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Global Governance: CSR and the Role of the UN Global Compact

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  • Christian Voegtlin
  • Nicola Pless

Abstract

The article discusses the role of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) in the emerging global corporate social responsibility infrastructure. It evaluates the debate around the effectiveness and legitimacy of the UNGC alongside the arguments of its supporters and critics and thereby introduces the Thematic Symposium contributions. The article further identifies three theoretical perspectives that are used by scholars to discuss the performance of the UNGC: economic, socio-historical, and normative. It proposes that these perspectives can serve as generic distinctions with direct relevance for the evaluation of the UNGC. Once the perspective is chosen, it drives towards a certain purpose which implies assumptions and design features with regard to the UNGC. Finally, the article offers a future research agenda, emphasising the research needed on the UNGC in four areas: the identification of processes and influence mechanisms; legitimacy and effectiveness; local networks and regional development; and the interface of the UNGC and responsible leadership. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

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  • Christian Voegtlin & Nicola Pless, 2014. "Global Governance: CSR and the Role of the UN Global Compact," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 179-191, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:122:y:2014:i:2:p:179-191
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2214-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Arleta A. A. Majoch & Xiao Y. Zhou, 2021. "Does an Asset Owner’s Institutional Setting Influence Its Decision to Sign the Principles for Responsible Investment?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 389-414, January.
    2. Geraint Harvey & Andy Hodder & Stephen Brammer, 2017. "Trade union participation in CSR deliberation: an evaluation," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 42-55, January.
    3. Benedict Sheehy & Federica Farneti, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Sustainable Development and Corporate Sustainability: What Is the Difference, and Does It Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, May.
    4. Jolita Vveinhardt & Włodzimierz Sroka, 2020. "Workplace Mobbing in Polish and Lithuanian Organisations with Regard to Corporate Social Responsibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-28, April.
    5. Jill A. Brown & Cynthia Clark & Anthony F. Buono, 2018. "The United Nations Global Compact: Engaging Implicit and Explicit CSR for Global Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 721-734, February.
    6. Thomas Maak & Nicola M. Pless & Christian Voegtlin, 2016. "Business Statesman or Shareholder Advocate? CEO Responsible Leadership Styles and the Micro-Foundations of Political CSR," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 463-493, May.
    7. Roger Leonard Burritt & Katherine Leanne Christ & Hussain Gulzar Rammal & Stefan Schaltegger, 2020. "Multinational Enterprise Strategies for Addressing Sustainability: the Need for Consolidation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(2), pages 389-410, June.
    8. Damian Bäumlisberger, 2019. "The United Nations Global Compact as a Facilitator of the Lockean Social Contract," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 187-200, September.
    9. Christian Voegtlin & Andreas Georg Scherer, 2017. "Responsible Innovation and the Innovation of Responsibility: Governing Sustainable Development in a Globalized World," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 227-243, June.
    10. Vincent Frigant, 2015. "Beyond The Business Case and Sustainable chain management: Why Do We Need to Build a Theory of Interfirm Social Responsability?," Post-Print hal-01426819, HAL.
    11. Luis Alfonso Dau & Elizabeth M Moore & William Newburry, 2020. "The grass is always greener: The impact of home and host country CSR reputation signaling on cross-country investments," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(2), pages 154-182, June.
    12. Abdelzaher, Dina & Fernandez, Whitney Douglas & Schneper, William D., 2019. "Legal rights, national culture and social networks: Exploring the uneven adoption of United Nations Global Compact," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 12-24.
    13. Christopher Wickert & Antonino Vaccaro & Joep Cornelissen, 2017. "“Buying” Corporate Social Responsibility: Organisational Identity Orientation as a Determinant of Practice Adoption," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 497-514, May.
    14. Andreas Hoepner & Arleta Majoch, 2016. "Pension Funds and the Principles for Responsible Investment: Multiplying Stakeholder Salience?," ICMA Centre Discussion Papers in Finance icma-dp2016-07, Henley Business School, University of Reading.
    15. Andreas Georg Scherer & Andreas Rasche & Guido Palazzo & André Spicer, 2016. "Managing for Political Corporate Social Responsibility: New Challenges and Directions for PCSR 2.0," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 273-298, May.
    16. Onyeka K. Osuji & Ugochukwu L. Obibuaku, 2016. "Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility: Competing or Complementary Approaches to Poverty Reduction and Socioeconomic Rights?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 329-347, June.
    17. Rachel Shields & Samer Ajour El Zein & Neus Vila Brunet, 2021. "An Analysis on the NASDAQ’s Potential for Sustainable Investment Practices during the Financial Shock from COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Pisani, Niccolò & Kourula, Arno & Kolk, Ans & Meijer, Renske, 2017. "How global is international CSR research? Insights and recommendations from a systematic review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 591-614.
    19. Luis Alfonso Dau & Elizabeth M. Moore & Jonathan P. Doh & Margaret A. Soto, 2022. "Does global integration stimulate corporate citizenship? The effect of international trade agreements and regulatory quality on state and private firm adoption of CSR standards," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(3), pages 328-352, September.
    20. Włodzimierz Sroka & Jolita Vveinhardt, 2020. "Is a CSR Policy an Equally Effective Vaccine Against Workplace Mobbing and Psychosocial Stressors?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-20, October.
    21. Thomas M Maak & Nicola M Pless & Christian Voegtlin, 2016. "Business Statesman or Shareholder Advocate? CEO Responsible Leadership Styles and the Micro-Foundations of Political CSR," Post-Print hal-01480535, HAL.
    22. Christof Miska & Mark E. Mendenhall, 2018. "Responsible Leadership: A Mapping of Extant Research and Future Directions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 117-134, March.
    23. Orzes, Guido & Moretto, Antonella Maria & Moro, Mattia & Rossi, Matteo & Sartor, Marco & Caniato, Federico & Nassimbeni, Guido, 2020. "The impact of the United Nations global compact on firm performance: A longitudinal analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).

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