Abstract
The sequel to the controversy between Heineken and several NGOs raises questions on how far a company must go toward satisfying the demands and expectations of external stakeholders, in this case NGOs. In this commentary I discuss two elements of the case: the role of legitimacy as important factor in the advancing demands made of the company and the value of an institutional perspective for analysing such controversies. Legitimacy plays a significant role in such controversies, both for companies and NGOs and that a moral perspective on legitimacy could offer companies a way out of the struggle for legitimacy.
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- 1.
Although there are extensive discussions on the definition, I use the term NGO here to refer to any of the various organisations that try to defend the interests of promotion girls.
- 2.
Homepage Care International, http://www.careinternational.org.uk/. Last viewed on 8 December 2005.
- 3.
Evidence for this can be found in two articles on Heineken’s position toward PGs in P-Plus a journal on corporate social responsibility, “Heineken beschermt Beer Promotiongirls voor prostitutie”, http://www.p-plus.nl/artikel.php?IK=306; “Redden levens biermeisjes kost Heineken 100.000 euro”, http://www.p-plus.nl/artikel.php?IK=502 Last viewed on 23 December 2005.
- 4.
Here, again, information on the case is incomplete; perhaps some unpublicised action has been taken in the meantime.
- 5.
“Heineken beschermt Beer Promotiongirls voor prostitutie”, http://www.p-plus.nl/artikel.php?IK=306. last viewed on 23 December 2005.
- 6.
See: Bopha, C. 2005. “Beer Brands Ignoring Risks to Women Promoters”, http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=31126, last viewed on 19 December 2005.
- 7.
SiRCHESI’s Newsletter, Fall 2005,
http://www.psychology.uoguelph.ca/research/lubek/cambodia/siemreapnewsletter.pdf.
Last viewed on 23 December 2005.
- 8.
Hawkins, K. 2005. “NGO Seeks Cultural Makeover for ‘Beer Girls’”. Cambodia Daily, June 15, http://www.camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily/selected_features/cd-15-6-05.htm. Last viewed on 19 December 2005.
- 9.
“Redden levens biermeisjes kost Heineken 100.000 euro”, http://www.p-plus.nl/artikel.php?IK=502 Last viewed on 23 December 2005.
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de Bakker, F.G. (2011). Commentary: Legitimacy as Moral Exchange?. In: Dubbink, W., van Liedekerke, L., van Luijk, H. (eds) European Business Ethics Cases in Context. Issues in Business Ethics, vol 28. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9334-9_11
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