The search for responsibility in complex organisations often seems an impossible undertaking. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach combining law, social science, ethics and organisational design, Mark Bovens analyses the reasons for this, and offers possible solutions. He begins by examining the problem of 'many hands' - because so many people contribute in so many different ways, it is very difficult to determine who is accountable for organisational behaviour. Four possible solutions - corporate, hierarchical, collective and individual accountability - are analysed from normative, empirical and practical perspectives. Bovens argues that individual accountability is the most promising solution, but only if individuals have the chance to behave responsibly. The book then explores the implications of this approach. What does it mean to be a 'responsible' employee or official? When is it legitimate to disobey the orders of superiors? What institutional designs might be most appropriate?

These chapters on ‘Responsible Leadership’ represent the latest thinking on a topic of increasing relevance in a connected world. There are many challenges that still remain when it comes to establishing responsible leadership both in theory and practice. Whilst offering conceptualisations for the improvement of leadership is a first and perhaps easier response, what is more difficult is to facilitate the actual change to happen. These chapters will not only generate interest in the emerging domain of studies on responsible leadership, but also will pave the way for future research in this area in the years to come. Previously Published in the Journal of Business Ethics, Volume 98 Supplement 2, 2011​

Relations between societal values and legal doctrine are inevitably complex given the time lag between law and social reality, and the sociological space between legal communities involved in the development and application of the law and non-legal communities affected by it. It falls on open-ended concepts, such as proportionality, human rights, dignity, freedom, and truth, and on legal frameworks for balancing competing rights and interests, such as self-defense, command or corporate responsibility, and restrictions on freedom of expression, to negotiate chronic tensions between law and society and to bridge existing gaps. The present volume contains chapters by leading experts – former judges on constitutional courts and international courts, and some of the world’s leading criminal law, public law, and international law scholars – offering their points of view and professional analysis of legal notions and doctrines that serve as hubs for the interpretation, application, and contestation of core values, which in turn constitute building blocks of the rule of law. The shared perspective on the interplay between values and legal rules in public law, criminal law, and international law is likely to render the publication a valuable resource for both theoreticians and practitioners, law students, and seasoned legal experts working in diverse legal fields.

This landmark history of corporate responsibility documents corporate power and business behaviour from the mid-eighteenth century to the modern day. It shows how corporate responsibility has evolved, with the roles, responsibilities and performance of corporations coming increasingly under the spotlight as new norms of transparency and accountability emerge.

The complicated interactions between business, law, and societal expectations pose an unprecedented challenge in modern commerce. Businesses navigate an intricate ecosystem shaped by legal principles, government regulations, and evolving societal values. The Research Anthology on Business Law, Policy, and Social Responsibility comprehensively explores critical issues as societal expectations for responsible business practices rise across a four-volume collection. The anthology's timely significance makes this reference with an exhaustive coverage an indispensable resource. Carefully curated, the collection sheds light on the latest trends, techniques, and applications in business law and policy. Covering topics from the transformation of business ethics in the digital era to the role of multi-national corporations in enforcing competition laws, the anthology serves as a vital reference for academics, lawyers, policymakers, and business professionals. Libraries seeking expansive and diverse research materials will find this anthology to be an exceptional solution, enriching the academic environment and serving as an invaluable tool for researchers, educators, and students. The Research Anthology on Business Law, Policy, and Social Responsibility is a comprehensive addition to any institution's collection, addressing the diverse needs of those exploring the landscape of business law and policy.

Psychoanalytic theory frequently explains psychopathology from the perspective of either inadequate early care or as the result of environmental factors. In this book the author suggests that poor mental health can be a result of our incapacity to respond to internal and external stimuli, and indicates that spontaneity is essential in the development of many aspects of the self. It is not what happens to us, but how we react to events, that forms who we are. Spontaneity presents an original approach to issues of agency, spontaneity and creativity in psychoanalysis by exploring questions including: active internalisation paradox forgiveness responsibility empathy self de-creation. This book will be essential reading for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, philosophers and psychologists. It will also prove to be engaging for those interested in psychoanalytic theory and theories of subjectivity.

Today, workers based in institutions designed to serve the public – teachers, nurses, social workers, community officers, librarians, civil servants, etc – are expected to reorganize their thoughts and practice in accordance with a 'performance' management model of accountability which encourages a rigid bureaucracy, one which translates regulation and monitoring procedures into inflexible and obligatory compliance. This book shows how and why this performance model may be expected, paradoxically, to make practices less accountable – and, in the case of education, less educative.