Call for Papers: Special Issue of Business & Society. Insights from Institutional Theory

Call for Papers: Special Issue of Business & Society

Social Innovation: Insights from Institutional Theory

Guest editors:

• Silvia Dorado, University of Rhode Island
• Ignasi Marti, EMLYON Business School, OCE Research Center
• Jakomijn van Wijk, Maastricht School of Management 
• Charlene Zietsma, Schulich School of Business, York University

Submission deadline: September 1, 2015

Social innovation refers to the process of developing and implementing novel solutions to social problems, often involving re-negotiations of settled institutions among diverse actors with conflicting logics. As such, social innovation entails institutional change. Social innovations are urgently needed as we confront “wicked problems” (Rittel and Weber, 1973), such as climate change, poverty alleviation, income inequality and persistent societal conflicts. Such problems feature substantial interdependencies among multiple systems and actors, and have redistributive implications for entrenched interests (Rayner, 2006). 

Institutional research has played a significant role in the study of efforts to alleviate social problems (Battilana & Dorado, 2010; Dorado, 2013; Hallett, 2010; Lawrence, Hardy & Phillips, 2002; Maguire, Hardy & Lawrence, 2004; Zietsma & Lawrence, 2010), and is well positioned to contribute to an improved understanding of social innovation. Institutional theory starts at a macro-level, assessing the positions and interdependent actions of the multiple constituents of issue-focused fields (Wooten & Hoffman, 2008; Zietsma & Lawrence, 2010), and considering seriously the idea that rules, norms and beliefs are socially constituted, negotiated orders (Marti, Courpasson & Barbosa, 2013; Strauss, 1978), which can be renegotiated in socially innovative ways (e.g. Van Wijk, Stam, Elfring, Zietsma & den Hond, 2013). The study of institutional work emphasizes the creation, disruption and maintenance of the institutionalized social structures that govern behavior (Lawrence & Suddaby, 2006), and thus speaks to how entrenched practices and ideas get held in place, and how they may be replaced with more socially beneficial arrangements. Furthermore, the burgeoning institutional complexity perspective, with its focus on how actors respond to multiple, sometimes competing logics (Greenwood, Raynard, Kodeih, Micelotta & Lounsbury, 2011), applies well to the context of wicked societal problems. 

Taking an institutional perspective on social innovation suggests several topics and a range of interesting questions in line with our theme, listed in the full call for papers, available at:
http://www.iabs.net/Research/BusinessSociety/SpecialIssueCallSocialInnovation.aspx.
A paper development workshop is planned at EMLyon in France from March 27-29, 2016. 

Further information:

Dr. Charlene Zietsma
Associate Professor and Ann Brown Chair in Organization Studies
Director, Entrepreneurial Studies
Schulich School of Business, SSB N317
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON, CANADA
M3J 1P3
(416) 736-2100, Ext. 77919.

Call for papers. Journal Special Issue: Large Systems Change, Transformations and Transitions: An emerging field

Journal of Corporate Citizenship

Special Issue: Large Systems Change, Transformations and Transitions: An emerging field

Deadline for abstract submissions: 1 April 2014

The Editorial Team

This issue is being developed by the GOLDEN Ecosystems Lab Paper Group: www.goldenforsustainability.org/what-golden-does/eco-system-industry-lab/

Lead Editor: Steve Waddell, Lead Steward – GOLDEN Ecosystems Labs; Principal – NetworkingAction, USA

• Sarah Cornell, Planetary Boundaries Coordinator – Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden
• Domenico Dentoni, Assistant Professor – Agribusiness Management and Strategy, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
• Malcolm McIntosh, Asia Pacific Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
• Milla Mclachlan, Frmr. Director – Research and Information Division of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University and Director – Southern Africa Food Lab, South Africa
• Greta Meszoely, Director – Center for Business Complexity and Global Leadership - Suffolk University, USA
• Sandra Waddock, Galligan Chair of Strategy, Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility, and Professor of Management – Carroll School of Management at Boston College, USA

The Topic

There is a new field of knowledge and practice emerging with various names, such as large or whole systems change, transitions management, transformation science, and earth systems governance. It is arising as our conventional theoretical frameworks and planning and management approaches fail to inspire and inform change to the degree necessary to tackle twenty-first century problems. Unprecedented technological developments and increases in connectivity, which give us ‘big data’ and vastly enhanced opportunities for global collaboration must be matched by robust theoretical frameworks and social technologies if human and earth systems are to flourish. The task is urgent, as societies roar through dangerous carbon emission levels and witness unprecedented bio-diversity loss, communities live with pernicious rates of poverty, food insecurity and inequality, and experience continuing civil unrest, terrorism and war. That change is possible and is seen where communities and societies are overcoming poverty, firms and governments are shedding the yoke of corruption, and people are living longer, healthier, more hopeful lives.
As these cases show, there is increasing knowledge about how to address complex issues, yet much greater knowledge and capacity is needed, if we are to successfully make the necessary transitions for a thriving future for all. We use the phrase large system change (LSC) to mean the transformation or fundamental reframing of human systems involving multiple interrelated and connected organizations, institutions, norms, and behaviors at individual, organizational, societal, and global levels. We use the term ‘system’ to mean interacting and connected, interdependent entities, i.e., institutions, that comprise a complex network—or what Koestler (1968) called holons (wholes consisting of other ‘wholes’ as their parts). In this special issue we look to advance this field by further describing it and identifying state-of-the-art knowledge and practice of LSC. This call for papers seeks conceptual, empirical, and case-based papers that contribute to building our collective understanding of LSC, including what it is, when and how it is useful, , when and how it is harmful, what approaches work (or do not work), what types of issues are best addressed through LSC efforts, and related topics.

Contributions

We invite submissions that draw from the broad range of relevant traditions including: socio-economic development, business in society, management, learning and assessment, health and education, peace-making and conflict management, spiritual and individual growth, cultural, and psychological, earth system governance, systems dynamics, strategy, change management, sociology, law, political science and related areas. Illustrative topics include, but are not limited to:

• • Analysis and approaches to LSC addressing significant challenges such as power, scale, entrenched opposition, inequity, poverty, resilience and sustainability or topical challenges in fields such as food and agriculture, energy, social protection, health, urbanization, climate change, economic development, jobs, and others. 
• • LSC theory, conceptualization, and frameworks
• • Methodologies, approaches, and tools for effective LSC
• • Scaling LSC
• • Cases analyzing LSC approaches

Contributions of 4,000 – 6,000 words should be submitted for double-blind review.

Schedule

This special issue will be the June, 2015 issue of the Journal of Corporate Citizenship. Key dates are:
• April 1: Deadline for submission of max. 500-word abstracts (optional) to Steve Waddellswaddell@networkingaction.net NOTE: responses to abstracts will be sent within one week of their receipt
• April 7: Latest response to abstracts
• June 30, 2014: Deadline for submission of full papers via the online submission form (www.greenleaf-publishing.com/jcc)
• November 1, 2014: Second/final draft due. : Submission of revisions, if requested.
• Jan. 20, 2015: All revised papers due.

JCC is published in print and online formats. It is also included as part of the Sustainable Organization Library (www.gseresearch.com/sol).
Contact Details

For more information, or to discuss ideas or submit an abstract, contact Steve Waddell: swaddell@networkingaction.net

Guidelines for contributions available at www.greenleaf-publishing.com/jcc or contact