PurposeThis paper aims to explain why CSR policies have failed to render organizations more ethical and to propose concepts for using CSR for improving the ethics of organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the literature on CSR to compare how gaps in this field of literature are similar to those in leadership theory.FindingsThe paper posits that the different logical approaches to CSR are not necessarily ethical since ethics is based on the emotional involvement of the actor. The paper explains that leadership is not a hierarchical position but the emotional ability to follow one's worldview – either the Theta or Lambda worldviews – based on how one perceives his life purpose. The paper shows how to integrate knowledge from leadership theory to render the various CSR policies more ethical.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper shows the implication of the need for emotional involvement in research, in general. While the paper indicates a direction for how to integrate CSR policies into organizations, it does not provide examples.Originality/valueThe paper argues for a definition of leadership as the ability to act authentically according to one's worldview, either Theta or Lambda. Based on this context, it provides a better definition of strategy and tactics while arguing that CSR is only applicable to the latter category.

Purpose-The paper offers a dynamic theory of leadership development. Design/methodology/approach-The paper examines selected leadership literature through the lens of theory building blocks. It identifies the role of the ideal goal in leadership and its importance in developing the psychological aspect of leadership. Findings-The paper posits that leadership is a developmental process, which is based on the type of choice a leader makes. While choice implies that two good options are always available from which to select, one should make choices in accordance with his worldview, looking for affiliation (i.e. the Theta worldview), or looking for achievement (i.e. the Lambda worldview). Consequently, leaders need to recognise that the choices they make for organisational activities have to fit their own worldview. Pursuing the fit between one's worldview and planned organisational activities ensures that leaders continuously improve their ethical behaviour. The paper concludes with the presentation of a dynamic theory of leadership, which is based on the assumption that one can only strive toward truly ethical leadership with the knowledge that this goal is beyond human capacity. Research limitations/implications-Being a theory-based exploration, the paper does not provide empirical examples of how this theory might be applied in practice. Originality/value-The paper provides an example of a dynamic theory, introduces the concept of Theta and Lambda worldviews and provides a better definition of leadership strategy and tactics.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine current research trends into corporate governance and to propose a different dynamic, humanistic approach based on individual purpose, values and psychology.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews selected literature to analyse the assumptions behind research into corporate governance and uses a multi‐disciplinary body of literature to present a different theoretical approach based at the level of the individual rather than the organisation.FindingsThe paper shows how the current recommendations of the corporate governance research models could backfire and lead to individual actions that are destructive when implemented in practice. This claim is based on identifying the hidden assumptions behind the principal‐agent model in corporate governance, such as the Hobbesian view and the Homo Economicus approach. It argues against the axiomatic view that shareholders are the owners of the company, and it questions the way in which managers are assessed based either on the corporate share price (the shareholder view) or on a confusing set of measures which include more stakeholders (the stakeholder view), and shows how such a yardstick can be demotivating and put the corporation in danger. The paper proposes a humanistic, psychological approach that uses the individual manager as a unit of analysis instead of the corporation and illustrates how such an approach can help to build better governance.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper's limited scope can only outline a conceptual framework, but does not enter into detailed operationalisation.Practical implicationsThe paper illustrates the challenges in applying the proposed framework into practice.Originality/valueThe paper calls for the use of an alternative unit of analysis, the manager, and for a dynamic and humanistic approach which encompasses the entirety of a person's cognition, including emotional and spiritual values, and which is as of yet usually not to be found in the corporate governance literature.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how to further embed CSR thinking and practice into corporations, particularly in emerging markets, by reviewing and drawing similarities between key issues faced by all senior managers, namely ethics, leadership, personal responsibility and trust.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a conceptual exploration of global CSR practices using social psychology and overlays this concept with strategic and institutional theory in order to encourage new ways of thinking about CSR adoption, especially in emerging markets.FindingsThe paper reveals the importance of shareholder needs on global corporate decision making and applies alternative conceptual models to help businesses to devise better CSR practices and individuals to align their actions to their own values.Originality/valueThis paper strongly argues for blending different theoretical foundations from the management and organization literature in order to draw comparisons between current global CSR practice and the potential for its further adoption in emerging markets.

In this paper it is argued that human interpretation is an inherently paradoxical and complex mechanism. Human interpretation is underpinned by values, preferences and contrasts, and assumptions, and surfaced through an idiosyncratic combination of personal choice and logic (Pinker, The blank slate: the modern denial of human nature, 2003). In order to find ways through interpretive diversity, Janusian thinking is a conscious and purposeful mechanism (Rothenberg, Creat Res J 9(2-3):207-231, 1996) that allows each one to think paradoxically. Coping with paradoxes is not only a cognitive challenge in trying to resolve the irresolvable but also an emotional one, as emotion might distort the paradox. Janusian attitudinal mapping allows individuals to face the true paradox and to review the assumptions behind it. Such review may modify or even abolish certain assumptions altogether. However, Janusian attitudinal mapping is an emotional undertaking that should follow the three elements involving social reform for advancing and fostering knowledge: shock, open communication and experimentation, and paradox leadership (Lewis, Acad Manage Rev 25(4): 2000).