Organisers: Durham Business School and the European Academy of Business in Society
Supporters: The Association of Business Schools, the UK CSR Academy and the Small Business Consortium
Date: Afterrnoon / Evening 15th, All Day 16th December 2005
Location: Durham Business School, Durham University, UK
Focus of the Day
Much
is known about the impact of large companies on society, however there
is still a notable lack of knowledge on the barriers and enablers to
the responsible behaviour of small firms. To address this lack of
understanding, Durham Business School, with the support of EABIS, will
bring together academics, practitioners and policy-makers to:
- Identify the knowledge bases that already exist
- Identify the gaps in knowledge and policy formulation
- Formulate an agenda for research that will inform policy making
Speakers include
- David Grayson, Small Business Consortium and Business in the Community, UK
- Tom Dodd, DG Enterprise & Industry, European Commission
- Andrew Dunnet, UK CSR Academy and UK Department of Trade and Industry
- Prof. Francesco Perrini, SDA Bocconi, Italy
- Dr Laura Spence, Brunel University, UK
- Allan Jørgensen, The Copenhagen Centre, Denmark
Aim of the Conference
It
is the aim of conference to facilitate the formation of a European
network of academics and academic institutions under the umbrella of
EABIS which can take forward the identified research agenda. It is
envisaged that this network may, with the support of EABIS where
possible, collectively identify and apply for external funding
opportunities relevant to their future research agenda.
Conference Report
The
conference, the first under the EABIS banner to address the issue of
SMEs and CSR, was jointly organised by EABIS and Durham Business
School. It drew together academics, policy-makers and practitioners
from across Europe and was supported by the Association of Business
Schools, CSR Academy and the Small Business Consortium.
Four
keynote speakers spoke from a policy-making / practitioner perspective:
David Grayson (Small Business Consortium, UK); Allan Jorgensen (The
Copenhagen Centre, Denmark); Thomas Dodd (DG Enterprise and Industry,
European Commission); and Andrew Dunnett (CSR Academy, Dept. for Trade
& Industry, UK).
Following this,
two keynote speakers addressed the issue from an academic perspective:
Dr Laura Spence (Brunel University, UK and Journal of Business Ethics
Section Editor (Small Business and Entrepreneurship)); and Prof.
Francesco Perrini, Bocconi University, Italy.
Fifteen
papers from a broad cross-section of academics and practitioners were
presented in three parallel streams in the afternoon and a final
session drew together the discussions and began to set a research
agenda for ‘identifying the knowledge gaps’ – see the separate
report.Outlines of papers can be found on the conference web-site at:http://www.udbs.dur.ac.uk/DeansOffice/SMEConference/home.htm
Follow
up to the conference is in two forms. A special issue of the Journal of
Business Ethics will be published, edited by Laura Spence and Geoff
Moore. Further discussions, under the EABIS banner, will be taking
place leading to a special track at the next EABIS Colloquium in 2006.
Feedback from parallel sessions
Fifteen
papers were delivered in five parallel sessions. Chairs were asked to
summarise key issues that might help to identify research gaps.
Allan Jorgensen
- The symbiosis of practitioners and researchers is effective and needs to be developed.
- The concept of social capital around SMEs should be explored further.
- We need to recognise that rule-makers are stakeholders in this.
- We can learn from experience elsewhere than Europe, e.g. in China
Geoff Moore
- Various
theoretical perspectives are being drawn upon – Corporate Citizenship,
Social Capital, Stakeholder Theory, Entrepreneurship Theory. Although
some way back from policy-making, some work around these different
theoretical perspectives (and including those in vogue within the SME
and Entrepreneurship communities) is needed.
- Existing models, such as quality models, might be worth exploring to see how applicable they might be to the CSR agenda.
- SMEs
covers a huge range, not just in size and ownership but also in type,
from “pure” business through social enterprises to public and voluntary
sector organisations. This breadth needs to be recognised even if the
focus is on the “pure” business end of the spectrum.
Laura Spence
- SME types (as above) present different issues.
- Recognising the different motivating factors from compliance with standards to opportunity.
- We can learn from, and should promote within our research, champions of CSR.
- The meaning of CSR and the “why?” questions need answers.
- The “what?” question and the costs also need answers.
- The impact of trade bodies needs to be studied.
Tom Dodd
- Evidence
relating to the effectiveness of regulation and the ineffectiveness of
supply chain drivers via local government suggests limitations for the
voluntary CSR approach.
- We need more
work on how to judge SMEs on their CSR practice since large company
mechanisms (e.g. social reports) are not applicable.
Francesco Perrini
- SMEs
need to be studied cross-culturally to understand the extent to which
CSR has national characteristics or has international / global level
characteristics as well.
- Managers in SMEs need more formalised processes.
- We need to develop lessons from the “best in class”.
For more details on the conference, including details of a call for inputs, please see the conference website http://www.udbs.dur.ac.uk/DeansOffice/SMEConference/home.htm or contact
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