IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ate/journl/ajbev4i4-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On NGOs' Role in the Development of Business Ethics in Slovakia

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Remisova
  • Anna Lasakova

Abstract

The socio-economic transformation after the fall of communism in Slovakia took place without anchoring new economic subjects in corporate social responsibility. Private companies and state authorities showed little interest in business ethics, so it stayed marginalized. Now, after more than two decades of development for business ethics in Slovakia, an absence of a systematic support for business ethics still pertains. Nonetheless, some initiatives have already been implemented to sustain ethics in business and typically the impetus for these initiatives was given by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This paper investigates the influence of nine prominent NGOs operating in Slovakia on the development of business ethics in the current Slovak business environment. Based on indepth analysis of NGOs' documentation to projects undertaken in Slovakia throughout the last two decades and semi-structured interviews with the respective NGOs' leaders, the article critically analyzes the nature, scope and effects of NGOs' activities with respect to the advancement of business ethics in companies in Slovakia. Results of this qualitative inquiry suggest NGOs' activities add value mainly on the macro level, i.e. focusing on the fight against corruption, anti-social and illegal activities in state and public administration, promoting democracy and transparency. There are also several inspirational initiatives to expand business ethics on the mezzo level, such as guidelines for introducing corporate codes of ethics, a corporate governance code, an anticorruption charter, or whistle-blowing channels. There is no doubt these initiatives are important because every stimulus for integrating ethics and economics is rare and valuable in Slovak cultural conditions. However, activities of NGOs lack a broader view of the necessity of ethical regulation in business. In particular, results indicate shortage of attention to the control of illegal and unethical activity within the company, to unethical leadership and related negligence of the tone at the top of companies

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Remisova & Anna Lasakova, 2018. "On NGOs' Role in the Development of Business Ethics in Slovakia," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 4(4), pages 389-404, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:ate:journl:ajbev4i4-3
    DOI: 10.30958/ajbe.4-4-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.athensjournals.gr/business/2018-4-4-3-Remisova.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.30958/ajbe.4-4-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Niklas Egels-Zandén & Evelina Wahlqvist, 2007. "Post-Partnership Strategies for Defining Corporate Responsibility: The Business Social Compliance Initiative," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(2), pages 175-189, January.
    2. David Daokui Li & Junxin Feng & Hongping Jiang, 2006. "Institutional Entrepreneurs," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 358-362, May.
    3. Dorothea Baur & Hans Schmitz, 2012. "Corporations and NGOs: When Accountability Leads to Co-optation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(1), pages 9-21, March.
    4. Xiao, Yanyan & Norris, Catherine Benoît & Lenzen, Manfred & Norris, Gregory & Murray, Joy, 2017. "How Social Footprints of Nations Can Assist in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 55-65.
    5. Daniel Arenas & Josep Lozano & Laura Albareda, 2009. "The Role of NGOs in CSR: Mutual Perceptions Among Stakeholders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(1), pages 175-197, August.
    6. Manfred Max Bergman & Zinette Bergman & Lena Berger, 2017. "An Empirical Exploration, Typology, and Definition of Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-13, May.
    7. Jan Jonker & André Nijhof, 2006. "Looking Through the Eyes of Others: assessing mutual expectations and experiences in order to shape dialogue and collaboration between business and NGOs with respect to CSR," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 456-466, September.
    8. Baur, Dorothea & Palazzo, Guido, 2011. "The Moral Legitimacy of NGOs as Partners of Corporations," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(4), pages 579-604, October.
    9. Muel Kaptein, 2015. "The Effectiveness of Ethics Programs: The Role of Scope, Composition, and Sequence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 415-431, December.
    10. Dima Jamali & Tamar Keshishian, 2009. "Uneasy Alliances: Lessons Learned from Partnerships Between Businesses and NGOs in the context of CSR," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(2), pages 277-295, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anna Remišová & Anna Lašáková & Alexandra Bohinská, 2019. "Reasons of Unethical Business Practices in Slovakia: The Perspective of Non-Governmental Organizations' Representatives," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 67(2), pages 565-581.
    2. Karen Hidden & Jonathan Tresman Marks, 2020. "Misaligned Needs in the Pursuit of Shared Value: A Multi-Stakeholder Study of the Shift from Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Social Entrepreneurship in an Emerging Economy," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 6(2), pages 363-382, July.
    3. Sylvaine Poret, 2019. "Corporate–NGO Partnerships through Sustainability Labeling Schemes: Motives and Risks," Post-Print hal-02154666, HAL.
    4. Sylvaine Poret, 2019. "Corporate–NGO Partnerships through Sustainability Labeling Schemes: Motives and Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Sylvaine Poret, 2014. "Corporate-NGO partnerships in CSR activities: why and how?," Working Papers 2014-04, Alimentation et Sciences Sociales.
    6. Daniel Arenas & Pablo Sanchez & Matthew Murphy, 2013. "Different Paths to Collaboration Between Businesses and Civil Society and the Role of Third Parties," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(4), pages 723-739, July.
    7. Salla Laasonen & Martin Fougère & Arno Kourula, 2012. "Dominant Articulations in Academic Business and Society Discourse on NGO–Business Relations: A Critical Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 521-545, September.
    8. Mihaela Păceşilă & Sofia Elena Colesca, 2020. "Insights on Social Responsibility of NGOS," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 311-339, June.
    9. Anne‐Kathrin Weber, 2020. "Corporate Role Conceptions in Global Forest Governance," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 11(5), pages 611-627, November.
    10. Viveros, Hector, 2017. "Unpacking stakeholder mechanisms to influence corporate social responsibility in the mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1-12.
    11. Amelia Clarke & Andrew Crane, 2018. "Cross-Sector Partnerships for Systemic Change: Systematized Literature Review and Agenda for Further Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 303-313, June.
    12. Rama Murthy, Sudhir & Roll, Kate & Colin-Jones, Alastair, 2021. "Ending business-non-profit partnerships: The spinout of social enterprises," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(1).
    13. Liu, Steven Y.H. & Napier, Elizabeth & Runfola, Andrea & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2020. "MNE-NGO partnerships for sustainability and social responsibility in the global fast-fashion industry: A loose-coupling perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    14. Alejandro García-Jurado & José Javier Pérez-Barea & Rodrigo J. Nova, 2021. "A New Approach to Social Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-16, March.
    15. Dorothea Baur & Hans Schmitz, 2012. "Corporations and NGOs: When Accountability Leads to Co-optation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(1), pages 9-21, March.
    16. Uwafiokun Idemudia, 2017. "Environmental Business–NGO Partnerships in Nigeria: Issues and Prospects," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 265-276, February.
    17. Cedric Dawkins, 2014. "The Principle of Good Faith: Toward Substantive Stakeholder Engagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(2), pages 283-295, May.
    18. Lynn Rohwer & Martina Topić, 2019. "The communication of Corporate–NGO Partnerships: analysis of Sainsbury’s collaboration with Comic Relief," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(1), pages 35-48, January.
    19. Hielscher, Stefan & Winkin, Jan & Pies, Ingo, 2016. "NGO credibility as private or public good? A governance perspective on how to improve NGO advocacy in public discourse," Discussion Papers 2016-03, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Chair of Economic Ethics.
    20. Waris Ali & Jedrzej George Frynas, 2018. "The Role of Normative CSR‐Promoting Institutions in Stimulating CSR Disclosures in Developing Countries," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(4), pages 373-390, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ate:journl:ajbev4i4-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Afrodete Papanikou (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.athensjournals.gr .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.