Socialinio verslo poveikių vertinimo patirtys Lietuvoje socialinių verslinink(i)ų požiūriu

This paper raises research questions on how social business representatives assess the impact of their social businesses and what methods they use to evaluate or measure it. The findings of data analysis of the interviews with 20 social entrepreneurs in Lithuania indicate that social entrepreneurs just begin to measure impact and do not always distinguish it from outcomes and outputs. This can also be influenced by impact measurement methods/tools, which are publicly available for social entrepreneurs or provided by funding organizations. Social entrepreneurs acknowledge that they must create and evaluate this impact, but research findings indicate that they distinguish more reasons not to do that. Impact evaluation is more explicitly revealed when discussing internal (consumers, employees) rather than external stakeholders. Some social entrepreneurs understand the need to evaluate their activities in monetary terms, but they do not do it, which is explained by the early development stage of social businesses in Lithuania. Moreover, social entrepreneurs do not have experience in measuring impact from a multidimensional perspective, i.e., including the social, environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions, and it seems that the necessity of doing this has not come to their awareness yet. The article is concluded with recommendations for strengthening social entrepreneurs’ capabilities in impact evaluation.Straipsniu siekiama atsakyti į tyrimo klausimus, kaip socialinio verslo atstovės (-ai) Lietuvoje vertina savo socialinio verslo poveikius ir kokias metodikas taiko juos vertindami ir / ar matuodami. Interviu su 20 socialinių verslininkių (-ų) duomenų analizės rezultatai rodo, kad socialinės (-iai) verslininkės (-ai) dar tik pradeda matuoti savo verslo poveikius (impact) ir juos tapatina su produktais (outputs) ar rezultatais (outcomes) – tą gali suponuoti ir kai kurios viešai prieinamos ar finansuotojų naudojamos poveikių vertinimo metodikos. Nors socialinės (-iai) verslininkės (-ai) pripažįsta, jog iš jų tikimasi poveikių vertinimo, kiekybiniu požiūriu išskiria daugiau priežasčių to nedaryti nei daryti. Poveikių vertinimo vektoriai kur kas išsamiau atsiskleidžia vidinių suinteresuotųjų (paslaugų klientų, darbuotojų) atžvilgiu; išorinių suinteresuotųjų (bendruomenės, visuomenės) atžvilgiu jų sampratos gana fragmentiškos. Pažymėtina, kad nors kai kurios (-ie) socialinės (-iai) verslininkės (-ai) supranta poreikį vertinti savo veiklą monetarine išraiška, tačiau to nedaro. Socialinio verslo atstovės (-ai) taip pat dar nevertina savo veiklos poveikių iš kompleksinės, apimančios socialinę, aplinkosaugos, kultūros ir ekonominę dimensijas, poveikių vertinimo perspektyvos. Straipsnis baigiamas rekomendacijomis, kaip stiprinti socialinių verslinink(i)ų gebėjimus vertinti teigiamus socialinio verslo poveikius

Mokslinių tyrimų etikos būklė Lietuvoje: ką mano Lietuvos mokslo bendruomenė? Pirminiai nacionalinės apklausos rezultatai.\

Research ethics is a term which is usually used in discussions on biomedical research and, with less frequency, in social research as much as it relates to research on human beings. However, in the broadest sense, research ethics may be defined as covering all stages of scientific research (starting with conception and finishing with publication); thus, being aware of the importance of ethical considerations in research on human beings, we think that the term is applicable to all fields of science. (e.g., ethical dilemmas can arise during the process of selection of the research topic in natural or exact sciences as well as in social or medical sciences (e.g., simplifying the matter, to explore colleague’s idea or not).) Research ethics became an object of empirical explorations in the 1960s in Western countries. Currently a large number of empirical studies can be found on research ethics questions in different fields of science, on work of research ethics review committees, on teaching research ethics, on consulting on research ethics, on research ethics in global contexts, etc. However, most (if not all) of these studies are conducted in Western European countries and in the United States; empirical research on ethics in such post-soviet/socialist countries as Lithuania are exclusively occasional. Also, Lithuanian research organizations do not participate in numerous research projects (e.g. FP7) on various research ethics related issues which currently are funded by the European Commission. Thus, this paper is one of the first endeavours to shed light on research ethics in Lithuania by providing a portion of empirical data. The paper is based on analysis of empirical data, which was collected during the national web-based questionnaire survey among Lithuanian researchers and scientists in spring 2011 (N=1107 of started questionnaires, n=330 of fully filled questionnaires). As this is the first publication of the survey data, it is aimed at exploration of one general question: what is the attitude of Lithuanian researchers and scientists towards research ethics status in the country. Results of the analysis of quantitative evaluations and additional commentaries suggest that the status of research ethics is far from perfect: despite the average evaluation being 6 points out of 10 max possible, survey participants provided a number of references to examples of researchers’ unethical behaviour (e.g. plagiarism and imposed authorship, data fabrication and falsification, unfair expert reviewing, etc.) as well as to factors enforcing (e.g. lack of knowledge, existent research funding schemes and evaluation system) and supporting (e.g. the lack of organizational susceptibility and of community sensitivity) such behaviour. It is found, that evaluation of the status is higher among research participants from medical sciences (supposedly because of legal developments concerning research ethics in the field) and among PhD students (who obviously have less experience of scientific work). These findings suggest that the general attitude towards research status in the country actually is based on experiences in the closest—research organization—environments. Considering that there is obvious awareness of research ethics related problems and their sources among Lithuanian researchers and scientists (at least those who participated in the survey), but lack of susceptibility and sensitivity to the issues as well as, practically, absence of resistance to unethical practices and standards, the paper ends with a question for further research, i.e. how to turn moral convictions and attitudes to moral actions.Straipsnyje analizuojami 2011 m. pavasarį sukaupti Lietuvos mokslo bendruomenės apklausos duomenys siekiant atskleisti bendruomenės požiūrį į mokslinių tyrimų etikos būklę Lietuvoje. Kiekybinių (teiginių vertinimo 10 balų sistemoje) ir kokybinių (vertinimo komentarų) duomenų analizė rodo, kad, apklausos dalyvių nuomone, mokslinių tyrimų etikos būklė Lietuvoje nėra ypatingai gera (vidutinis vertinimas 6 balai, dažniausiai komentaruose išsakomi neigiami pastebėjimai). Konceptualizavus terminą „požiūris“ kaip apimantį kognityvinį, afektinį ir elgsenos aspektus, atliktos analizės rezultatai rodo, kad nors mokslinių tyrimų etikos problemos Lietuvoje yra matomos ir pripažįstamos, emocinis jautrumas joms tėra labai santykinis, tuo tarpu veiksmų joms spręsti beveik nesiimama nei mikro- (individo), nei mezo- (organizacijos, bendruomenės), nei makro- (mokslo politikos) lygmenimis

Lyties dimensija socialiniame versle: Lietuvos socialinių verslininkių patirtys

This paper explores how women – social entrepreneurs – perceive the mission of their social businesses and the effects of gender in the context of such businesses. An analysis of interviews (n=18) with representatives of social businesses in Lithuania reveals that the mission of a social business is either strongly pragmatic (in the organizations that have the legal status of a social enterprise), dissociated from social impact or a rather vague one but that emphasizes goodwill. Meanwhile, the gender dimension in social businesses is approached in rather stereotypical ways: the effect of gender is either ignored or interpreted by stereotypically separating the traditionally female (e.g., caring for and bringing up children) and male (e.g., engineering) fields of activities.Straipsnyje nagrinėjama, kaip moterys – socialinės verslininkės – suvokia socialinį verslą ir lyties dedamąją tokiame versle. Interviu (n=18) su socialinių verslų Lietuvoje atstovėmis analizė parodė, kad socialinio verslo misija yra arba labai pragmatiška (organizacijų, turinčių socialinės įmonės juridinį statusą), atsiejama nuo socialinio poveikio, kurį tokie verslai paprastai kuria, arba gana neapibrėžta, tačiau akcentuojanti gėrio kūrimą. Tačiau į lyties dedamąją socialiniuose versluose žvelgiama stereotipiškai, t. y. lyties poveikis arba ignoruojamas, arba interpretuojamas stereotipiškai skirstant į tradiciškai laikomas vyriškomis ir moteriškomis veiklos sritis

Lietuvos socialinių verslų novatoriškumas ir darniosios inovacijos: socialinių verslininkių patirtys

This paper focuses on the perceptions of women social entrepreneurs of in the field of innovativeness forms and sustainable innovations. It presents empirical findings derived from interviews (n=18) with women representatives of social businesses in Lithuania. An analysis of the interview materials reveals that women social entrepreneurs define innovativeness on both individual and organizational levels, but the definition of sustainable innovation was related to moreglobal contexts and technological advancement. The findings correspond to the results of previous works in the field. Thus, on the one hand, the findings denote the universality of the topic; on the other hand, this shows the validity of the Lithuanian study.Straipsnyje nagrinėjamos socialinių verslininkių sampratos apie jų verslo novatoriškumo formas ir darniąsias inovacijas. Empirinis šio straipsnio pagrindas – interviu (n=18) su socialinių verslų Lietuvoje atstovėmis. Interviu medžiagos analizė parodė, kad moterys – socialinės verslininkės novatoriškumą bei darniąsias inovacijas tokio verslo kontekste apibrėžia tiek individo, tiek organizacijos lygmenimis, tačiau darniąsias inovacijas sieja su globaliais kontekstais ir technologijomis. Tokios sampratos atitinka kitose šalyse atliktų tyrimų rezultatus ir rodo analizuojamos tematikos universalumą, kita vertus – pagrindžia Lietuvoje atlikto tyrimo rezultatus. Pagrindiniai žodžiai: socialinis verslas, novatoriškumas, darniosios inovacijos, Lietuv

Corporate social responsibility management analysis from the perspective of integrity

The paper presents findings of the research on the tendencies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) management and implementation of ethics programmes in Lithuanian organizations. The processes of CSR management and application of CSR/ethics instruments is analysed from the perspective of integrity, i.e. the congruence between declared values and practices. A survey method was used in the research. It was carried out in companies which at that time had an ethics code or/and had signed the Global Compact of the United Nations Development Programme. The research findings show that the tendencies of application of ethics and CSR instruments are weak. This means that most companies which participated in the survey do not have a CSR strategy that would integrate progressive practices into a system and enhance its performance effectiveness in the long run. On the other hand, analysis of the practices ensuring integrity of CSR revealed that tendencies are more optimistic. The paper concludes with the discussion of threats that arise from insufficiency of practices which ensure integrity and a weak strategic orientation in implementing CSR. It also highlights some fields for the improvement of CSR management and other ethical programmes in the researched companies in Lithuania

Stimulating organizational innovativeness through ethical leadership practices: the mediating role of organizational trust

The paper presents the results of the research in progress that explores the interrelation between ethical leadership and organizational innovativeness, questioning the role of organizational trust in this relationship and arguing that organizational trust strengthens the effect of ethical leadership on positive organizational outcomes. The data analysis from a public organization (n=757) in Lithuania confirm partial mediation of organizational trust in the relationship between ethical leadership and organizational innovativeness

Issues of stakeholder management in the context of privatization and international business: "Lietuvos Telekomas" case

The paper dwells upon social ethical dimensions of business in today's economy and the consequences when they are disregarded. Stakeholder theory and its application to organization management are considered crucial for establishing social responsibility and humanizing economics in today's world. The analysis of the activity of Lithuanian telecom company, which was privatized by a foreign investor and received a monopoly licence to provide telephony services in the light of stakeholders' theory proves that disregard of strategically important groups' interests, absence of social contract, responsibility and accountability to the local community result in public distrust, lack of their loyalty and, gradually, in financial losses. The authors begin the case study by analyzing the privatization process of "Lietuvos telekomas". It is shown that stakeholders' disapproval and hostility towards the company and the government were created at the beginning when the privatization process started and monopoly licence to the corporation was granted. Lack of transparency, secrecy between the Lithuanian government and the company owners, lack of knowledge about the advantages of free market by the public, negative emotions promulgated by the media erected barricades between the society and the company with the government. It explains why even positive social programmes that "Lietuvos telekomas" started afterwards have been met with skepticism. Even more, negative attitudes towards one economic subject affected attitudes towards market system in general and the government's decisions regarding the integration processes to the EU. The exploration of consequences is continued by analyzing four stakeholders' groups, i.e. employees, customers, competitors and small shareholders.It explains why loyalty and trust are not associated with the company and what - both macro and micro - losses have been incurred because of the orientations towards fast profit and absence of purposive stakeholder management. Naturally, positive changes have been made in organization management: parasite structures, fictitious workers which were created and who were "employed" by former managers were eliminated. Yet, in depth, strategic changes have not been made. "Renewal" of human resource politics has been reduced to routinized work processes and no signs of contemporary human resource management have been noticed so far. Lack of attention to ethical principles which enable companies to humanize economics or, in other words, combine positive financial performance with social moral imperatives, had an effect on the company's financial indicators, e.g. its net profit decreased by more than 100 times. Though large investments into technological infrastructure have been made, the analysis raises a question, i.e. whether a company which renewed the technological and technical equipment from the income gained from the local society can be termed as an investor. Today the company, whose monopoly licence expired December 31, 2002, is making efforts to stop running clients and withstand the competition of the mobile operators. It has started several client-friendly programmes and payment plans, ideas (at least they are expressed in the company's official website) of creating social welfare are promoted. These are the first steps which might evolve into politics of social responsibility, rehabilitate the firm's image in the market and pave the path to successful performance in the future