Empirical Insights and a Model

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Commentary to “Analyzing Consumer Responses to Humane-oriented CSR Advertising Appeals in an Age of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case of Japan vs. the U.S.”

Culture is a concept that has a long history in business studies, and yet, its popularity, as either antecedent or explaining variable, has not diminished. The same seems to apply to the practitioner literature dealing with people from different backgrounds our way to conceptualize or explain the differences or difficulties is culture (Ajiferuke and Boddewyn, 1970; Pagell, Katz, and Chwen, (2005). Interestingly, even if there are numerous levels of culture – from subcultures to company cultures, – the most used concept seems to be that of national culture. Since Hofstede’s seminal work on national cultural dimensions followed by GLOBE, the research community had similarities and differences and explained them with the cultural dimension (Hofstede, 2001; Hofstede, 1991; Chhokar, Brodbeck, and House, 2008; House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, and Gupat, 2004)

Power and Distribution Network Structure in the People's Republic of China - The Case of an Inland City in Transition

The aim of the current study is to examine the influence of the channel external environment on power, and the effect of power on the distribution network structure within the People’s Republic of China. Throughout the study a dual research process was applied. The theory was constructed by elaborating the main theoretical premises of the study, the channel power theories, the political economy framework and the distribution network structure, but these marketing channel concepts were expanded with other perspectives from other disciplines. The main method applied was a survey conducted among 164 Chinese retailers, complemented by interviews, photographs, observations and census data from the field. This multi-method approach enabled not only to validate and triangulate the quantitative results, but to uncover serendipitous findings as well. The theoretical contribution of the current study to the theory of marketing channels power is the different view it takes on power. First, earlier power studies have taken the producer perspective, whereas the current study also includes a distributor perspective to the discussion. Second, many power studies have dealt with strongly dependent relationships, whereas the current study examines loosely dependent relationships. Power is dependent on unequal distribution of resources rather than based on high dependency. The benefit of this view is in realising that power resources and power strategies are separate concepts. The empirical material of the current study confirmed that at least some resources were significantly related to power strategies. The study showed that the dimension resources composed of technology, know-how and knowledge, managerial freedom and reputation was significantly related to non-coercive power. Third, the notion of different outcomes of power is a contribution of this study to the channels power theory even though not confirmed by the empirical results. Fourth, it was proposed that channel external environment other than the resources would also contribute to the channel power. These propositions were partially supported thus providing only partial contribution to the channel power theory. Finally, power was equally distributed among the different types of actors. The findings from the qualitative data suggest that different types of retailers can be classified according to the meaning the actors put into their business. Some are more business oriented, for others retailing is the only way to earn a living. The findings also suggest that in some actors both retailing and wholesaling functions emerge, and this has implications for the marketing channels structure

How do companies reduce their carbon footprint and how do they communicate these measures to stakeholders?

With regard to ecological sustainability, an aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR), a shift in business practices towards a stakeholder orientation was observed. However, little research was done on the activities carried out with regard to these stakeholders and the drivers of these activities. Drawing from a resource-based view and stakeholder theory, the current research thus aimed to uncover activities undertaken by companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and examine the ways they communicate these activities to stakeholders in an effort to establish relations with them. By means of 16 semi-structured interviews in 14 companies and using a flexible pattern-matching approach, the results identified contextual, conditional, and intervening conditions that define the basis for a carbon footprint and its quantification, and at the same time influence the actions taken by companies. The findings offer a contribution to ecological sustainability literature and practice by identifying five areas of carbon footprint actions including heating, building, travel, transportation, and green services and products; and by showing that companies direct different actions in these areas towards different stakeholders to build relations with them.peerReviewe

Ethiopian rural water supply

Purpose The institutional logic in developing countries is changing from aid toward trade, having implications for institutionally embedded supply chains (SCs) and their members. The purpose of this study is to investigate the transition from aid toward trade through a theoretical lens of institutional logics and the implications of changing logics for SC members and designs. Design/methodology/approach This is a large-scale qualitative study of the SCs of maintenance and repair operations (MRO) of water points. Empirical data were collected via 53 semi-structured interviews, observations, including photographs, and field notes from several echelons of MRO SCs in ten different Ethiopian districts. Findings In spite of the same underlying tenet of a unidirectional trajectory toward a business logic, the study shows that the co-existence or constellation of different institutional logics resulted in diverse practices that impacted SC design. Research limitations/implications The research was carried out in the MRO SC at a time of changing institutional logics, thereby being able to study their transition or constellation of logics. Practical implications The research has implications for policymakers and development practitioners: when designing and implementing rural water supply programs, the presence of co-existing logics and the lack of uniform SC designs should not be viewed as a hindrance. In fact, the study showed how constellations of logics can provide ways through which water points continue functioning and providing clean drinking water to the communities. Originality/value Few studies so far have focused on institutional logics and their implications for SC design.peerReviewe

Finnish Response to the First Wave of COVID-19 Accentuated Persuasion

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Shifting towards a more sustainable fashion future

The fashion industry is one of the most harmful industries in the world and continues to grow despite widespread awareness of its environmental and social impacts (Boström and Micheletti 2016; Hvass 2013; Niinimäki et al. 2020; Indvik 2020). It functions mostly in a linear way, contributing to a take-make-waste economy (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). Drawing together the extensive research on aspects of this topic, this chapter establishes how fashion is unsustainable and identifies different ways the unsustainability of fashion could be reduced and the key stakeholders who can instigate such change