An organisation’s survival is dependent on the support of a number of stakeholders. However, professional service firms tend to lose the support of their most important stakeholders, which are their well-educated employees, also referred to as their ‘talents’. This study has used Harrison and Wicks’ (2013) framework of stakeholder value creation as its point of departure, which consists of four value aspects: goods and services, organisational justice, organisational affiliation, and opportunity cost. The framework states that managerial actions, related to these four aspects, are likely to create value for stakeholders by increasing their happiness. “Happy” stakeholders are further considered to keep supporting their organisation, which generated the principal research question of this study: How can professional service firms increase the happiness of their talents? Moreover, the study was limited to neo and classic-professional service firms, which include: consultancy, advertising, accountancy, architecture, and law firms. In order to explore what managerial actions increase talents’ happiness, a case study was conducted at a British law firm. Nine solicitors of three different levels of seniority were interviewed and the firm was observed for two days. This study not only confirms the validity of Harrison and Wicks’ (2013) framework but also extends it by identifying additional managerial actions, categories for analysing ‘talent happiness’ as well as a fifth value aspect: ‘job characteristics’. In a broader perspective, this study contributes to stakeholder theory by providing an empirical and micro-level illustration of the theory.

Innovation is often related to positive outcomes for the majority to enjoy that enhances welfare and facilitates everyday activities. In different fields of study (economics, management, sociology, history and science and technology) it is becoming a field of magnitude (Malerba and Brusoni, 2007). Fagerberg and Verspagen (2009) discuss the emerging interest of innovation in the field of social science. Although the interest within the subject of innovation is high, very little research has been done regarding the aim to contribute to the design innovation policy, developed by scholars studying the field of innovation. One often so neglected study within innovation is in the field of negative unintended consequences of innovation (NUCoI) (Sveiby et al, 2012). One main contributor of innovative activities is organizational operations leading to value for end customers. While firms often have the aim to create value with innovation for the greater benefit in society, sometimes these value-creating mechanisms may create unintended negative consequences in addition to the positive effects. While innovations are increasing in rapidness and numbers of output produced, the effects on society and the natural environment needs to be highlighted. With assumptions regarding vague CSR implementation in corporations (Newell, 2005), this research tries to grasp understanding on how NUCoI is perceived from the managerial perspective in organizations regarding their stakeholder viewpoint. As a starting point, the authors use Charlie Chaplin’s famous quote “More than machinery, we need humanity” from the movie “The Great Dictator” indicating the importance of caring for various stakes. Purpose: The aim of this research is to highlight the new field of study in social science; Negative unintended consequences of innovation (NUCoI) in relation to the societal natural environment (society and the natural environment). The research contributes to the existing frameworks on organizational value creation mechanisms in innovation policy to incorporate the aspect of negative consequences of innovation (NCoI), in terms of sustainability to highlight the importance of secondary stakeholders. Results: The new Extended Value Creation Mechanism for Global Sustainability, the Societal-Natural-Environment Stakeholder Framework of Innovation and Global Sustainability framework (SNE SFI GS-framework), aims to contribute in the long-term perspective for research in innovation policy by highlighting one aspect of a field of the often so neglected societal natural environment perspective, when competing rivalry becomes too fierce. The framework highlights the importance of secondary stakeholders, where primary stakeholders may act as a “link” between the organization and secondary stakeholders. Additionally, the authors suggest going to basic practices regarding sustainability with valuating the natural resources for a prospering sustainable society. The aspects in the research include stakeholder-theory, value-creation in terms of the societal natural environment, and innovation as a field of social science, negative consequences and organizational sense-making.

In 2008, a financial crisis struck the world economy, causing a risk of a potential system-crash. In order to stabilize the financial system within Europe, European Banking Authority (EBA) presented new guidelines (GL44) as a way, among others, to increase the transparency among financial institutions. As a result of GL44, Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) implemented new regulations, with minor adjustments and amendments. At present, the guidelines are weeks from being completely implemented, thus meaning that the financial industry is able to start seeing the changes from the regulations.The authors have chosen to conduct a study regarding how the banks have been affected from the external authority demands during the previous recession.The focus of the study has been on three of Sweden’s four large banks, which are considered systematically important, as well as one niche bank.The study showed that the work in board and top-management was affected by external demands from authorities. The attention on business development was disturbed during the recession since more focus was put on controlling factors such as compliance, risk management and internal audit as well as on board composition and board competence.

Bakgrund: Svenska företag har visat sig vara bland de bästa i världen på hållbarhetsredovisning. Tidigare studier har försökt hitta förklaringsfaktorer för att definiera vilka faktorer som ökar den mängd hållbarhetsupplysningar företag rapporterar frivilligt. Ägarstrukturens påverkan på hållbarhetsredovisning är ett relativt outforskat område och ska därför förklaras i den här studien.   Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att genom en kvantitativ metod förklara hur ägarstrukturer påverkar hållbarhetsredovisning hos Large-Cap- och Mid-Cap företag noterade på Nasdaq OMX Stockholm.     Metod: Ämnet har testats utifrån skapandet av hypoteser och empiriska observationer. En innehållsanalys har gjorts genom granskning av 173 företags års- och hållbarhetsredovisningar, noterade på Nasdaq OMX Stockholm. Hållbarhetsredovisningen har studerat dels utifrån det ekonomiska perspektivet och dels utifrån det miljö och samhällsmässiga perspektivet.   Resultat/slutsats: Utifrån vår analys av de olika ägarstrukturerna och deras påverkan på hållbarhetsredovisning har slutsatsen blivit att det inte finns något större samband mellan de två.   Bidrag/framtida forskning: Ägarstrukturens förklaringsgrad visade sig vara låg då få signifikanta samband fanns mellan ägarstrukturer och hur de redovisar hållbarhet. Framtida forskningsförslag är att genom en kvalitativ och kvantitativ metod jämföra skillnader gällande hållbarhet som företag redovisar och deras faktiska hållbarhetsaktivitet.

Ce travail porte sur la gouvernance mutualiste. A partir d’un cadre d’analyse fondé sur la légitimité, nous avons cherché à comprendre comment s’exprime la légitimité en contexte mutualiste aujourd’hui. La proposition faite est qu’il existe nécessairement un gap entre la légitimité construite par les dirigeants et la légitimité perçue par les parties prenantes. Les dirigeants déploient alors des stratégies de légitimation par une communication mutualiste. Le modèle mutualiste deviendrait un outil de gestion des parties prenantes. Dans une phase de recherche quantitative auprès des parties prenantes impliquées, nous identifions un socle commun partagé ainsi qu’un gap mutualiste, qui porte sur la perception que l’entreprise maîtrise son projet et contribue au territoire. Une typologie des parties prenantes est dressée autour d’un clivage horizontal. L’analyse qualitative de discours révèle des systèmes de références sensiblement différents selon les entreprises. Nous distinguons trois approches dans la gestion de la légitimité en contexte mutualiste : communicationnelle, politique et managériale. / This work concerns the mutualist governance. From a frame of analysis based on legitimacy theory, we tried to understand how appears legitimacy in mutual organisation context today. The proposal is that it exists inevitably a gap between the legitimacy built by managers and the legitimacy perceived by the stakeholders. Managers display then strategies of legitimization by a communication based on mutualist references. The mutualist model would become a management tool. In a phase of quantitative research with the involved stakeholders, we identify a common base shared between stakeholders, as well as a mutualist gap, which concerns the perception that the company masters its projet and contributes to the territory. A typology of the stakeholders is drawn up around a horizontal split. The qualitative analysis of speech reveals different patterns, based on communication, politics and management.

The goal of this paper is to study and compare the usage of banknotes and coins in Japan and Sweden during the time period 1980–2015. Using the stakeholder theory, a theory that operationalizes the identification of different actors, stakeholders, and their influences, the development of the banknote and coin usage will be studied. Three different stakeholders are then identified for both countries, the central banks, the banks, and the customers. These stakeholders background and ability to influence are then analyzed. It becomes clear that the customers are the most important stakeholder because they are the stakeholder from which the demand and supply for banknotes and coins arises from. The background in Sweden contra Japan concludes that the japanese customers have less trust in the banks and central banks, which leads them to prefer banknotes and coins over other payment alternatives, while the case in Sweden is the opposite. Therefore, the banknote and coin usage is high in Japan, while it is low in Sweden.

Syfte: Studiens syfte är att ge företag ökad förståelse för hur arbete mot minskad miljöpåverkan även kan vara förenligt med ökade finansiella intäkter. Metod: Vi använder oss av ett intressentbaserat angreppsätt för att besvara studiens frågeställning, där företags benägenhet att aktivt arbeta med miljöledning utgår från de krav som ställs av dess olika intressenter. Genom att anpassa sig efter dessa krav mot förbättrad miljöpåverkan, kan lönsamma relationer och konkurrenskraftiga förmågor skapas. Teorier inom stakeholder theory, enlightened shareholder theory, innovationsförmåga och proaktiva arbetsmetoder har lagt grunden till denna förståelse. Empirisk data har samlats in via semistrukturerade intervjuer hos tre företag som idag är ISO 14001 certifierade. Med hjälp av en deduktiv arbetsmetodik, har logiska slutsatser härletts från de likheter och skillnader som uppstår mellan teori och empiri. Slutsatser: Studiens frågeställning som vi ämnar besvara har formulerats enligt följande; Hur påverkas företags finansiella intäkter av ISO 14001 certifiering? Vårt bidrag till frågan visar stöd att det inte finns något enhälligt svar att ge, då företag som idag arbetar mot dessa miljökrav både har upplevt certifikatet som något möjliggörande, men också som något restriktivt, till att öka finansiella intäkter. / Purpose: The purpose of this study is to give companies a greater understanding for how work towards reducing environmental impact, also can be compatible with increased financial income. Method: We use a stakeholder based approaches to answer the study question, where the company's willingness to actively work with environmental management is based on the requirements of its various stakeholders. By adapting to these requirements towards improved environmental impact, profitable relationships and competitive abilities can be created. Theories in stakeholder theory, enlightened shareholder theory, innovation and proactive practices have laid the foundation for this understanding. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with three companies which today are ISO 14001 certified. By using a deductive methodology, logical conclusions was derived from the similarities and differences that arise between theory and empiricism. Conclusions:The study's issue that we intend to answer is formulated as follows; How is companies financial income affected due to ISO 14001 certification? Our contribution supports that there is no unanimous answer here to give, since the companies currently working with environmental requirements both have experienced the certificate as something that enables, but also restrains, increases in financial revenue.

Abstract This paper presents the thesis that, in certain circumstances and despite the dichotomous nature of capitalism, economic self-interest, or profit, may be reconciled to ethical business practice. These circumstances require that: i) a business enterprise be conducted outside of a traditional business model, in what will be referred to as a stakeholder model of business; ii) this stakeholder model must be grounded in a Rawlsian conception of contractualism, where all players are ‘free, equal, rational and reasonable’, with the emphasis on reasonableness; and where, iii) matters of Aristotelean character are the currency for determining reasonableness and the degree to which players are able to agree, or at least not reject, a particular course of action.

The issues surrounding sustainability continues to be at the forefront of the human agenda and firms are increasingly being held accountable by their stakeholders to assist in bringing about sustainability. Despite this, there is a tension surrounding the role of firms and the benefits implementing sustainability practices and policies has for these actors. On the one hand, being sustainable underpinned by a strong CSR-oriented governance board with the right compositional factors results in superior firm performance. On the other hand, sustainability is suggested to increase costs and reduced competitiveness thereby reducing firm performance. These contrasting results supported by mixed scholarly findings concerning different mediating factors influencing the overarching relationship creates a confusion gap that warrants this current study. As such, the study’s purpose is to investigate the relationship between two distinct yet interrelated relationships, the impact of board of directors’ composition on CSR performance measured by ESG scores and the impact of CSR performance on firm performance so as to contribute to the debate on these notion that continues to plague academia and the pragmatic world. This study is realized through a quantitative archival-longitudinal study design underpinned by metaphysical assumptions. Regression analyses using panel data on a sample of 123 listed companies headquartered in the Nordic Countries for the period 2010-2018 is undertaken to analyze the potential relation between CSR performance and five board composition factors, specially the gender diversity, independence, size, frequency of meetings and the presence of CSR committee. The association between CSR performance and firm performance is investigated in a similar way. Under rigorous statistical testing and analysis, the results indicate that there potentially is a relation between board composition and firms’ ESG performance. The results derived from the relationship between CSR and firm performance is inconsistent and cannot be fully accepted. This study contributes theoretically to CSR, corporate governance and finance literature by expanding upon how these three notions are linked in light of the sustainability trend that is gripping modern society. Socially, this research is useful for providing empirical evidence on the value of strong governance structures so as to foster sustainability and encourage debate on its value. Pragmatically, our study suggests what board composition factors are most conducive for supporting CSR that may assist firms’ corporate governance structuring and focus.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo geral: entender como as priorizações dadas aosstakeholders e o engajamento com mesmos podem refletir na presença de indicadores de sustentabilidade das organizações mineradoras no Brasil. Os objetivos específicos foram: revelar quem são osstakeholders priorizados e o por quê; e perceber qual a importância tem o engajamento com as partes interessadas na busca pelo desenvolvimento sustentável das mineradoras. Na fundamentação teórica foram abordados os principais conceitos da teoria de stakeholders, desenvolvimento sustentável, modelos e indicadores para mensurar o desenvolvimento sustentável e influenciadores do desempenho socioambiental. Dois estudos de casos foram realizados, tendo como fontes de dados: entrevistas em profundidade, relatórios oficiais, observação direta e a literatura. Os dados foram tratados conforme técnicas de análise de conteúdo e puderam evidenciar a priorização dada às comunidades locais e colaboradores. Todas as fontes de dados apresentaram indícios do tratamento diferenciado desses dois grupos de stakehoders. Os impactos causados às comunidades e colaboradores juntamente com o posicionamento estratégico e a necessidade de legitimidade para operar parecem ser os grandes impulsionadores da priorização apresentada. O engajamento com os grupos de partes interessadas ocorre desde o planejamento inicial das operações até o fechamento da mina. O contato permite o compartilhamento de boas práticas, o que pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento sustentável das mineradoras e grupos envolvidos. As empresas assumem responsabilidades perante os stakeholderse garantem ações que evidenciem os compromissos, inclusive o monitoramento das questões consideradas importantes por grupos salientes. Assim, os indicadores presentes refletem a priorização dada às comunidades e colaboradores bem como o engajamento contínuo com os mesmos. Os resultados podem contribuir com literatura ao apresentar novas formas de priorizar os stakeholders diferentes daquelas já consagradas na teoria. Isso sugere uma discussão da efetividade dos antigos modelos de priorização nos variados tipos de indústrias. Quanto à contribuição gerencial, o setor de mineração poderá encontrar subsídio para melhorar o relacionamento com os stakeholders em busca pelo desenvolvimento sustentável, algo essencial para perenidade desse setor cuja importância é significativa para a economia brasileira / The objective of this study was to understand how the prioritizations given to stakeholders and the engagement with them can reflect the presence of sustainability indicators of mining organizations in Brazil. The specific objectives were: to reveal who are the prioritized stakeholders and why; realize the importance of engagement with stakeholders for the sustainable development of mining companies.Inthe backgroud, the main concepts of stakeholder theory, sustainable development, models and indicators to measure sustainable development and influencers of social and environmental performance were addressed. Two case studies were carried out, having as data-base: interviews, official reports, direct observation and the literature. The data were treated according to content analysis techniques and showed the prioritization given to the local communities and employees. All data sources showed evidence of differential treatment to these two groupsofstakehoders. The impacts caused to communities and employees, the strategic of the companies and the need for legitimacy to operate are the main drivers of the prioritization presented. Engagement with stakeholder groups occurs since the initial planning of operations to the closure of the mine. The contact allows the sharing of good practices, which can contribute to the sustainable development of the mining companies and groups involved. The companies assume responsibilities to the stakeholders and guarantee actions that evidence the commitments, including the measurement of issues considered important by salient groups. Thus, the present indicators reflect the prioritization given to the communities and employees as well as the continuous engagement with them. The results can contribute to literature by presenting new ways of prioritizing stakeholders different from those already established in theory. These are suggests for a discussion about the effectiveness of the established prioritization models in the various types of industries. Regarding the managerial contribution, the mining sector can find support to improve the relationship with the stakeholders for the sustainable development, that is essential for the continuity of this sector which has significant importance for the Brazilianeconomy.