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1 – 10 of over 18000This study aims to explore the association between environmental sustainability thoughts and environmental performance. Mediation through social innovation and moderating role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the association between environmental sustainability thoughts and environmental performance. Mediation through social innovation and moderating role of green innovation is also tested.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research design was used for analyzing the personal/lived experience of 387 small–medium enterprises (SMEs) managers. Data were collected from persons who were performing their job, that is, it is based on current data. Cross-section data were collected through questionnaires. Correlation and regression analysis was used to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
Green innovation encourages firms to grow to be competent and increase their environmental performance. Results proved that businesses can work in a sustainable way through environmental sustainability thoughts and green innovation. Moreover, social innovation leveraged the interplay of environmental sustainability thoughts and the environmental performance.
Originality/value
The uniqueness of this research is that it combined environmental sustainability thoughts, social innovation and green innovation for developing environmental performance model for SMEs. This research includes new approach on sustainability domain and offered newest relevant factors to achieve a wider perceptive and multifaceted analysis of all dimensions that influence environmental performance.
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Nancy J. Hanson-Rasmussen and Kristy J. Lauver
This study aims to examine how students in business colleges across three countries, the United States, India and China, interpret environmental sustainability. This study also…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how students in business colleges across three countries, the United States, India and China, interpret environmental sustainability. This study also explores where students from different cultures believe responsibility lies in caring for the environment and how these beliefs represent their cultural and millennial values. The purpose of this study, then, is to investigate millennial business students’ perspectives toward the environment across the three countries holding the largest ecological footprint.
Design/methodology/approach
College of business students from the United States, India and China were surveyed. Student responses regarding environmental sustainability were compared to values of the millennial generation and placement of responsibility compared to national culture dimensions.
Findings
An average of 66.3 per cent of the coded responses reflect the optimism of the generation. Concern for future generations was a frequent theme. Most responses assigned responsibility for environmental sustainability to “all”. Results support the work of Husted (2005) and Park et al. (2007) as well as the expectations of the millennial generation’s values related to environmental sustainability.
Originality/value
The authors connect national cultural research to environmental sustainability. This study explores where students from different cultures believe responsibility lies in caring for the environment and how these beliefs represent their cultural and millennial values. National cultural combined with millennial opinion is an important area of research for understanding the assignment of responsibility related to environmental sustainability.
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Md. Saifullah Akon, Md. Juel Mia and Rathindra Nath Biswas
The political factors of a country have a high influence over the economic development process. Economic development came at a high cost to the environment, from climate change to…
Abstract
The political factors of a country have a high influence over the economic development process. Economic development came at a high cost to the environment, from climate change to biodiversity loss when the government’s development policies disdain environmental aspects. People of lower socio-economic countries are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards related to irresponsible economic development which is sometimes disregarded by the political leaders. These politics-induced economic development causes the degradation of environmental quality and damages the ecological structures and processes upon which it depends, which have ultimately raised the question of environmental sustainability of the future generation. With the name of increasing living standards through frenetic economic activity, the world community has been destroying the natural resources and global ecosystems without conserving for the next generations’ well-being. However, using a qualitative approach, the chapter reflects the correlations among the political determinants and the economic development, and examines the issues that impede environmental sustainability. It explores how politics and economic development have driven environmental degradation and accelerated climate change. The chapter minimises the knowledge gaps in politics, development, and environment nexus by providing a comprehensive account of the dynamic interplay between different variables.
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Belverd E. Needles, Mark L. Frigo, Marian Powers and Anton Shigaev
Prior research shows that companies that achieve high performance excel at certain financial objectives. This chapter addresses the question: Do companies that excel at these…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior research shows that companies that achieve high performance excel at certain financial objectives. This chapter addresses the question: Do companies that excel at these financial performance objectives also excel in integrated reporting and sustainability reporting?
Methodology/approach
We compare a sample of high performance companies (HPC) with a sample of companies that purport to support integrated reporting, and a sample that purport to support sustainability reporting. Our hypotheses are that HPC will equal or exceed the integrated reporting and sustainability reporting practices shown by International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) companies and US companies will be less at these practices than non-US companies.
Findings
Our findings indicate that IIRC companies and GRI companies generally do not meet the high financial performance measures of the HPC. Based on an integrated reporting and sustainability reporting matrix, we show that HPC exhibit equal performance on the practices of sustainability and integrated reporting compared to GRI companies, but both HPC and GRI are lower on these practices than IIRC companies. Also, US companies disclose less information in sustainability reports and integrated reports as compared to non-US companies. Overall, all three groups fall short of full compliance with standards of integrated reporting and sustainability reporting.
Originality/value
This chapter provides evidence as to the financial performance and the current state of integrated reporting and sustainability reporting among HPC, GRI, and IIRC companies. This chapter highlights the global need for a generally accepted set of standards for sustainability and integrated reporting practices.
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Belverd E. Needles, Marian Powers, Mark L. Frigo and Anton Shigaev
This study establishes a baseline evaluation of sustainability reporting (SR) and integrated reporting (IR) practices among groups of companies globally using a combined…
Abstract
This study establishes a baseline evaluation of sustainability reporting (SR) and integrated reporting (IR) practices among groups of companies globally using a combined evaluation matrix. We evaluate a sample of high performance companies (HPC), global reporting initiative (GRI) companies, international integrated reporting committee (IIRC) companies, and a control group of companies that do not belong to any of these groups. We test for high performance and compliance with a 30-point evaluation matrix for financial reporting, corporate governance, integrated disclosure, SR, and assurance developed from the standards set by GRI and IIRC. This chapter provides evidence as to the current IR and SR states, and shows that considerable variation exists even among companies that have pledged to improve reporting in this arena. The analysis also shows that companies that belong to no special group do in fact score on a level that shows that SR and IR standards are being implemented by many companies in the world, not just those in special groups like the HPC, GRI, and IIRC. Finally, this study provides direction for global regulators and professional associations, and to the management of companies that aspire to HPC status while meeting the IR and SR standards.
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Chetna Priyadarshini, Namrata Chatterjee, Nishit Kumar Srivastava and Ritesh Kumar Dubey
Transformational leadership has caught the significant attention of many academic scholars in the leadership domain. In recent studies, emphasis has been given on green…
Abstract
Purpose
Transformational leadership has caught the significant attention of many academic scholars in the leadership domain. In recent studies, emphasis has been given on green transformational leaders who empower their subordinates, which, in turn, leads to employees’ discretionary behavior toward environmental management of the organization, which has been denoted as organizational environmental citizenship behavior. Organizational citizenship behavior has been strongly advocated as a means to improve the environmental performance of organizations. A green transformational leader encourages his subordinates to undertake activities that are beneficial to the organization’s environmental management, such as thinking about the sustainable development of the organization, solving environmental problems and contributing to the firm’s environmental performance. This study aims to investigate the domain of environmental leadership by examining the mechanism and conditions under which green transformational leaders induce organizational environmental citizenship behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Information technology (IT) firms across four major cities in India were considered for the survey to examine the proposed hypotheses. Online questionnaires were shared with 1,286 employees working across seven branches of IT companies. A total of 378 respondents completed the survey, but only 293 questionnaires were suitable for further analysis using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings of the study show that green transformational leadership promotes green empowerment and organizational citizenship behaviors toward the environment (OCBE) among the employees. It also reveals that environmental passion plays a key role in promoting eco-initiative and eco-helping behavior among the employees when they are empowered for green practices. Also, the influence of resource commitment fosters eco-civic engagement among the employees.
Practical implications
Results hold strong implications for human resource managers on how green transformational leadership approaches can help trigger organizational citizenship behavior among employees. Also, understanding the impact of green empowerment on employees’ involvement in extra-role behavior will help organizations to develop strategies to strengthen their sense of empowerment toward green practices.
Originality/value
This study attempts to investigate the impact of green transformational leadership on employees’ OCBE and the mechanisms through and conditions under which green transformational leadership may impact the indicators of OCBE. The study proposes a mechanism and social and psychological conditions that can potentially explain the linkages between green transformational leadership and OCBE: green empowerment, resource commitment and environmental passion.
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Mohsin Rasheed, Jianhua Liu and Ehtisham Ali
This study investigates the crucial link between sustainable practices and organizational development, focusing on sustainable knowledge management (SKM), green innovation (GI…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the crucial link between sustainable practices and organizational development, focusing on sustainable knowledge management (SKM), green innovation (GI) and corporate sustainable development (CSD) in diverse Pakistani organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a comprehensive research methodology involving advanced statistical techniques, such as confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling. These methods are instrumental in exploring the complex interrelationships between SKM, GI, moderating factors and CSD.
Findings
This research generates significant findings and actively contributes to sustainable development. The following sections (Sections 4 and 5) delve into the specific findings and in-depth discussions, shedding light on how industry regulation, organizational sustainability priorities, workplace culture collaboration and alignment between green culture and knowledge management practices influence the relationships between SKM, GI and CSD. These findings provide valuable insights for the research community and organizations striving for sustainability.
Practical implications
The study’s findings have practical implications for organizations seeking to enhance their sustainability efforts and embrace a socially and environmentally conscious approach to organizational growth.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on sustainable practices and organizational development. Researchers and business people can learn a lot from it because it uses advanced econometric models in new ways and focuses on the link between knowledge management, GI and sustainable corporate development.
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Ricardo Aguado and Jabier Martinez
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the suitability of using gross domestic product (GDP) as a proper indicator for sustainability in a given national economy and to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the suitability of using gross domestic product (GDP) as a proper indicator for sustainability in a given national economy and to identify the main features that a proper measure of sustainability (composed by a set of indicators) should incorporate. After showing the inconveniences of using GDP as an indicator of sustainability for national economies, the authors aim to present complementary indicators to GDP per capita to do this task. They also aim to calculate and discuss the efficiency of OECD countries in terms of achieving sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical framework is proposed based on recent economic studies about sustainability and also on the principles of Catholic social thought. Once complementary indicators to GDP in order to measure sustainability have been proposed, the econometric method data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to perform an efficiency analysis of the three dimensions of sustainability (social, economic and environmental).
Findings
GDP alone is not a proper indicator of sustainability for national economies. Relevant economic literature and also specific documents from Catholic social thought can help when identifying complementary indicators to GDP in order to assess sustainability. Developed economies are able to be efficient in achieving the three dimensions of sustainability at the same time.
Research limitations/implications
The three dimensions of sustainability considered in this paper are the fundamental ones, and can be complemented with new ones. A comparison with other sustainability indices could bring new insights for further research.
Originality/value
In this paper the authors combine recent economic literature with Papal encyclicals and documents from the General Congregations of the Society of Jesus, in order to provide a comprehensive set of indicators to measure sustainability. A DEA analysis has been carried out to calculate efficiency in achieving sustainability for OECD countries.
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Christine Byrch, Kate Kearins, Markus Milne and Richard Morgan
The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of sustainable development held by New Zealand “thought leaders” and “influencers” promoting sustainability, business, or…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the meaning of sustainable development held by New Zealand “thought leaders” and “influencers” promoting sustainability, business, or sustainable business. It seeks to compare inductively derived worldviews with theories associated with sustainability and the humanity‐nature relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Worldviews were explored through a cognitive mapping exercise. A total of 21 thought leaders and influencers constructed maps of their understanding of sustainable development. These maps were analysed to reveal commonalities and differences.
Findings
Participant maps illustrated disparate levels of detail and complexity. Those participants promoting business generally emphasized the economic domain, accepting economic growth and development as the key to sustainable development. An emphasis on the environmental domain, the future, limits to the Earth's resources, and achievement through various radical means, was more commonly articulated by those promoting sustainability. Participants promoting sustainable business held elements of both approaches, combining an emphasis on the environmental domain and achievement of sustainable development by various reformist means.
Research limitations/implications
This study identified the range of worldviews expressed by 21 thought leaders and influencers across three main domains only – promoters of sustainability, business or both. Extending this sample and exploring how these and other views arise and are represented within a wider population could be the subject of further research.
Practical implications
Such divergence of opinion as to what connotes sustainable development across even a small sample does not bode well for its achievement. The elucidation of the worldview of promoters of sustainable business points to the need to consider more carefully the implications of environmentalism, and other aspects of sustainability, integrated into a business agenda.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to empirical research on environmental worldviews which has barely penetrated discussion of sustainability within the management and business literature. It shows cognitive mapping to be an effective technique for investigating the meaning of a conceptual theme like sustainable development.
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This study aims to investigate the viewpoints of heterodox economic thoughts and Islamic economic thought concerning the concept of waste. Additionally, it explores the shared…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the viewpoints of heterodox economic thoughts and Islamic economic thought concerning the concept of waste. Additionally, it explores the shared criticisms that both perspectives hold against mainstream economic thought in relation to waste.
Design/methodology/approach
First of all, the concept of waste is examined and the global effects of waste are investigated. Criticisms directed in the context of waste in mainstream economics in the context of heterodox school thoughts are examined. Likewise, criticisms directed in the context of waste in mainstream economics in the context of Islamic economic thoughts are examined. Finally, the common and different aspects of heterodox and Islamic economic thoughts were discussed, and the common criticisms of mainstream economic thought’s point of view toward waste were examined. This study is a theoretical, qualitative study.
Findings
Although both ideas have different aspects, heterodox and Islamic economic thoughts believe that the mainstream economy, which is based on capitalism and materialism, creates waste by ignoring the long-term social and environmental consequences of economic activity. They argue that the pursuit of profits and growth, without considering the impact on society and the environment, leads to an inefficient and unsustainable use of resources.
Originality/value
The best author’s knowledge, by emphasizing the common and different aspects of Islamic economics and heterodox thoughts, this study is the first to examine the concept of waste in the context of the common aspects of these ideas.
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