The effects of strategic planning and firm culture on CSR

Scholars have paid considerable attention to studying the relationship between corporate socialresponsibility (CSR) and firm performance. However, little research demonstrates what actuallyshapes or drives effective CSR in the first place. This paper builds a case that comprehensivestrategic planning is one such driver in that it creates awareness of and formulates responses to afirm's stakeholders, thereby facilitating CSR activity. However, exploring single variablerelationships is problematic, as other important endogenous factors need to be givenconsideration in explaining CSR. More specifically, evidence suggests that firm culture canfacilitate or hinder a firm's strategic actions. One such cultural factor, humanistic culture, isargued to have a positive effect on CSR. By studying a sample of firms in Australia, resultsdemonstrate that a comprehensive strategic planning effort is positively related to CSR. Ashypothesized, a humanistic culture adds significant variance in predicting CSR, after accountingfor a firm's comprehensive strategic planning efforts

Responding to sustainability: A model exploring the impacts of boards of directors and organisational strategic flexibility

As the strategic apex of decision making, boards of directors have ultimate responsibility in ensuring that firms address economic, environmental and social sustainability. We contend that board information-processing activities act as the mediational pathway by which board composition affects sustainability. Further, because of the complexity of the sustainability paradigm, strategic flexibility is posited to moderate relationships between information-processing activities and sustainable outcomes. The model proposed in this paper offers original insight into the drivers of sustainability in organisations and thus, we conclude the discussion with implications for both research and practic

An overview of the role of information technology in strategic management: Part 2

Strategic management of the firm includes the strategic management of information technology in the context of business relationships. Firms do not exist in isolation. Multiple constituents make up a relationship network that constitutes the vital resources needed to fulfil the mission of a business. To leverage a firm?s business relationships effectively, a relationship ?lens? is needed that can act as a guiding process for strategy creation and tactical fulfilment. In order to engage and manage each business relationship and to execute relationship strategies, the relationship engagement cycle (REC) creates the phases necessary to acquire, learn about, and build memorable experiences with each relationship and to establish trust and loyalty with the most valuable relationships. Information technology, in many various forms, is a key strategic enabler of the REC

Do humans drive spinal cord with limb velocity signal?

The ability to move in the environment is crucial to the survival of all animals. Neural pathways that control locomotion can be described as a hierarchy, with multiple levels of control, and those ultimately converge on spinal pattern generators. Neural pathways controlling locomotion are hierarchical, highly integrated, and well characterized anatomically, but functional explanations are lacking. Previous computational modeling of the CPG has proposed that they essential signal driving these spinal networks are expressed in the modality of desired velocity. To date, no published research has empirically tested velocity as being the control signal of locomotion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate human ability to discriminate inter-limb velocity on a split-belt treadmill. If the modality of locomotor control signal is indeed velocity then, according to the classical control theory, limb velocity should also be accurately sensed. We tested this hypothesis by probing human ability to detect minute changes in the velocity of each leg. Healthy volunteers with no previous history of neurological conditions or serious musculoskeletal damage to the lower extremities were recruited to walk on a split-belt treadmill with separately controlled belt speeds. Subjects were exposed to randomized asymmetric speeds of left and right legs for approximately 3 steps. A high-pitch cue instructed subjects to report the fastest leg. In addition, we tested velocity discrimination skills in two other conditions when subjects were either supported or loaded by 10% of their body weight. The perception threshold defined as the velocity detected with better than chance probability (above 50%) was 1.02+/-0.43% m/s, with no significant differences between body weight conditions. Variance of step cycle was found to significantly impact probability detection at the differential speed of 0.01 m/s, which is equivalent to the 1% detection level. The accurate velocity discrimination ability supports the idea that the velocity signal is represented within the locomotor control pathways. We propose that errors in this velocity signal are ultimately used to tune heading direction. Solving for the signal controlling locomotion has positive clinical implications, as it could be used in therapies such as locomotor rehabilitation following neurological injury

A theoretical framework of the drivers of CSR: The role of strategic planning and firm culture

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is argued to be a strategic imperative, one that can significantly affect firm competitiveness. However, little research demonstrates what actually shapes or drives firms towards proactive CSR. This paper proposes that strategic planning is one such driver in that it creates awareness of and formulates responses to a firm?s stakeholders, thereby enabling CSR. But while a strategic planning effort can develop the best and most impressive strategies ? those that drive CSR ? they might be actualized in a manner more or less than intended given the type of firm culture in place. Thus, firm culture is argued to moderate the relationship between strategic planning and CSR

Exploring Tourism Opportunities through Homestay/Homeshare

The purpose of this research employing an emergent design is to explore the experiences of micro-hospitality entrepreneurs as hosts of Airbnb properties. Specifically, this study focuses on hosts in two communities- Port-au-Prince and Jacmel “ and whether the phenomenon of homesharing through Airbnb is contributing to community development as other homestay programs traditionally attempt to do. As such this study asks the questions: RQ1: What is the experience of an Airbnb host in Haiti? RQ2: How do the experiences of Airbnb hosts differ between the locations of Jacmel and Port-au-Prince? RQ3: How does homesharing through Airbnb in Haiti contribute (if at all) to community development? To explore the host experience, in depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with hosts at their properties listed on Airbnb.com in Port-au-Prince and Jacmel. The Community Capitals Framework was used to analyze the homesharing phenomenon by examining how community capital may increase (or decrease) as a result of participating as a micro-hospitality entrepreneur (i.e. Airbnb host). The data uncovered entrepreneurship capital (Audretsch & Keilbach, 2004), understood as the assets required to launch and sustain a successful enterprise, as an eighth capital to add to the community capitals framework. Based on the findings, local bridging ties can significantly increase entrepreneurship capital and maximize the positive community development outcomes associated with the phenomenon of Airbnb hosting in Haiti. Airbnb hosting can meet the need for additional accommodations in Haiti\u27s countryside and with proper oversight be a tool for community development

Framing CSR within the context of strategy

Much has been written about the role of business in society. More specifically, a dominant theme in the literature has focused on the conceptualisation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and, in the process, has defined what responsibilities firms assume toward society. However, such conceptualisations rarely offer scholarship on how CSR fits into the domain of strategy. Given that CSR is argued to be an imperative that can significantly affect competitiveness, integrating CSR into the core of the firm should not be an after-thought to the development of strategy or a reactive initiative due to external pressures. By drawing upon insights from economic, strategic management, sociology, stakeholder and marketing theory, we frame CSR within six fundamental dimensions of strategy. The exercise contributes to scholarly debate in that it extends current thinking on CSR and to managerial practice in that it offers insight into how CSR might be integrated into strategy for firm ? and societal ? benefit

Climate change and the Tasmanian wine cluster

The article discusses research on how Tasmanian wine clusters are addressing climate change. Wine businesses in Tasmanian wine clusters were asked to answer a survey about climate change and their responses to such challenge. The results of the research revealed a relatively weak exchange of climate change knowledge among wine businesses within the several wine sub-clusters in Tasmania. The results also confirmed previous findings that climate change impacts depend on location

Strategy in a world of sustainability: A developmental framework

Sustainability is a business approach that seeks to create long-term value by embracing the opportunities and the managing risks associated with economic, environmental and social developments. However, little guidance is available to assist firms in developing strategy, given the realities of sustainability. By taking an issues perspective and strategy development approach, this paper proposes a developmental framework for creating strategy in a world of sustainability.A case study is offered to highlight the use of the framework