Barron, Andrew <br/><br/>
Corporations in the political arena  : an ethical framework 
/ Andrew Barron, Stephen Stacey. 
 -  Journal of Business Strategy,  2021. 
 - 116–125 pages. 
 - Journal of Business Strategy (2021) 42 (2): 116–125. 
<br/><br/> This study aims to explore how firms can configure their organisational architectures in ways that limit ethical transgressions of their corporate political activities (CPAs).<br/>This conceptual work is informed by existing research into organisational architecture and ethical decision-making, combined with illustrative examples of firms’ political actions derived from secondary and primary data sources.<br/>Findings suggest that the ways that firms assign decision-making authority and design performance management systems can, depending on their combined configuration, either help or hinder the promotion of ethical CPA practice.<br/>The study provides practitioners with a useful tool for reflecting on the organisational levers they can pull to shield their firms from the financial and reputation damage associated with objectionable conduct in their political activities.<br/>Whilst previous research studies emphasise the importance of statutory guidelines, self-regulation or corporate codes for promoting ethical CPA, this study argues that organisational design is an important yet overlooked antecedent of a firm’s ability to practice CPA ethically and responsibly.<br/>In line with organizational design thinking, the authors find that high-performing GA units need to be designed and built using a blend of mutually reinforcing organizational mechanisms. GA units should be staffed by autonomous managers with mixed skills-sets. Moreover, they should not be constrained by formal rules, but instead given autonomy and support to create lateral relations with other business units.<br/>This study provides a “recipe” that managers can follow to create opportunities for the exchange of political information within their firms and enable and motivate GAs practitioners to monitor and influence political developments more effectively.<br/>This research exposes important, organizational antecedents of firms’ political strategies, which have not been systematically explored in the existing literature 
<br/><br/><label>ISSN: </label>0275-6668 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Uniform Titles: </label><br/>MSc International Business
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Index Terms: </label>Performance management systems Business ethics Responsible business Corporate political activity Decision-making authority Organisational architecture