Journal of Business Ethics - Call for Papers – Responsible and Irresponsible Business in Times of Conflict: The Role of Firms, Entrepreneurs and Philanthropy

Special Issue Editors

Steven A. Brieger, University of Sussex, s.a.brieger@sussex.ac.uk (this opens in a new tab)

Tom Buckley, University of Sussex, t.buckley@sussex.ac.uk (this opens in a new tab)

Özgü Karakulak, University of Sussex, o.karakulak@sussex.ac.uk (this opens in a new tab)

John E. Katsos, American University of Sharjah, jkatsos@aus.edu (this opens in a new tab)

Daniel Kinderman, University of Delaware, kindermd@udel.edu (this opens in a new tab)

Angelika Rettberg, Universidad de los Andes Colombia, rettberg@uniandes.edu.co (this opens in a new tab)

Introduction to the Special Issue

Businesses can play a constructive role in building a more peaceful world through trade and foreign direct investment, by contributing to economic development and job creation, by promoting intercultural understanding and peaceful dialogue, and by providing financial support for peacebuilding initiatives (Katsos and & AlKafaji, 2019; Oetzel et al., 2009; Westermann-Behaylo, 2009). The UN Global Compact’s Business for Peace initiative has thus positioned businesses as an important, positive force that contributes to peace and reduces conflicts. However, new or ongoing small and large conflicts within and between states (Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research, 2023), in particular the increasing geopolitical divide between Western and Eastern spheres of influence (reflecting US-China tensions), large-scale wars such as that between Ukraine and Russia, the armed conflicts within states such as in Syria, Yemen and Central America, or the threat of conflict over Taiwan, all pose significant (ethical) challenges to MNEs, SMEs, entrepreneurs, and charitable organizations and may redefine their role in the present and future (Cumming, 2022).

With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 and the ensuing war, there has been a renewed focus on a different function of organizations in international conflicts; one where companies play a more active, partisan role on the side of one of the parties and impose their own sanctions on the “enemy” before their government asks them to. This active engagement can take numerous forms, including the provision of weapons and other war materials, the development of infrastructure, as well as donations, volunteerism, and humanitarian aid (Google, 2022; Sonnenfeld et al., 2022). Moreover, the involvement of private military contractors and paramilitary organizations in the Ukrainian war has drawn ties to their connections to private companies, including banks, logistics companies, and technology firms, among others (McFate, 2019). The case of megacorporations, broad in scope and global in scale, points to another challenge (Whelan, 2021). Megacorporations – whether contemporary big tech companies, such as Alphabet, or the chartered trading companies of the 17^th century such as the English East India Company – operate as political-economic hybrids, highly relevant in promoting and preventing conflict. With this Special Issue, we invite contributions on the historical and contemporary role of business in such conflicts.

This Special Issue also seeks to address those conflicts that are not presently violent, such as the current tension between the US and China and the possible resulting division into “Western” and “Eastern” geopolitical spheres, which present new areas of inquiry for business ethics scholarship (Cumming, 2022). As the world moves toward an environment where global divisions are more pronounced, shared societal and political ideologies, values, and interests may define new forms of social responsibilities, resulting in new firm strategies, behaviors and even products and services (Hart et al., 2022; Pajuste and Toniolo, 2022). As this raises important ethical questions for organizations with economic implications, there is a need for research to better understand how corporations, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists respond to rising geopolitical tensions.

By focusing on these topics, the Special Issue aims to promote new perspectives and novel insights on corporate responsibility, sustainability and business ethics in times of conflict.

Type of Papers and Suggested Topics

This Special Issue seeks to stimulate a conversation about the social responsibilities of businesses (large and small), entrepreneurs, philanthropic organizations, and partnerships in times of conflicts within and between nations. We particularly invite research on the role of responsible business in interstate conflicts because of the significance of this research area, but we also welcome studies focusing on conflicts within countries more broadly. We are looking for theoretical reflections, empirical analyses (quantitative/qualitative), review articles, case studies and historical research. Also, the Special Issue invites submissions from various disciplines, including but not limited to business ethics, strategy, organization studies, entrepreneurship, international business, peace studies, international relations, political science, and sociology.

Possible research questions, among many others, could be:

Contributions to the causes and consequences of conflict

• Does unethical business behavior drive (violent) conflicts and how?
• What role can private companies play in resolving violent conflicts within and between nations?
• How do social entrepreneurs or Business–NGO partnerships promote peace between countries? How do they support the recovery of states and other stakeholders during or after violent conflicts?
• How can the private sector work with other stakeholders, such as governments, NGOs and civil society, to influence the outcome of war or promote peace?
• How do shared values, ideologies and political orientations shape business responses in times of major and minor geopolitical tensions (e.g., between the US and China)?

(Ir)Responsible strategies and responses in times of conflict

• How do firms, entrepreneurs, and philanthropy respond to interstate or intrastate conflict?
• How have private companies been involved in interstate conflicts in the recent, and more distant past (e.g., in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, in the early and late modern periods and during the 20^th Century)?
• What notable ethical/responsible and unethical/irresponsible corporate actions stand out not only in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, but also in Sudan, Taiwan, and elsewhere?
• How does a business history perspective, emphasizing historical context, shape our understanding of strategic responses to conflict?
• Are companies in support of a conflict also complicit in human rights violations that are occurring in wars?
• What ethical considerations should private businesses consider when engaging in peacebuilding and war efforts between countries?
• How are business-NGO relations managed during interstate conflicts? What are the ethical considerations?

​The effects of conflicts on responsible business

• How do (violent) conflicts affect private companies that operate across borders?
• What reputational risks do private companies face when operating in conflict regions? 
• What is the role of Business-NGO partnerships in influencing reputational risks in times of conflict?
• How do conflicts affect innovation, financial or ESG performance?
• How do MNEs, SMEs and entrepreneurs benefit from (violent) conflicts, and is it morally right?
• How have MNEs managed the differential effects of conflict on the responsible business practices of their subsidiaries?

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must be original, not published or under consideration for publication elsewhere. The authors should follow the Journal of Business Ethics guidelines. Please submit manuscripts through the Editorial Manager (this opens in a new tab) by 31^st August 2024. The online submission system will be opened 60 days prior to this submission deadline. Submitted manuscripts will go through a double-blind peer-reviewed process as indicated in JBE’s guidelines (this opens in a new tab). Please contact the guest editors through the contact details provided above for any informal enquiries related to the Special Issue. Peer Review Policy, Process and Guidance (this opens in a new tab), Peer Reviewer Selection (this opens in a new tab).

Literature

Cumming, D. (2022). Management Scholarship and the Russia–Ukraine War. British Journal of Management, 33(4), 1663-1667.

Google (2022). Helping Ukraine. Company announcements. Available at: www.blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/helping-ukraine (this opens in a new tab).

Hart, O. D., Thesmar, D., & Zingales, L. (2022). Private sanctions (No. w30728). National Bureau of Economic Research

Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (2023). Conflict Barometer 2022, Heidelberg: Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research, https://hiik.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CoBa_2022_00_01.pdf

Katsos, J. E., & AlKafaji, Y. (2019). Business in war zones: How companies promote peace in Iraq. Journal of Business Ethics, 155, 41-56.

McFate, S. (2019). Mercenaries and war. Washington DC: National Defense University Press.

Oetzel, J., Westermann-Behaylo, M., Koerber, C., Fort, T. L., & Rivera, J. (2009). Business and peace: Sketching the terrain. Journal of Business Ethics, 89, 351-373.

Pajuste, A., & Toniolo, A. (2022). Corporate Response to the War in Ukraine: Stakeholder Governance or Stakeholder Pressure? Available at SSRN 4183604.

Sonnenfeld, J., Tian, S., Zaslavsky, S., Bhansali, Y., & Vakil, R. (2022). It pays for companies to leave Russia. Available at SSRN 4112885.

Westermann-Behaylo, M. (2009). Institutionalizing peace through commerce: Engagement or divestment in South African and Sudan. Journal of Business Ethics, 89, 417-434.

Whelan, G. (2021). Megacorporation: The infinite times of Alphabet. Cambridge University Press.