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Purpose The transfer of organizational practices or management instruments in the multinational firm often requires adaptations to the local context of subsidiaries and is, as such, revealing cultural and institutional particularities. Among the multinational firm’s management instruments, the codes of conduct are closely linked to the values and standards of conduct of the parent company. Being instruments of North American origin, codes of conduct were, in the last 20 years, gradually institutionalized first in North American multinational companies and then more frequently in European multinational companies. Several studies showed the difficulties of implementing these instruments in countries as diverse as France, Germany, Israel and China and stressed the importance of coherence between values, local organizational practices and acceptability of codes by employees of the subsidiaries. The purpose of this paper is to study the specificity of the Lebanese context from a new perspective by showing whether codes of conduct were adapted and by explaining the reasons of these adaptations. This research also highlights the differences between American and European multinational companies regarding the transfer of their codes of conduct.Design/methodology/approach The study used a multiple case study approach. Interviews were conducted in ten Lebanese subsidiaries of multinational companies, four of North American origin and six of European origin.Findings The study showed adaptations done to transferred codes of conduct in Lebanese subsidiaries. The study also reveals differences between American and European MNCs.Originality/value The study sheds light on host-country factors explaining the adaptation of codes of conducts transferred to Lebanese subsidiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to avail a soft approach to embracing the process of creating a business code of conduct and ethics and make it work for a pharmaceutical company [player] which wants to remain relevant before stakeholders and society, amidst escalating inducements to go against the acceptable pharmaceutical behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Data collection was guided by qualitative methodologies. A four stepwise process was followed: data collection at the case company - Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries (KPI), Uganda; validation of data collected at KPI; data collection from external stakeholders of KPI; and re-validation of KPI data based on data collected from external stakeholders. In all this, combination of semi-structured and informal interviews with CEOs, senior staff managers, non-participant observation of ethical related activities plus organizing a stakeholder engagement workshop on business code of conduct and ethics was achieved. This workshop helped document what ought to be an ideal design process to secure stakeholder buy-in of the code of business ethics. A local pharmaceutical company in Uganda, KPI was used, which, for continuous five years since its adoption of the business code of conduct and ethics, registered commercial viability without any record of unethical practices. Triangulation was used to ensure credibility and validity of the results. For data analysis, a three-stepwise process was followed, which helped develop a framework within which the collected data revealed themes which were later analyzed. For generalization of the findings, the "adaptive theory approach" was used. Findings: When poorly introduced in an organization, the business code of conduct and ethics can work against the company simply because it will be received with "intentional rebellion" from stakeholders, notably staff. However, when a soft stakeholder engagement and consultative approach is used and followed during the business code of ethics and conduct's design process, multiple stakeholders feel proud and are much willing to live by the promise spelt out in it. Cited notable benefits of living by the code include reputational enhancement, strategic competitiveness and increased possibilities of wining cross-border cooperation among like-minded pharmaceutical players. In the efforts to reap from the code of ethics, communication was observed as an indispensable activity. Refresher trainings to remind the stakeholders about the promises in the code are also needed as time passes by, otherwise they forget. Needless to say, rewarding those who live an exemplary life in embracing and living by the code was cited as key in sustaining the ethical agenda. Lastly, managing multiple stakeholders influences is a curvilinear fashion and involves back and forth consultations. Practical implications: The lessons learnt from KPI can be borrowed and used by both global pharmaceutical players and national/local players, especially those that face challenges living by the promise of their existing codes or those without business code of conduct and ethics. That is, both players can use the suggested process to help participants in their medicine supply chain to come up with working business codes of conduct, as well as guide the stakeholder consultative process which results in stakeholder buy-in. Originality/value: For many years, issues surrounding bioethics have dominated priorities of World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO and many international and national development allies. However, there is an escalating violation of medical codes of conduct and ethics. Hence, this publication is a step toward the implementation of the principles and objectives of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights which is currently challenged with a difficult question posed by life sciences - How far can we go given the dented medical relationship between ethics, medical science and freedom? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Public facilities management (FM) is in the unique position of aligning building projects and FM with the policies of sustainable development at societal level. However, sustainable facilities management (SFM) is an emergent profession, and there is a need to build a code of conduct for SFM in FM organisations. The purpose is to develop and test a workshop based concept for collective building of capabilities targeting in-house FM organisations, in particular public in-house FM organisations.Design/methodology/approach This research explores the role of public facilities managers and examines how an empowerment process can help FM employees develop collective competences for SFM. The methodologies used are literature review, and a 3–year-long action research process in the Danish local authority, Albertslund, which is internationally recognised for its innovative and green profile.Findings This paper describes the phenomenon of public SFM imbedded in societal steering paradigms and suggests a framework for a sustainable FM code of conduct. The suggested “Next generation SFM code of conduct” support the employees in taking a proactive strategic position in which translation between politics, strategy, tactics and daily practice becomes the basis for prioritisation and decision-making. The capabilities needed is FM knowledge (including FM know-how, understanding of technologies for sustainability and public governance); it is the FM code of conduct, and it is control of own practice to be obtained through strategies and planning, collaboration and education.Research limitations/implications This study is based on findings in a single local authority, why the findings are primary valid for concept development to be further developed and tested. However, the local authority of Albertslund is recognised as a front runner in green FM, why this case, compare to other cases, represents a relatively mature thinking in terms of FM contribution to sustainability at societal level. When this FM organisation express a need for developing collective competences for sustainability in FM, it can be assumed that less mature FM organisations needs it even more. The findings seem relevant beyond public FM organisations.Practical implications The produced framework for a sustainable FM code of conduct is useful for educational purposes as well as for strategic decision about FM organisations collective competence profile. The use of workshops for the building of collective competences might be useful for many other organisations and not only public FM organisations.Social implications Public FM organisations manage significant shares of existing buildings and can be a driver for societal change if they have the capabilities. This paper provides an answer to how these collective capabilities can be build within an organisational development process, through dialogue and collective reflections.Originality/value This paper is a pioneer in understanding the capabilities needed in FM organisations to take leadership in an integration of sustainability in FM processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The primary aim of this paper is to evaluate the challenges before the growth of the ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh, the economy's backbone, and suggest appropriate reform. Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins by tracing the growth and evolution of the RMG industry before identifying the challenges. It then proceeds to suggest appropriate reform for the same. Findings – The paper argues for more effective models of collective bargaining and unionism as a solution to the problems that the industry faces. Originality/value – The paper is the first of its kind in the sense that it is a comprehensive account of the challenges to the RMG industry in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of Nigerian anti-corruption provisions targeted at curbing corruption by public officers. Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines relevant provisions of the code of conduct for public officers in the Constitution of Nigeria, and other statutes directed at curbing official corruption, and then undertakes an assessment of their impact in the fight against corruption. The assessment is drawn from the direct pronouncements and actions of the highest political figures in Nigeria since return to civilian rule in 1999, and the views of policy makers and implementers, development partners and academics on the anti-corruption fight in Nigeria. Findings – Since the advent of civilian rule in 1999, the Nigerian government has introduced several reforms through the enactment of new constitutional provisions and statutes directed at official corruption. The code of conduct provisions in the Constitution provides for and enforces an ethical guide for public officers; the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act (ICPC Act) prohibits corruption in the conduct of government business generally; the Public Procurement Act (PPA) introduced mandatory requirements of transparency, and prohibits nepotism, inflation of contract and other corrupt acts in the award of government contracts; while the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Act (NEITI Act) introduced mandatory requirements of transparency and disclosure in extractive industries. Although the government introduced these reforms with enthusiasm, it has shown a lack of will power to implement them to a logical conclusion. The result is that the reform measures introduced through these legal provisions have not had any substantial impact in curbing corruption in the respective sectors covered by them. Research limitations/implications – This paper is restricted to an examination of the impact of legal provisions directed against official corruption in Nigeria. It does not discuss legal provisions directed at economic and financial crimes in Nigeria. Originality/value – This paper presents an assessment of the impact of the legal provisions directed at curbing official corruption in Nigeria since 1999. The assessment reflects the views and attitudes of the highest ranking public officers, technocrats in charge of implementation of the legal reforms, legislators, development partners and informed academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to seek comment on a proposed new model for measuring and monitoring the sustainability of corporate governance.Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The unprecedented combination of the scarcity of finance, low growth, and environmental pressures, together with new attitudes to employment, makes an extremely challenging environment that demands a more comprehensive concept of sustainability. It is redefined here to encompass the management of all resources, whether they be natural, human, environmental financial or social, and |!|#34;Sustainable Governance|!|#169;;|!|#34; is a framework that creates and monitors a structure that husbands the way that all resources are managed for today and for a long term sustainable future. To meet the challenge of the changing world, a 12-point management model is proposed, together with a comprehensive rating system employed to analyse progress and benchmark competitive performance.Findings |!|#8211; Corporate governance cannot be left to chance in the business climate of the twenty-first century. Public trust has been lost and boards will need to be seen to be in control not only of the present but also of the future. All resources will have to be treated as finite and accountability will be a byword in all corporations. To be sustainable, corporate governance must cover all aspects of corporate resources and activities and it must also be measured in a more formal and transparent manner. This article outlines a model that could be used for this purpose. It is taking measurement beyond the simplistic |!|#34;scorecard|!|#34; approach favoured in the past. It is a seed from which the authors expect to see a fertile growth and all comments are welcome to further the model and the process.Practical implications |!|#8211; The choice facing organizations in the twenty-first century is either to react to each set of pressures that come along as they arise, or to take a hard look at the economic, environmental and social context in which they operate, and create a framework that will give them the ability to manage in a long-term sustainable structure.Originality/value |!|#8211; This supersedes the scorecard approach for monitoring corporate governance. It is new and untried but the authors seek input and comments from readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]