Research
21.01.2025

Johanna Mair on rebalancing capitalism and democracy

Professor Johanna Mair at a panel on start-ups for democracies co-hosted by the Hertie Foundation and the Hertie School
Professor Johanna Mair speaking at a panel on start-ups for democracies co-hosted by the Hertie Foundation and the Hertie School

The Professor of Organisation, Strategy and Leadership talks about her project REBALANCE.

Along with practice-oriented teaching, research is the backbone of any university. This is true for the Hertie School as well. What are our researchers working on when they’re not in the classroom? We sat down with Johanna Mair, Professor of Organisation, Strategy and Leadership, to talk about her project, REBALANCE.

Professor Mair, what is REBALANCE, and what is your role?

REBALANCE is a Horizon Europe project developed by a consortium of seven universities and one international NGO that addresses how enterprises threaten or support democracy. Along with Sébastien Mena, Ignas Bruder and Thalita Kalix Garcia, I focus on innovative enterprises within the food system to understand how private sector organisations can strengthen democracy through democratic organising. We show how practices carry and reproduce democratic elements internally and how enterprises can affect democratic organising beyond their organisation.

What are your key findings so far?

We see that democratic principles promoted within organisations, such as transparency, participation and inclusion, have an impact outside them. That is, if you organise yourself more democratically internally, this will carry over to your collaborative relationships with other organisations like suppliers, and might even have an empowering effect on them beyond your direct collaboration.

What specific steps can organisations take to strengthen democracy?

1. Stand up for (your) values when democracy is under threat. But only engage in democracy work if you’re in it for the long haul.

2. Work for democracy internally by listening to your employees, providing training and creating spaces for sharing, and identifying and supporting champions.

3. Work for democracy externally by explaining your company’s stance internally before speaking out externally. Advocate only on specific socio-political issues that are complemented by broad support for civic engagement, and partner with others – companies, civil society and academia.

 

Johanna Mair is Professor of Organisation, Strategy and Leadership at the Hertie School. Her research primarily focusses on how organisations and innovative forms of organising can contribute to economic, social and political progress.

More about our expert

  • Johanna Mair, Professor of Organization, Strategy and Leadership