Federica De Molli

Corporate Reputation Review Doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-026-00261-w

This article examines how organizations respond to reputational scandals in sponsorship relationships within the fields of art and sport. While sponsorship has been widely explored as a means of building legitimacy, less attention has been given to how legitimacy is actively renegotiated when reputational crises occur. Drawing on stakeholder theory and institutional logics, we investigate how organizations justify either continuing or severing controversial sponsorship ties through strategies grounded in compliance or conformity. Using a comparative case study design and secondary data, we analyse four high-profile scandals involving either discredited sponsors or tainted recipients. The findings reveal that responses are shaped by field-specific reputational dynamics rather than by a simple binary logic. In symbolically rich domains such as the arts, organizations tend to invoke conformity-based arguments aligned with moral and cultural expectations; in performance-driven or lower-visibility sports, compliance-based justifications linked to legality and contractual obligations dominate. Hybrid responses also emerge, influenced by elite stakeholder pressure, media attention, and internal governance considerations. By linking symbolic capital, field structures, and stakeholder salience to sponsorship decision-making, this study contributes to research on corporate reputation, organizational legitimacy, and sponsorship ethics, offering insights for managers facing reputational threats in complex institutional environments.

European Management Review p. 1–18-1–18 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.70076

Abstract The physical structures of megaprojects—such as mega‐canals, metros, railway lines, bridges, tunnels, and iconic opera houses—hold a profound capacity to generate aesthetic experiences with enduring societal impact. Yet, research on megaprojects has predominantly focused on functionality and economic rationale with aesthetics being pushed to the margin or framed in negative terms. We address this gap by reconsidering the notion of the aesthetic sublime , understood as deep experiences of awe, fear, and fascination that may invoke both unsettling existential contemplation and feelings of elevation. Integrating insights from foundational philosophical accounts of the sublime with environmental aesthetics and streams of megaproject research, we develop a framework that identifies five key qualities through which the aesthetic sublime can be manifest in megaproject structures: immensity, timelessness, immersion, melancholy, and the common land. Through this vocabulary, we advance an understanding of megaproject structures not only as technical and economic enterprises but also as aesthetic phenomena that influence how people experience and create meaning from the built environment and, ultimately, how they understand themselves and their place in the world.

Cities: The International Journal of Urban Policy and Planning 174 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2026.107108

Journal of Positive Management 16(1) Doi: https://apcz.umk.pl/JPM/article/view/63163

Purpose: This article explores how human flourishing can be understood as an organizational capability that supports sustainable success, rather than solely as an individual psychological outcome. It aims to integrate insights from positive psychology, leadership, and organizational studies into a coherent human-centric framework. Design/methodology/approach: The article adopts a conceptual research design grounded in an interdisciplinary review of literature. To enrich and illustrate the proposed framework, it draws on qualitative insights from in-depth interviews with three senior executives operating in highly competitive global industries. These insights are used illustratively rather than for empirical generalization. Findings: The article develops an integrative framework identifying three interrelated levers that enable flourishing-oriented organizations: values-based leadership, organizational cultures fostering psychological safety, creativity, and belonging, and the strategic embedding of well-being into everyday organizational practices. Together, these levers link human flourishing to long-term organizational resilience, innovation, and meaningful performance. Implications/limitations: The study offers practical implications for leaders seeking to move beyond short-term performance metrics toward more sustainable, human-centric models of success. As a conceptual article supported by illustrative qualitative insights, its main limitation lies in the absence of large-scale empirical testing, which opens avenues for future research. Originality/value: The article contributes to positive management scholarship by reframing human flourishing as a collective organizational capability and by clarifying the mechanisms through which leadership and culture connect flourishing to sustainable success.

The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2026.2661624

https://open.spotify.com/episode/31hKrSx33a2QoDZQsQzbNO?si=bc2c9bff92204b86

What does it mean to live well in a world obsessed with speed, productivity, and constant activity? In this inspiring episode, I speak with philosopher and writer Joke Hermsen about creativity, hope, time, identity, and the importance of making space for reflection in our lives. Drawing on philosophy, literature, art, and lived experience, Hermsen offers a powerful alternative to the culture of busyness, inviting us to rediscover the value of wonder, imagination, and meaningful pauses. Together, we explore how new ideas emerge when we slow down, the difference between Χρόνος (clock time) and Καιρός (lived time), the role of art in expanding our understanding of ourselves and the world, and why the human capacity for new beginnings may be one of our greatest sources of creativity, freedom, and hope. This conversation is an invitation to embrace uncertainty, cultivate hope, and create space for the moments that truly transform us. A rich and uplifting episode for anyone interested in creativity, philosophy, personal growth, and the art of living.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3BeZBolTxH2CVVMb0cYLeo?si=93139d72b1ac41b2

In this episode, I speak with businessman and art collector Christian Ringnes about what happens when a deeply personal passion becomes part of a shared urban environment. We reflect on the role of private initiative in shaping public space, and on how individual vision can contribute to collective identity. Moving beyond questions of art or development alone, this conversation explores the social value of beauty – and the responsibility that comes with transforming something personal into something that belongs to everyone. From generosity and risk to atmosphere and belonging, we discuss how privately initiated cultural projects can add meaning, character, and a new layer of experience to the cities we inhabit.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3BeZBolTxH2CVVMb0cYLeo?si=URAE_TadQ7SrCMImZGYUXg

In this episode, I speak with businessman and art collector Christian Ringnes about what happens when a deeply personal passion becomes part of a shared urban environment. We reflect on the role of private initiative in shaping public space, and on how individual vision can contribute to collective identity. Moving beyond questions of art or development alone, this conversation explores the social value of beauty - and the responsibility that comes with transforming something personal into something that belongs to everyone. From generosity and risk to atmosphere and belonging, we discuss how privately initiated cultural projects can add meaning, character, and a new layer of experience to the cities we inhabit.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creativity-matters/id1662325340

In a world where creativity and innovation are heralded as key components for staying competitive and gaining an edge in the market, it's crucial to truly understand these concepts. Are creativity and innovation just buzzwords, or can they be harnessed and managed effectively? Join us on this podcast as we embark on a quest to answer these pressing questions. Through engaging discussions with professionals spanning diverse fields, we'll unravel the intricacies of creativity – how it operates, what influences it, and the practical tools we can employ to nurture and manage it in our daily lives and workplaces.

Research Handbooks in Business and Management series p. 170-184 Doi: https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/research-handbook-on-organizational-aesthetics-9781035341573.html?srsltid=AU7gw4XbfFzGm_f0UISGx5V7GIcpaXXVPWTNCXGt9EV1FIXoKM7ZSjPl

This chapter examines the enduring allure of iconic buildings and infrastructures by exploring how some architectural marvels may evoke the aesthetic sublime - a profound experience of awe and "negative pleasure" marked by a tension between fear and fascination. While the classic treatments of the sublime have focused on natural phenomena, we argue that large-scale built environments - such as mega-canals, bridges or opera houses - can evoke similarly powerful experiences. We draw from the philosophical inquiry of aesthetic theory in combinations with environmental and organizational aesthetics. We show how built structures can function as symbolic resources that, beyond their functions and material presence, may shape culture, express identity, and influence behavior within and between organizations. At the height of their significance, experiences of the aesthetic sublime take the character of an affective force with the power to both unsettle and elevate - simultaneously eliciting existential questions and stirring deep cultural resonance. We discuss why and how such powers involve an entanglement of the natural and physical landscapes that in turn enter the landscapes of collective imagination.

Bylivkonferansen 2026 Doi: https://www.arkitektforbundet.no/om-nal/bylivsenteret/bylivkonferansen/

Invited talk on aesthetic sensibility and the role of place in shaping meaning, identity, and responsible approaches to architecture and urban development.

AI Got Good? Did You Make It Your Business?

Invited talk exploring the role of human creativity, leadership, and organizational conditions in turning AI capabilities into meaningful innovation.

Exclusive Roundtable with Leonardo Helicopters, VARD and Vår Energi Doi: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/federicadm_italynorway-industrialinnovation-sustainability-activity-7416964344074108928-nf3i?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAAAwTuecBSqROt4MXOz_nfhTbXI7NpLrR6Ro

Global Boardrooms Executive Seminar Doi: https://lnkd.in/p/eWPxRcbB