2019, Nathan, Ganesh, Gianni, Robert, Pearson, John, Reber, Bernard

There is growing interest in and importance of responsible research and innovation (RRI) among academic scholars and policy-makers, especially in relation to emerging technologies such as nanotechnology. It is also to be noted that, although the design-thinking approach has been around since the 1960s, there is renewed interest in this approach to innovation with an increasing number of related publications over the last couple of decades. Furthermore, it is currently introduced in a number of schools and community projects. However, there is a gap in bridging the design-thinking approach to RRI, and this chapter attempts to address this need.

2015-02-23, Nathan, Ganesh

This article, opens, briefly clarifying paradigms of essentialism and non-essentialism (also known as anti-essentialism) and shows evolving dimensions of dominant models of culture, namely, Hofstede (5), Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (7) and Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) (9) – referred to as the paradigm of 5-7-9 cultural dimensions in this article that tend to essentialize culture. This can lead to ethical concerns restricting the capacity of agency for choice and identity, which are necessary for the democratization of organizations. It then presents a model of culture within the paradigm of anti-essentialism, adapting the model presented by Nathan (2010), within the topic of multiculturalism based on Dilthey’s works on social interactionism and meaning in history, shows that the model can pave the way for the democratization of organizations and discusses the implications of organization culture in terms of agency, identity, and structure within multinational/multicultural organizations. This article concludes by encouraging further research, possibly within Critical Management Studies (CMS) along with qualitative research methods, to enhance the non-essentialist model of culture within organizational studies.

2014, Nathan, Ganesh, Bastos de Morais, Jean-Claude, Stückelberger, Christoph

The aim of this article is to illuminate certain morally contentious links within technological innovation and to put forward some recommendations for ethical innovation.

2012-07, Nathan, Ganesh

This paper attempts to re-theorize the firm from a socio-political perspective to show that a firm is not only an economic, but also a social and a political actor. Given the multiple global crises, our traditional understanding of the purpose of the firm – the maximization of shareholder value – is increasingly being challenged. This paper shows that the purpose of the firm is rooted in our social life, and hence a notion of well-being and social justice gains significance rather than wealth creation to underscore the role of responsible governance for sustainability in many dimensions – economic, social and environmental. It concludes that the purpose of the firm should go beyond profit maximization of shareholders in pursuit of well-being of stakeholders and in deliberating global social justice for a sustainable world order.

2018-11-24, Bradly, Andrew, Nathan, Ganesh

Purpose This paper aims to introduce the concept of institutional CSR and explains its antecedents, key characteristics and the potential implications arising from private firms providing public goods and services in developing economies. Design/methodology/approach The paper conceptualises institutional CSR using key insights from institutional theory along with legitimacy theory. It integrates the antecedents of CSR at the state and society levels and shows how firms may respond to these antecedents within an integrated institutional CSR framework. Findings The paper derives six distinct characteristics of institutional CSR and presents a conceptual model to inform how institutional CSR occurs in practice. Practical implications This paper brings to the attention the need for private firms that undertake institutional CSR activities to engage more closely with the state to ensure better societal outcomes. Social implications The paper identifies the importance of resource coordination between the state and the firm for the efficient and effective provision of public goods and services. Without such coordination, moral hazard, resource imbalances and long-term viability concerns pose a risk for institutional CSR activities. It furthermore highlights important implications for societal governance. Originality/value The paper makes an important contribution to the literature on CSR practices within developing economies by conceptualising institutional CSR in providing public goods and services.

2015, Nathan, Ganesh

In general, innovation governance models, which deal with organizational structure, innovation process, strategy and leadership, are becoming increasingly important for innovative companies for effective innovation management. Moreover, responsible innovation (RI) as a topic among academic scholars and policy makers is gaining importance, in order to address some of the ethical concerns and dilemmas as issues of governance in general and with special reference to technological innovations. This article attempts to show that technological innovation processes require a circular RI process instead of a linear one with embedded ethical decision-making framework for ethical innovation governance.

2013-09, Nathan, Ganesh

Multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSI) are important in dealing with (global) governance gaps in many dimensions – economic, ecological, social and cultural. However, their effectiveness is under scrutiny by both academics and practitioners. This paper attempts to derive the minimal and common conditions – freedom as non-domination, and recognition – for input justice on deliberation for MSI, critiquing liberal deliberative democracy and advocating modern civic republicanism. He further challenges the idea of the common good and invites us to consider the common concerns of the choices. This Chapter aims to encourage debate and discussion on the possibility and plausibility of innovating governance structures based on these minimal and common conditions for input justice for (global) multi-stakeholder deliberation.

2018-07-27, Nathan, Ganesh, Gianni, Robert, Pearson, John, Reber, Bernard

There is growing interest and importance for responsible research and innovation (RRI) among academic scholars and policy makers, especially, in relation to emerging technologies such as nanotechnology. It is also to be noted that, although the design thinking approach has been around since 1960s, there is renewed interest in this approach to innovation with an increasing number of related publications over the last couple of decades. Furthermore, it is currently introduced in a number of schools and community projects. However, there is a gap in bridging design thinking approach to RRI and this chapter attempts to address this need.

2014-01, Nathan, Ganesh

2013-06, Nathan, Ganesh

This paper first briefly clarifies the notions of essentialism versus non-essentialism and presents widely cited models of culture with varying dimensions: five (Hofstede), seven (Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner) and nine (GLOBE study) - referred to as the 5-7-9 cultural dimensions in this paper - and critiques the underlying notions of essentialism that can lead to ethical concerns restricting the capacity for agency and choice which are necessary for the democratization of organizations. It then presents a model of culture within the paradigm of anti-essentialism, adapting the model presented by Nathan (2010) within the topic of multiculturalism based on Dithey’s works on social interactionism and meaning in history, shows that the model can pave the way to the democratization of organizations, and discusses the implications of organization culture in terms of agency, identity, and structure within multinational/multicultural organizations. The paper concludes by encouraging further research to enhance the non-essentialist model of culture within organizational studies.