Corporate Governance for Responsible Innovation: Approaches to Corporate Governance and Their Implications for Sustainable Development

Academy of Management Perspectives, 34(2), 182–208, DOI/10.5465/amp.2017.0175.

68 Pages Posted: 10 Nov 2018 Last revised: 26 May 2020

See all articles by Andreas Georg Scherer

Andreas Georg Scherer

University of Zurich - IBW Department of Business Administration

Christian Voegtlin

ZHAW School of Management and Law; University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration; University of Zurich - Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Information Technology

Date Written: 2020

Abstract

The grand challenges that humanity faces—poverty, inequality, hunger, conflict, climate change, deforestation, pandemic, among others—hinder the progress of sustainable development. These issues can be addressed only by fundamental changes in behavior, as well as in the modes and processes of production and of business more generally. In this paper we will develop the concept of responsible innovation and discuss the potential and limitations of various models of corporate governance with regard to responsible innovation. Our analysis imports from the political sciences theoretical and empirical insights into how alternative forms of participative and reflexive governance can help address the social and environmental challenges that society faces. The paper thereby offers examples of innovative corporate governance that can help to generate innovations that do good and avoid harm. We also illustrate the governance challenges and the role of responsible innovation in the advent of the new coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).

Keywords: business ethics, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, COVID-19, deliberation, democracy, grand challenges, Habermas, pandemic, reflexive governance, sustainable development

Suggested Citation

Scherer, Andreas Georg and Voegtlin, Christian, Corporate Governance for Responsible Innovation: Approaches to Corporate Governance and Their Implications for Sustainable Development (2020). Academy of Management Perspectives, 34(2), 182–208, DOI/10.5465/amp.2017.0175., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3269129

Andreas Georg Scherer

University of Zurich - IBW Department of Business Administration ( email )

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Zurich, 8032
Switzerland
+41 44-63 45302 (Phone)
+41 44-63 45301 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.business.uzh.ch/professorships/as.html

Christian Voegtlin (Contact Author)

ZHAW School of Management and Law ( email )

St.-Georgen-Platz 2
Winterthur, 8401
Switzerland

University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration ( email )

Universitätsstr. 84
CH-8006 Zürich, 8006
Switzerland

University of Zurich - Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Information Technology ( email )

Plattenstrasse 14
Zürich, 8032
Switzerland

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