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Private equity and venture capital (VC) firms in the capital markets sector invest capital with the primary goal of delivering economic value. However, some firms in the capital markets sector have started to shift this focus to create (i.e. invest in) social value. More specifically, traditional VC firms are starting socially oriented funds, while other firms have emerged to focus solely on investments in social enterprises. These VC firms are contributing to an interesting paradox – performance metrics are not measured by profit alone but also by social innovation. From an architectural perspective, the authors examine the implications of internal design, i.e. how specific strategic and structural factors influence the financial performance of VC firms with a social orientation to determine if these firms really can “do well and do good.”

Social orientation was determined by content analysis of mission statements of the VC firms. Firm strategies, structures and performance were sourced from secondary data. A moderated mediation model was used to test relationships.

Results suggest that (1) socially responsible VC firms adopt distinct foci of social investing that directs their strategic orientation and (2) these various foci have vastly differing effects on the firm's overall performance, strategic decisions made and the architecture of their structural design.

This study is among the first to explore socially responsible VC architectural dimensions, with implications for firm design based on blended measures of success.

By drawing attention to the finite rather than unlimited nature of physical resources, the purpose of this paper is to: examine the implications of the (near absolute) emphasis placed on firm growth on sustainable consumption; and discuss complementary perspectives spanning individual, firm and societal levels that allow for both firm growth and sustainable consumption.

The authors integrate multidisciplinary insights from marketing, sociology, environmental sciences, management and economics, to understand the inherent tensions between unchecked firm growth, consumption and sustainability. Five propositions link production, consumption and marketing from a resource standpoint.

A ceaseless economic growth paradigm and overconsumption causes an unwarranted depletion of resources and is at odds with sustainability. Firms can play an important role by guiding future marketing and production toward sustainable ends. Several alternate perspectives support the case that growth may coexist and align with sustainable consumption. Consequently the authors consolidate and reflect on seven approaches (voluntary simplicity, humane consumption, CSR 2.0, social marketing, marketing 3.0, anti-positional economy and degrowth) that hold promise for achieving sustainability via responsible growth and consumption.

The authors consider the complex triad of growth, consumption and sustainability that spans multiple levels. A focus on the pattern and nature of growth and consumption helps to identify its effects on sustainability. Specifically, two value chain activities – production and marketing may be leveraged as firm level initiatives to achieve sustainable goals. In addition, the authors present seven heterogeneous perspectives that complement firm attempts to achieve growth with sustainable consumption. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Family businesses have several distinct features that distinguish them from other businesses. This aspect makes it imperative that scholars investigate issues with an additional focus on the interplay of family business dynamics. In this chapter, we explore the issues of power and corruption within family business, with the understanding that prior examinations of this phenomenon were primarily restricted to large public corporations that are not family owned. The key contribution of this chapter is to shed light on the dark side of family business, namely power enabled corruption. We do so by considering three dimensions that are unique to family firms, namely, ownership and control, generations, and governance. In particular, we highlight how these dimensions can facilitate corruption. It is possible that they may also challenge family business that try to detect, deter, and control corruption within their ranks. The lack of objective external evaluation, the ineffectiveness of internal checks, generational issues, family control, and the restricted nature of governance appear to contribute to exacerbating tensions that promote corruption becoming entrenched within family businesses. Following a case method approach, several illustrative examples of cases of power and corruption within family firms are provided, representing different geographic regions of the world, to showcase the widespread nature of this phenomenon. The three family business cases we illustrate (Grupo Odebrecht in Latin America, Sahara Group in South Africa and Foremost Maritime Group in China) represent multiple countries, continents, and geo-political frontiers. Each case illustrates how both corruption and power reinforce each other in family businesses. Implications of the magnifier effect of power on corruption in family business are discussed in terms of its impact, scale, and its enabling effect by providing a road map to corruption.

There is a divergence between the contributions of Mary Parker Follett on an intellectual plane and the practical application of her ideas and rationale. Apart from her unparagoned writing style, the obvious complexity of her abstract and interdisciplinary approach makes it extremely challenging to understand and apply her insights to achieve a harmonious organizational life. Yet, in her integrative mind, she viewed philosophy as directly related to action and reality. This paper reduces this divergence by translating her thoughts into practical guidelines for the manager, educator and researcher. The application of Follett's philosophy to a paradigm of lifelong learning and education, the key to lasting change (hitherto unexplored), is addressed, along with implications for the researcher. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to view the work of Follett through a new lens – that of advocate of lifelong learning. Two appendices list Follett's contribution to management thought and education.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and synthesis of the extant literature in entrepreneurship by utilizing an uncommon and unique lens. The lens focuses on studies that explore the effects of formal (social institutions) and informal (national culture) institutional factors on entrepreneurship at the national level.

The design is a narrative literature overview of research published in peer reviewed journals in business and related fields from 1980 to 2009. North's classification of formal and informal institutions provides the structural framework. The overview includes salient published articles that empirically assessed the effect of at least one variable of the institutional context on entrepreneurship. The paper is organized as follows. After setting the context, legitimacy, and validity of contextual research in the entrepreneurship field in general, it reviews relevant research, focusing on the formal and informal institutional factors that affect entrepreneurship.

The review highlights the complex nature of entrepreneurship. Both formal and informal institutional factors affect entrepreneurship at multiple levels.

The review is important as it synthesizes the results of published research and offers a starting point to understand the effect of macro contextual factors on entrepreneurship. It is also timely, as entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the economic well being of a nation, and many governments are actively seeking to increase entrepreneurial activity.

Policy makers can further entrepreneurship by understanding the role played by the institutional context. Applying appropriate institutional incentives is instrumental in enabling entrepreneurs in a more direct and effective manner.

The paper provides a new synthesis of formal and informal institutional effects on entrepreneurship at the nation‐level. As such, it goes beyond prior culture based reviews, and add to the understanding of macro nation effects of institutions on entrepreneurship.

The paper has dual objectives. First, the paper aims to consolidate prior research in the area of population ecology theory and provide a review and critique of this influential organizational theory. The review is both broad and extensive, covering all major theoretical streams in population ecology. Second, the paper aims to highlight a new and hitherto unexplored area for future research, which lies at the intersection of population ecology and sustainability.

The extensive and broad review included all salient published scholarly work on the topic of population ecology from 1996‐2010. Findings are reported in nine separate tables, classified by primary research focus, chronology, author, etc. Additionally, a brief summary of prior research on sustainability is provided.

Population ecology continues as a valuable and influential perspective for organizational scholars. In comparison, sustainability is a relatively new entrant in the organizational literature, since 2008. Several areas of convergence between population ecology and sustainability exist (construct dimensions, levels of analysis and outcomes). An important gap in the literature allows future research agendas to be pursued.

The major, and most widespread, global implication is that unsustainable organizational practices and strategies may be selected by ecological pressures, and that such organizations may face a decline in population density, or mortality. Sustainable practices may allow for greater firm density and a rise in survival rates for organizational populations. Future research directions investigating population ecology links to sustainability are provided.

This is the first instance where the potential contribution of population ecology to sustainability in organizations is provided.