1. RELATE: Responsible Leadership

Research in the RELATE project is guided by the questions "What is responsible leadership?" and "What makes a responsible leader?" We examine leadership in the context of stakeholder theory using an ethical and relational perspective. One outcome is a model of responsible leadership roles, among them the leader as citizen, the leader as servant and the leader as custodian of values.

Related Articles

Pless, N.M. 2007. Understanding Responsible Leadership: Roles Identity and Motivational Drivers. Journal of Business Ethics (scheduled for publication in September 2007).

Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. 2006. Responsible Leadership in a Stakeholder Society: A Relational Perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 66(1), 99-115.

Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. 2006. Responsible Leadership: A Relational Approach. In Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. (Eds.), Responsible Leadership. London, New York: Routledge, 33-53.

Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. 2006. Introduction: The quest for responsible leadership in business. In Maak, T. & Pless, N.M. (Eds.), Responsible Leadership. London, New York: Routledge, 1-13.

CD ROM

Pless, N. M.  2006. Responsible leadership at the top: The case of Dame Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop, featured in Global Online Forum "Business as an Agent of World Benefit" called by The Academy of Management, The United Nations Global Compact, Case Weatherhead School of Management, Cleveland, Oct. 23-25, 2006.

2. ULYSSES: Developing Responsible Leaders

Guided by the question "How to develop responsible global leaders?" we investigate best practice examples. We study PricewaterhouseCoopers' leadership development program Ulysses. The program's objective is to develop the next generation of global and responsible leaders within the firm. A key feature of the program is global service learning in cross-sector partnerships. That means that participants are sent in multicultural teams of three to four people to developing countries. There they work for two months with social entrepreneurs, NGOs and international organizations on service projects such as capacity building in Moldova, poverty alleviation in East Timor, strengthening coordination in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda, or child helpline support in India.

Related Articles & Presentations

Pless, N.M. & Schneider, R. 2006. Towards Developing Responsible Global Leaders: The PwC Ulysses Experience. In Maak, T. & Pless, N. (Eds.),Responsible Leadership. London, New York: Routledge, 213-126

Pless, N.M. & Maak, T. 2006. Developing responsible leaders through transformational learning in cross-sector partnership - the Ulysses experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers, presented at the Global Forum "Business as an Agent of World Benefit" called by The Academy of Management, The United Nations Global Compact, Case Weatherhead School of Management, Cleveland, Oct. 23-25, 2006.

3. RESPECT: Responsibility and Character

The number of CSR reports has increased exponentially over the past years. In this project we investigate the "inner theatre" of organizations and their approach towards CSR.

Related Articles
Pless, N.M. & Maak, T. 2004. Building an Inclusive Diversity Culture – Principles, Processes and Practice. Journal of Business Ethics, 54, 129-147.

4. REACH: Responsible Entrepreneurs as Agents of Social Change

REACH is a project in collaboration with social entrepreneurs, researchers and business school students. Our research indicates that business organizations can learn a great deal from so called responsible social entrepreneurs who are first and foremost driven by a moral vision (cause) and do business based on ethical values and principles. The research focus is twofold: (1) We study to what extent so called social entrepreneurs represent responsible leaders and (2) how social and responsible entrepreneurs contribute to the achievement of the UN Millenium Goals.

REACH Fellow Program

HAGAR team
Rebekka Thommen: Strategic Positioning of a Social Enterprise
Dace Neimane: Branding and Social Entrepreneurship

UN Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Work of Social Entrepreneurs
Alexandra Lau: Social Entrepreneurs as Agents of Environmental Sustainability
Jenny Appel: Realizing the UN MDGs on a small scale: The work of Gram Vikas (Case Study) 

REACH Lectures
2005: Pierre Tami, HAGAR, Cambodia
2006: Dr. Joe Madiath, GRAM VIKAS, India