This policy-capturing study, conducted in China, investigated the cognitive basis of managerial decisions to make a corporate charitable donation, a global issue in the context of corporate social responsibility research and practice. Participants responded to a series of scenarios manipulating pressure from the five stakeholders most commonly addressed by CSR research. The independent variables examined included organizational factors and the participants’ personal values. Results indicate a large positive effect of shareholder and governmental pressure on the decision with lesser positive effects (...) from customers and competitors. Surprisingly, employee pressure had a negative effect on the decision to make a charitable donation. Further, personal values and perceived CEO attitudes toward charity were significantly related to the decisions participants made. In line with our theorizing, the findings indicate that a combination of personal, organizational, and institutional factors was salient in the minds of decision makers. (shrink)

Within the scientific study of spirituality there are substantial ambiguities and uncertainties about relevant concepts, terms, evidences, methods, and relationships. Different disciplinary approaches reveal or emphasize different aspects of spirituality, such as outcomes, behaviors, skills, ambitions, and beliefs. I argue that these aspects interdepend in a way that constitutes a “systems model of spirituality.” This model enables a more holistic understanding of the nature of spirituality, and suggests a new definition that disambiguates spirituality from related concepts such as religion, cultural (...) sophistication, and prosocial behavior in animals. It also exposes important open questions about the nature of spirituality. To support the emerging scientific approach to the study of spirituality, I propose the development of a “philosophy of spirituality” that can clarify the conceptual terrain, identify important research directions, and facilitate a comprehensive and interdisciplinary investigation into the nature, validity, and implications of spirituality's conceptual and practical entailments. (shrink)

Les États européens semblent vouloir s’unir. Les peuples européens le permettront-ils ? Le dilemme qui agite les nations européennes, que leurs États soient ou non membres de l’Union, prend des apparences différentes selon leur degré d’intégration à l’ensemble en gestation. Pour ceux qui frappent à la porte, l’espoir est grand, mais pour ceux à qui se pose déjà la question..

Évidemment, penser une constitution européenne ne relève pas de la compétence propre et exclusive des juristes. Les philosophes, les historiens, les politistes, les économistes, les psychanalystes ont, chacun dans leur domaine, des titres à faire valoir pour fonder également leur légitimité à parler « constitution européenne » ; les hommes politiques, les partis, les associations,..

Les citoyens sont tout dans la société, rien dans les institutions et demandent à devenir quelque chose. Pour y répondre, il faut une double rupture : reconnaître la compétence normative et pas seulement électorale des citoyens ; reconnaître de nouveaux lieux de fabrication de la loi.

Open peer commentary on the article “Second-Order Science: Logic, Strategies, Methods” by Stuart A. Umpleby. Upshot: I support Umpleby’s advocacy for second-order science. I argue that the prospects are more optimistic than a superficial reading of Umpleby would suggest. I also argue that Umpleby’s proposals imply that radical constructivism and critical realism will evolve towards consilience.