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Robert A. Phillips
George R. Gardiner Professor in Business Ethics
Director – Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business
Schulich School of Business
York University, Toronto, Canada
rphillips@schulich.yorku.ca
Google Scholar
Academic Employment History:
York University (Schulich)
George R. Gardiner Professor in Business Ethics, 2018-present
Director – Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business, 2021-present
University of Richmond (Robins)
David Meade White, Jr. Chair in Business, 2016-2018
Professor, 2014-2018
Joint Appointment – PPEL Program (Philosophy, Politics, Economics &
Law), 2011-2018
Associate Professor, 2005-2014
University of Melbourne - Gourlay Visiting Professor of Ethics in Business, 2016-17; 2022
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Shanghai - Adjunct Professor, 2007 & 2008
University of San Diego
Associate Professor, 2004-2005
Assistant Professor, 2001-2004
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
Visiting Professor, 1999
Georgetown University (McDonough)
Visiting Assistant Professor, 1997-2001
Published Scholarship:
R. Phillips, J. Schrempf-Stirling, C. Stutz, (2023) “The Past as Corporate Social
Responsibility,” in S. Decker, W.M. Foster, and E. Giovannoni (eds.) Handbook of
Historical Methods for Management, (Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar), pp. 359-
70.
R. Kurdyukov, S.L. Berman, M.E. Johnson-Cramer, H. Elms, and R.A. Phillips, (2023)
“Managerial discretion: a review and future directions,” in T. Talaulicar, (ed).
Research Handbook on Corporate Governance and Ethics (Cheltenham, UK:
Edward Elgar), pp. 244-262.
M. Johnson-Cramer, R. Phillips, H. Fadlallah, S. Berman, H. Elms, (2022) “What We Talk
About When We Talk About Stakeholders,” Business & Society 61(5), 1083-1135.
J. Brown, G. Davis, R. Phillips, S. Waddock, (2022) “Can Shareholder-Owned
Corporations Maximize Profits Without Harming Their Stakeholders?” Rutgers
Business Review, 7(2), 102-119.
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Martin, K., Phillips, R. (2022) “Stakeholder Friction,” Journal of Business Ethics, 177:
519–531.
R. Phillips & J. Schrempf-Stirling, (2022) “Young’s Social Connection Model of
Responsibility and Organizational Ethics,” Philosophy of Management.
R.E. Freeman, S.D. Dmytriyev, R. Phillips, (2021) “Stakeholder Theory and the
Resource-Based View of the Firm,” Journal of Management.
R. Phillips, J. Schrempf-Stirling, C. Stutz, (2020) “The Past, History, and Corporate
Social Responsibility,” Journal of Business Ethics. 166 (Oct), 203–213.
B. Arora, A. Kourula, R. Phillips. (2020). “Emerging Paradigms of Corporate Social
Responsibility, Regulation, and Governance: Introduction to the Thematic
Symposium,” Journal of Business Ethics 162(2), 265-268.
R.E. Freeman, R. Phillips, R. Sisodia, (2020) “Tensions in Stakeholder Theory,” Business
& Society, 59(2): 213-31.
J.S. Harrison, R. Phillips, R.E. Freeman, (2019), “On the 2019 Business Roundtable
“Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation”,” Journal of Management, 46(7),
1223-1237.
J.S. Harrison, J.B. Barney, R.E. Freeman & R.A. Phillips (eds.), (2019), The Cambridge
Handbook of Stakeholder Theory, (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press).
J. Schrempf-Stirling, R.A. Phillips, (2018) “Agency and Responsibility: The Case of the
Food Industry and Obesity,” in R. Hinch & A. Gray (eds.) A Handbook of Food
Crime (Bristol, UK, Policy Press).
B.L. Parmar, R. Phillips, R.E. Freeman, (2017) “A Pragmatist Approach to Business
Ethics Research” in P.H. Werhane, R.E. Freeman & S. Dmytriyev (eds.),
Cambridge Handbook of Research Approaches to Business Ethics and Corporate
Responsibility, (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), pp. 258-69
J. Schrempf-Stirling, G. Palazzo & R.A. Phillips, (2016) “Historic Corporate Social
Responsibility,” Academy of Management Review, 41(4), pp. 700-19.
D.A. Bosse, R.A. Phillips, (2016) “Agency Theory and Bounded Self Interest,” Academy
of Management Review, 41(2), pp. 276-97.
M-C Ingerson, et al., (2015) “Normative Stakeholder Capitalism: Getting from Here to
There,” Business & Professional Ethics Journal, 34(3), pp. 377-406.
B.L. Parmar, R. Phillips, R.E. Freeman, (2015) “Pragmatism and Organization Studies,”
in R. Mir, H. Willmott & M. Greenwood (eds.), The Routledge Companion to
Philosophy in Organizational Studies, (London: Routledge).
R. Phillips, “Stakeholders, Ethics and Organizational Performance,” (2014) in Delivering
Tomorrow, invited essay for Deutsche Post DHL.
H. Elms & R.A. Phillips, “Stakeholders,” (2013) in D.J. Teece & M. Augier (eds.),
Palgrave Encyclopedia of Strategic Management, (London: Palgrave).
J. Schrempf-Stirling, G. Palazzo, & R.A. Phillips, (2013) “Ever Expanding
Responsibilities: Upstream and Downstream Corporate Social Responsibility,” in
A. Lindgreen, S. Sen, F. Maon, J. Vanhamme (eds.), Sustainable Value Chain
Management, (London: Gower Publishing), pp. 353-368.
R.A. Phillips (2013) “Sybille Sachs & Edwin Rühli, “Stakeholders Matter: A New
Paradigm for Strategy in Society,” Business and Professional Ethics Journal,
32(1-2), p. 129-134. Book review.
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R. Phillips (ed.), (2011) Stakeholder Theory: Impact and Prospects, (Cheltenham, UK:
Edward Elgar Publishing).
R. Phillips, S. Berman, H. Elms & M. Johnson-Cramer, (2011) “Stakeholder Orientation,
Managerial Discretion and Nexus Rents,” in R. Phillips, (ed.), Stakeholder
Theory: Impact and Prospects, (Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing).
R. Phillips and R. E. Freeman (eds.), (2010) Stakeholders, (Cheltenham, UK: Edward
Elgar Publishing).
H. Elms, S. Brammer, J.D. Harris & R. Phillips, (2010) “New Directions in Strategic
Management and Business Ethics,” Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(3), 401-26.
R. Phillips, S. Berman, H. Elms & M. Johnson-Cramer, (2010) “Strategy, Stakeholders
and Managerial Discretion,” Strategic Organization, 8(2), pp. 176-83.
R. Phillips, “Ethics and Network Organizations,” (2010) Business Ethics Quarterly,
20(3), pp. 533-44.
J. Noland & R. Phillips, (2010) “Stakeholder Engagement, Discourse Ethics and Strategic
Management,” International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(1), pp. 39-49.
Translated as: “Engajamento dos Stakeholders, Ética do Discurso e Gestão Estratégica”
by Petrobras (Brazil)
J. Harrison, D. Bosse & R. Phillips, (2010) “Managing for Stakeholders, Stakeholder
Utility Functions and Competitive Advantage,” Strategic Management Journal,
31(1), pp. 58–74.
Selected Best Paper of 2010 by the International Association of Business & Society
Reprinted in New Directions in Business Ethics, Andrew Crane and Dirk Matten (eds.)
(London: Sage), 2012.
Reprinted as ‘research insight’ by the Network for Business Sustainability.
H. Elms & R. Phillips, (2009) “Private Security Companies and Institutional Legitimacy:
Corporate and Stakeholder Responsibility,” Business Ethics Quarterly, 19(3), pp.
403-32.
Reprinted in Dirk Matten and Jeremy Moon (eds.) Corporate Citizenship, (Cheltenham,
UK: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013).
D. Bosse, R. Phillips & J. Harrison, (2009) “Stakeholders, Reciprocity, and Firm
Performance,” Strategic Management Journal, 30(4), pp. 447-56.
Selected Best Paper of 2009 by the International Association of Business & Society
Translated as: “Stakeholders, Reciprocidad y Resultados de las Empresa.”
D. Bosse, R. Phillips & J. Harrison, (2008) “Creating Value By Giving It Away: The
Influence of Reciprocation on Firm Performance,” Best Paper Proceedings of the
Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA.
R. Phillips & R. E. Freeman, (2008) “Corporate Citizenship and Community
Stakeholders,” in A.G. Scherer & G. Palazzo (eds.) Handbook of Research on
Global Corporate Citizenship. (Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar), pp. 99-115.
R. Phillips, (2008) “European and American Perspectives on Corporate Social
Responsibility,” Business Ethics: A European Review, 17(1), pp. 69-73.
M. Johnson-Cramer & R.A. Phillips, (2007) “Not How Much But How? The Ethics of
Cash Balance Pension Conversions,” Robert Kolb (ed.) Private Retirement
Security: Social and Ethical Issues. (London: Blackwell).
R.A. Phillips, (2007) “Book Notes: David Vogel, The Market for Virtue,” Business Ethics
Quarterly, 17(2), p. 367. Book review.
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R. Phillips, S. Berman, M. Johnson-Cramer & H. Elms, (2007) “Stakeholder Theory and
Managerial Discretion,” Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of Management,
Philadelphia, PA.
J. Harrison, D. Bosse & R. Phillips, (2007) “Stakeholder Theory and Competitive Advantage,”
Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of Management, Philadelphia, PA.
R.A. Phillips & M. Johnson-Cramer, (2006) “Ties that Unwind: Dynamism in Integrative
Social Contracts Theory,” Journal of Business Ethics, 68(3), pp. 283-302.
M. Johnson-Cramer & R.A. Phillips, (2005) “Stakeholders,” in Carl Mitcham (ed.),
Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics. (Detroit: Macmillan).
R.A. Phillips & C. Caldwell, (2005) “Value Chain Responsibility: A Farewell to Arm’s
Length,” Business & Society Review, 110(4), pp. 345-70.
Reprinted (abridged) in Honest Work: A Business Ethics Reader (2
nd
ed.), Joanne Ciulla,
Clancy Martin & Robert C. Solomon (eds.), (New York: Oxford University Press), 2010.
S.L. Berman, R.A. Phillips & A.C. Wicks, (2005) “Resource Dependence, Managerial
Discretion and Stakeholder Performance,” Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy
of Management and Best Paper Finalist. Honolulu, HI.
R.A. Phillips, (2004) “Some Key Questions About Stakeholder Theory,” Ivey Business
Journal (online).
R.A. Phillips, (2004) “Brief Remarks on the Evolutionary Method,” Ruffin Series No. 4,
Business, Science & Ethics, pp. 235-38.
R.A. Phillips, (2003) Stakeholder Theory and Organizational Ethics, (San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers).
Reviewed by James P. Walsh, 2005, “Taking Stock of Stakeholder Management,” Academy of
Management Review, 30(2), pp. 426-38.
Reviewed by Jeffery Smith, 2005, “Fairness, Communication and Engagement: New
Developments in Stakeholder Theory,” Business Ethics Quarterly, 15(4), pp. 711-21.
Reviewed by John Kaler, 2004, “Arriving at an Acceptable Formulation of Stakeholder Theory,”
Business Ethics: A European Review
13(1), p. 73.
Reviewed by Jeff Frooman, 2004, Business & Society, 43(2), pp. 221.
Reviewed by Robert G. Jones, 2004, Personnel Psychology, 57(4) — pp. 1068-71
Reviewed by R.F White, 2004, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, 41(8),
p. 1518.
R.A. Phillips, R.E. Freeman & A.C. Wicks, (2003) “What Stakeholder Theory is Not,” Business
Ethics Quarterly, 13(4), pp. 479-502.
Reprinted in Corporate Social Responsibility, Wesley Cragg, Mark S. Schwartz & David
Weitzner (eds.) (Surry, UK: Ashgate Publishing), 2009.
Reprinted in Stakeholder Theory: Essential Readings in Ethical Leadership and
Management,” Abe J. Zakhem, Daniel E. Palmer and Mary Lyn Stoll (eds.)
(Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books), 2008.
Reprinted in Sage Major Works: Corporate Social Responsibility, A. Crane & D. Matten,
(eds.) (London: Sage Publications), 2007.
Translated and reprinted as “Che cosa non è la teoria degli stakeholder,” in Teoria Degli
Stakeholder, R. E. Freeman, Gianfranco Rusconi, e Michele Dorigatti (eds.)
(Milan: Fondazione Acli Milanesi), 2007.
R.A. Phillips, (2003) “Stakeholder Legitimacy,” Business Ethics Quarterly, 13(1), pp. 25-41.
Reprinted as “La legittimità degil stakeholder,” in Teoria Degli Stakeholder, R. E.
Freeman, Gianfranco Rusconi, e Michele Dorigatti (eds.) (Milan: Fondazione
Acli Milanesi), 2007.
R.E. Freeman & R.A. Phillips, (2002) “Stakeholder Theory: A Libertarian Defense,” Business
Ethics Quarterly, 12(3), pp. 331-49.
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R. A. Phillips & J. Reichart, (2000) “The Environment as a Stakeholder? A Fairness-Based
Approach,” Journal of Business Ethics, 23, pp. 185-97.
R.A. Phillips, (2000) “A Reply to Marcoux,” Joseph R. DesJardins & John McCall (eds.)
Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, 4
th
Ed., (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Publishing).
R.A. Phillips, (1999) “On Stakeholder Delimitation,” in Donna J. Wood, (ed.) “Living
Stakeholder Theory: A Tribute to the Life and Works of Max Clarkson,”
Business & Society, 38(1), pp. 32-34.
R.E. Freeman & R.A. Phillips, (1999) “Business Ethics: Pragmatism and Postmodernism,”
in R.E. Frederick (ed.), A Companion to Business Ethics, (Oxford: Blackwell), pp.
128-138.
R.A. Phillips & J. D. Margolis, (1999) “Toward an Ethics of Organizations,” Business Ethics
Quarterly, 9(4), pp. 619-38.
R.A. Phillips, (1998) “Normative Stakeholder Theory: Toward a Conception of
Stakeholder Legitimacy,” Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of Management
and Best Paper Finalist. San Diego, CA.
R.A. Phillips & J.G. Clawson, (1998) “Current Events Periodicals in the Management
Classroom,” Teaching Business Ethics, Vol. 2, pp. 165-74.
R.A. Phillips, (1997) “Stakeholder Theory and A Principle of Fairness,” Business Ethics
Quarterly, 7(1), pp. 51-66.
Reprinted in Stakeholder Theory: Essential Readings in Ethical Leadership and
Management, Abe J. Zakhem, Daniel E. Palmer and Mary Lyn Stoll (eds.)
(Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books), 2008.
Selected Presentations:
2021 “Teaching Business Ethics” Invited seminar for University of New
Mexico/Daniels Fund
2020 “Can Shareholder-owned Corporations Maximize Profits Without Harming Their
Stakeholders? QUASI Seminar Series, Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social
Innovation, Rutgers University
2017 “Organizing for Responsibility”, Gourlay Lecture, University of Melbourne
2016 Invited Lectures, LM Thapar School of Management, Thapar University, Patiala,
Punjab (India).
2013 Keynote Address, “Banking & Social Value,” 3
rd
Annual Lecture on Responsible
Capitalism, Dublin City University, Ireland, May.
2012 Panel - “The Art of Teaching Business Ethics,’ Plenary Session, Fifth ISBEE World
Congress, International Society for Business, Ethics and Economics, Warsaw, Poland.
2010 Keynote Address, 4th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility,
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, September.
2010 Keynote Address, Social Responsibility Division – Administrative Sciences Association
of Canada, Regina, SK.
2010 Master Teacher - Master Class in Business Ethics - First Annual Conference on
Teaching Ethics in Universities - Sponsored by the Wheatley Institution and the
Society for Business Ethics, Brigham Young University, Utah, May.
2009 “Ethics in Network Organizations” Presidential Address to Society for Business
Ethics Annual Meeting.
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2008 with D. Bosse & J. Harrison, “Creating Value By Giving It Away: The Influence
of Reciprocation on Firm Performance,” Academy of Management, Anaheim,
CA. August. Selected for Best Paper Proceedings
2008 “Value Chain Responsibility” USAID Kazakhstan Corporate Social
Responsibility Program, Washington, D.C., March 26.
Selected for Best Paper Proceedings
2007 with S. Berman, M. Johnson-Cramer & H. Elms, “Stakeholder Theory and
Managerial Discretion,” Academy of Management, Philadelphia, PA.
Selected for Best Paper Proceedings
2006 “Stakeholder Management – The State of the Art,” Constance Academy of Business
Ethics September, University of Applied Sciences, Konstanz, Germany
2006 “Stakeholder Theory and Network Ethics” invited presentation at Stakeholder Mini-
conference, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
2005 with S.L. Berman & A.C. Wicks, “Resource Dependence, Managerial Discretion
and Stakeholder Performance,” Academy of Management, Honolulu, HI.
Selected for Best Paper Proceedings and Best Paper Finalist.
2004 Keynote Address - 6th International Conference on Ethics Across the Curriculum,
Oregon State University.
2003 Prudential Lecturer, “Supply Chain Ethics: A Farewell to Arm’s Length,” Rutgers
University.
1998 with J.D. Margolis, “Toward an Ethics of Organizations,” Society for Business
Ethics, August 1998.
Best Conference Paper.
1998 “Normative Stakeholder Theory: Toward a Conception of Stakeholder
Legitimacy,” Academy of Management.
Selected for Best Paper Proceedings and Best Paper Finalist
1996 “Stakeholder Theory and a Principle of Fairness,” Society for Business Ethics.
1996 with Maureen Bezold, “Organizations as the Object of Stakeholder Activism,”
International Association of Business & Society.
Education:
PhD Management/Business Ethics, Darden Graduate School of Business
Administration, University of Virginia, 1997
MBA University of South Carolina, 1994
BSBA Appalachian State University, 1991
Honors & Recognition:
• Affiliate Research Scholar - Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social Innovation
• Master Teacher in Ethics - The Wheatley Institution at Brigham Young University
• Senior Fellow – Olsson Center for Applied Ethics
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Professional Organizations and Service:
• Journal of Business Ethics
o Consulting Editor, 2020-2021; 2023-present
o Special Issues Editor, 2017-2020
o Section Editor (Corporate Responsibility), 2015-17
• Associate Editor - Business & Society, 2009-2012, 2014-2015
• Executive Board - Philosophy of Management, 2023-present
• PhD Advising
o Judith Schrempf – University of Lausanne (Switzerland)
o Divya Bhutani – University of Twente (Netherlands)
o Katinka Quintelier – University of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
o Sergiy Dmytriyev – University of Virginia
o Hussein Fadlallah – York University (Co-Chair)
• Editorial Review Board
o Business Ethics Quarterly, 2006-2011
o Business & Society, 2008-2015
• Strategic Management Society
o Representative-at-Large, 2012-2014
o Launch Committee – Stakeholder Strategy Interest Group
o Manuscript Development Workshop Coordinator, 2011
• Society for Business Ethics
o Society President, 2009
o Annual Meeting Program Chair, 2008
o Board of Directors, 2006-2010
o Emerging Scholars Program Co-Chair, 2013-16
• Social Issues in Management Division – Academy of Management:
o Best Student Paper Committee – 2012-2014 (2014 Chairman)
o Manuscript Development Workshops – 2011-2015
o Speaker/Mentor – Junior Faculty Consortium – 2011-2020
o Speaker/Mentor – Doctoral Consortium – 2009-2020
o Society for Business Ethics Liaison – 2007-2010
o Keynote Speech Coordinator
▪ 2006 (Ray Anderson – Interface, Inc.)
▪ 2007 (Robert Frank – Cornell University & New York Times)
▪ 2008 (Rakesh Khurana – Harvard Business School)
• International Association of Business and Society
o Representative-at-Large – 2015-2018
o Best Paper Committee - 2005, 2009-2010
• Ad Hoc Reviewer:
o Academy of Management Rev.
o Strategic Management J.
o Business Ethics Quarterly
o Business & Society
o Organization Studies
o Journal of Management
Studies
o Oxford University Press
o Cambridge University Press
o Edward Elgar Publishing Inc.
o Berrett-Koehler Publishers
