives and socially irresponsible activities. This could be due to the increased scrutiny regarding compensation packages and the increased role of reputational issues in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Our results suggest that risk-taking incentives embedded in the CEO compensation scheme have implications for corporate policies toward socially irresponsible activities.

Does Social Capital Matter in Corporate Decisions? Evidence from Corporate Tax Avoidance

We investigate whether the levels of social capital in U.S. counties, as captured by strength of civic norms and density of social networks in the counties, are systematically related to tax avoidance activities of corporations with headquarters located in the counties. We find strong negative associations between social capital and corporate tax avoidance, as captured by effective tax rates and book-tax differences. These results are incremental to the effects of local religiosity and firm culture toward socially irresponsible activities. They are robust to using organ donation as an alternative social capital proxy and fixed effect regressions. They extend to aggressive tax avoidance practices. Additionally, we provide corroborating evidence using firms with headquarters relocation that changes the exposure to social capital. We conclude that social capital surrounding corporate headquarters provides environmental influences constraining corporate tax avoidance.

Cryptography and randomization to dispose of data and boost system security

AbstractMassive public pressure is arising to achieve data privacy and protection. One way to maintain data privacy is to perform efficient data disposal processes. This minimizes the chances of data leakage over an extended period and through irresponsible actions. That is why adequate data disposal is essential in so many governmental and critical institutions. Simply “deleting” data does not erase it. In fact, it only removes the name that refers to that piece of data, but the data itself remains. In this paper, we utilize an encryption algorithm and then perform a randomization process to dispose of data values in an irreversible approach making it difficult to retrieve the original value of data from the defaced result.