Implementation Of Sustainable Strategies Research Articles

Accounting for land use changes beyond the farm-level in sustainability assessments: The impact of cocoa production

Impact assessments are used to raise evidence and guide the implementation of sustainability strategies in commodity value chains. Due to methodological and data difficulties, most assessments of agricultural commodities capture the impacts occurring at the farm-level but often dismiss or oversimplify the impacts caused by land use dynamics at larger geographic scale. In this study we analyzed the impacts of two cocoa production systems, full-sun and agroforestry, at the farm-level and beyond the farm-level. We used life cycle assessment to calculate the impacts at the farm-level and a combination of land use modelling with spatial analysis to calculate the impacts beyond the farm-level. We applied this to three different future cocoa production scenarios. The impacts at the farm-level showed that, due to lower yields, cocoa agroforestry performs worse than cocoa full-sun for most impact indicators. However, the impacts beyond the farm-level showed that promoting cocoa agroforestry in the landscape can bring the largest gains in carbon and biodiversity. A scenario analysis of the impacts at the landscape-level showed large nuances depending on the cocoa farming system adopted, market dynamics, and nature conservation policies. The analysis indicated that increasing cocoa demand does not necessarily result in negative impacts for carbon stocks and biodiversity, if sustainable land management and sustainable intensification are adopted. Landscape-level impacts can be larger than farm-level impacts or show completely opposite direction, which highlights the need to complement farm-level assessments with assessments accounting for land use dynamics beyond the farm-level.

Evaluation of challenges for sustainable transformation of Qatar oil and gas industry: A graph theoretic and matrix approach

Despite Qatar's National Vision 2030 implementation, several organisations within the oil and gas sector still have difficulties in embedding sustainability agenda in their systems and processes. There is, also, a paucity of empirical research on the key challenges Qatar oil and gas organisations face in embedding sustainable strategies to improve competitiveness – which is the core raison d’être of this paper. A qualitative approach was adopted to collect and analyse data based on 24 interviewees from eight organisations. Six key challenges hindering the implementation of sustainability strategies. They are: stakeholders' issues, volatility of price, resistance to change, knowledge and awareness, initial cost and strategic issues. Furthermore, the graph theoretic and matrix approach was applied to evaluate the challenges inhibiting the implementation of sustainability strategies within the Qatar oil and gas industry. The results show that strategic issues represent a greatest challenge when compared to other challenges.

A study on corporate sustainability performance evaluation and management: The sustainability balanced scorecard

In recent years, more and more companies have noted the significance of addressing serious social and environmental issues, and various sustainability strategies have been implemented to ensure sustainable competitive advantage. An urgent issue is how to integrate sustainability strategy-related goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) into performance evaluation and compensation systems, and how to integrate employees’ awareness of environmental protection and social contribution into their daily work. This study examines management tools that can link sustainability strategies with sustainability performance evaluation and compensation systems. Specifically, the balanced scorecard (BSC) is positioned as a management tool for measuring, evaluating, and managing sustainability performance, with a particular focus on the sustainability balanced scorecard (SBSC), which incorporates economic, environmental, and social factors. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of sustainability performance assessment and management in sustainability management based on previous studies and cases of advanced companies that have introduced SBSC, such as the Generali Group, and to systematically evaluate the functions and usefulness of SBSC as a sustainability performance assessment and management tool. The findings indicate that the SBSC is an effective management tool for improving sustainability performance and implementing sustainability strategies

Firm identity and image: Strategic intent and antecedents to sustainability reporting

A firm’s strategic intent is often communicated through its vision, mission, and values statements. By linking sustainability with strategic intent (Galpin, Whittington, & Bell, 2015), firms seek to portray to their stakeholders (Ali, Frynas, & Mahmood, 2017; Papoutsi & Sodhi, 2020) that sustainability is a core part of their long-term goal. But there is limited research about whether publicly avowed sustainability messaging matches firms actual conduct reflected in their sustainability reports (Amran, Lee, & Devi, 2014). Content analysis of the vision, mission, and values statements of firms comprising the S&P/TSX composite index in 2020, and regression modelling tested whether firms’ that communicate their corporate social responsibility intentions, sustainable image, and sustainable identity in their vision, mission, and values statements are also more likely to engage in sustainability reporting. We find that firms were more likely to report, and at greater levels, on their sustainable activities when they message their strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) intent. However, including external stakeholders when messaging about their CSR intent has a greater effect than the inclusion of internal stakeholders suggesting these firms are keener to portray a sustainable image than creating a sustainable identity. This result has implications for the successful implementation of sustainability strategies by these firms

Marketing Strategies and Export Performance of Fresh Produce Firms in Kenya

The study objective was to examine the role of marketing strategies on export performance of fresh produce fi rms in Kenya. A major stream of research has considered marketing strategy and performance within the context of a domestic economy. A census survey was carried out among all the 100 fresh produce fi rms that were ordinary members of the Fresh Produce Export Association of Kenya (FPEAK) as at 31st June 2019. The study utilized a positivist approach. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted. The results of regression analysis revealed that the relationship between marketing strategies and export performance was positive and statistically signifi cant. To policy makers, the study recommends regional and bilateral trade agreements that seek to increase the market share for fresh produce fi rms. To management practice, the study provides guidelines on how to design and implement sustainable but competitive marketing strategies for the export market. For future research direction, the study recommends additional moderating/mediating variables that may infl uence export performance.

Three Anchoring Managerial Mechanisms to Embed Sustainability in Service Organizations

The aim of this discussion paper is to address three major concerns in establishing sustainability in service organizations regarding the intersections among external reporting, internal governance, and business management and innovation. External reporting addresses issues related to sustainability information specificities and determinants, the pros and cons of mandating CSR disclosures, and the need for assurance. The internal management of sustainability refers to the opportunities and challenges for services to introduce sustainable business models and sustainability innovation. Finally, internal governance prioritizes the control process and systems employed by managers to make informed decisions and implement sustainability strategies. By means of an extensive and sophisticated literature review, the article contributes to untangling the opportunities and challenges that services face when adopting external and internal practices to commit to sustainability. Specifically, the paper addresses how company-level mechanisms of transparency, accountability, and innovation are linked to system-level mechanisms of implementation that lead to the adoption of sustainability in service organizations.

Sustainable purchasing role in the development of business

Abstract A general preoccupation of many local companies is to design and implement sustainable strategies. In this context, managers are seeking to identify the potential of different factors to facilitate the effective integration of sustainability into their business practices. In the present paper, we clarify the sustainable purchasing concept and we analyse this activity run within several corporations from the local banking field, IT&C and pharma. The literature review served as a basis for an empirical investigation among local large organizations. The methods used were in-depth bibliographic documentation, companies’ analysis and semi-structured interviews performed with purchasing heads. The result of the research confirms the important role of the purchasing activity and shows us how this field can contribute to a sustainable development of business. Despite the general interest and the motivation to use sustainable principles, effective incorporation of sustainable purchasing principles into business practices may encounter some obstacles, raising the need for more research.

Sustainability strategies and performance of public universities in Kenya

The current operational setup in Kenya’s Universities is a turbulent one and highly competitive market condition. To ensure survival and sustainability, public universities require to adopt and implement competitive strategies. Many scholars have investigated sustainability efforts by Universities in pursuit of performance, however, it is still not clear how sustainable strategies have the greatest influence on the performance of Public Universities. Thus, the study set to establish the influence of sustainability strategies on the performance of Public Universities in Kenya. The study was anchored on resource-based theory. To achieve the objectives, the study was anchored on a pragmatic philosophy and mixed research design with a target population of 234 University top managers. Primary data was collected using a 5 point Likert-type questionnaire and an interview guide. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that sustainability strategies had a significantly statistical influence on the performance of public universities in Kenya. The regression analysis for composite results revealed that sustainability strategies (SS) alone account for 53% of the variation of performance of Public Universities (R2=0.53, (t=7.68, p<0.05). Regression analysis for individual results, cost reduction (CR) (R2 0.518, t=18.07 p, <0.05), collaboration (C) (R2=0.418, t=2.7 p, <0.05) and diversification (D) (R2=0.218, t=8.07 p, <0.05). This study concluded that implementation of sustainability strategies (cost reduction, diversification, and collaboration) are essential strategies Public Universities can use in their endeavor to improve their performance.

Strategies for Improving Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Lettuce Grown on Histosols

The global demand for P fertilizers has been significantly increasing, resulting in higher costs and environmental concerns associated with eutrophication. Fertilizer expenses and environmental risks can be reduced through the implementation of sustainable strategies. This new 6-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department compiles several strategies to improve the utilization of P fertilization in lettuce grown in the Everglades Agricultural Area.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1423

Sustainability in executive remuneration - A missing link towards more sustainable firms?

This paper contributes by showing simultaneously the interlinked challenges of sustainability-based (based on long-term economic, social and environmental targets) executive remuneration and the problems of transparency in remuneration reporting. Our empirical data, analyzed using qualitative content analysis, consists of the published remuneration statements and sustainability reports of 43 Finnish companies reporting according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework. Our results indicate that comprehensive sustainability remuneration is still rare in Finnish large companies: long-term financial targets are implemented at most companies, but social or environmental targets were only reported by 7 companies (16%). We conclude that executive remuneration policies are still mainly concerned with financial targets and aligning the interests of executives and shareholders and ignoring other stakeholders. The dominance of the remuneration reporting by the local Finnish Corporate Governance Code (FCGC) over GRI reporting on remuneration highlights sustainability accounting as local practice and is a reason for the lack of fully transparent reporting about the criteria of sustainability remuneration. We conclude that sustainable executive remuneration and simultaneously lacking transparency of reporting on it do not support implementation of sustainability strategies in Finnish companies and may hinder the development towards genuine sustainability and shows that there is an important (missing) link between incentives and sustainability in business.

The intertwinement of professional knowledge culture, leadership practices and sustainability in the restaurant industry

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to research on the growing expectation of hospitality businesses to implement sustainability strategies. By using the theoretical framework of professional knowledge cultures, as discussed by Nerland [Nerland, M. (2012). Professions as knowledge cultures. In Professional learning in the knowledge society (pp. 27–48). Brill/Sense], together with concepts of leadership and management, the study presents a novel approach. The aim is to explore the knowledge culture and the processes of learning and leadership formation in the restaurant industry to understand how these impact sustainable decision-making in restaurants. Through a narrative method, a typical industry career is illuminated, which mirrors the route to becoming a leader while adopting sustainability strategies. One podcast interview was used as research material to introduce a new data source derived from social media. The sampling considers the relevance of the narrators’ knowledge and experience of the chef's profession and is therefore representative of a naturally occurring data. The analysis, based on knowledge culture, leadership practices, and sustainability, shows that the size of the restaurant matters for financial and socially sustainable decision-making. This is explained by the production flow in large organizations, which depends on calculated and effective work methods. Environmental sustainability strategies appear as a personal concern and are thereafter transformed into the knowledge culture, identified as a normative leadership.

Reporting di Sostenibilità e Controllo Manageriale: L'esperienza di Edison S.p.A.

Reporting di Sostenibilita e Controllo Manageriale:L’esperienza di Edison S.p.A [Sustainability Disclosure and Management Control: the Experience of Edison] The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of management control systems. Particularly, this research aims at examining how management control systems sup-port (1) the implementation of sustainability strategies within the organization and (2) the non-financial reporting process. This qualitative research focuses on the case study of Edison S.p.A. Data include sustainability reports, sustainability plans, and non-financial reports that the organi-zation published during the last three years. Moreover, the authors interview the or-ganization's sustainability managers, management accountants, and controllers to grasp certain peculiarities related to the use of management control systems, and to deepen this control systems’ role in the sustainability disclosure process. Relying on Merchant and Riccaboni's (2001) theoretical framework, this study finds that management control systems play a key role, summarized as follows: support in the decision-making process, definition of objectives and related sustainability tar-gets, monitoring activities, guidance in identifying corrective actions, and measures for an effective improvement of non-financial performance. From a practical perspective, the findings of this study provide interesting insights related to the definition and implementation of organizational solutions for economic and financial equilibrium; moreover, the findings of this study also provide interest-ing insights in terms of sustainability performance.

КРУГОВА ЕКОНОМІКА: СТІЙКІ ІННОВАЦІЙНІ БІЗНЕС-МОДЕЛІ В ІНДУСТРІЇ МОДИ

Promoting sustainable fashion within the circular economy is an important contemporary topic. Experts in design, consumption, business and industry explain how to approach circularity in fashion production and consumption in different ways. Increasingly, new and existing companies are looking for ways to thrive in a competitive environment through innovative business models, taking into account public opinion and avoiding actions that harm the planet. Trends such as the circular economy, fair trade, and sharing policies are among the many new approaches to business that address these issues, but there is still a gap between the theory that argues for levels of environmental and social sustainability and the implementation of these strategies in practice. That is why the study of the current state of the circular economy is relevant. This article presents the principles of the circular economy in terms of fashion. The key aspects of the integration of sustainable development in the fashion industry are considered. Different approaches of new business models for the circularity of the economy are highlighted. The main directions of implementation of sustainability strategies due to business transformation are identified, which requires the construction of a new level of the system and radical innovations.

A sustainability maturity model for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) based on a data analytics evaluation approach

A maturity model for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is introduced to assess the level of implementation of sustainability strategies and practices in this type of business. According to the literature, only a few sustainability-maturity assessment models intended for MSMEs have integrated the following three factors: environmental knowledge management, environmental strategies and good practices, and environmental management systems. The sustainability maturity model proposed here for MSMEs is capable of supporting the efforts of companies in their attempts to achieve both environmental sustainability and an improvement in their production systems. The model encompasses a four-level qualitative scale and uses supervised classification algorithms to categorize companies through data analysis techniques. After applying the model to a group of MSMEs from different productive sectors in Colombia, the results have shown that 6% of the companies were at an insufficient level, 31% were at an initial level, 45% at a developed sustainability maturity level, and 18% at a consolidated level. This result implies that the decision makers in the latter group have paid greater attention to the strengthening of sustainability progress capabilities and, hence, to the definition of a maturation route.

An ISM-Based Methodology for Interrelationships of Critical Success Factors for Construction Projects in Ecologically Fragile Regions: Take Korla, China as an Example

Construction activities taken place in ecologically fragile regions (EFRs) of China are facing a series of environmental obstacles. Studying critical success factors (CSFs) to arrive at the sustainable objectives for construction project in EFRs is needed. Understanding the interrelationships of these CSFs is one of the vital ways to achieve this. This paper identifies and analyzes 18 CSFs for construction projects in EFRs through a literature review from a multi-perspective and a case study of Korla City in China. The causal relationship between each CSF is obtained by pairwise comparisons and thereafter, an ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling) method is employed to study the hierarchical structuring of the CSFs. As a result, we established a five-level ISM. Subsequently, an MICMAC (cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification) approach is implemented to partition and classify each CSF into four quadrants (independent, linkage, autonomous, and dependent) according to their driver and dependence powers. Through the implementation of an MICMAC approach, the degrees of relationship between each CSF is gained. The findings reveal that the studied 18 CSFs have a strong hierarchy and interrelationship. The project manager’s leadership style and economic viability are the root source of project success and has the highest influence, which is supported by the result of MICMAC analysis. CSF planning and implementation of sustainable strategies are more dependent and are influenced by others. The CSFs on the top level of ISM: conflict resolution, planning and implementation of sustainable strategies and resources of water play a significant role in arriving at the project success, and has a great potential for future study. The approaches implemented in this paper can be helpful for decision-makers and managers of construction projects in comprehending the interrelationships and the degrees of CSFs for construction projects in EFRs and for efficiently achieving the project success.

Sustainability strategy of Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil industry: a qualitative analysis

PurposeGlobal palm oil production is growing rapidly, especially in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia and Malaysia as the biggest producers. Despite significant contributions to these countries’ economies, environmental and social aspects continue to be debated within this industry. The sustainability strategy is very important for the palm oil industry. This study aims to explore the sustainability strategy using six elements, namely, stakeholder engagement, governance and leadership, sustainability view and the economic, environmental and social strategies of Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil companies.Design/methodology/approachThis study observes 21 Indonesian palm oil companies and 44 Malaysian palm oil companies from 2014 to 2018 with a total observation of 280 firm years. The methodology used in this study is a qualitative content analysis of six themes based on the sustainability strategy elements, which was further developed into 40 indicators. Content analysis is carried out on information published in annual reports and sustainability reports.FindingsThe study results indicate that stakeholder engagement, governance and leadership and strategic view of the palm oil companies in Indonesia and Malaysia are still likely to be weak. Palm oil companies have not demonstrated their focus on implementing economic, environmental and social strategies. Although the results indicate that there is a greater emphasis on environmental and social strategies than on economic issues, attention to both issues is still very low.Practical implicationsPalm oil companies need to integrate sustainability strategies in their business models and communicate them well to stakeholders to increase their competitive advantage in the palm oil industry. The government also needs to issue stricter rules and incentives to encourage companies to implement sustainability strategies.Social implicationsThe study results provide implications for the communities around palm oil plantations to provide better social control so that companies can implement sustainability strategies in their business processes.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of sustainability practices integrated into palm oil companies’ business models, which have not been well implemented in the palm oil industry in the world’s largest producing countries.

Exploring Characteristics of Sustainability Stimulus Patterns of Project Managers

The role of projects in the transition of organisations towards sustainability is addressed in a growing number of studies, and “sustainable” project management is considered one of the most important project management trends today. As sustainability is a normative concept based on subjective values and beliefs, project managers are bound to experience different stimuli and inhibitors for the consideration of sustainability in their projects. Earlier studies identified three distinct stimulus patterns: Intrinsically motivated, Task-driven, and Pragmatic. However, little is known about these three groups of project managers’ personal and professional characteristics and their work environments. Following up on earlier studies, this paper explores the social-demographic and professional-related characteristics that the three stimulus patterns represent in a quantitative, survey-based study on a sample of 433 project managers. Analyses of descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, and Cronbach’s alpha) and inferential statistics (chi-squared, t test, and ANOVA) were used. The findings of the study support the conclusion that sustainability is a personal trait based upon the individual’s attitude towards sustainability. The study also reveals that the stimulus patterns of project managers significantly differ over industries and types of projects. The study intends to help organisations implement sustainability strategies by deepening their understanding of project managers’ stimulus to consider sustainability in their projects. The study contributes to the emerging knowledge on sustainable project management and specifically to the understanding of stimulus patterns of project managers.

Management control system for corporate social responsibility implementation – a stakeholder perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to build a framework that intends to help organizations define, implement and control their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. Based on the stakeholder perspective, this paper proposes a sustainability management control system (SMCS) specifically made for the definition and implementation of CSR strategy, by linking the firm’s material topics to its key stakeholders, thus, allowing our model to be dynamic to different business environments. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors constructed their model based on a review of selective relevant studies about CSR and SMCSs. This paper also went through different practical concepts from leading sustainability guidelines and stakeholder’s engagement manuals, discussing the stakeholder identification and prioritization, to re-center the debate to the strategic importance of the stakeholder perspective in defining and implementing CSR strategy, as well as its importance in how organizations can define proxies to assess the performance of their CSR initiatives. Findings Adopting the stakeholder theory as a key lens to re-frame, organize and guide the debate over the performance consequences of CSR has the potential to overcome the simplistic and (eventual) misleading conceptions of CSR strategy implementation, thus fostering the move toward more effective and efficient CSR strategies, by developing management control system (MCS) typical for CSR issues. Social implications The full process of the model outlined in this paper aims to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking tool for CSR and sustainability strategy implementation and assessment. Our model could help companies to gain an overview and an understanding of the relative importance of the material topics of their business activities that should be addressed and how they are related to the key stakeholders, thus, eventually leading to more equitable and sustainable social development by giving those who have a right to be heard the opportunity to be considered in the sustainability decision-making and strategy processes, in the aim of making valuable contributions to social, economic and environmental spheres. Originality/value The paper answers the call for research for developing novel theoretical foundations to design MCSs for CSR implementation. Therefore, the paper suggests an innovative model of SMCS for CSR strategy definition, development and implementation and helping organizations to define and develop key sustainability indicators specific to their business environment. The model also presents an opportunity to rethink and advance the understanding of how managers can prioritize competing stakeholders’ claims, which are constrained by the company’s business activities impacts.

Ground-Dwelling Invertebrate Abundance Positively Related to Volume of Logging Residues in the Southern Appalachians, USA

Invertebrates, especially those dependent on woody debris for a portion of their life cycle, may be greatly impacted by the amount of downed wood retained following timber harvests. To document relationships between invertebrates and logging residues, we sampled invertebrates with pitfall traps placed near or far from woody debris in 10 recently (2013–2015) harvested sites in western North Carolina with varying levels of woody debris retention. We measured the groundcover and microclimate at each trap and estimated site-level woody debris volume. We modeled predictors (e.g., site-level woody debris volume, percent woody debris cover at the trap site, site type) of captures of spiders (Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones), centipedes/millipedes (Chilopoda/Diplopoda), ground beetles (Carabidae), rove beetles (Staphylinidae), other beetles, ants (Formicidae), grasshoppers (Acrididae/Tetrigidae), crickets (Gryllidae), and cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae). In addition, we modeled ant occurrence at a finer taxonomic resolution, including red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren) and 13 other genera/species. Forest type, whether hardwood or white pine (Pinus strobus L.) overstory preharvest, was a predictor of invertebrate response for 21 of 24 taxonomic analyses. Invertebrate captures or the occurrence probability of ants increased with increasing site-level woody debris volume for 13 of the 24 taxa examined and increased with increasing coarse woody debris (CWD; diameter ≥ 10 cm) cover at the trap level for seven of 24 taxa examined. Our results indicate that woody debris in harvested sites is important for the conservation of a majority of the taxa we studied, which is likely because of the unique microclimate offered near/under woody debris. Stand-scale factors typically were more important predictors of invertebrate response than trap-level cover of woody debris. We recommend implementing sustainability strategies (e.g., Biomass Harvesting Guidelines) to retain woody debris scattered across harvested sites to aid in the conservation of invertebrates.

Development of a Pragmatic IT Concept for a Construction Company

The paper focuses on developing a comprehensive and pragmatic IT strategy for low-margin construction activities, which forms part of the realignment of the general business strategy and on refocusing the operational model. The main elements of the IT strategy formation are analysis of the current IT environment in terms of software and hardware, carrying out a gap analysis, and developing individual functional digitalization strategies in construction execution based on BIM (Building Information Modeling), business administration processes, communication, business intelligence (BI) and reporting, and data security. Further, a large emphasis is given to the sustainable strategy implementation in terms of hardware and software readjustments, their integration, user trainings, and defining the way forward. Research methodology and initial, chosen results of an extended questionnaire and construction company staff interviews are presented.