How It All Started

The Council on Employee Responsibilities and Rights (CERR) is a duly established and registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1985 by Dr. Chimezie Osigweh, Virginia Distinguished Professor of Management, School of Business, Norfolk State University. He and a small group of fellow faculty members felt that the timing was right and the interest level present to create an association of scholars and practitioners focused on both a scholarly as well as a pragmatic approach to the changing nature of employer/employee responsibilities and rights. Some of the top scholars and practitioners in the field who shared an active interest in these issues were recruited and helped shaped the beginning stages of CERR.

The approach adopted included an appeal to a broad-based and interdisciplinary membership base, the development of a widely respected top-tier journal -Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal (ERRJ), and holding an annual meeting. After 20 years of being the official Journal publication arm of CERR, ERRJ was replaced in 2009 by the International Journal for Responsible Employment Practices and Principles (IJREPP),   the official journal of CERR, that continues in the tradition of the 21 year history of accomplishments and success as being the premiere journal in this field.  The special emphasis of the Journal is to provide a rich mixture of scholarly research as well practical and helpful guidance to executives, HR managers, and professionals at all organizational levels with respect to new developments and knowledge in the field.

The Birth of AEPP

In 1990, a name change for CERR was proposed to better reflect the purpose, goals, and image to be projected to the public and business communities. After much discussion and debate, it was decided in 1992 to maintain the original name of CERR but to create a formal Conference arm to include scholars and practitioners while the other branch would include practicing executives, managers and professionals at all organizational levels. One of the branches, the Association on Employment Practices and Principles (AEPP),  provides a  forum which encourages conceptual and empirical research, evaluates existing and new methods, and promotes concrete problem solving to bridge the gap between organizational concepts and practices in the effective managing of organizations, people and performance. The association reinforces the need to include the integration of an ethical and value-driven dimension in all areas addressed. Areas of specialized interests vary widely inclusive of ethics and philosophy, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation management, organizational psychology, human resource management, labor relations, and advanced leadership and management education and research. Virtually all topics and issues confronting diverse organizations and businesses are addressed by members. Thousands of businesses have been assisted by AEPP members in dealing with the many problems and opportunities that exist in the ever changing realm of today's business and organizational environments.

In 1992, Dr. Keenan became AEPP's Founding President and in 2009 AEPP is celebrating its seventeenth anniversary. Some of the top scholars and practitioners in the field who shared an active interest in these issues were recruited and helped shape the beginning stages of the organization. As the conference arm of CERR, AEPP holds an annual international meeting each year and currently attracts scholars and practitioners from across the globe. Within the context of an informal, relaxed, and stimulating environment, the conference encourages: an interchange of ideas between practitioners and academics, close-knit interaction, in-depth exchange of ideas, relationship building, and academic and personal growth. Past conferences have been held in major cities as New York City, San Francisco, New Orleans, Miami Beach, Boston, San Diego, Baltimore, Chicago, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The 2010 conference will be held in San Francisco, California on Sept 29 - Oct. 1, 2010 under the sponsorship of the University of San Francisco.

The Council on Employee Responsibilities and Rights (CERR)

CERR, as an international organization of scholars, practitioners, executives, and managers, is focused on educational and other initiatives to put ethics, values, responsibilities, and rights back in the workplace.

CERR’ s mission includes:

1.    To provide an interdisciplinary forum in which attempts will be made by scholars and practitioners--in the areas of business, management, communication, corporate social responsibility, organizational behavior, education (leadership, training, administration), philosophy, ethics and other areas of business, humanities, social and behavioral sciences--to examine and/or bridge some of the gaps between organizational concepts and practices in the area of employee responsibilities and rights.

2.    To establish a communication network that will link those professionals and academics interested in this area of organizational performance.

3.    To educate industry, academia, and the general public in matters of employee responsibilities and rights through national and international conferences, symposia, workshops, publications (e.g., books, journals, proceedings, other periodicals) and related activities.

4.    To battle ignorance and organizational injustice through advocacy programs and other related or facilitating activities.

5.    To publish materials that will foster its objectives.

6.    To generate funds through annual conferences, subscriptions to its journals, seminars/workshops, etc., and to hold, administer, sell, invest, reinvest, manage, use, disburse and distribute, and apply the income and/or principal of the same as the Corporation may deem best from time to time, for the purpose of assisting in the promotion of any or all of the foregoing purposes.

7.    To do any and all things, either alone or in cooperation with other organizations or institutions, and either directly or by contribution to such other organizations or institutions, which it may deem necessary or proper in order to carry into effect any or all of the foregoing objects or purposes.