Research Themes

Social and Sustainable Development

Convenor: Professor Frank Scrimgeour

Business exists as part of society and in tension with society. This theme focuses on the challenges facing individuals, organizations, communities, nations and the global community. The research provides knowledge useful for managers considering their wider responsibilities and for policy makers evaluating alternative policies and initiations

The theme utilizes the disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills of Waikato Management School scholars to analyse constraints to sustainable development and to develop way to enhance environmental and social capital and facilitate sustainable futures. To capture the complexities involved in these topics, a variety of methodologies and methods are adopted, including quantitative policy analyses and interpretive and critical perspectives.

The School has a series of research projects that are concerned with inter-relationships within and between business, government and society. Some of these projects are funded by government, local government, FRST and international agencies.

There are six principal research areas:

• Corporate/Business Social Responsibility
  Including consumer protection; communication management, public relations and society; management education; stakeholder analysis.
• Environmental Sustainability
  Including environmental management, reporting and policy.
• Social Policy
  Including income distribution and growth; Maori Society, the Treaty of Waitangi and Maori businesses and organisation; health and social services.
• Community and Third Sector Management
  Including not for profit management; local government.
• Behavioural Sciences
  Including behavioural research on consumer attitudes, perceptions and psychological factors.
• Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour
  Including theory on Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations and organisational behaviour issues.

These six sub-themes overlap and the scholars involved interact across these research areas.