Global logistics companies are increasingly disclosing carbon related information due to institutional and stakeholder pressures. Existing research, however, is limited to categorizing these pressures and their influences on corporate carbon disclosure strategies. In particular, literature to date has not distinguished between different carbon disclosure strategies and how they may have changed over time. In response, this paper: (1) proposes a framework that depicts four different carbon disclosure responses and strategies based on internal and external pressures; and (2) subsequently analyzes and compares corporate carbon disclosure strategies between 2010 and 2015. Using a sample of 39 leading global logistics companies, carbon disclosure strategies are categorized based on the analysis of 25 applied carbon management practices from Bloomberg ESG to see if carbon management practices and the associated strategies have changed. The findings show overall shifts to more transparent corporate carbon disclosure strategies between 2010 and 2015 with an increase of applied carbon management practices in both internal and external actions.

To navigate the increasing sustainability pressures from regulatory bodies and various stakeholders, this research explores organizations’ strategic responses and communication strategies within the transport logistics sector, particularly focusing on Deutsche Post DHL Group. Grounded in institutional theory, this paper examines how these organizations adapt their strategies to be perceived as legitimate while balancing economic objectives with environmental obligations. The study employs a qualitative longitudinal analysis combined with a thematic analysis of secondary data from various reports, websites, and social media to comprehensively understand the evolution of strategic responses and communication practices within the transport logistics industry.  The findings reveal that DHL Group has progressively enhanced its transparency and specificity in sustainability reporting, driven by stricter regulations and rising stakeholder expectations. The organizations’ strategic responses, including strategies such as acquiescence, compromise, manipulation, justification, and decoupling, have evolved from initial resistance and superficial compliance to a more integrated and proactive approach, highlighting the balance between financial stability and sustainability initiatives. Furthermore, the research underscores the crucial role of strategic communication in influencing stakeholder perceptions and managing expectations to secure organizational legitimacy.

Our research contributes to knowledge on strategic organizational responses by addressing a specific type of institutional complexity that has, to date, been rather neglected in scholarly inquiry: conflicting institutional demands that arise within the same institutional order. We suggest referring to such type of complexity as "intra-institutional" - as opposed to "inter-institutional." Empirically, we examine the consecutive spread of two management concepts - shareholder value and corporate social responsibility - among Austrian listed corporations around the turn of the millennium. Our work presents evidence that in institutionally complex situations, the concepts used by organizations to respond to competing demands and belief systems are interlinked and coupled through multiwave diffusion. We point to the open, chameleon-like character of some concepts that makes them particularly attractive for discursive adoption in such situations and conclude that organizations regularly respond to institutional complexity by resorting to discursive neutralization techniques and strategically producing ambiguity. (authors' abstract)

Research shows that strong CSR practices have a positive impact on organizational commitment which is crucial when employees are faced with negative events in the organization. Therefore, it is crucial for organizations to adopt CSR practices to retain engaged employees as they are less likely to engage in behaviors disadvantageous to the organization when negative events occur. However, some organizations face difficulties balancing efficiency with sustainable practices and respond to the pressures of CSR by adhering to or actively resisting it. The aim of this study is to explore what employee withdrawal behaviors can be associated with organizations’ strategic responses to CSR. We operationalize this aim by conducting ten semi-structured interviews studying what behaviors employees adopt in reaction to events in the Swedish fast fashion industry. An analytical framework has been created and applied to the findings based on previous research on employee withdrawal behavior and organizations’ strategic responses to institutional pressures. The findings indicate that there is a higher likelihood amongst committed employees to potentially engage in withdrawal behaviors the more organizations actively resisted CSR as a practice. A new dimension of withdrawal behavior is added to complement previous research to ultimately provide inspiration for future research.

Submitted by Daniel Lopez (daniel.mansur.lopez@hotmail.com) on 2012-07-27T19:18:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_DanielLopez_VFinal.pdf: 1049395 bytes, checksum: 9f1bc2afd87f4b3ea367f1a09cb53775 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2012-07-27T19:53:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_DanielLopez_VFinal.pdf: 1049395 bytes, checksum: 9f1bc2afd87f4b3ea367f1a09cb53775 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2012-07-27T20:22:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_DanielLopez_VFinal.pdf: 1049395 bytes, checksum: 9f1bc2afd87f4b3ea367f1a09cb53775 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-08-02T21:06:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_DanielLopez_VFinal.pdf: 1049395 bytes, checksum: 9f1bc2afd87f4b3ea367f1a09cb53775 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-07-02 / The focus of this paper is to identify strategic responses that the trade unions, service and tourism have when submitted to the institutional pressures they face. We used the typology proposed by Oliver (1991), which considers five types of responses, passive agreement of active manipulation. 75 unions were surveyed by a questionnaire that evaluated the pressures which are subject to these unions, which are the main sources of pressures and institutions which the answers provided. Through association maps were related to the responses submitted to the typology proposed by Oliver (1991). The results indicate that the unions surveyed do not have much bargaining power, with main response as reconciliation associated with the tactic of balancing. Another important factor identified, even though to a lesser extent, is the use of the response manipulation with the tactics of influence, so much more active role in that, if encouraged, can generate more power and representation for unions. The implications of this work turn to the programs of strengthening unions undertaken by the National Commerce Confederation for Goods, Services and Tourism (CNC), which must adapt to allow for a more active response capacity of the unions that are part of its scope. / O foco deste trabalho é identificar as respostas estratégicas que os sindicatos patronais do comércio de bens, serviços e turismo apresentam quando submetidos às pressões institucionais a que estão sujeitos. Foi utilizada a tipologia proposta por Oliver (1991), que considera cinco tipos de respostas, de concordância passiva a manipulação ativa. Foram pesquisados 75 sindicatos por meio da aplicação de um questionário que avaliou quais as pressões a que estão sujeitos esses sindicatos, quais as principais instituições fontes das pressões e quais as respostas apresentadas. Por meio de mapas de associação foram relacionadas as respostas apresentadas com a tipologia proposta por Oliver (1991). Os resultados indicam que os sindicatos patronais pesquisados não têm grande poder de barganha, apresentando, como principal resposta, a conciliação associada à tática de balanceamento. Outro fator importante identificado, mesmo que em menor escala, é o uso de resposta de manipulação com a tática de influência, forma de atuação bem mais ativa que, se incentivada, pode gerar maior força e representatividade para os sindicatos patronais. As implicações deste trabalho voltam-se para os programas de fortalecimento das entidades sindicais empreendidos pela Confederação Nacional do Comércio de Bens, Serviços e Turismo (CNC), que devem se adaptar para possibilitar uma capacidade de resposta mais ativa dos sindicatos patronais que fazem parte de seu escopo.

Les objectifs de la thèse sont de comprendre : 1) les mécanismes de diffusion, d’adoption et d’institutionnalisation des accréditations internationales, 2) les comportements stratégiques mobilisés à l’égard notamment du processus initial d’accréditation institutionnelle AACSB, 3) les réponses stratégiques et organisationnelles pour gérer les demandes institutionnelles conflictuelles provoquées par les injonctions des 21 standards AACSB (2003) et 4) les changements opérés en vue de l’alignement aux injonctions du processus initial prescrit et des 21 standards AACSB (2003). Dans une perspective néo-institutionnaliste, nous mobilisons un cadre d’analyse alliant les comportements stratégiques et le changement institutionnel. Pour répondre aux objectifs de la recherche, une étude de cas longitudinale rétrospective et en temps réel sur 15 ans d’une business school universitaire française est menée. Les résultats de la recherche permettent d’enrichir notamment le cadre d’analyse d’Oliver (1991) d’une sixième réponse stratégique et de trois tactiques dans le cas d’un processus initial d’accréditation institutionnelle AACSB. / This research aims to understand: 1) the mechanisms of diffusion, adoption and institutionalization of international accreditations, 2) the strategic behaviors adopted to respond to the initial AACSB accreditation process, 3) the strategic and organizational responses to the conflictual demands originated by the 21 AACSB 2003 standards and 4) the changes occurred in order to ensure the organizations’ alignment to the 21 AACSB 2003 standards and to the required process.Based on a neo-institutional perspective, we used two conceptual frameworks about strategic responses and institutional change. In order to comply with our objectives, we have conducted a 15-year longitudinal case study both retrospectively and in real time within the only French business school operating inside a university. The principal result of the research is the identification of a 6th new strategic response for Oliver’s (1991) framework as well as three tactics to be adopted in the initial AACSB accreditation process.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:51:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 166827.pdf.jpg: 21279 bytes, checksum: a3fc9d7da663db48cf918956841735bf (MD5) 166827.pdf: 1099445 bytes, checksum: a061e47acbd690633dfe449b6aa812b7 (MD5) 166827.pdf.txt: 337566 bytes, checksum: 85260a09c8500dc0e49b3b1e9f6eeae7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-02-26T00:00:00Z / The objective of this work was to develop the concept of institutional strategy, applying it to the specific context of the pharmaceutical market competition by the time of the generic drugs regulation in Brazil. Institutional strategy implies a combined view of the technical and institutional facets of both the environment and the organizations, recognizing that agency condition and possibilities are socially constructed. It must be addressed while formulating or executing business strategy. The concept relies on well-known elements of institutional theory in organizational analysis, even though neglected by business strategy mainstream theories, anchored on neoclassic economic premises. Through content and documental analysis, with longitudinal perspective, the study identified institutional strategies and their influence on regulation accessed, as well as the consequent impact on economic performance of the various firms involved. In accordance to the theory framework developed, results found suggested that pharmaceutical companies performed institutional maneuvers, influencing changes in 'the rules of the game' or making use of them to obtain or sustain sources of economic rentals. Firms´ legitimacy as perceived by the other social actors limited these attempts. Several changes in regulation could be associated to the strategic maneuvers developed, and the impact of the new institutional arrangement on the economic performance of the firms observed. The study indicates that new elements ought to be included in traditional business strategy processes, specially a critical analysis of institutional pressures and the evaluation of strategic responses that might be perceived as legitimate by the other social actors involved. / Este trabalho procurou desenvolver o conceito de estratégia institucional, ilustrando sua aplicação no contexto específico da disputa de mercado pelas empresas farmacêuticas por ocasião da regulamentação dos medicamentos genéricos no Brasil. Estratégia institucional implica uma compreensão combinada das facetas técnica e institucional do ambiente e das organizações, e o reconhecimento da condição e das possibilidades de agência como socialmente construídas, sendo pertinente e relevante para aqueles que desejam formular e executar estratégias empresariais. O conceito apóia-se em elementos amplamente discutidos em Teoria Institucional em estudos organizacionais, porém negligenciados nas abordagens predominantes no campo da Estratégia Empresarial, ancoradas em pressupostos da economia neoclássica. Através de análise documental e análise de conteúdo, em perspectiva longitudinal, buscou-se caracterizar estratégias institucionais empregadas pelos laboratórios farmacêuticos, verificando-se a influência que tiveram sobre a regulamentação do setor, e o conseqüente impacto sobre o desempenho econômico das empresas. Os resultados encontrados, em linha com o referencial teórico desenvolvido, sugerem que as empresas empreenderam manobras institucionais, influenciando mudanças nas 'regras do jogo' ou fazendo uso delas para obter ou manter fontes de rendas econômicas, restringidas pela condição de legitimidade que lhes foi atribuída pelos outros atores. Diversas mudanças na regulamentação puderam ser associadas às manobras estratégicas, e o impacto do novo arranjo institucional sobre o desempenho das empresas pode ser observado. O estudo aponta a necessidade de incorporação de novos elementos aos processos e análises convencionais de estratégia de empresas, notadamente uma reflexão crítica sobre as pressões institucionais e a avaliação de respostas estratégicas que possam ser percebidas como legítimas pelos outros atores sociais envolvidos.