Activists and activism discussions

Activism is on the rise, globally. Organisations are now faced with growing activism around many different aspects of their activities – from supply chain oversight, employee rights, and the natural environment – and from a growing number of interconnected actors. Practitioners would like to see more research-led insight into how organisations can operate effectively and responsibly in hyperconnected multi-stakeholder environments. This connects to a deeper question relating to new systems thinking. Practitioners are keen to receive new insights on how the Western capitalist model needs to adjust to reflect global cultures and norms, and the ways in which it has embedded inequalities. In this respect, building on thinking around creative destruction (Joseph Schumpeter) and creative maladjustment (Martin Luther King), practitioners would welcome new thinking and scholarship insights on how best to encourage and embed new systems thinking on the types of capitalism that best fit societal needs today.

In addition, a newer strand of organisations as activists is emerging. Practitioners would like to understand the extent to which their organisations can become activists in their own right, how they can do this authentically without charges of self-interest, and how to build agile activist coalitions and partnerships to address shared interest areas.