Dr Adalberto Arrigoni

The first part of this chapter briefly examines SDGs education research suggesting that – even though a wide range of initiatives in the field of responsible management education have been put in place – the level of integration of responsibility and sustainability into professional and managerial education/HE is still insufficient. This is reinforced by research into professional ethics which suggests that recent graduates do not effectively identify with the ethical values of organisational or professional ethics, and thus have little commitment to such values in practice. This leads to a focus on the key modes of responsibility, and the three practices which undergird the development of responsibility: deliberation, narrative development, and dialogue. The second part sets out the principles behind an integrated approach to ethics teaching in HE, which focuses on the practice of responsibility, accountability and creative responsibility, as key to learning in general and to ethical development in particular. This is embodied in pedagogy for critical moral consciousness focused in: critical reflection; holistic decision making; dialogue (engaging complexity and difference); mutual accountability; and the exercise of the moral imagination. These stresses both the development of ethical autonomy and positive engagement with plural community (be those professions, institutions, such as universities, or intermediate organisations such as religions) but also the nature of learning. This also from the basis for leadership at all levels of the organisation and beyond. The third and largest part of the chapter will set how ethical identity can be developed in the curriculum, involving a fourfold strategy and related examples of teaching:-Establishing with the parent university key curriculum outcomes focused on responsibility and key ethical virtues. This will detail how virtues such as courage relate to intellectual and psychological virtues, and thus to employability; -Developing ethical teaching based in identity, with modules or parts of modules over three years focused in student identity, professional identity, global identity, and how these relate to personal identity; -Developing pedagogy which focuses on the practice of mutual dialogue and decision making. The pedagogic examples will include student dialogue with university administrators, different professions, and community stakeholders;-Developing integration with the other modules in the curriculum, e.g. through focus across modules on the same professional decision making frameworks, and skills of reflective practice. The examples given will focus on a holistic view of professional practice and ethics through reflection on identity and practice, offering an account of how ethical behaviour can be motivated in the learning environment, and link directly to the SDGs.

This study aims to point out and try to describe the (missing) link between “responsible practises” (e.g. CSR – corporate social responsibility) and social ontology. This critical gap in the literature may conceivably be a stumbling block to responsible business/political/societal action and its theoretical/empirical understanding and effectiveness; therefore, we can legitimately ask ourselves whether a social ontology-focused approach can be considered relevant to this field of study.

This book review underlines three crucial issues for a possible realist epistemological reflection for sociology: what is the relationship between platonic macroanthropos and contemporary social theory? Does a sociological reflection exist in the ancients, or does sociology have to necessarily be reduced to statistics? Finally, must be such ancient sociology rediscovered? What is the difference between modern and pre-modern social knowledge? The answer suggested in the review (and in the book, indeed) is that it is not possible to have a sociology without a social ontology, that in turn is needed to build a realist sociological research methodology.

This article explores, on one hand, the power of Girardian discovery of the connection between violence and origin of culture and, on the other hand, its intrinsic limits, especially in the analysis of the link between the sacred sphere and Christian sacrificial event. The sacred, as a matter of fact, is much more ancestral than its use in order to hide mimetic violence. Only by focusing this decisive limit, Girardian discovery becomes capable of correctly interpret and understand many elements of Christian philosophy and classical​ metaphysics.

In this article, written in a special “zero issue” of the review, I am reflecting on the role of friendship in the specific philosophical research habitus: as a consequence, the classical theme of the importance of living philosophical experiences inside a genuine community based on philìa and participation is the decisive style of any kind of intellectual “realism”.

In the contribution, the impact of digital media and network dynamics on the forms of contemporary subjectivity is tackled and developed: the focus is specifically on the role that the Other - the virtual other replacing the real one - plays in the reflexive and narrative dynamics of the self, and thus on the impact that the digital pseudo-relations have on the constitutive processes of contemporary subject’s personal identity. A special place is given to Ivan Illich’s thought - with his view of technological modernity as “disembodiment” - through an “archaeological” route that places the beginning of the “media Middle-ages” in the ​12th century, which, according to Illich, is the real watershed between tradition and modernity.

Taking the cue from a Black mirror TV-series episode (“White Bear”), three interconnected issues will be explored: the culture of ‘looking’ in our society, especially in relation to celebrities (or criminals) broadcasted pain, suffering, and humiliation; the role of memory in the construction of social roles, identities and responsibility; the status of spectators/audience/crowd/mass during criminals media vilification. René Girard’s interdisciplinary theoretical insight can help us unveil and analyse such social theory topics, at an innovative crossroads between psychology, sociology, anthropology and theology.

This book review tries to detect the possible connection between the four essays by Robert Spaemann gathered in this volume – essays written between 1962 and 1979, and all dealing with Rousseau anthropological, social, political and educational utopia. The foundational mistake in Rousseau’s implicit philosophical anthropology – according to Spaemann – lays in identifying “human nature” with the removal of every social factor in individual identity. The paradox of fully becoming homme naturel by fully becoming “citizen” is a clear example of Rousseau’s self-entrapment.

The first part of this chapter briefly examines SDGs education research suggesting that – even though a wide range of initiatives in the field of responsible management education have been put in place – the level of integration of responsibility and sustainability into professional and managerial education/HE is still insufficient. This is reinforced by research into professional ethics which suggests that recent graduates do not effectively identify with the ethical values of organisational or professional ethics, and thus have little commitment to such values in practice. This leads to a focus on the key modes of responsibility, and the three practices which undergird the development of responsibility: deliberation, narrative development, and dialogue. The second part sets out the principles behind an integrated approach to ethics teaching in HE, which focuses on the practice of responsibility, accountability and creative responsibility, as key to learning in general and to ethical development in particular. This is embodied in pedagogy for critical moral consciousness focused in: critical reflection; holistic decision making; dialogue (engaging complexity and difference); mutual accountability; and the exercise of the moral imagination. These stresses both the development of ethical autonomy and positive engagement with plural community (be those professions, institutions, such as universities, or intermediate organisations such as religions) but also the nature of learning. This also from the basis for leadership at all levels of the organisation and beyond. The third and largest part of the chapter will set how ethical identity can be developed in the curriculum, involving a fourfold strategy and related examples of teaching:-Establishing with the parent university key curriculum outcomes focused on responsibility and key ethical virtues. This will detail how virtues such as courage relate to intellectual and psychological virtues, and thus to employability; -Developing ethical teaching based in identity, with modules or parts of modules over three years focused in student identity, professional identity, global identity, and how these relate to personal identity; -Developing pedagogy which focuses on the practice of mutual dialogue and decision making. The pedagogic examples will include student dialogue with university administrators, different professions, and community stakeholders;-Developing integration with the other modules in the curriculum, e.g. through focus across modules on the same professional decision making frameworks, and skills of reflective practice. The examples given will focus on a holistic view of professional practice and ethics through reflection on identity and practice, offering an account of how ethical behaviour can be motivated in the learning environment, and link directly to the SDGs.

This short essay is an introduction to Emmanuele Morandi's streams of research, which aimed at recreating a new connection between social sciences and metaphysics, empirical research and moral reflections. After a brief introduction, the kind of anthropological, critical, metaphysical realism fostered by Morandi is outlined. The third paragraph addresses some foundational aspect of his social ontology; lastly, the complex distinction between social, political and economic spheres will be presented.

This edited volume aims at exploring the uniqueness and complexity of European CSR approaches, perspectives, and practices through a critical lens.

In this short piece the subtle but meaningful relations between imitation, violence, society and culture – in the hermeneutic frame provided by René Girard’s “mimetic theory” – are recalled. The specific role of desire and envy – as hidden motors and “time bombs” always ready to explode – is explored in its possible key position in a possible relational and realist social theory.

This panel explores the vital role of strategic communication in advancing climate action across multiple societal levels — from citizen-led activism to municipal dialogue and rural policy implementation. Drawing on case studies from Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands, the three presentations showcase how communication practices shape climate responses, mobilize stakeholders, and mediate between policy and practice. The first presentation investigates citizen platforms in Spain and their strategic communication around climate change, offering a novel mapping of activist initiatives aligned with the 2030 Agenda. The second analyzes dialogic processes in Swedish municipalities engaging local businesses in climate neutrality goals, highlighting communication as a tool for organizational transformation. The third presents a rural mobility project in the Netherlands, emphasizing participatory communication strategies that bridge national climate objectives and community-level experimentation. Together, the panel foregrounds communication as a critical enabler of sustainability transitions — not merely in disseminating information but in fostering engagement, dialogue, and co-creation. The discussion will engage participants in reflecting on how public relations and strategic communication professionals can contribute to shaping just, inclusive, and effective climate action in diverse contexts.

This item is a registered and embargoed component of a systematic review hosted on the Open Science Framework (OSF). The DOI has been assigned but will not resolve until the embargo period ends, in accordance with OSF’s data protection and peer review confidentiality policies. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KGHA4 (not yet active) For access during the embargo period, please contact the corresponding author or use the anonymous view-only link available that can be made available for peer review upon request.

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are vital in promoting sustainability by embedding sustainable development (SD) into their curricula, equipping future leaders with critical thinking skills to envision and implement positive changes. In alignment with UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), our “Futures Focused Management for Sustainability” module fosters innovative, systems-based, and futures-oriented thinking. It challenges narrow perspectives, encouraging students to embrace ethics, responsibility, and mindset transformation for sustainable practice by understanding long-term impacts. The module integrates ‘futures’ tools within a step-by-step framework, allowing flexibility to incorporate additional methods while addressing complex, real-world challenges. The Moral Mindset Matrix (Triple M) tool supported critical reflection on corporate sustainability and personal values, fostering students’ growth as sustainability-oriented professionals on our undergraduate module. Using an action research approach, and Braun and Clarke’s (2007) reflexive thematic analysis of reflective assignments from 37 participants revealed heightened self-awareness, systems thinking, and anticipatory skills, reinforcing transversal competencies critical for addressing sustainability issues. The approach appeared to deepen students’ understanding of SD principles, the SDGs, and the complexities of sustainable management practices, including power dynamics and stakeholder interests. By fostering a critical, transdisciplinary mindset, the module helps student to make informed, impactful contributions to society, encouraging reflection on their values and responsibility as sustainable citizens strengthening professional development.

This paper analyzes the literature on women and networking between 1985 and 2021 to explore what is known about networking and its effect on women, and what new research is needed on networking. The authors analyzed a total of 78 articles published in women's and gender studies journals. Thematic analysis and three-tier coding have been used in analyzing available articles. Findings reveal that organizational cultures did not change during the four decades of research as boys' clubs still exist and take men ahead much more than women's networks take women ahead. Old boys' clubs remain persistent and more powerful than women's networks and women do not report benefits from networking even when they engage with this, often-seen, masculine practice. Women also report exclusion from important professional networks and this is a theme that consistently runs through research, and additionally, many women cannot join networks due to the social expectation that women will look after families.

This report analyses literature on women and networking between 1985 and 2021, as published in women and gender studies journals. Authors analysed a total of 78 articles published in European Journal of Women’s Studies, Feminist Review, Women’s Studies International Forum, Feminist Theory, Gender & Society, Journal of Gender Studies, Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, Signs, Women Studies Quarterly, Feminist Economics, Gender in Management: An International Journal (previously called Women in Management Review,), Gender, Work & Organization, Feminist Studies, Hypatia and International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship. Thematic analysis and three-tier coding have been used in analysing available articles. Findings reveal that organisational cultures did not change during the four decades of research as boys clubs still exist and take men ahead much more than women’s networks take women ahead. Old boys clubs remain persistent and more powerful than women’s networks and women do not report benefits from networking even when they engage with this, often seen, masculine practice. Women also report exclusion from important professional networks and this is a theme that consistently runs through research, and additionally, many women cannot join networks due to the social expectation that women will look after families. Networking thus presents a structural barrier and this is visible throughout decades of analysed research, with recurring and repeating themes of networking as a structural barrier, exclusion of women and persistent power and influence of old boys clubs.

Purpose The “Germanwings” air crash in 2015 in which 150 people were killed highlighted the challenges pilots working in the aviation industry face. Pilots regularly work for extensive periods in inhospitable and high-pressure operational conditions, exposing them to considerable work-related stress. This has raised calls for a more systemic cultural change across the aviation industry, championing a more holistic perspective of pilot health and well-being. The study aims to explore how peer coaching (PC) can promote an inclusive psychosocial safety climate enhancing pilot well-being and can mitigate hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours. Design/methodology/approach Adopting an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted with military and civilian peer coach/coachee pilots and key industry stakeholders, totalling 39 participants. The research provided significant insights into the perceived value of PC in promoting both pilot health and mental well-being (MW) and flight safety across the aviation industry. Findings The study highlights four key PC superordinate themes, namely, coaching skills, significance of well-being, building of peer relationships and importance of confidentiality and autonomy. Such combined themes build reciprocal trust within peer conversations that can inspire engagement and effectively promote personal well-being. The contagious effect of such local interventions can help stimulate systemic cultural change and promote a positive psychosocial safety climate throughout an organisation and, in this case, across the aviation industry. This study provides a PC conceptual framework “Mutuality Equality Goals Autonomy Non-evaluative feedback, Skill Confidentiality Voluntary Supervisory (MEGANS CVS),” highlighting the salient features of PC in promoting MW. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the salient features of PC and its role in promoting peer conversations that enable personal transition, openness and acceptance. This study also highlights how PC and well-being can be used to encourage inclusivity and engagement, thereby strengthening institutional resilience. Practical implications This study highlights how PC that can assist HRM/HRD professionals to embed a more inclusive and salutogenic approach to MW that can reshape organisational cultures. This study highlights the significance and link of workplace stress to hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours. It further notes that whilst the MEGANS CVS peer coaching framework has been applied to pilots, it can also be applied across all sectors and levels. Social implications This study highlights the value of PC as an inexpensive means to engage at the grassroots level, which not only improves personal performance, safety and well-being but by building peer relationships can also act as a catalyst for positive and deep organisational cultural change. Originality/value This study offers the MEGANS CVS framework that exposes insights into PC practice that can assist HRM/HRD professionals embed a more inclusive and salutogenic approach to health and well-being that can reshape organisational cultures. This study highlights the significance and link of workplace stress to hazardous attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours, and whilst this framework has been applied to pilots, it can also have relevance across all sectors and levels. This study calls for a “salutogenic turn,” employing MW and PC to transform organisational capabilities to be more forward-thinking and solution-focused, promoting an inclusive “just culture” where leaders positively lead their people.