Cooperation in Value-Creating Networks: Relational Perspectives on Governing Social and Economic Value Creation in the 21st Century (Relational Economics and Organization Governance)

This volume embarks on a research journey that focuses on the processes of economic and social value creation in the 21st century. Given that value creation is increasingly organized in networks consisting of businesses, governments, academia, civil society, and other societal stakeholders, the contributions address various aspects of and challenges in governing cooperation in value-creating networks. Exploring topics such as relational rationality, cultural complexity, shared value creation, and relational contracts, this book reveals the mechanisms and processes involved in governing the complexities of inter-sectoral relationships in a networked society. Given its scope and focus, this book will appeal to scholars of economics, economic sociology, organizational studies, and related fields. Preface Contents Editors and Contributors Global Value Networks and Polycentricity Resilience and Innovation in Regio-Global Value Networks—Conception and Design 1 Multiplex Regio-Global Networks: Introduction 2 Regio-Global Networks and Relational Spaces 3 Economics of Atmosphere and Networks 4 Resilience and Innovation 5 Network of Relational Clusters: Concept and Case Study 6 Conclusion References The New Ethical Values of the Relational Market Economy: Value Change in the Private Business World and the Movement Towards Sustainable Development Goals in Business and Economics 1 Introduction 2 Relational Conditions of the Economy 3 Relational Virtues 4 A Relational Concept of the Common Good 5 Moralization of the Company 6 From Denmark to the European Union 7 Relational Integration of Ethics and Economics 8 From Ethical Values and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 9 Towards New Relational Business Models 10 Consequences for International Relational Economics 11 Conclusion References Environmental Disclosure in Italian SMEs: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Background 2.1 Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility 2.2 Environmental Responsibility in Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises 2.3 A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach to Environmental Responsibility Disclosure 3 Methods and Research Design 3.1 Qualitative Study 3.2 Quantitative Study 4 Results 4.1 Qualitative Analysis 4.2 Quantitative Analysis Results 5 General Discussion 6 Conclusions and Implications 6.1 Limitations and Future Research References Comparing Classifications of Inter-organizational Relationships and Inter-organizational Networks 1 Introduction 2 Some Introductory Remarks 3 Pfeffer and Salancik’s Categorization 4 Alter and Hage’s Categorization 5 Grandori and Soda’s Categorization 6 Parmigiani and Rivera-Santos’ Categorization 7 Nooteboom’s Categorization 8 Jones’ Categorization 9 Conclusions References Relational Leadership and Management Cultural Complexity and Relational Leadership 1 Introduction 1.1 Context 1.2 Leadership 1.3 Inter-Organizational Partnerships 1.4 Ubuntu and Cultural Complexity 1.5 Practice Approach 1.6 Purpose and Research Questions 2 Relational Leadership 2.1 Defining Relational Leadership 2.2 Main Influencers and Their Ideas on Relational Leadership 2.3 Criticisms of Relational Leadership 3 Summary of the Importance of the RSCL Lens to Understanding Inter-Organizational Partnerships 4 Ubuntu Perspective and Cultural Complexity 4.1 Understanding the Ubuntu Perspective 4.2 Implications of Ubuntu Perspective for Cultural Complexity 4.3 Implications of Ubuntu Perspective for Relational Leadership Research 5 The Case Study 5.1 Interview and Focus Group Schedule 5.2 Sampling 6 Theoretical Framework 6.1 Relational Social Constructionist Ontology 6.2 Ontological Implications for the RSCL Lens 6.3 Relational Social Constructionist Epistemology 6.4 Epistemological Implications for the RSCL Lens 6.5 Summarizing the Core Philosophical Principles of the RSCL Onto-Epistemology 7 Practice Approach Methodology and Analytical Framework 7.1 Context of the Practice Approach 7.2 Summarizing the Core Principles of the Practice Approach 7.3 Implications of the Practice Approach for Operationalizing the RSCL Lens 7.4 Defining the Leadership Construct in Order to Operationalize Relational Leadership Practices 7.5 Comparison of the Ubuntu Perspective to the RSCL Lens and Practice Approach 8 Case Study Findings: Relational Leadership Practices of “Agreeing” 8.1 Collaborating 8.2 Collective Responsibility 8.3 Common Objectives 8.4 Fostering Agreement 8.5 Hosting Partners 8.6 Informal Relationships 8.7 Inviting Others 8.8 Leading-As-Dialogue 8.9 Rotational Leadership 8.10 Trusting 9 Discussion of the Findings 9.1 RLP of Collaboration 9.2 RLP of Collective Responsibility 9.3 RLP of Common Objectives 9.4 RLP of Fostering Agreements 9.5 RLP of Hosting Partners 9.6 RLP of Informal Relationships 9.7 RLP of Inviting Others 9.8 RLP of Leading-As-Dialogue 9.9 RLP of Rotational Leadership 9.10 RLP of Trusting 10 Conclusion References Values and Cultural Risk Management Through Transcultural Learning. The Cases of the EU, Chinese BRI and ASEAN 1 Introduction 2 EU Values: Brief Overview of Historical Roots and Influences 3 Chinese and BRI Values: Brief Overview of Historical Roots and Influences 4 ASEAN Values: Brief Overview of Historical Roots and Influences 5 Universal Values? 6 Cultural Risk Management 7 Values and Cultural Risk Management Through Transcultural Learning 7.1 First Step: Contact Between Heterogenous Actors 7.2 Second Step: Identification of Existing Commonalities 7.3 Third Step: Development of New Commonalities 7.4 Fourth Step: Relationalization of Rationalities 7.5 Transcultural Learning Model: Implications for Values and Cultural Risk Management in Transcultural Relations 8 Conclusion References Constructing the Capacity for Viable Multicultural Organizations 1 Organizations in Social Context 2 Intercultural Competence and Paradigmatic Confusion 3 The Intercultural Viability IndictorTM: A Constructivist Measure of Intercultural Co-Ontogenesis 4 Interculturally Viable Leadership References Relational Philosophy and Economic Thought Relationalizing Normative Economics: Some Insights from Africa 1 Introducing Relationality in Economics 2 Individualism and Relationality in Normative Economics 3 A Communal Ethic 4 What an Economy Should Distribute 5 How to Engage with Stakeholders 6 Conclusion References Value Dimensions of the Transaction—A Proposal of Business Metaphysics for Relational Economics 1 Introduction 2 “Fibers” and “Threads”. The “Event” as the Basic Unit in Micro-analytical Theoretical Approaches 2.1 Transaction Economics 2.2 “Philosophy of Organism” 2.3 Sociological “Systems Theory” 2.4 “Transaction Cost Economics” 2.5 Quantum Physics 2.6 “Relational Economics” 2.7 “Business Metaphysics” 3 “Reductive”, But Not “Reductionist”. On the Polydimensionality of Transactions 3.1 “Reductive” 3.2 “Reductionist” 3.3 Value Issues 4 The Diverse World of Values. Axiological Dimensions of the Transaction 4.1 Economic Values 4.2 Moral–Cultural Values 4.3 “Actuality Values” References The Markets of Truth 1 Truth and Its Power 2 Truth and Its Relations 3 Truth and Its Value 4 Truth and Its Markets 5 Post-truth Economies References Relationality in Aristotle's Economy 1 The Political Economy of Aristotle 2 The Relational Economics of Aristotle 3 Gift-Economic Implications of Aristotle's Economy: The ‘Economy of Friendship’ 4 Justice: On the Ethics of a Political Economy 5 Aristotle's Relational Political Economy 6 Political Capital is the ‘True Wealth’ of the Polis References