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Sleeping with the Enemy? Strategic Transformations in Business–NGO Relationships Through Stakeholder Dialogue

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  • Jon Burchell
  • Joanne Cook

Abstract

Campaigning activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have increased public awareness and concern regarding the alleged unethical and environmentally damaging practices of many major multinational companies. Companies have responded by developing corporate social responsibility strategies to demonstrate their commitment to both the societies within which they function and to the protection of the natural environment. This has often involved a move towards greater transparency in company practice and a desire to engage with stakeholders, often including many of the campaign organisations that have been at the forefront of the criticisms of their activity. This article examines the ways in which stakeholder dialogue has impacted upon the relationships between NGOs and businesses. In doing so, it contributes to the call for more ‘stakeholder-focused’ research in this field (Frooman in Acad Manag Rev 24(2): 191–205, 1999 ; Steurer in Bus Strategy Environ 15: 15–69 2006 ). By adopting a stakeholder lens, and focusing more heavily upon the impact on one particular stakeholder community (NGOs) and looking in depth at one form of engagement (stakeholder dialogue), this article examines how experiences of dialogue are strategically transforming interactions between businesses and NGOs. It shows how experiences of stakeholder dialogue have led to transformations in the drivers for engagement, transformations in the processes of engagement and transformations in the terms of engagement. Examining these areas of transformation, the article argues, reveals the interactions at play in framing and shaping the evolving relationships between business and its stakeholders. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Jon Burchell & Joanne Cook, 2013. "Sleeping with the Enemy? Strategic Transformations in Business–NGO Relationships Through Stakeholder Dialogue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 113(3), pages 505-518, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:113:y:2013:i:3:p:505-518
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1319-1
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    1. Sylvaine Poret, 2019. "Corporate–NGO Partnerships through Sustainability Labeling Schemes: Motives and Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-19, May.
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    5. André Sobczak & Christelle Havard, 2015. "Stakeholders’ Influence on French Unions’ CSR Strategies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 311-324, June.
    6. Enrico Fontana, 2018. "Corporate Social Responsibility as Stakeholder Engagement: Firm–NGO Collaboration in Sweden," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(4), pages 327-338, July.
    7. Tulin Dzhengiz & Ralf Barkemeyer & Giulio Napolitano, 2021. "Emotional framing of NGO press releases: Reformative versus radical NGOs," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2468-2488, July.
    8. Janina Grabs, 2020. "Assessing the institutionalization of private sustainability governance in a changing coffee sector," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(2), pages 362-387, April.
    9. Fabien Martinez, 2023. "Exploring the syncretic dynamics involved in dyadic business–NGO partnerships," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4068-4083, November.
    10. Tregidga, Helen & Milne, Markus J., 2022. "Not at our table: Stakeholder exclusion and ant/agonistic engagements," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Vladislav Maksimov & Stephanie Lu Wang & Shipeng Yan, 2022. "Global connectedness and dynamic green capabilities in MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(4), pages 723-740, June.
    12. Olav Øye & Laura Aelenei & Line Barkved & Stan Beaubien & Teresa Bertrand & Miriame Cherbib & Sirin Engen & Emily Creamer & Anna Ernst & Marie Gastine & Vasiliki Gemeni & Minh Ha-Duong & Ales Havlin &, 2015. "A vision and action plan for a low-carbon Europe," Working Papers hal-01564602, HAL.
    13. Florence Depoers & Tiphaine Jérôme, 2017. "Environmental expenditure disclosure strategies in a regulated context [Stratégies de publication des dépenses environnementales dans un cadre réglementaire]," Post-Print hal-01576195, HAL.
    14. Pablo Rodrigo & Ignacio J. Duran, 2021. "Why Does Context Really Matter? Understanding Companies’ Dialogue with Fringe Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-26, January.
    15. Olav Øye & Laura Aelenei & Line Barkved & Stan Beaubien & Teresa Bertrand & Miriame Cherbib & Emily Creamer & Sirin Engen & Anna Ernst & Vasiliki Gemeni & Minh Ha-Duong & Lucia Hrivnakova & Vit Hladik, 2015. "European Dialogue Report. Lessons from ten low-carbon dialogues," CIRED Working Papers hal-01564600, HAL.
    16. Kayleigh Bruijn & Panikos Georgallis & João Albino-Pimentel & Arno Kourula & Hildy Teegen, 2024. "MNE–civil society interactions: a systematic review and research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(2), pages 136-156, March.
    17. de Lange, Deborah & Valliere, Dave, 2020. "Investor preferences between the sharing economy and incumbent firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 37-47.
    18. Stephanie Lu Wang & Yejee Lee & Dan Li, 2024. "Smart disclosure: an enabler for multinationals to reduce human rights violations in global supply chains," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(4), pages 450-469, June.
    19. Liu, Steven Y.H. & Napier, Elizabeth & Runfola, Andrea & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2020. "MNE-NGO partnerships for sustainability and social responsibility in the global fast-fashion industry: A loose-coupling perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    20. Lite J. Nartey & Witold J. Henisz & Sinziana Dorobantu, 2023. "Reciprocity in Firm–Stakeholder Dialog: Timeliness, Valence, Richness, and Topicality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(2), pages 429-451, March.
    21. Edwin Rühli & Sybille Sachs & Ruth Schmitt & Thomas Schneider, 2017. "Innovation in Multistakeholder Settings: The Case of a Wicked Issue in Health Care," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 289-305, June.
    22. Dennis J. Aigner & Luli Pesqueira, 2020. "The Effects of Organizational Traits on NGO–Business Engagement in Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-21, December.
    23. André Sobczak & Christelle Havard, 2012. "Stakeholders' Influence on French Unions' CSR Strategies," Post-Print hal-00978743, HAL.
    24. Sarah Tiba & Frank J. van Rijnsoever & Marko P. Hekkert, 2019. "Firms with benefits: A systematic review of responsible entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility literature," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(2), pages 265-284, March.
    25. Ramendra Singh & Madhupa Bakshi & Prashant Mishra, 2015. "Corporate Social Responsibility: Linking Bottom of the Pyramid to Market Development?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 361-373, October.

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