Professor Mette Morsing

Mette Morsing is Professor of Business Sustainability and Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford. Leading a team of scholars committed to achieving Net Zero and the UN SDGs through interdisciplinary, international and impactful teaching and research. She also serves on numerous Councils and Advisory Boards Worldwide (USA, Europe, Asia, China, UK)

She previously served the United Nations, New York (USA), where she led Principles for Management Education, the UN’s largest initiative responsible management education with over 800 universities and business schools to transform leadership education towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Her research has won international awards and recognition, and she is an invited author, researcher and speaker globally. Having published extensively in some of the world’s most highly regarded academic journals on business and sustainability and recently co-edited the textbook “Corporate Sustainability: Managing Responsible Business in a Globalised World”

Mette’s area of research expertise is on organisation theory and corporate sustainability, with a focus on governance, strategy, communication, identity and cross-sector partnerships.

Selected Publications on CSR /Sustainability (since 2006)

Peer-reviewed international journal articles

Kumar, A., Bapuji, H., Soundararajan, V., Köhler, T., Morsing, M. and Coraiola, D. (to be published 2023). Addressing Socioeconomic Inequalities through Management Education and Learning. Introduction to Special Issue in AMLE Academy of Management and Learning

Fontana, E., Frandsen, S. and Morsing, M. (2023). Saving the world? How CSR practitioners reconstruct the purpose of their CSR calling with social-symbolic work practices through career stages. Journal of Business Ethics, 185

Olkkonen, L. and Morsing, M. (2022). A processual model of CEO activism: Activities, frames, and phases. Business and Society https://doi.org/10.1177/00076503221110184

Frandsen, S. and Morsing, M. (2021). Behind the stigma shield: Frontline employees’ emotional response to organizational event stigma at work and at home. Journal of Management Studies doi:10.1111/doms12749

Latapí, M., Jóhannsdóttir, L., Davíðsdóttir, B., and Morsing, M. (2021). The Barriers to Corporate Social Responsibility in the Nordic Energy Sector. Sustainability 13(9), 4891 OPEN ACCESS https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094891

Vestergaard, A., Langevang, T., Morsing, M., and Murphy, L. (2021). Partnerships for Development. Assessing the impact potential of cross-sector partnerships. World Development, vol. 143, article 105447.

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M., and Thyssen, O. (2021). Talk-action dynamics: Modalities of aspirational talk. Organization Studies 42(3), 407-427.

Schoeneborn, D., Morsing, M. and Crane, A. (2020). Formative perspectives on the relation between CSR communication and CSR practices: of walking, talking, and t(w)alking. Business & Society, 51(1), 5-33.

Morsing, M. and Spence, L. (2019). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication and small and medium sized enterprises: The governmentality dilemma of explicit and implicit CSR communication. Human Relations, 72(12), 1920-1947. OPEN ACCESS (FT50 + AJG 4, impact factor 3,367). Best Paper Nomination in Human Relations 2019.

Glozer, S. and Morsing, M. (2020). Helpful hypocrisy? Investigating ‘double-talk’ and irony in CSR marketing communications, Journal of Business Research, Volume 114, 363-375

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2019). Timely hypocrisy? Hypocrisy temporalities in CSR communication. Journal of Business Research, OPEN ACCESS https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.020

Vestergaard, A., Murphy, L., Morsing, M., and Langevang, T. (2019). Capitalism’s new development agents: A critical analysis of North-South CSR partnerships. Business & Society, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0007650319845327

Rasche, A., Morsing, M. and Wetter, E. (2019). Assessing the Legitimacy of “Open” and “Closed” Data Partnerships for Sustainable Development. Business & Society, https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650319825876 (open access)

Christensen, L. T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2017). License to Critique: A communication view on sustainability standards. Business Ethics Quarterly, 28, 239-262

Christensen, L. T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2015). The polyphony of values and the value of polyphony. ESSACHESS – Journal For Communication Studies, 8, 9-25

Christensen, L. T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2015). Discursive closure and discursive openings of sustainability. Management Communication Quarterly, 29, 135-144

Morsing, M. and Roepstorff, A. (2015). CSR as corporate political activity. Observations on IKEA’s CSR identity-image dynamics. Journal of Business Ethics, 128, 395-409

Morsing, M. and Strand, R. (2014). CSR and Beyond. A Nordic Perspective (Book Review). Corporate Communications: an International Journal, 19, 318-322

Guthey, E. and Morsing, M. (2014). CSR and the mediated emergence of strategic ambiguity.
Journal of Business Ethics, 120, 555-569

Castello, I., Morsing, M. and Schultz, F. (2013). Communicative dynamics and the polyphony of corporate
social responsibility in the network society: A communication view. Journal of Business Ethics,115, 681-692

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2013). CSR as aspirational talk. Organization, 20, 372-393

Frandsen, S., Morsing, M. and Vallentin, S. (2013). Adopting sustainability in the organization. Managing
processes of productive loose coupling to achieve internal legitimacy. Journal of Management Development,
32, 236-246

Morsing, M. (2011). State-owned enterprises: A corporatization of governments? Management Communication
Quarterly, 25, 710-717

Kjaergaard, A., Morsing, M. and Ravasi, D. (2011). More than a mirror: A study of media influence on
organizational identity construction in a celebrity Firm. Journal of Management Studies, 48, 514-543

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2010). The polyphony of corporate social responsibility.
Deconstructing accountability and transparency. Published in: Best Paper Proceedings at Academy
of Management Conference, Montreal 2010

Morsing, M. and Oswald, D. (2009). Sustainable leadership: management control systems and
organizational culture in Novo Nordisk A/S. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of
Business in Society, 9, 83-99

Morsing, M. and Perrini, F. (2009) Editorial: CSR in SMEs. Do SMEs matter for the CSR agenda?
Introduction paper to special issue edited by Morsing, M. and Perrini, F., Business Ethics: a European Review,
18, 1-6

Morsing, M. and Oswald, D. (2008). Novo Nordisk A/S: Integrating sustainability into business practice.
Journal of Business Ethics Education, 5, 137-166

Morsing, M., Schultz, M. and Nielsen, K.U. (2008). The catch 22 of communicating CSR: Findings from
a Danish study. Journal of Marketing Communications, 14, 97-111

Christensen, L.T., Cornelissen, J. and Morsing, M. (2007). Corporate communications and its critics:
A comment on Llewellyn and Harrison. Human Relations, 60, 653-661

Guthey, E. Morsing, M. and Langer, R. (2006). La responsibilidad social corporative como moda de
gestión empresarial. Harvard-Deusto Business Review, 150, 56-67

Morsing, M. and Schultz, M. (2006). CSR Communication strategies: stakeholder information, response
and involvement strategies. Business Ethics: a European Review, 15, 323-338

Morsing, M. (2006). CSR as strategic auto-communication – on the role of external stakeholders for member
identification. Business Ethics: A European Review, 15, 171-182

Morsing, M. (2006). Corporate moral brands – the question of aligning employees. Corporate
Communications: an international journal, 11, 97-108

INTERNATIONAL BOOK CHAPTERS

Morsing, M. and Stohl, C. (2022) Three key tensions under-explored in contemporary notions of
CSR communications’. In: (Ed.) Amy O’Connor: CSR Communication Research. Praxis and Promis. London: Routledge

Morsing, M., Oswald, D. and Stormer, S. (2018). Novo Nordisk – Integrating sustainability into the
business strategy. In Lenssen, G.G. and Smith. C. (Eds.), Managing Sustainable Business. An Executive
Education Case and Textbook. Berlin:

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2016). Strategic Aspirations. In C. Carroll (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation (pp. 818-821). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Morsing, M. and Sauquet, A. (2011). Business Schools as Usual? In Morsing, M. and Sauquet, A. (Eds.),
Business Schools and their Contribution to Society (pp. xviii-xxv). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Sauquet, A., Morsing, M. and Vilanova, M. (2011). A Platform for Debate, Seizing the Opportunity and
Challenges Ahead. In Morsing, M. and Sauquet, A. (Eds.), Business Schools and their Contribution to Society
(pp. 237-246.). London: SAGE Publications.

Irwin, A., Salskov-Iversen, D. and Morsing, M. (2011). Business Schools in Society. The Distinctiveness of
Diversity. In Morsing, M. and Sauquet, A. (Eds.), Business Schools and their Contribution to Society (pp. 75-84).
London: SAGE Publications.

Buhmann, K., Roseberry, L. and Morsing, M. (2011) Introduction. In Buhmann, K., Roseberry, L. and
Morsing, M. (Eds.), Corporate Social and Human Rights Responsibilities (pp. 1-22). London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Kjær, P. and Morsing, M. (2011). Corporate reputation and the news media in Denmark. In Carroll, C. (Eds.),
Corporate Reputation and Media. Global Studies (pp. 17-35). London: Routledge

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Thyssen, O. (2011). The polyphony of corporate social responsibility.
Deconstructing accountability and transparency in the context of identity and hypocrisy. In Cheney, G., May, S.
and Munshi, D. (Eds.), Handbook of Communication Ethics (pp. 457-474). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers.

Chouliaraki, L. and Morsing. M. (2010) Towards an understanding of the interplay between media and identity.
An introduction. In Chouliaraki, L. and Morsing. M. (Eds.), Media, Organizations and Identity (pp. 1-26). London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Kjærgaard, A. and Morsing, M. (2010). Strategic auto-communication in identity-image interplay:
The dynamics of mediatizing organizational identity. In Chouliaraki, L. and Morsing, M.: Media,
Organizations, and Identity (pp. 93-111). London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Morsing, M. and Beckmann, S.C. (2010). Virksomhedens sociale ansvar: Danske CSR traditioner i lyset
af angelsaksiske og kontinentale CSR traditioner. In Djurså, H. and Neergaard, P. (Eds.), Sociale regnskaber
og social ansvarlighed (2nd edition, pp. 103-114). Århus: Systime Academic.

Vallentin, S. and Morsing, M. (2009). Developing Social Responsibility. In Zsolnai, L. and Tencati, A.
(Eds), The Future International Manager. A Vision of the Roles and Duties of Management,
London:Palgrave Macmillan

Morsing, M. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility in Organizational Behavior. In Smith, C. and
Lenssen, G. (Eds.), Mainstreaming Corporate Responsibility. Cases and Text for Integrating Corporate
Responsibility across the Business School Curriculum (pp. 438-447). London: John Wiley.

Morsing, M. and Oswald, D. (2009). Novo Nordisk A/S: Integrating sustainability into business practice.
In Smith, C. and Lenssen, G. (Eds.), Mainstreaming Corporate Responsibility. Cases and Text for
Integrating Corporate Responsibility across the Business School Curriculum (pp. 142-166). London: Wiley.

Morsing, M., Midttun, A. and Palmås, K. (2007). Corporate social responsibility in Scandinavia –
a turn towards the business case? In May, S., Cheney, G. and Roper, J. (Eds.), The Debate Over
Corporate Social Responsibility (pp. 98-127). London: Oxford University Press.
Morsing, M. and Schultz, M. (2006). Stakeholder communication strategies. In Morsing, M. and Beckmann,
S.C. (Eds.), Strategic CSR Communication (pp. 133-157). Copenhagen: DJØF Publishing.

Guthey, E., Morsing, M. and Langer, R. (2006). CSR is a management fashion. So what? In: Morsing,M. and Beckmann, S.C. (Eds.),. Strategic CSR Communication (pp. 39-60). Copenhagen: DJØF Publishers.

Beckmann, S.C., Morsing, M. and Reisch, L. (2006). Strategic CSR communication: An emerging field.
In: Morsing, M. and Beckmann, S.C. (Eds.), Strategic CSR Communication (pp. 11-36). Copenhagen:
DJØF Publishers.

Morsing, M. (2006). Strategic CSR Communication – the challenge of telling others how good you are”.
In Jonker, J. and Witte, M.C. (Eds.), Management Models for CSR: A Comprehensive Overview
(pp. 237-245). Berlin: Springer Verlag.

Morsing, M. and Oswald, D. (2006). Novo Nordisk – Integrating sustainability into the business strategy.
In Kakabadse, A. and Morsing, M. (Eds.), Corporate Social Responsibility – Reconciling Aspiration with
Application ( pp. 183-216). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Morsing, M. and Vallentin, S. (2006). CSR and stakeholder involvement: the challenge of organizational
integration. In Kakabadse, A. and Morsing, M. (Eds.), Corporate Social Responsibility – Reconciling
Aspiration with Application (pp. 245-254). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Kakabadse, A. and Morsing, M. (2006). Introduction: Corporate social responsibility: reconciling
aspiration with application. In Kakabadse, A. and Morsing, M. (Eds.), Corporate Social Responsibility –
Reconciling Aspiration with Application (pp. 1-6). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

 

INTERNATIONAL BOOKS

Rasche, A., Morsing, M., Moon, J. and Kourola, A. (2023). Corporate Sustainability. London:
Cambridge University Press.

Rasche, A., Morsing, M. and Moon, J. (2017). Corporate Social Responsibility. Strategy, Communication and
Governance. London: Cambridge University Press.

Morsing, M. and Sauquet, A. (Eds.) (2011) Business Schools and their Contribution to Society. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Buhmann, K., Roseberry, L. and Morsing, M. (Eds.) (2011). Corporate Social and Human Rights Responsibilities. London: Palgrave MacMillan.

Chouliaraki L. and Morsing, M. (Eds.) (2010). Media, Organisation and Identity, London: Palgrave MacMillan.
Morsing, M., Vallentin, S. and Hildebrandt, S. (Eds.) (2010). Forretning eller Ansvar (Business or Responsibility?
Social Responsibility in small and medium-sized Enterprises). Copenhagen: Børsens Forlag.

Christensen, L.T. and Morsing, M. (2008) Bag om Corporate Communication (In English: Behind
Corporate Communication). Copenhagen: Samfundslitteratur (2nd revised edition).

Christensen, L.T., Morsing, M. and Cheney, G. (2008). Corporate Communications: Convention, Challenge,
Complexity. London: Sage Publications.

Morsing, M. and Beckmann, S.C. (Eds.) (2006). Strategic CSR Communication. Copenhagen: DJØF Publications.

Kakabadse, A. and Morsing, M. (Eds.) (2006). Corporate Social Responsibility – Reconciling Aspiration with
Application. London: Palgrave MacMillan.