Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze how leadership influenced corporate responsible behavior in a complex multinational organization with ethical principles imposed by concrete actions on regulatory, environmental and international labor issues. Increasing functional specialization, multinational diversity and business acquisitions challenged the core values and called for more formal enforcement. Core values executed through investment in positive economic externalities enhanced the reputation and facilitated sustainable collaborative solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
This single-case study collects evidence from experienced multinational executives for practitioner-based theory building. The information is interpreted against prevailing theory to gain deeper insights for practice. Observed phenomena are discussed in various managerial audiences and cross-checked against documents, news articles, books and involved external stakeholders. The case material and executive narratives are further assessed from storytelling and retrospective sense-making perspectives.
Findings
The study illustrates how core values were enforced through concrete executive decisions driving corporate reputation and good stakeholder relationships. It provides evidence of positive outcomes as future conflicts are reduced while levering the reputation to deal more effectively with emergent risks. The core values influenced corporate responsible behavior and supported long-term adaptability, but increasing diversification and global expansion also diluted those values.
Originality/value
Corporate responsible behavior is a significant challenge in large organizations with many and diverse multinational stakeholders. Ethical conduct derives from executive morality, but the role of leaders as instigators of responsible behavior has not been studied in the context of multinational enterprise. Hence, this article fills a need for more granular longitudinal studies of complex internationalizing organizations.
Subject
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management,Strategy and Management
Cited by
3 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献
1. Prelims;Navigating Corporate Cultures from Within;2022-04-21
2. Managing in Dynamic, Complex and Unpredictable Business Contexts;Adapting to Environmental Challenges: New Research in Strategy and International Business;2020-07-21
3. Corporate social responsibility or sustainability in music festivals;International Journal of Organizational Analysis;2019-11-04