Knowledge that Transforms

Abstract Previous research suggests that the effect of CEO activism depends on its alignment with stakeholders’ political ideology. We examine when and why CEO activism can enhance corporate reputation across the ideological spectrum. Integrating signalling theory with a cognitive perspective on reputation formation, we argue that the reputational impact of CEO activism depends on the firm’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), which fosters perceptions of organizational authenticity. Using a national survey and an experiment, we find that CEO activism improves corporate reputation through perceived moral authenticity. This effect is stronger when firms hold B Corp certification, engage in philanthropic donations, or are perceived as more socially responsible. Although stakeholders rate firms as more reputable when their political ideology aligns with the CEO’s activism, this relationship weakens when firms engage in CSR, thereby signalling authenticity. These findings demonstrate how non‐market strategies interact to shape corporate reputation and inform corporate sociopolitical advocacy among heterogeneous audiences.

Abstract Being confronted with seemingly intractable problems such as refugee crises, climate change, or poverty is daunting and can risk a sense of meaninglessness for organizational actors working on these issues. We focus on the pervasive use of representations, including assessments and evaluations, to deal with intractable problems, even though such representations are commonly understood as incomplete or flawed. Drawing on ritual theory, we approach representations as powerful in creating meaning and sustaining action, irrespective of a direct link to the problem. Our ethnographic study focuses on a humanitarian organization and their work in refugee crises. We unpack how ritualized representations, specifically the ritualistic use of needs assessments, generate meaning beyond their narrowly intended functionality. Through their shared rhythm, emotional intensity, and ceremonial display, ritualized representations sustain engagement against all odds in the face of otherwise intractable problems. We contribute to debates on sustaining engagement with complex social problems through ritualization and develop a more nuanced understanding of the double‐edged nature of ritualized practices.

Abstract With organizations increasingly relying on predictive artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for decision‐making, experts lose the authority to overrule AI‐generated decisions yet remain responsible for presenting them to clients. As experts depend on clients’ recognition and approval of decisions, this shift presents a critical disruption to their authority. To investigate how experts respond to this challenge, we adopt a relational perspective that foregrounds the role of audiences in reconfiguring authority. Drawing on a comparative field study, we show how experts sought to reconstruct their authority by engaging in different activities to make clients understand and accept AI decisions, which we call ‘explaining practices’. These practices were shaped by two relational conditions: (1) whether clients recognized the expertise of human experts as unique; and (2) whether interactions between experts and clients provided rich opportunities for learning about clients’ evolving needs. When experts were able to learn about and tailor their explanations to those needs, clients could better make sense of AI decisions and were more willing to accept them, thereby reinforcing expert authority. By contrast, experts who failed to do so left clients with decisions they could not understand or endorse, undermining their authority. This study thereby offers new insights into the complex interplay between expert–client relationships, expert authority, and explaining practices.

Abstract Much psychologically oriented micro‐CSR research emphasizes intra ‐individual processes, leading to a relative omission of the role of interactions among individuals in managing CSR. This limitation hinders the potential of such micro‐CSR research to explain CSR as an organizational‐level outcome. We adopt a meta‐synthesis methodology to extract insights on inter ‐individual processes in CSR management from existing literature that examines CSR's microfoundations beyond a purely psychological perspective. By incorporating a causal mechanism approach into our meta‐synthesis, we develop a theoretical framework comprising three causal mechanisms that elucidate how individual behaviours and interactions of differing sets of dominant actor types (including change agents, supporters, opportunists, resisters and top and senior management) foster substantive or incremental progress in CSR or its obstruction within firms. Our findings establish a foundation for further research into individual‐level and temporal dynamics in CSR management, and the conditions under which firms are more likely to implement impactful CSR initiatives.

AbstractBricolage is a critical strategy used by entrepreneurs to generate resources for new ventures in response to environmental threats that result in resource constraints. However, inconsistent findings exist. Whereas the predominant view in the bricolage literature suggests that resource‐constrained or threatening environments motivate new ventures to bricolage to survive and thrive, some empirical evidence shows that some firms choose not to bricolage in such environments. This paper addresses the inconsistent findings by integrating regulatory fit theory with the bricolage literature, arguing that the effect of environmental threat on bricolage depends on entrepreneurs' dispositional regulatory focus. Data from a time‐lagged survey of 396 Taiwanese entrepreneurs support our hypotheses. Our findings suggest that promotion (prevention) focus disposition is positively (negatively) related to bricolage. More importantly, both promotion and prevention foci weaken the effect of environmental threat on bricolage, serving as boundary conditions for this relationship. Finally, our additional analysis reveals gender differences in bricolage and the contingent effect of promotion focus disposition, enabling us to contribute to regulatory fit theory.

AbstractTechnological developments – particularly related to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and digitalization – are disrupting the workplace in unprecedented ways, particularly in professional and knowledge‐intensive sectors. Scholars' views on the implications of these disruptions range from optimism and pessimism to scepticism. Disciplines vary in how extensively they have considered the implications of these technological developments. With much prior work focusing on the more macro‐level phenomena and effects, the role of institutions, organizations and individuals – as well as their interrelatedness – remains less examined. In this introductory article to the special issue, we discuss the scope, extent and new domains of change related to the Future of Work and, especially, to AI. We also reflect on the consequences of these changes as well as the related processes and mechanisms through which they will manifest. Then, we introduce and summarize the articles included in this special issue along the above dimensions. We conclude by reflecting on the overall contribution of the special issue and on future directions for examining the Future of Work from the perspective of management studies.

Abstract Climate change adaptation has for a long time been the neglected half of the climate equation, as most attention has been directed toward mitigation. Yet, the catastrophic effects of a changing climate are already occurring, unavoidable, and in many cases irreversible. Organizations need to identify ways of adapting to present and future climatic conditions. In this editorial, we make the case for climate change adaptation as a research topic on par with mitigation. We outline how and why management and organizational scholarship should work toward an integrated approach of mitigation and adaptation in responding to climate change, suggesting three key avenues of research for future inquiry. In so doing, we encourage more impactful and ecologically relevant management research that will make a difference to society at large.

AbstractNew ventures in an innovation ecosystem can not only receive benefits, but also face challenges. It is important to examine defence mechanisms that new ventures can employ for their healthy development in the innovation ecosystem. Based on resource dependence theory, combining with arguments from innovation ecosystems literature, this paper proposes that new ventures’ technological alliances with core competitors of ecosystem investors can be used as a social defence in ecosystem venturing. Furthermore, we investigate the moderator effects of technological interdependence – technological similarity and technological complementarity on the impacts of such a defence mechanism. Using longitudinal information of 4903 investor‐investee dyads in ecosystem venturing, we find that (1) technological alliances with core competitors of the ecosystem investor has a positive relationship to venture performance, and (2) such relationship is negatively moderated by technological complementarity. Our findings provide important implications for research on innovation ecosystems and resource dependence theory.