Research News From the Field: International Conferences on Business-in-Society Invite Your Papers and Participation

In the recent years the issues of sustainable enterprise development, Corporate Social Responsibility, and the role of business in society have gain recognition in business and academia. As the number of conferences and forums dedicated to these topics grows, so does the number of opportunities to deepen the research and scholarship within the business-in-society domain.

In the spirit of cooperation and information sharing, we have compiled the list of upcoming conferences relevant to our field. While the list is not by any mean absolute, it does showcase some of the international opportunities for showcasing research and ideas.

The 2006 Group of Organizations and the Natural Environment (GRONEN) Research Conference: Sustainability Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Date: 10-12^th July 2006
Deadline: 29^th January 2006 (for paper submission)

The 2006 GRONEN Research Conference will focus on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. In recent years we could observe a shift towards an understanding of sustainability management that moves from exploitation to exploration, from corporate environmental management to sustainable entrepreneurship, and from efficiency to innovation. In fact, current sustainability trends indicate the need for radical innovation, which may be brought about by entrepreneurial start-ups as well as new ventures within existing corporations. Financing these innovations might be a key bottleneck for sustainable development, mainly because research in finance is only beginning to take into account the threats and opportunities of sustainability. At the same time, understanding changing customer preferences around sustainability and translating them into successful marketing strategies is key. Ultimately, innovative new business models will be required to combine environmental and social sustainability with economic sustainability.

The 2nd Conference of the Group of Organizations and the Natural Environment (GRONEN) will provide a unique platform for leading researchers to explore theoretical and empirical advances in research. Both senior and junior scholars are invited to participate and contribute with a paper to the conference. In particular, we wish to encourage the active participation of young researchers (Ph.D.-students and scholars who have finished their Ph.D. within the last five years).

More information on web site:

http://www.iwoe.unisg.ch/org/iwo/web.nsf/wwwPubInhalteGer/gronen+2006?opendocument

Abolishment of poverty is a tremendous challenge for the global community. Although everyone agrees on the goal of poverty reduction, policies often remain controversial or ineffective. Given that livelihoods of millions are at stake, there is an urgent need to reconsider the causes and remedies of poverty. Poverty and its reduction are often linked to the natural resources base. Local commons, like communal lands, are difficult to manage and may be overused. The use of marine resources in international waters will not be properly controlled in the absence of binding international agreements. The state of the environment affects living conditions of the poor and poverty affects environmental quality. For instance, if firewood needs in poor rural areas contribute to deforestation. Properly managed resources and carefully designed institutions are of utmost importance. The conference contributes to the economic analysis of the relation between environmental and natural resource management and poverty alleviation.

More information on web site: http://www.socialsciences.wur.nl/enr/

The 2006 Conference will focus on managerial, economic, social and cultural aspects in technology management and their influence on innovation and the creation of economic growth and prosperity. Special attention will be given to the comparison of the West and the East countries, regions and companies for successfully managing technology. Papers, presentations and findings will focus on best practices of each side in technology creation, development and utilization.

More information on web site: http://www.iamot.org/conference/index.php?cf=10

The Third World Congress will be held at the Kyoto International Conference Hall in July 2006, organized by the Society of Environmental Economics and Policy Studies (SEEPS), The Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AERE) and the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE), in cooperation with the Latin American and Caribbean Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (ALEAR).

They invite you to submit theoretical and empirical papers that focus on environmental and natural resource economics. The number of submissions per person is unlimited, but the maximum number of presentation per person might be limited. Authors must register for the Congress in order for the paper to be included in the program (the web page for registration will be available later). They also welcome your contributions to organize sessions.

More information on web site: http://www.worldcongress3.org/

Come and share your experience as a change agent. Learn new strategies from fellow community organizers, policy advocates, peace and justice activists, and action researchers. Develop tools for all areas and levels of advocacy and social action. Earn CEUs for advanced workshops.

More information on web site: http://csjconference2006.com/

Academy of Business & Administrative Sciences, which pioneered International Conferencing on the theme of Emerging Economies over the last 7 years, is pleased to announce a bold offering of five conferences in summer 2006 at international destinations that offer a stunning mix of cultural heritage, economic development, and ambience. The 2006 International Conferences of the Academy of Business and Administrative Sciences will bring together leaders and scholars from business, academia, and government from all over the world---both the developed and developing economies---to discuss and share ideas and to work together to meet the challenges of their respective disciplines and of the emerging world order.

Please note that proposals for the 2006 conferences must be submitted separately and interchange among the conferences is not possible.

More information on web site: http://www.sba.muohio.edu/abas/2006Conferences/default.php

How do we know what sustainability means for business? What sustainability means keeps evolving and seems to become increasingly diverse. If businesses and other stakeholders such as government, NGO's, local government, researchers and educators and others engage with the sustainability agenda, often in new collaborative settings, what role does communication play? How is sustainability integrated into what people think and do?

The goal of this conference is to think about communication, integration and sustainability and to develop a Blueprint for Change, a practical guide to assist business and others in better integration and communication for the sustainability agenda.

More information on web site: http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/events/05GIN_2006.html

The conference solicits papers in all areas related to the ethical and positive aspects of welfare economics and collective choice theory.

Co-authored papers should be submitted by the author who intends to present the paper. Please note that each participant may present at most one paper in the contributed sessions.

• The Conference sessions will be held between 14-17 July.
• On 13 July, there will be a mini course on networks organized by Matthew Jackson.
• Michel Balinski, Eric Maskin and Donald Saari have confirmed their participation as invited speakers.

More information on web site: http://scw2006.bilgi.edu.tr/default.asp

Scientific fields to be covered:

• Economic theories and economic practices;
• Planning, prognosticating and moulding of the economic development;
• Priority branches, sub branches and proportions among the definite sectors;
• State management and regulation, legislative policy;
• Business development systems;
• Economic management, marketing and sale;
• Accountancy, analysis and statistics;
• Finance, banks and taxes;
• Investments, restructure and technological renewal;
• Education, health services and social policy;
• Productivity, employment, incomes;
• Globalization and economic development.
• Economic education and business.

More information on web site:

http://www.sciencebg.net/sciencebg/Congress/Iko/economy_en.htm

The International Association for the Economics of Participation (IAFEP) is dedicated to exploring the economics of democratic and participatory economic organizations, such as labor-managed firms, cooperatives and firms with broad-based employee share-ownership, profit-sharing and worker participation schemes, as well as democratic nonprofit, community and social enterprises. The IAFEP Conferences, which take place every two years, provide an international forum for the presentation and debate of current research and scholarship on the economics of participation.

Submissions are invited from all relevant fields of study including comparative economic systems, industrial and labor economics, organizational studies, management studies, economic sociology, institutional economics, evolutionary economics, development economics and studies of economies in transition.

More information on web site: http://www.eteo.mondragon.edu/IAFEP/IAFEP_en.php

Sustainable development requires economic, environmental and social policies to be designed and implemented in a mutually reinforcing way. This implies a need for new management thinking to improve policy coherence and increasing the role of knowledge in the formulation and implementation of policies as well as better communication with civil, society and business. Sustainable development should not be conceived as an additional requirement but as overarching principle, which governs the development processes.

The Conference will be an efficient dialogue between researchers, politicians and the public and business sectors with scope to encourage the integration of economics, ecology, management and social policies into an interdiscipline aimed at developing a sustainable world.

More information on web site: http://www.mii.lt/CIGSUD/

By Mislav Ante Omazic and Nadya Zhexembayeva