Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa

Companies operating in international, cross-cultural settings encounter challenges in balancing their business roles with responsibilities towards inclusion. This delicate balance is particularly strained within the bioeconomy where uncertainties emerge. This study explores this novelty: how a compa...

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Main Authors: Eefje De Gelder, Lotte Asveld
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Responsible Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414533
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author Eefje De Gelder
Lotte Asveld
author_facet Eefje De Gelder
Lotte Asveld
author_sort Eefje De Gelder
collection DOAJ
description Companies operating in international, cross-cultural settings encounter challenges in balancing their business roles with responsibilities towards inclusion. This delicate balance is particularly strained within the bioeconomy where uncertainties emerge. This study explores this novelty: how a company engaging in an emerging biobased value chain can fulfil its moral obligations (i.e. responsibility) towards inclusion, aligning with the principles of beneficence (doing good) and non-maleficence (doing no harm). A case study was conducted in the South African Royal Bafokeng Nation where a biobased project, involving tobacco plant cultivation for foremost oil production, was initiated. Our findings suggest that companies in emerging biobased value chains must incorporate local stakeholders' knowledge when establishing their value chains. However, when the implications of beneficence in a specific context are ambiguous, companies should exercise caution in asserting positive responsibilities. Companies should empower local agents to achieve their objectives while refraining from imposing external norms on local contexts.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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spelling doaj-art-eff71f01802944619a96736fdff368772025-01-07T13:48:20ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Responsible Innovation2329-94602329-90372024-12-0111110.1080/23299460.2024.2414533Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South AfricaEefje De Gelder0Lotte Asveld1Technische Universiteit Delft, Delft, The NetherlandsTechnische Universiteit Delft, Delft, The NetherlandsCompanies operating in international, cross-cultural settings encounter challenges in balancing their business roles with responsibilities towards inclusion. This delicate balance is particularly strained within the bioeconomy where uncertainties emerge. This study explores this novelty: how a company engaging in an emerging biobased value chain can fulfil its moral obligations (i.e. responsibility) towards inclusion, aligning with the principles of beneficence (doing good) and non-maleficence (doing no harm). A case study was conducted in the South African Royal Bafokeng Nation where a biobased project, involving tobacco plant cultivation for foremost oil production, was initiated. Our findings suggest that companies in emerging biobased value chains must incorporate local stakeholders' knowledge when establishing their value chains. However, when the implications of beneficence in a specific context are ambiguous, companies should exercise caution in asserting positive responsibilities. Companies should empower local agents to achieve their objectives while refraining from imposing external norms on local contexts.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414533Responsibilityinclusionbiobased value chainsuncertainties
spellingShingle Eefje De Gelder
Lotte Asveld
Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
Journal of Responsible Innovation
Responsibility
inclusion
biobased value chains
uncertainties
title Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
title_full Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
title_fullStr Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
title_short Navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain: the case of Solaris tobacco in South Africa
title_sort navigating diverging responsibilities for inclusion in a biobased value chain the case of solaris tobacco in south africa
topic Responsibility
inclusion
biobased value chains
uncertainties
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414533
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AT lotteasveld navigatingdivergingresponsibilitiesforinclusioninabiobasedvaluechainthecaseofsolaristobaccoinsouthafrica