Title of Dissertation:
CEOs as Agents of Organizational and Societal Change
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Laura Marie Edinger-Schons
University: University of Mannheim
Scholarship: SDW Scholarship
Cohort: 6th Cohort, 2019-2022
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Short Abstract
Companies have traditionally chosen to remain silent on debated socio-political issues such as LGBT rights or gun regulation for fear of alienating stakeholders. However, in recent years, respective corporate activism has become more frequent with the outspoken goal of influencing the political process towards a political outcome which the firm deems desirable.This cumulative dissertation is aimed at investigating antecedents, outcomes, and boundary conditions surrounding this nascent phenomenon. Specifically, stakeholder psychological processes relating to both political and consumer behavior are investigated in experimental settings. Further, an upper echelons perspective is as-sumed investigating the interplay CEO characteristics and governance mechanisms as determinants of the decision to become socio-politically involved.
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PhD related Publications
- Kowalzick M, Appels M. (2022). To Change or Not to Change? Evidence on the Steadiness of More Hubristic CEOs. Journal of Management. 1-40, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01492063221110207.
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Appels M. (2022). CEO Sociopolitical Activism as a Signal of Authentic Leadership to Prospective Employees. Journal of Management, 1-39.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01492063221110207.
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Appels, M., Edinger-Schons, L. M., Korschun, D., & Balk, L. (2020). Don’t Mix Business with Politics? Understanding Stakeholder Reactions to Corporate Political Activism. Marketing Review St. Gallen, 4, 24-30. https://ifmhsg.ch/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MRSG_03_SPT_Appels_200622_mb.pdf