A paradoxical perspective on the time dimension of corporate sustainability: Having both finite and infinite mindsets to play the game

Abstract

Adopting a paradoxical perspective, we propose that companies need to have both finite and infinite mindsets to play the infinite game of corporate sustainability (CS). The current development of the paradoxical approach to CS focuses primarily on tension management, with limited attention directed to the time dimension and insufficient empirical evidence on how tensions between the present and the future should be dealt with. To bridge this gap, we empirically explore the effect of CS practices, driven by both finite and infinite mindsets, on CS performance. Data collected from a large-scale survey of Chinese automotive manufacturers were analyzed using the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions. Findings suggest that a time-based paradoxical perspective on CS exists in firms, and they have realized short- and long-term benefits from implementing different types of CS practices. Our findings complement the CS literature on tension management and encourage businesses and policymakers to take a paradoxical approach to CS processes and outcomes.