No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Gesundheit – Markt – Gerechtigkeit (Health – Market – Justice)
Abstract
Das Verhaeltnis zwischen Gesundheit, Markt und Gerechtigkeit wird in diesem Beitrag aus drei Perspektiven, einer medizinischen, einer oekonomischen und einer ethischen, beleuchtet. Aus dem sich hierbei ergebenden Spannungsfeld der verschiedenen Aspekte zueinander, ergeben sich Chancen und Risiken, die aufgezeigt werden. Da kryptonormative Definitionen eine der haeufigsten Fehlerquellen sind, werden alle verwendeten Begriffe offen dargelegt, um hierdurch in der Lage zu sein, aus der Eroerterung belastbare Schlussfolgerungen ableiten zu koennen. (The three elements of the title intersect at three points which will be discussed from the perspective of three professions – medicine, economics, and ethics. The discussion of the nine emerging topics illustrates the chances and risks in this field of conflicting principles. As cryptonormative definitions are one of the most frequent sources of error, we try to be as transparent as possible in the use of different terms and thus to come to resilient conclusions.)
Background
The workplace has been identified as a priority setting for health promotion. There are potential advantages of systematically integrating Occupational Health Management (OHM) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, OHM and CSR are usually overseen by different management branches with different sets of values, and there is a lack of empirical research regarding interfaces between OHM and CSR. Germany offers a particularly useful setting due to legislation requiring health to be promoted in the workplace. This study aims to examine key stakeholders’ views and experiences regarding interfaces between OHM and CSR in German companies.
Methods
Individual semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 77 German stakeholders from three different groups: experts in occupational health and corporate social responsibility from various companies ( n = 35), business partners ( n = 19), and various non-business partners ( n = 23). Transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
Results
Participants identified several areas in which OHM and CSR are already interacting at strategic, structural and cultural levels, but also highlighted several barriers that undermine a more meaningful interaction. Participants reported difficulties in articulating the underlying ethical values relevant to both OHM and CSR at the strategic level. Several structural barriers were also highlighted, including a lack of resources (both financial and knowledge), and OHM and CSR departments not being fully developed or undertaken at entirely different operational levels. Finally, the missing practical implementation of corporate philosophy was identified as a critical cultural barrier to interfaces between OHM and CSR, with existing guidelines and companies’ philosophies that already connect OHM and CSR not being embraced by employees and managers.
Conclusions
There is already significant overlap in the focus of OHM and CSR, at the structural, strategic and cultural levels in many German companies. The potential is there, both in theory and practice, for the systematic combination of OHM and CSR. The insights from this study will be useful to ensure that closer integration between both management branches is set up in a socially sustainable and ethical manner.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.