Leadership strategies for sustainable SME operation

Research has been completed that explored the issues of sustainable enterprise operation for small/medium‐size enterprises and also for larger enterprises. The results provide an understanding of how enterprises develop strategies and policies to manage environmental issues and pressures and how this process influences the development of enterprise management systems, functions and culture. To enable small/medium‐size enterprises to facilitate the process of developing their management systems and functions for sustainable enterprise operation, the research has developed a profile of core competencies, which would guide them to operate in a sustainable way. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Knowledge types to progress the development of sustainable technologies: a case study of Swedish demonstration plants

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal - Knowledge development and diffusion through demonstration plants are necessary to progress the development of sustainable technologies, yet...     

Connecting business with the agricultural landscape: business strategies for sustainable rural development

Agribusiness enterprises link rural landscapes to global and regional markets. The nature of these business–landscape relationships is vital to the sustainability transition. Decisions by farmers and agriculture policymakers aggregate to changes in the ecology of landscapes, but the influence of food supply system businesses on rural landscape sustainability also requires scrutiny. This article uses four international cases to present a conceptual framework for investigating how different business strategies can support agricultural landscape sustainability. Insights from North America, New Zealand, The Netherlands, and Denmark inform the framework dimensions of horizontal/territorial and vertical/systemic business–landscape relationships. Three types of business model that promote rural sustainability are highlighted: provenance, cogovernance, and placemaking. These models engage strategies such as environmental management systems, certification, ecosystem and landscape services, and spatial planning. Research directions that will improve understanding about how business can engage with rural stakeholders for more sustainable rural landscapes are identified, including the need for cross disciplinary perspectives incorporating social, ecological, and business knowledge.     

Encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship in climate-threatened communities: a Samoan case study

South Pacific island states are at the forefront of climatic changes that have precipitated severe environmental events. These small countries also face economic and social challenges that require entrepreneurial solutions. We develop a model of how external factors and chance events impact on sustainable opportunity recognition and exploitation in this context. We assess the efficacy of this model in an in-depth study of Women in Business Development Incorporated, a non-governmental organization that helps women and families in Samoa to establish sustainable enterprises. Our findings make a significant contribution to the emerging literature on entrepreneurship, sustainability and resilience in at-risk communities by showing how key organizational capabilities are necessary for coping with exogenous shocks in this context. The findings have important implications for research, policy and practice.     

Marketing strategies in the age of sustainable development: Evidence from the food industry

In this paper we investigate characteristics and drivers of sustainability marketing strategies. Based on an empirical study in the food industry, we identify four sustainability marketing strategy types with distinctive characteristics (performers, followers, indecisives and passives). Consumers are one of the main drivers of sustainability marketing strategies. Depending on the sensitization of consumers to socio‐ecological problems, the perceptibility of socio‐ecological qualities, the individually perceived net benefits and the availability of sustainable alternatives, we argue that the typology and drivers apply to non‐food industries as well. Furthermore, we find that the incorporation of social and ecological aspects into marketing strategies also depends on the market segment in which the company competes: companies that are positioned in the premium or quality segment are more inclined to take an active stance on sustainability marketing than companies that compete in the price segment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Government-university-industry partnerships in technology development: a case study

State programs in high technology development have expanded rapidly since 1979, when only five states had such programs. Today almost all states have technology development programs. Many of these involve partnerships between the state government, industry and universities. The newness of these programs makes the evaluation of their success problematic. However, analysis of the formation and management of technology development programs is useful to practitioners charged with the implementation of university-industry advanced technology programs. One of the largest programs is the Thomas Edison Program created by the Ohio Legislature in 1983. The program has three components, a Seed Capital Fund, Advanced Technology Centers, and Incubator Program.This paper examines the Edison program through analysis of the Edison Animal Biotechnology Center, one of the seven state Advanced Technology Centers.     

Teamwork: a case study on development and performance

The most popular model of team development in Dutch socio-technical literature is a linear approach, which states that teams develop in four successive phases. A method for defining the particular phase a team is in was developed a number of years ago and was recently used in a large-scale survey at Volvo's cab manufacturing plant in Umeå (northern Sweden). Thirty-seven semi-autonomous teams were studied at this plant during a seven-month period. This paper examines the development of the teams and addresses the effects of team development on overall team performance. The aspect of team development was correlated to both performance in terms of quality of working life (QWL) and business performance (BP), which is an empirically unexplored field within team literature. The linear phase approach of team development could not be proved. Nevertheless, teams were found to develop in four important areas, with each aspect significantly affecting team performance.     

Business strategies for transitions towards sustainable systems

This paper develops a strategic perspective for business to contribute to the innovation of societal systems. Sustainability issues at the level of societal sectors cannot be addressed by single organizations but need to be thought of as systemic challenges in which business, government and civil society each play different roles. Sustainability involves structural changes over longer periods of time, and requires co‐evolutionary changes in technology, economy, culture and organizational forms. We propose that the transition management framework offers a fruitful way to analyze such co‐evolutionary processes of social transformation and subsequently develop strategies to influence and accelerate such processes. We present the case of two firms working in this new context of transition management in The Netherlands. From these cases we conceptualize a more general approach for business to redefine and reframe the societal context in which it is operating and develop novel business strategies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

天津现代化港口城市可持续发展研究

在分析现代化港口与城市发展关系的基础上,结合天津市发展的实际规模和水平以及未来发展潜力,尝试建立现代化港口城市评价指标体系,并运用层次分析法确定指标权重、加权线形和法计算指标综合分值,对天津市作为港口城市的现代化水平进行评价,进而提出天津市实现现代化港口城市可持续发展的目标和建议.     

小城镇可持续化发展评价指标体系框架研究

小城镇发展是中国近年来城镇发展的一个非常重要的过程,也出现了不少问题。为了能实现可持续发展的目标,小城镇发展必须遵循科学发展的路径。文章提出一套实验性的小城镇可持续化发展指标体系框架,可用于检验小城镇发展过程中产生的问题并且提供针对性指导。     

Tensions between assessment,grading and development in development centres: a case study

Development centres capitalize upon tried and tested assessment centre methods and are quite widely used in career management. However, a number of issues arise in their operation. Some of these reflect the balance between, on the one hand, assessing and grading people and, on the other hand, facilitating and guiding their future development. An investigation is reported of how these issues are experienced and made sense of in a UK-based international company. Data were gathered on two occasions one year apart (Ns = 95 and 113) from participants and other stakeholders in a development centre for potential senior managers. Findings indicate that participants who were awarded a high grade at the centre did not necessarily have more positive perceptions of the development centre process. However, grading, with its consequences for development, motivation and social networks, was salient in respondents' comments about the centres. Themes in these responses are identified and described. Participants were more likely than others (e.g. assessors, line managers) to value the development centre for reasons related to their development, whereas others were more likely to mention assessment/grading. Few respondents mentioned both. Overall, the findings support, to some extent, concerns about the incompatibility of grading and development, but also suggest that the use of grading does not entirely negate the developmental value of the centres. Much depends on perceptions of how the grading information is used.     

Industry convergence as a strategy for achieving sustainable development of agricultural complex: The case of Sandun‐Lanli in China

The purpose of the paper is to conceptualize and provide empirical evidence for the adoption of industry convergence strategy to sustainably develop the agricultural complex (AC) as a form of multifunctional agriculture in the Chinese context, which aims to achieve environmental sustainability in agricultural production and promotion of farmers' income and employment opportunities. A longitudinal single‐case study method was adopted. Thirty‐six face‐to‐face interviews were carried out with key respondents from various levels and types of government agencies, the Wu‐Sheng Company, and village collectives; participative observations were conducted during the fieldwork between 2016 and 2019. We found sustainability is embedded in and achieved through the industry convergence strategies of AC in the rural area of China. We are the first to formally define AC, propose the four‐stage industry convergence strategies of Wu‐Sheng in the process of developing the AC, and build connection between the AC and sustainable development. The case provides important, rich insights into the AC, industry convergence, and agricultural land use policy and therefore has enormous implications for agricultural companies as well as governments.     

Strategies for local and regional NGO development: combining sustainable outcomes with sustainable organizations

This paper addresses the issue of the development of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the problem of how to combine sustainable outcomes from activities with sustainable organizations. It seeks to blend concept with practice via the development and application of a model of the NGO as an entrepreneurial organization. The context is that of the experience of (and work undertaken with) the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) funded Competency-based Economies through the Formation of Enterprise (CEFE) Network of NGOs in South Africa. The paper argues that viewing NGOs as entrepreneurial small organizations with a focus upon dynamic stakeholder network development, entrepreneurial management, strategic business development, and strategic alliance building is the key to the much sought after combination of sustainable outcomes and organization. After briefly reviewing some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the role of NGOs in small enterprise development and the context of the operation of the CEFE Network of NGOs in South Africa, a model of entrepreneurial NGOs is proposed and then applied to South African CEFE Networks. In the conclusion a final outline of NGO sustainability criteria is offered and implications for donor approaches are briefly explored.     

Collective strategies for improving environmental performance: A case study of the biotechnology industry

This paper examines the potential contributions of institutional theory and the collective strategies framework to assist managers in emerging industries in developing better means of addressing societal concerns. Lack of understanding and difficulties in communication between companies in the forefront of new technology developments and a society that is concerned about the environment have led to many of the problems facing the biotechnology industry. Measures intended to protect the environment from potential adverse effects have frequently restricted activities in the new biotechnology field, even though scientists are themselves convinced of the safety and control they exert over their new technologies. Collective strategies can be instrumental in stabilising certain aspects of the environment. Proper selection of issues and coordinated action can be helpful to all industry participants by informing public perceptions and government regulations and help insure that major environmental trends will evolve in a manner beneficial to all concerned.     

Sustainable tourism development in islands: a case study of Gran Canaria

While sustainable development is recognized as an essential requirement for achieving economic goals without degrading the environment, major problems arise in defining methods for formulating and implementing sustainable strategic actions at the macro‐level, including islands. Bearing in mind this limitation, this research paper will attempt to present a strategic planning methodology for drawing up strategic issues for tourism development from the point of view of sustainability, which is particularly appropriate to islands. The authors first review existing literature on sustainable development with a view to defining a conceptual approach to sustainability and identifying particular areas for sustainable tourism development in the island context. A methodology for formulating strategic issues for sustainable tourism development in Gran Canaria is then drawn up. Sociocultural aspects, the environment and the economy, with particular emphasis on tourism, are examined in order to identify major strategic issues for sustainable development in Gran Canaria. Copyright Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

Business conceptions of sustainable development: a perspective from critical theory

The discourse of sustainable development reflects the particular interests and ‘stakes in the ground’ of groups, including corporates, who contest the definition of the concept. Perspectives from critical theory, supplemented by Foucauldian concepts, expose the role of power and hegemony in that contestation. Applied to understandings of sustainable development held by corporate managers, they reveal conceptions largely based in eco‐modernism and ‘political sustainability’. The preliminary outcomes of research in progress that is taking a dialectical approach to the examination of the discourse of sustainable development in New Zealand companies are discussed. A case is made for maintaining greater discursivity in corporations and the broader setting, since, in a Foucauldian sense, it is the discourse that is producing sustainable development. It is argued that the predominating ‘green business’ discourse engages only superficially with sustainable development, and that what is now needed is a discourse of business and sustainable development framed in critical theory. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment     

建设绿色交通的新北京--对北京市交通规划的建议

回顾近20年来北京市交通的发展,可以说喜忧参半.喜的是,由于政府加大了对道路基础设施的投入,使得道路等基础设施有了突飞猛进的发展,这是有目共睹的巨大成绩.忧的是,由于机动车保有量以惊人的速度上涨,道路交通的拥挤程度逐年增加,出行不仅时间加长而且变得困难;同时,机动车交通所引起的环境污染日益严重.我国加入WTO以后,随着私人购车热潮的到来,道路交通环境将面临更大的压力.北京市已经到了必须对现行交通政策进行反思和认真研究交通需求管理(TDM)的时候了.     

Determinants of consumer demand for circular economy products. A case for reuse and remanufacturing for sustainable development

We investigate determinants of consumer demand for circular (reused and remanufactured) products. Based on exploratory choice-based conjoint experiments with a sample of 800 adults in the United Kingdom, we examine two types of premium segment electronic appliances: a mobile phone and a robot vacuum cleaner. We find that consumers prefer partly circulated products over fully or not at all circulated products and that circular products can likely successfully enter the existing market at the retail price of a new product. Interestingly, circular products compete for market share primarily with new products, leaving the market share of second-hand options less affected. The results show a promising path for firms considering a transition to circular business models.