Global Policies and Local Practice: Loose and Tight Couplings in Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives

This paper extends scholarship on multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) in the context of corporate social responsibility in three ways. First, I outline a framework to analyze the strength of couplings between actors participating in MSIs. Characterizing an MSI as consisting of numerous local networ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Business ethics quarterly
Main Author: Rasche, Andreas (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press 2012
In: Business ethics quarterly
Year: 2012, Volume: 22, Issue: 4, Pages: 679-708
Further subjects:B Multi-stakeholder initiatives
B local networks
B loose coupling
B network theory
B Gouvernance mondiale
B Responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise
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Summary:This paper extends scholarship on multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) in the context of corporate social responsibility in three ways. First, I outline a framework to analyze the strength of couplings between actors participating in MSIs. Characterizing an MSI as consisting of numerous local networks that are embedded in a wider global network, I argue that tighter couplings (within local networks) and looser couplings (between local networks) coexist. Second, I suggest that this coexistence of couplings enables MSIs to generate policy outcomes which address the conditions of a transnational regulatory context. I argue that MSIs’ way of organizing enables them to cope with three challenges: the stability, flexibility, and legitimacy of governance. Reflecting on these challenges, the article identifies a number of problems related to MSIs’ role in transnational governance. Third, I discuss the UN Global Compact as an illustrative case and examine problems and opportunities related to its stability, flexibility, and legitimacy.
ISSN:2153-3326
Contains:Enthalten in: Business ethics quarterly
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.5840/beq201222444