Globalization and the emergence of international standards for corporate conduct

Increasing international trade and foreign direct investment has led to efforts to establish global standards for firms conduct in a variety of areas such a quality management, environmental management, labor practices, and broader corporate social responsibility.  These standards include ISO 9000, ISO 14000, SA 8000, various Fair Trade Certifications, the United Nations Global Compact as well as various industry specific standards.  What strategies should firms adopt with respect to the variety of often competing and overlapping standards?  This session provides an overview of the reasons for the emergence of global standards, the wide range of stakeholders involved in the establishment of global standards, the differences in design and enforcement of global standards, and a classification of firm strategies towards these standards.

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Petra Christmann
Assistant Professor of Management and Global Business
Rutgers Business School

Petra Christmann Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Management and Global Business at Rutgers Business School - Newark and New Brunswick.  Her research on firm self-regulation of environmental and social conduct, and global standards such as ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 and mergers and acquisitions has been published in various journals including the Academy of Management Journal, the Journal of International Business Studies, the Journal of International Management and the Academy of Management Executive.

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