Grand Challenges and the Role of Business Firms

Grand challenges represent global societal challenges of ecological or social nature, such as the transition to a carbon-free economy, fighting global inequality, and tackling precarious working conditions that are emerging as a result of digitalization and robotization. These challenges are complex and thus require the coordinated and sustained effort from several public and private actors, including business firms.

The purpose of this platform is to further understand citizen’s legitimacy perceptions and judgments about the role of Swiss and international business firms in the context of grand challenges and develop strategies to adequately respond to these perceptions and judgments.

We approach this research agenda using an interdisciplinary approach, including experts in the field of social evaluation and legitimacy, public value perception , social innovation and corporate social responsibility.