Editors: Matjaž Mulej, Robert G. Dyck

Series Title: Social Responsibility Beyond Neoliberalism and Charity

Social Responsibility - A Non-Technological Innovation Process

Volume 1

eBook: US $39 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $141
Printed Copy: US $121
Library License: US $156
ISSN: 2589-3033 (Print)
ISSN: 2352-3336 (Online)
ISBN: 978-1-60805-875-4 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-60805-874-7 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2014

Introduction

Current global economic crises call for social responsibility to replace neo-liberalistic, one-sided and short-term criteria causing monopolies of global enterprises. The triad ‘freedom, brotherhood, equality’ and ‘the invisible hand’ support the hypothesis of interdependence among humans. Humanity’s existence is endangered under the threat of global capitalism, unless the social responsibility’s concept ‘everyone’s social responsibility impacts everyone in society’ becomes the new socio-economic order, realized alongside concepts as ‘interdependence’ and ‘holism’ and using its principles of accountability, transparency, ethical behavior, respect for stakeholders, for the rule of law, for international norms and human rights.

Social Responsibility – A non-technological innovation process explores the realm of social responsibility in the context of innovation, business practice and economic crises. Readers can apply related principles to their business practices and enhance their business prospects in a modern environment facing the challenges of socio-economic crises.

This volume is intended for graduates and professionals working in government organizations and commercial enterprises, to learn basic concepts about social responsibility and introduce holistic management practices in their daily and professional lives.

Preface

Economic growth has been a universal goal during recent decades, but growth cannot continue forever, because of resource and needs limitations. Neo-liberalism is therefore not a viable economic model. It lacks social responsibility, which it misunderstands and prohibits; thus, it helps monopolies dominate the world under the label of the free market. ISO 26000 on Social Responsibility (ISO, 2010) elaborates an innovative alternative. European Union (2011) recommends its member states and big companies to support social responsibility as the way out from the current crisis; it defines social responsibility as one’s responsibility for one’s impacts on society, i.e. humans and other nature. It is found complementary with sustainable development.

This book offers an approach for implementation of ISO 26000, based on its two linking concepts: interdependence and holism. They come from systems theory and cybernetics, which can unite the sciences with all other branches of knowledge and related behavior, while the traditional division of the sciences and humanities tends to separate them. Specialization can lead to important in-depth insights but can also cause important failures, as evidenced by the 2008 economic crisis, the two World Wars, continuing warfare, and other major socio-environmental crises.

Neo-liberalism differs from socially responsible liberalism, which includes the following attributes: individual human freedom; tolerance; shared power; maximum well-being for the majority; freedom of economic activity; entrepreneurship; a class-free society of free and equal individuals; a middle-class society with no essential differences in property level; security from the self-will of government, including the state; power in synergy with responsibility; science, education, and art; civil society (Prunk, 2010).

This book series will explore these relationships in seven interrelated parts, as follows:

  1. Radical Innovation of Values, Culture, Ethics, and Norms (VCEN) required for Social Responsibility (chapters 1 – 4, volume 1).
  2. The Range of Perspectives on Social Responsibility (chapters 1 – 5, volume 2).
  3. Social Responsibility as Practiced in Selected Nations (chapters 6 – 8, volume 2).
  4. Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development (chapters 1 – 4, volume 3).
  5. Environmental Education, Social Responsibility, and Management (chapters 5 – 8, volume 3).
  6. Methodologies for Social Responsibility (chapters 1 – 5, volume 4).
  7. Implementation of Social Responsibility (chapters 6 – 13 + Epilogue, volume 4).


The papers in each section were prepared by international groups of 18 authors, researchers, and practitioners from 13 countries in a variety of subject matter fields.

Matjaž Mulej
University of Maribor
Slovenia

&

Robert G. Dyck
Virginia Tech
USA

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