Business as an Instrument for Societal Change


Book Description

Business as an Instrument for Societal Change: In Conversation with the Dalai Lama is the result of two decades of research and dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other leaders in business, government, science and education. Author Sander Tideman, a lawyer and banker who has maintained a friendship with the Dalai Lama over all these years, presents a practical framework and methodology to develop a new kind of leadership - one fit to repurpose the business world and tackle escalating social, economic and environmental needs. The Dalai Lama rarely speaks directly on the topics of business, leadership and economics. Yet in the dialogues recounted here, his wisdom - combined with key insights from business and public leaders -creates a unified shift towards a consciousness of interconnectedness, offering profound insights for practitioners and general readers alike. Tideman unites the scientific worldviews of physics, neuroscience and economics with the positive psychology of human relationships, and ancient spiritual wisdom, to formulate practical business leadership solutions. While recognizing the need for change in external structures and governance, Tideman highlights the importance of opening our minds, and connecting inner and outer spirituality. At the same time, he focuses on concrete practices for winning the hearts and minds of employees, customers, communities, and society at large, while addressing deep-rooted problems such as extreme social inequality and continued financial collapses. At the heart of this book lies the journey to discover our shared purpose. This ignites new sources of value creation for the organisation, customers and society, which Tideman terms 'triple value'. We can achieve triple value by aligning societal and business needs, based on the fundamental reality of interconnection. Business as an Instrument for Societal Change: In Conversation with the Dalai Lama is a readable and intelligent exploration of how leaders can actually help to shape a sustainable global economy by embracing innate human and humane behaviour. It is also Tideman's fascinating personal journey, which brought him to question the underlying motivations and goals of business leadership and to seek a new paradigm for a more sustainable approach. Reflecting Tideman's sharp perceptions and infused with the Dalai Lama's unmistakable joy, this book has the power to change your way of thinking.




Sustainable Financial Innovation


Book Description

Innovations and consequently future-fitness must form new models and address existing hurdles and new forms of collaborations. They must enable faster innovation cycles and "intelligence mining" by combining open and closed source systems, organic communities, open space techniques and cross-fertilization. Innovations must apply to and integrate incubation and acceleration networks. This book explores new concepts for future-fitness with five capitals: financial, ecological, social/cultural, human/personal, and manufactured/technological. It offers a new integral framework bringing researchers and business leaders together in one volume.




Vedanta Philosophy of Management vol- 1


Book Description

Vedanta Philosophy of Management is the modern need of the changing world order in these days of technological innovation and gigantic size of business organizations. Keeping in mind the objectives of sustainable development goals (SDGs) five Chapters are devoted in this volume, to increase human competency building, enhance capabilities, and to bring in creativity to strengthen human living parameters in terms of Vedanta management thought and the Vedic work practices. Chapter 1 deals with “Introduction to Vedanta Management Thought” to understand the framework of Vedanta management and to find-out the means and ways for human resource development (HRD) potentials through Vedanta philosophy, along with backdrop analysis of business process reengineering (BPR) paradigms in confining issues pertaining to organizational effectiveness as well as environmental sustainability. Effective leadership qualities are narrated in sparkling manner to strengthen managerial professional ethics, administrative excellence building norms, bring in positive social change in terms of Vedic work ethics and code of conduct. Hence, this Chapter enlightens on various postulates of global development initiatives through Vedanta practices of management to finding out the true nature of management and its significance in the present day changing world order in scientific temper of thought. Applications of Vedanta knowledge in organizational activities are synthesized with the Vedic work principles to uplift human beings from pathetic social sufferings. As such, quality circle fundamental issues are stressed with equanimity of work and equipoise nature of performance for supplementing human growth related paradigms in ‘path-goal’ relativity approach. Chapter 2 deals with “Vedanta Management and Theory of Work” to work-out judicious relationship between organizational activities and human development strategies in relation to organizational dynamicity, managerial vision of work, etc. with goal directed initiatives. As such, this Chapter especially considers the Vedanta principles of management with the Vedic rules of work practices, in coagulating tools and techniques of human dynamic behavioral postulates for enhancing human competencies building to commensurate transformational social change with transcendental approach. Hence, theory of work is given special priority in organizational activities in terms of Vedanta mission, to incorporate management practices in regard to human existential freedom of living. Chapter 3 deals with “Vedanta Management and Theory of Knowledge” and furnishes the principles of human creative innovational thought for illuminating production function related activities, to enlarge organizational effectiveness in terms of theory of knowledge and managerial excellence building process. Here, universal brotherhood has been considered sincerely for exposition of the fundamental rules of Vedanta management in realities of management, to eradicate social poverty with interface between managerial knowledge and values of work. It has provided a paradigm shift of knowledge to social emancipation process of human beings for world class citizenship in terms of administrative skills. Thus, this Chapter provides a new managerial perspective on international understanding with human cooperative endeavors; so that Vedanta management helps to match resources in matchless way to reduce gaps between haves and have-nots, for bringing human solvency as well as salvation of life. Chapter 4, analyzes “Vedanta Management and Theory of Devotion” to relate organizational work ethics with leadership qualities in bringing world unity, social integrity and human self-sufficiency. Thus, this Chapter elaborates the issues of the integral concept of humanity in relation to work and knowledge as the pyramid of social reconstruction, in confining organizational work ethics to areas of radical social reconstruction through devotional qualities of modern organizational leaders, and therefore, human growth and social sustainability is explained in relativity approach to amplify the reasons for increasing human capacity building with devotional managerial qualities at organizational structure, to enrich the pillars of modern organizations. As a whole, this Chapter is attempted to discuss primarily qualities of devotion in management and its necessity for attaining the goal of organizational work efficiency. Thus, this Chapter has established relativity between work and devotion to uproot the principles of Vedanta in management, so as to know clearly the devotional practice of work philosophy in bringing universal peace and eternal concept of human living through Vedanta management techniques. Thus, managerial guidelines are provided for effective organizational rolling in making pious social journey with knowledge-base intercepts towards the existential autonomy of humankind. Chapter 5 discusses on “Vedanta Management for International Understanding” to reflect international cooperative business environment with the help of management vision. It explains analytically the fundamental thoughts of financial solvency through Vedanta techniques of derivative management system. This Chapter further deals with international human cooperation building measures in terms of Vedanta system of management, to enumerate various business policies at international level. Technological upgrading principles and practices at international level have been found to be the corner-stone of Vedanta management process, and therefore, we have exemplified with decisive factors – how to choose technology at the present set-up of the world business changing scenario for human empowerment, in bringing world equilibrium at economic frontiers. Accordingly, we have analyzed the reinventing policies of Vedanta management for international production quality enhancement program in realizing the goal of service delivery mechanisms of the global organizations. Enrichment of intellectual property for managerial value addition to the society has essentially been occupied important place in our discourses through Vedanta management objectives, for the purpose of valuable studies on international market driven competitive advantages as well as price mechanism behavioral prudence to global business environment of international organizations, for which administrative effectiveness has been put forward as proactive goal of managerial guidance at international standard, to illuminate the picture of good governance philosophy. All the Chapters have been interpreted in scientific manner with appropriate examples for confining human development related postulates in relativistic assumptions of sound organizational structure. Vedanta management ideologies are thus enumerated to uproot the ultimate goal of human society. Focus on the Vedanta techniques on overall study reveals – how managerial effectiveness will be enhanced through ‘path-goal’ relational approach of management, to augment scientific viewpoint on matters like, organizational strategy, social dynamicity and human capacity building for the purpose of world peace, global tranquility and human existential freedom of living. The volume is the first and new one as an innovative technique of social business reengineering process for creative managerial guidance to the effective cause of development of human resources as well as leadership goal of organizational life-style, in the changing phase of technological society and global order of the twenty-first century.




Public Relations, Activism, and Social Change


Book Description

Winner of the 2014 NCA PRIDE Book Award Why are some voices louder in public debates than others? And why can’t all voices be equally heard? This book draws significant new meaning to the inter-relationships of public relations and social change through a number of activist case studies, and rebuilds knowledge around alternative communicative practices that are ethical, sustainable, and effective. Demetrious offers a powerful critical description of the dominant model of public relations used in the twentieth century, showing that ‘PR’ was arrogant, unethical and politically offensive in ways that have severely weakened democratic process and its public standing and professional credibility. The book argues that change within the field of public relations is imminent and urgent—for us all. As the effects of climate change intensify, and are magnified by high carbon dioxide emitting industries, vigorous public debate is vital in the exploration of new ideas and action and if alternative futures are to be imagined. In these conditions, articulate and persistent publics will appear in the form of grassroots activists, asking contentious questions about risks and tabling them for public discussion in bold, inventive, and effective ways. Yet the entrenched power relations in and through public relations in contemporary industrialized society provide no certainty these voices will be heard. Following this path, Demetrious theorises an alternative set of social relations to those used in the twentieth century: public communication. Constructed from communicative practices of grassroots activists and synthesis of diverse theoretical positions, public communication is a principled approach that avoids the deep contradictions and flawed coherences of essentialist public relations and instead represents an important ethical reorientation in the communicative fields. Lastly, she brings original new perspectives to understand current and emergent developments in activism and public relations brought about through the proliferation of Internet and digital cultures.




Ethics and Sustainability in Digital Cultures


Book Description

Digital technologies, now ubiquitous around the world, can promote positive values, as well as support those that are less socially acceptable. To better understand such technologies’ impact on ethics and sustainability, this book situates digital technologies within a cultural context, arguing that the technology is received differently in different cultural contexts. The book contains chapters on state-of-the-art digital technologies such as artificial intelligence from various countries including Japan and Sweden to highlight the multifarious ways in how ethical and sustainability issues are being manifested in certain cultural contexts. The book contributes to furthering understandings on the similarities and differences between digital technology implementations in different cultures, promoting a cross-cultural dialogue on desired values and how they are promoted or downplayed by such technologies. The book is divided into two parts: the former focuses on how individuals relate to new digital technologies, and the latter focuses on those who develop digital technologies. The book targets scholars, businesspeople and policymakers interested in the interconnection between digital technologies, ethics and sustainability from various cultural viewpoints. It provides new case studies on a range of digital technologies and discussions about digital technology implementations in cultural contexts.




Organizational Change Management Strategies in Modern Business


Book Description

Scholars agree that change has become a staple in organizational life and will likely remain as such beyond the 21st century. As the rate of change continues to accelerate, organizations must strive to develop and implement new initiatives in order to obtain significant benefits to organizational survival, economic viability, and human satisfaction. Organizational Change Management Strategies in Modern Business covers the most important elements of change management as well as the difficulties and challenges that organizations have faced when implementing change. In sampling different disciplines relevant to topics such as resistance to change, mergers and acquisitions management, leadership, the role of human resource strategies, and culture, this reference work is a useful resource for academics, professionals, managers, administrators, and others interested in organizational change.







Corporate Social Responsibility


Book Description

This book has many merits. It will make fascinating reading for the increasing number of organizational scholars who wonder how organizational research can engage more in accounting for the impact of corporations on their environment in a broad sense. Bahar Ali Kazmi, Bernard Leca and Philippe Naccache, Organization Studies This book is for those who will enjoy a thoughtful and informative monograph that acutely summarises and refreshes critique from a political and sociological perspective. It is a comprehensive re-interpretation of the corporate world and the evidently meretricious regime of CSR which makes it an enjoyable compendium for critical management studies fans . . this erudite volume will be valuable to mainstream, social science academics either involved in (or dismissive of) CSR and sustainability discourses in management education and research. David Bevan, Scandinavian Journal of Management Banerjee s book is thought provoking and must be read. But it should be read not only by corporate social responsibility scholars but by all business scholars. It is through Banerjee s provocations that we can understand the shortcomings of corporate systems and the boundaries of corporate social responsibility. Pratima Bansal, Administrative Science Quarterly This is a tour de force that carefully assembles and incisively interrogates perhaps the most pressing problem of our age: how to harness the resources of corporations to tackle global problems of poverty, oppression and environmental degradation? Banerjee does not present us with glib pronouncements or simplistic fixes. Instead, he brilliantly illuminates the scale of the challenges and lucidly assesses the relevance and value of CSR responses to date. Hugh Willmott, University of Cardiff, UK Bobby Banerjee takes on the popular mythologies of neo-liberal corporate social responsibility with enviable flair and a thoroughness of scholarship that will dismay its apologists. His critique extends from the origins of the modern corporation and its well-known abuses and excesses to far harder targets the more attractive alternatives that have been developed for theory and practice that, as Banerjee shows brilliantly, only serve to mask continuing neo-colonial abuses. Banerjee is not content simply to expose the impossibilities of doing good works whilst maximizing shareholder value, the win-win view of CSR, but he bites the bullet with some uncompromising but realistic proposals for the future reconstruction of CSR both as a field of study and as a business practice. We have needed this exposure of the bad and the ugly for a long time. The current versions of CSR are simply just not good enough. Stephen Linstead, University of York, UK Banerjee pulls the beguiling mask off corporate social responsibility. Taking the vantage point of the world s poor, he shows CSR to be a cruel hoax corporations cynical effort to undermine growing demands for economic and environmental justice. Paul S. Adler, University of Southern California, US This book problematizes the win-win assumption underlying discourses of CSR and suggests that it is a rhetoric that is invariably subordinated to that of corporate rationality. Rather than see CSR as providing the means to transform corporations by advocating a stakeholder view of the firm it argues that CSR represents an ideological movement designed to consolidate the power of transnational corporations and provide a veneer of liberality to the illiberal economic agenda of the major global institutions. Stewart Clegg, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Professor Banerjee offers us a refreshing analysis of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in an otherwise comparatively turgid literary landscape. People may disagree with his criticism that because of its preoccupation with shareholder value, the corporation is an inappropriate agent for social change but it is backed up by strong theoretical and substantive empirical




Advocating Social Change through International Law


Book Description

Advocating Social Change through International Law, edited by Professors Daniel Bradlow and David Hunter, explores the use of hard and soft international law in advocating for social change. Using case studies rooted in inter alia human rights, international crimes, environmental protection, public heath, and financial regulation, the book focuses on both state and non-state actors’ strategic choices regarding the use of hard and soft international law in advocating for social change. Looking through the social change lens provides new insights into the interplay between soft and hard international law, the perceived costs and benefits associated with hard and soft international law in different contexts, and the factors affecting the effectiveness of hard and soft approaches to international law.




Ways of Social Change


Book Description

The world is at our fingertips, but understanding what is going on has never been more daunting. Garth Massey’s Ways of Social Change is a primer for making sense of both rapidly moving events and the cultural and structural forces on which social life is built, while teaching critical thinking skills needed to understand social change. With an approach that is fresh, timely, challenging, and engaging, Ways of Social Change shows students how social change is both a lived experience and the result of our actions in the world. It invites the reader into the realm of social science, where clarification, understanding, and inquiry provide for both informed opinions and a path to effective involvement. The core of the book focuses on five forces that powerfully influence the direction, scope and speed of social change: science and technology, social movements, war and revolution, large corporations, and the state. A concluding chapter encourages students to examine their own perspectives and offers ways to engage in social change, now and in their lifetime.