Governance and Business Models for Sustainable Capitalism

Governance and Business Models for Sustainable Capitalism touches upon many of the central themes of today’s debate on business and society. In particular, it brings attention to a recurrent tension between efficiency, innovation, and productivity on the one hand, and fairness, equity, and sustainability on the other. The book argues that we need radical rethinking of business models and economic governance, beyond the classical doctrine, which sees social and ecological responsibility as lying with public-policy regulation of purely profit-seeking firms. In spite of the popular CSR agenda, business – as we know it today – is both too transient and too limited in its motivation to carry the regulatory burden. We need to adopt a much wider concept of 'partnered governance', where advanced states and pioneering companies work together to raise the social and environmental bar. The book suggests that civil engagements based on moral rather than formal rights, and amplified through the media, may provide a healthy challenge both to autocratic planning and to solely profit-centered commercialization. The book also proposes a triple cycle theory of innovation for sustainability: a novel framing of the efficacy of green and prosocial entrepreneurship as intertwined with political visions and supportive institutions. In addition, the book offers reflections on the ways in which further digital robotizaton may enable transition to an ‘Agora Economy’ where productive efficiency is combined with expanded civic freedoms. Aimed primarily at researchers, academics, and students in the fields of political economy, business and society, corporate governance, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability, the book will additionally be of value to practitioners, supplying them with information regarding the challenges associated with the shaping of sustainable or ‘civilised’ market capitalism for a better world

Governance and Business Models for Sustainable Capitalism

Governance and Business Models for Sustainable Capitalism touches upon many of the central themes of today’s debate on business and society. In particular, it brings attention to a recurrent tension between efficiency, innovation, and productivity on the one hand, and fairness, equity, and sustainability on the other. The book argues that we need radical rethinking of business models and economic governance, beyond the classical doctrine, which sees social and ecological responsibility as lying with public-policy regulation of purely profit-seeking firms. In spite of the popular CSR agenda, business – as we know it today – is both too transient and too limited in its motivation to carry the regulatory burden. We need to adopt a much wider concept of 'partnered governance', where advanced states and pioneering companies work together to raise the social and environmental bar. The book suggests that civil engagements based on moral rather than formal rights, and amplified through the media, may provide a healthy challenge both to autocratic planning and to solely profit-centered commercialization. The book also proposes a triple cycle theory of innovation for sustainability: a novel framing of the efficacy of green and prosocial entrepreneurship as intertwined with political visions and supportive institutions. In addition, the book offers reflections on the ways in which further digital robotizaton may enable transition to an ‘Agora Economy’ where productive efficiency is combined with expanded civic freedoms. Aimed primarily at researchers, academics, and students in the fields of political economy, business and society, corporate governance, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability, the book will additionally be of value to practitioners, supplying them with information regarding the challenges associated with the shaping of sustainable or ‘civilised’ market capitalism for a better world

CSR, innovasjon og verdiskaping

CSR og innovasjon er nå veletablerte «buzzwords» og inngår som mantra i en formel for å bringe vekst og verdiskaping. Mot denne posisjonen står et tidligere mantra, med profitten i sentrum. I en empirisk studie har en forskergruppe fra BI, NTNU og UiS/IRIS testet disse tesene og en rekke andre teorier om sammenhengen mellom CSR, innovasjon og verdiskaping på et utvalg av hurtigvoksende små og mellomstore gasellebedrifter.Resultatene fra gasellestudien viserer at forsøk på å bruke CSR og innovasjon som generelle kommersielle drivere er urealistisk. Det samme gjelder imidlertid forsøk på å øke vekst og verdiskaping ved å minimere CSR og innovasjon. I stedet peker Gasellestudien i retning av en mer fokusert tilnærming der det tas hensyn til spesifikke effekter av CSR og innovasjon på vekst, produktivitet og verdiskaping under ulike forretningsmodeller

The greening of European electricity industry: a battle of modernities

Europe has played the role of a green hegemon on the global arena for several decades. By exploring its green transition in the electricity industry, the article discusses whether Europe is on track with regard to delivering sustainable development in a core sector at home. The article finds that the greening of European electricity industry has been highly dynamic and can best be represented in terms of competing modernities; where carbon, nuclear, renewables and demand side management challenge each other in the race for sustainable energy solutions. The article describes Greening European electricity industry as a complex institutional game which resembles a relay race where various factors have driven innovation at different stages. Change may be initially have been politically driven, while the baton is later taken by markets, technology or civic mobilization. The article shows how strong greening policies may lead to blockage, whereas softer and less confrontational policies with triggering effects may have a better chance of success. The article also argues that a central factor in the apparent European success in greening electricity has been an advantageous blend of technology push and market pull approaches, which has merged out of national rivalry rather than coordinated planning

Multiplikatoreffekter ved innovasjon i leverandørnettverk: norsk offshorepetroleumssektor som innovasjonsarena

Norsk petroleumssektor har vært en storstilt arena for innovasjon. Næringen har gått løs på en kontinuerlig strøm av utfordringer; fra utvikling av felt i grunne farvann med lett tilgjengelig olje og gass, til kompliserte reservoarer, langt fra land i dype havområder, og med store klimatiske utfordringer. Utfordringene har vært løst gjennom et omfattende samarbeid mellom operatørselskap (store petroleumsselskap), deres leverandører og underleverandører. Keynes påviste i sin tid muligheten for å utnytte positive ringvirkninger av offentlige investeringer og forbruk for å få fart på økonomien (Keynes 1936). Effekten var langt større enn den offentlige innsatsen skulle tilsi, takket være omfattende ringvirkninger, eller den såkalte multiplikatoreffekten. Vi argumenterer for at det kan skapes en tilsvarende multiplikatoreffekt for innovasjon som ikke bare utløser leverandørbedriftenes kreativitet, men også høster erfaringer fra nyskapning i egne utallige øvrige nettverk og kunderelasjoner. Denne effekten er illustrert gjennom tre case, nemlig utvikling av den ubemannede og tråløse undervannsfarkosten, HUGIN, havbunnsgravemaskinen SPIDER og et havbunns-gasskomperasjonsanlegg. Casene illustrerer også operatørselskapenes evne til å mobilisere og koordinere sitt leverandørnettverk. Med deres sterke ressursbase og betydelige insentiver, klarer de å forene behovet for samarbeid, mot behovet for konkurranse. Petroleumsselskapene konkurrerer med hverandre om å få operatøransvaret for nye felt (lisenser). Straks lisensen er utdelt, samarbeider de om utbygging og drift av det samme feltet. De mobiliserer så sitt leverandørnettverk i en åpen innovasjonsarena. Premien for leverandørene er kompetanseoppbygging og utvikling av nye immaterielle verdier, som igjen kan brukes for å erobre nye prosjekt og kunder

Innovasjon som balansegang

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