The fact that the news has a negativity bias is relatively undisputed. But is this a matter for concern? In this study, two experiments explored the impact of different types of constructive news stories on readers’ affect, motivation, and behavioural intentions. Study 1 examined news stories with either a solution frame or catastrophic frame, and Study 2 examined stories that evoked either positive or negative emotions. Findings revealed that catastrophically-framed stories and news stories that evoked negative emotions reduced intentions to take positive action to address issues, and resulted in negative affect. In contrast, solution-framed stories and news stories that evoked positive emotions resulted in more positive affect and higher intentions to take positive action and were still perceived as legitimate journalism. Respondents expressed a greater preference for solution-framed news. The conclusion is that more constructive journalism would better serve society.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how Green (environmental) Human Resource Management (GHRM) policies can elicit green employee behaviours. This study explores the role of sustainability advocates, who are leaders and managers in pursuit of their firm’s environmental agenda, in the design and delivery of GHRM policies, communication, recruitment and selection, environmental training, rewards and incentives.Design/methodology/approach: In this qualitative study, eighteen semi-structured interviews with sustainability advocates in European firms were conducted and analysed.Findings: GHRM practices are not in themselves peripheral, intermediate or embedded, but shaped by contextual situations. Sustainability advocates’ intentions do not seem to match GHRM policy design, i.e. they try to elicit value-based behaviours by using self-interest-based approaches, leading to misalignments between the attitudes and behaviours policies attempt to elicit, and the type of behaviours they elicit in practice.Research limitations/implications: This study explores GHRM practice implementation experienced by leaders and managers. Further research on the role of the HR function and recipients of GHRM is needed.Practical implications: Practitioners need to be aware that organisational incentives (GHRM policies) that reflect self-interest can lead to self-interest-based behaviour and may be short-lived. A careful consideration of contextual factors will inform the selection of suitable GHRM policies. Environmental training completion rates seem an unsuitable metric for senior management bonuses.Originality/value: This paper investigates the design and implementation stage of GHRM, leading to an identification of GHRM policies as peripheral, intermediate or embedded. This creates an in-depth knowledge on the efficacy of GHRM policies and their relation to the environment.

As one of the most influential models of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Carroll’s pyramid of CSR has both reflected, and helped to perpetuate, a business-centric notion of CSR which implies that economic responsibilities take precedence over legal and ethical responsibilities. This paper argues that this conception of CSR needs updating to reflect the increased power of business in society. An empirical survey of 400 respondents from both business and non-business backgrounds indicated that current conceptions of the relative importance of business responsibilities differ greatly from Carroll’s rankings. Based on the empirical research and conceptual arguments, a revised CSR pyramid is proposed with responsibilities ranked as follows: ethical, legal, economic and philanthropic.

The majority of businesses are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and yet the main thrust of research into corporate social responsibility (CSR) to date focuses on the practice and behaviour of large organizations. The present study is based on the content analysis of free-flow narrative responses to a survey by 68 SME owner-managers. Insights are gained into the environmental and social criteria these firms face when tendering contracts and opinions are sought on issues such as voluntary versus imposed CSR standards. Evidence provided in the survey suggests that there are many examples of positive CSR practice among the SME community. However, we find that the burden of imposed standards, with related increases in bureaucracy and costs, can create frustrations for such firms, resulting in a potential ‘ceiling effect’ and lower overall engagement with CSR.