Editorial: employee responses to changing work practices

Widespread and profound changes in the ways that work is carried out have occurred across recent decades, resulting in a cumulative revolution in the ways that employees are treated. This editorial introduces a virtual special issue of the British Journal of Management, which brings together articles addressing employee responses to changes in work practices and conditions of work. The editorial provides an overview of theories which help to explain employee responses to changing work practices at micro level, and outlines directions for future research on employee responses to changing work practices

Litigation in the Nigerian oil industry : a socio-legal analysis of the legal disputes between oil companies and village communities

This thesis analyses legal disputes between village communities and oil companies in Nigeria. We have three principal aims. First, the thesis is an attempt to provide a detailed analysis of the nature of legal disputes between oil companies and village communities in Nigeria, particularly in the light of the rise in oil related litigation. Second, the study of litigation is meant to serve as a window to an understanding of social conflicts between village communities and oil companies. Third, the thesis is aimed at making a contribution to the research and the debate on the role of multinational companies in developing countries and on the day-to-day operations of African legal systems. The thesis is organised as follows. Section two analyses the political context of oil operations. Section three provides an introduction to the legal framework by discussing Nigeria's formal legal institutions and oil related statute law. An analysis of a survey of Nigerian lawyers in section four is aimed at evaluating the constraints and opportunities faced by potential and actual litigants in oil related litigation which can either encourage or discourage litigants from engaging in litigation. Focusing on issues such as oil spills and compensation payments for land acquisition, factual evidence from court cases in section five illustrates the adverse impact of oil exploration and production on village communities with a view to identifying the sources of conflict between oil companies and the local populace. A detailed analysis of litigation in section six reveals the principles of tort law upon which oil related cases are based, the legal defences employed by oil companies and legal innovations in oil related cases. Section seven concludes the thesis

The resource curse without natural resources: expectations of resource booms and their impact

Many resource rich countries have experienced a range of negative economic and political effects from natural resource extraction, often lumped together as the ‘resource curse’. This article investigates to what extent future expectations of natural resource booms in São Tomé e Príncipe and Madagascar led to ‘resource curse’ effects even though these countries did not experience the expected natural resource booms. It finds that both countries did experience resource curse effects as a result of future expectations, including volatile economic growth and deteriorated governance. The article demonstrates that shared aspirations and expectations alone may make for material political and economic outcomes even when they become visibly divorced from reality. Thus, there is much more to resource curse effects than simply the product of the material extraction of natural endowments. At a time of extremely volatile prices for primary commodities, and the relatively easy availability of investment capital and credit to support speculative ventures that in turn incentivize resource hype, it is likely that a growing number of countries may suffer the malign effects of a resource curse without natural resource extraction

Corporate-NGO Collaboration and CSR Disclosure – The Moderating Role of Corporate Profitability

Purpose: This research investigates the influence of corporate-NGO collaborations on corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure measured in three different ways (i.e., extent, level and quality) in low-income developing economies. Additionally, it examines the moderating effect of corporate profitability in the relationship between corporate-NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure. Design: This research uses multivariate regression analysis based on data collected from 201 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE). Findings: The findings reveal that corporations with NGO partnerships are more likely to disclose CSR information, and provide high-quality information regarding workers, the environment, and community-related issues. Further, corporate profitability positively moderates the corporate-NGO collaborations and CSR disclosure relationship. Research limitations: Research limitations are presented in the conclusion section. Practical implications: The findings underline the crucial significance of NGOs and their associated normative isomorphism logics for CSR disclosure in low-income countries with weak law enforcement and relatively ineffective state institutions, which were previously believed to lack such institutions. Originality: While some research has suggested that companies in developing countries perceive a significant pressure from NGOs to adopt social disclosure, no study has specifically explored how internally driven corporate-NGO collaboration (as opposed to external NGO activist pressures) promotes CSR disclosure specifically in developing economies

Performance management practices within emerging market multinational enterprises: the case of Brazilian multinationals

This study advances our understanding of HRM within EM-MNEs by examining the extent to, and mechanism by, which Brazilian MNEs standardize or localise their performance management (PM) policies and practices, and the factors that influence their design and implementation. We explored these issues through qualitative case studies of three Brazilian MNEs. The analysis of interview data reveals a strong tendency for Brazilian MNEs to centralise and standardise their PM policies and practices. The key finding of this paper is that PM practices within Brazilian MNEs are not based on indigenous Brazilian practices, but rather, are heavily influenced by global best practices. The findings are at odds with previous research, which suggests that EM-MNEs apply different HR practices in developed country subsidiaries and developing country subsidiaries. Also, contrary to expectations, our results indicate that institutional distance does not have a significant influence on the adaptation of PM practices at subsidiary level

Corporate social responsibility or government regulation? evidence on oil spill prevention

Major oil spills normally occur from oil pipelines and oil tankers that are under operational control of companies, namely, oil companies and tanker owners. There are two generic responses for changing the behavior of companies with regard to oil spill prevention: mandatory government regulation or voluntary initiatives often pursued under the banner of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Here we investigate to what extent voluntary CSR initiatives can be effective in oil spill prevention. A global perspective on voluntary mechanisms is taken by looking at the progress of 20 oil and gas firms from around the world toward oil spill prevention, using the companies’ 2010 sustainability reports for self-reported oil spill information. The analysis includes ten oil companies from OECD countries (including Exxon and Shell, among others) and 10 oil companies from non-OECD countries (including Brazil’s Petrobras and Indian Oil, among others). The study finds that oil spill prevention has generally improved over recent decades. Government regulation played a significant part in these improvements whereas it is less clear to what extent CSR played a significant part in these improvements. Some of CSR’s key limitations are highlighted. It is not suggested that CSR should be abandoned; however, new hybrid forms of regulation that combine voluntary and mandatory elements are advocated

Corporate social responsibility in the oil and gas sector

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged as an important approach for addressing the social and environmental impact of company activities. Yet companies are increasingly expected to go beyond this. They are now often expected to assist in addressing many of the world’s most pressing problems, including climate change and poverty. With increasing expectations placed on business, this article asks if CSR is capable of delivering on these larger issues based on evidence from the oil and gas sector. Looking at companies from developed countries, such as Exxon and Shell, as well as companies from emerging economies, such as Brazil’s Petrobras and Hungary’s MOL, the article investigates the potential of CSR for addressing three important challenges in the business-society relationship: the environment, development and governance

Social and environmental litigation against transnational firms in Africa

As elsewhere in the world, Africa has experienced a rise in litigation against transnational corporations for adverse environmental and social impact. Cape plc and RTZ have been sued in British courts for environmental damage and for breach of employment rights in Africa. Companies which sold products to South Africa's former apartheid regime, such as Fujitsu and IBM, are now being sued in US courts. Shell and Chevron are being sued in US courts for human rights abuses in Nigeria. At the same time, foreign firms have been successfully sued in African courts for social and environmental damage. This article outlines the main relevant court cases and attempts to assess the significance of this litigation. The discussion of litigation in this article is divided into three parts: court cases filed in English, American and African (mainly Nigerian) courts. This is followed by an explanation of the triggers of legal change, a discussion of the impact of litigation and the conclusion