We are proud to announce that Prof. Dr. Vladislav Valentinov, a distinguished researcher affiliated with Kazimieras Simonavicius University‘s Next Society Institute, has been honored with the Outstanding Paper Award in the 2024 Emerald Literati Awards. This prestigious recognition was awarded for his article “Sustainability and Stakeholder Theory: A Processual Perspective” published in the journal Kybernetes.
The article addresses a critical issue in the realm of corporate sustainability—the epistemic challenge of sustainability within corporate settings. Prof. Dr. Valentinov emphasizes the complexities managers face in both identifying and addressing sustainability problems. He suggests that effective corporate stakeholder management policies could provide a viable solution to these challenges.
The publication contributes significantly to the advancement of stakeholder theory in two key ways:
New Justification for Stakeholder Theory: It underscores the growing importance of cooperative adaptation, providing a fresh perspective on the value of stakeholder theory.
Dual Benefit in Corporate Settings: The paper demonstrates that effective stakeholder management is crucial for maximizing both economic and sustainability performance, thus offering a dual advantage for corporations.
These insights highlight the vital role of cooperative stakeholder management in overcoming corporate sustainability challenges.
Prof. Dr. Vladislav Valentinov‘s recognition in the 2024 Emerald Literati Awards is a testimony to the university‘s commitment to high-impact research. According to Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) indicators-based evaluation by the Research Council of Lithuania, KSU’s research publications are consistently ranked within the top 10 percent of the world’s most highly cited scientific articles.
Emerald Award Certificate
The article Digital Transformation of Management and Organization Theories: A Research Programme by KSU-affiliated researcher Prof. Dr. Steffen Roth has been recognized as a Wiley Top Cited Article for 2022-2023 in the journal Systems Research and Behavioral Science.
His recognized article uses foundational ideas from George Spencer Brown and Niklas Luhmann to develop a comprehensive framework for understanding digital transformation within management and organizational theories. It critically examines traditional guiding distinctions in these fields, using practical examples to highlight prevalent inaccuracies. The article concludes with a forward-looking commentary on the evolution from mere electrification to true digital transformation in management and organization theories.
This accolade is part of a consistent pattern of research excellence at KSU. Prof. Dr. Roth significantly contributes to the university within different roles, such as the Chairman of the Senate and the Founding Director of the Next Society Institute. He is one of the KSU’s most prominent researchers, publishing extensively in the fields of sociology and management.
According to the Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) indicators-based evaluation by the Research Council of Lithuania, KSU’s research publications are regularly ranked within the top 10 percent of the world’s most highly cited scientific articles based on Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science) indicators.
On September 12-15 an international scientific conference dedicated to N. Luhmann’s system theory, “Environments. Observed with Social Systems Theory” was held. It was organized by the Next Society Institute of Kazimieras Simonavicius University and the Inter-University Center in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
During the conference, speakers from more than 30 different countries’ higher education institutions explored the multifaceted concept of “environment” in the context of social systems theory and presented the latest interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical studies in the fields of ecology, politics, economics, communication, law, education, and sociology.
The Rector of Kazimieras Simonavicius University, Prof. Dr. Jolanta Bieliauskaitė, together with the leaders of the Next Society Institute, selected the paper “The steering function of the state in techno-economic transformations for sustainability ” delivered by Lukas Fuchs from the Eindhoven University of Technology as the best conference presentation. His work captivated the committee with its precise argumentation, theoretical foundation, and innovative insights.
On June 7–10, researchers from Kazimieras Simonavicius University (KSU) Next Society Institute held a meeting in Vilnius.
The main purpose of this meeting was to bring together management researchers and consultants in a bid to kick-start the NSI management tool factory, that is, a sub-unit or process of NSI devoted to the translation of systems theoretical ideas into hands-on organizational and management consulting tools.
On June 7, the KSU Next Society Institute held the discussion Next2Next, which took place in the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. The leaders of the Next Society Institute, Steffen Roth and Lars Clausen, together with invited guests Dovilė Gaižauskienė (Senior Policy Analyst at the Government Strategic Analysis Center of Lithuania), Denis Chichmaryov (Country Head for EPAM Lithuania and EPAM Latvia), and Clement Le Bechennec (Global Sales Director at Teltonika Energy), discussed synergies between theoretical approaches and business.
The final day of the meeting was devoted to developing the concept and preparing for the NSI Forum, which is taking place in the autumn of this year.
The Next Society Institute was established at KSU in 2021. It advances social systems theory in the tradition of Niklas Luhmann and explores synergies with alternative schools of systems theory. More about the Next Society Institute: https://next.ksu.lt
Save the date for the discussion “Next2Next” which will be held tomorrow (June 7) at 15:00-16:30 (EEST) in the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, in Statehood Space (2nd floor, room 237).
The discussion will be chaired by the leaders of the KSU Next Society Institute.
Steffen Roth is a Professor of Management at the La Rochelle Business School (France) and a Professor as well as President of the Senate of Kazimieras Simonavicius University (Lithuania).
Steffen Roth earned his Diploma in Sociology from Chemnitz University of Technology in 2002, his PhD in Economics and Management (Dr. rer. pol) from the same university in 2010, and his PhD in Sociology from the University of Geneva in 2013. He is a social systems theorist who focus his research on theories and applications of functional differentiation in modern societies. Further fields of research include multifunctional organizations and markets, the digital transformation of social theory, and foresight and future studies.
Lars Clausen is a trained sociologist, teacher, designer of learning materials and consultant. He is a lecturer at the UCL University College in Denmark, a doctoral candidate at the Europa University in Flensburg, Germany and a research fellow at the Next Society Institute at Kazimieras Simonavicius University, Lithuania.
His current activities are design and implementation of large-scale interventions through potentialization of organizational capacity. Lars Clausen has published on a wide range of topics, such as educational policy, management theory, network organizations, elites and state formation and societal transformation in the wake of media revolutions.
Next Society Institute leaders Steffen Roth and Lars Clausen, together with guests Dovilė Gaižauskienė (Senior Policy Analyst at the Government Strategic Analysis Center of Lithuania), Denis Chichmaryov (Country Head for EPAM Lithuania and EPAM Latvia) and Clement Le Bechennec (Global Sales Director at Teltonika Energy) will brainstorm on what tools are needed for leadership and management to withstand and prosper in the next society.
This discussion is a part of Next Society Institute „Tool Factory“ meeting, which will take place on 7-10th of June in Vilnius.
More information about event here: KSU Next Society Institute invites to discussion Next2Next – ksu.lt
We are excited to announce that Kazimieras Simonavicius University and Next Society Institute launches the discussion “Next2Next”, which will take place on June 7th at 15:00-16:30 (EEST) in the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, in Statehood Space (2nd floor, room 237).
Let us introduce a short biographies of our discussion partners.
Dovilė Gaižauskienė is Senior policy analyst at the Government Strategic Analysis Center of Lithuania.
Dovilė is a practitioner of participatory and performative design, with an extensive experience of working with application of design, performative arts for the co-creation of solutions for the complex problems. In the position at STRATA, she is part of „Lithuania 2050“ team and is involved in the implementation of various Policy Lab projects focused on bringing new, creative approaches and strengthening the innovation of the public sector in Lithuania. Within the institution, Ms. Dovilė Gaižauskienė coordinates the application of participatory design methods and tools, analysis, and reporting.
Denis Chichmaryov is a Country Head for EPAM Lithuania and EPAM Latvia, his focuses are within Company strategy development, execution.
Denis is a practitioner in building scaled network organizations having extensive Engineering and Management background in Information Technologies.
Clement Pascal Le Bechennec is Global Sales Director at Teltonika Energy.
He graduated Master’s degree from the IESEG School of Management (France) in 2010. After ten years as Head of Sales in the specialized retail industry in France, he embarked on a life-changing adventure by moving to Lithuania with his family to join Teltonika Networks in Vilnius. In just three years, he has made significant strides in his career within the Teltonika IoT group. Starting as a sales representative, he is now leading the Teltonika Energy sales division. In his current role, he oversees 40 sales representatives spread across all continents, operating in the EV charging industry. His experience as a team leader, acquired entirely in the field, has equipped him to adapt and surmount numerous challenges. Most recent one is to build up, from scratch, a winning culture for the sales division to enter one of the most dynamic and demanding market.
Kazimieras Simonavicius University and Next Society Institute invites to the discussion Next2Next, which will take place on June 7th at 15:00-16:30 (EEST) in the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, in Statehood Space (2nd floor, room 237).
Everyone is so clearly focused on knowing what exactly is occurring next. That’s the idea with “planning” and making sure, that expectations are fulfilled.
- Next2Next marks what is NOT seen, as politicians and corporations engage with their imagined futures. It’s the necessary “companionship of ignorance”, that all complex systems must operate within as a basic premise. But it also marks a clear reference to next society.
- Next2Next marks the counter-intuitive approach, as planning and managing works along the intuitive perception of imagined futures.
- Next2Next similarly marks Next Society Institute being NEXT to any emerging policy, managerial approach and organizational operation. Next election, next market, next challenge.
In the intensive session on Next2Next stakeholders and experts will discuss and elaborate on how your institutional approach to leadership, management, and policy copes with a brittle environment, when the illusion of control vanishes, predictability erodes, and knowledge becomes uncertain.
Together with the leaders of the Next Society Institute Steffen Roth and Lars Clausen, Dovilė Gaižauskienė (Senior Policy Analyst at the Government Strategic Analysis Center of Lithuania), Denis Chichmaryov (Country Head for EPAM Lithuania and EPAM Latvia) and Clement Le Bechennec (Global Sales Director at Teltonika Energy) will brainstorm on what tools are needed for leadership and management to withstand and prosper in the next society.
This discussion is a part of Next Society Institute „Tool Factory“ meeting, which will take place on 7-10th of June in Vilnius.
The international conference “Scientific Communication. Observed with Social System Theory” organized by the Next Society Institute of Kazimieras Simonavičius University and the Inter-University Center in Dubrovnik (Croatia) took place on September 13-16, 2022.
During the conference, speakers from around the world presented the latest interdisciplinary theoretical and empirical researches on the past, present and future challenges of scientific communication. Here, the COVID-19 pandemic, the communication of climate change research in social media, as well as the relationship between science and political and economic systems have received a lot of attention.
Jan Inge Jönhill’s (Sweden) contribution “Scietific Knowledge and Political Communication” was announced as the best conference paper and awarded the prize established by the Next Society Institute of Kazimieras Simonavičius University for theoretical excellence and inspiration for new research perspectives.
The next conference dedicated to N. Luhmann’s theory “Environments. Observed with Social System Theory” will be held on September 12-15, 2023. Detailed information will be published on the conference website: https://luhmannconference.com.
