Kogod professor of management Garima Sharma was earning her PhD at Case Western Reserve University when she first heard the phrase “business as a force for good.” While exploring her career interests, the concept caught her attention as she realized there was a specific avenue for her to create meaningful change with her research.
“The phrase stopped me in my tracks and calcified my work in many ways—the research questions I wanted to ask, and ways in which my research could have an impact on the world,” Sharma recalled. “I started putting together a research agenda that would let me dedicate my work to figuring out the ‘how’ behind this big, bold idea of business as a force for good.”
Sharma’s professional interests center around social and environmental responsibility in business—undertaking endeavors that keep social and environmental issues in mind. Since she began studying the topic, the conversation surrounding it has expanded from the idea of incorporating sustainability to more specific matters. Today’s consumers care deeply about the places they spend their money—hoping to make more sustainable choices in their own lives. Providing more sustainable options for the customer involves an investment on the business’s part. Sharma’s research explores ways to resolve tension when balancing social responsibility and business functionality.
“When the rubber hits the road, there are a lot of tensions,” Sharma explained. “Where that leaves us is with the question of how these tensions can be generated and what creative solutions can transcend existing tensions and redefine the problems.”
The intersection of business and social responsibility and the questions that intersection brings up were especially highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With business leaders hoping to maintain workflow during uncertainty, Sharma hoped to focus on how other interdisciplinary aspects factored into those discussions.