Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to study the connection between research in social responsibility and management education studied here in the light of the Frankfurt School's approach in general, and of Horkheimer and Adorno's works in particular. Design/methodology/approach -Based on these works, a reading template is designed, which defines the conditions in which research in corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributes to shaping the contents of management education. Findings -The article then analyzes the major approaches characterizing research in social responsibility. It also analyzes these approaches' ability to further knowledge in that field, as well as their contributing to constitute a type of management education instrumental in improving the implementation of CSR. Originality/value -The article presents an original approach of the link between theory and practice in CSR that challenges the way this topic is generally taught.

International audiencePurpose - This paper aims to focus on business education, which should not exclude strains of religious ethical traditions, e.g. Catholic social thought, and the practical wisdom embodied in them. Design/methodology/approach - Recent traditions of social Catholicism starting from the Papal Social Message Rerum Novarum (1891) are summarized. Consequences for management development are drawn. Findings - The recent tradition of social Catholicism developed as a result of a broad cultural process of adaptation of Christians to the emerging social context of a modern society. New types of ethical orientation have been developed, sometimes in strong opposition to contemporary ideological concepts such as socialism, materialism, or elitist capitalism. Even in the globalized environment of the twenty-first century these orientations are of continuing relevance, e.g. in organizational behavior, in business and society relations, and in basic concepts of corporate responsibility. Practical implications - Religious ethical traditions embody elements of "practical wisdom" that are threatened by extinction in the global practice of management development. The current financial and economic crisis - also addressed in a recent document of Pope Benedict XVI - should also be perceived in that perspective. Originality/value - A business ethics evaluation of Social Catholicism and its practical wisdom is executed

PurposeThe purpose of this issue is to provide an overview of the special issue on practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.Design/methodology/approachThe guest editorial introduces the papers in this special issue, focusing in practical wisdom for management from the Jewish traditions.FindingsThe question on the relationship between the Jewish tradition and practical wisdom for management is answered in two different ways: first, providing a particular Jewish answer to managerial problems and second, presenting how Judaism can be a field of reflection learning for managerial praxis at both organizational and individual level.Originality/valueThe paper shows that the special issue offers insights into the value of practical wisdom of the Jewish traditions, from two particular points of view, as a guide for action and as an ethical approach to management.

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The notion of global responsibility is coming to light as it appears that the control of the economies by nation‐states has proved inefficient. Therefore, solutions are often sought by appealing to responsibility (for enterprises, individuals, interest groups …). In particular, global responsibility calls for firms to limit their own activities when it opposes the general interest. But it is generally admitted in the firms that a condition to maximize their profits is all about allowing the laws of economy to express themselves, without any restraint, in order to give their whole potential. In this sense, it refers to “total freedom”. This article tries to re‐examine the very concept of global responsibility versus total freedom. For that it addresses the question through two major issues: (1) responsibility as an external constraint, a source of improvement; (2) the responsibility of corporate governance for financial transparency.