Sustainability-related Knowledge Research Articles

Sustainability risk management: Exploring the role of artificial intelligence capabilities through an information-processing lens.

The global sustainability movement is reshaping the operational requirements and managerial approaches of maritime firms, resulting in the emergence of unprecedented and complex risks in the sector. This has driven maritime firms to leverage digital tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, to enhance their sustainability risk management (SRM) endeavors. Drawing on the organizational information-processing theory (OIPT), this study proposes four AI capabilities: customer value proposition, key process optimization, key resource optimization, and societal good. It examines their influence on sustainability-related knowledge management capabilities (SKMC), stakeholder engagement, and SRM. A survey questionnaire was used to gather responses from 157 maritime professionals across various sectors of the industry, providing empirical data for analysis. Employing structural equation modeling, the findings reveal that AI capabilities can improve SKMC. These findings enhance existing literature by using OIPT concepts to investigate the interplay among the constructs that lead to better SRM in maritime firms. Furthermore, the study offers managerial guidance by providing insights into AI capabilities that maritime firms should incorporate into their operations, fostering best practices to effectively manage sustainability risks and ensure the firm's long-term survival.

A systematic literature mapping of current academic research linking warehouse management systems to the third-party logistics context

Academic research on third-party logistics operators selecting warehouse management systems is scarce at best, based on found 86 area-specific studies written in English. Only 17 studies had mentions of 3PL and WMS but did not directly reference 3PL using WMS. Eighty-six studies covering four main categories contributed to understanding ongoing research in WMS characteristics and the 3PL context. One category is warehouse characteristics relevant to WMS, and the others concern the warehouse management system as its taxonomy, functions, features, and deployment considerations. Within these four categories, 17 subtopic areas were identified. WMS deployment considerations had the highest number of subtopics (ten), being the most focused area for WMS selection considerations for the system's successful implementation and operation usage. WMS functions and features category contained only a subtopic, indicating a need for additional research on operational functions in management systems and 3PL operations context. Award-winning 3PL validated our findings, utilizing their extensive industry experience. Based on the 3PLs validation review, fast-developing and technology areas, such as digitalization and the newest warehouse management technologies, were the only areas missing from the academic literature. Research is carried out to map the missing specific digitalization, technology-based research, development, innovation possibilities, and WMS sustainability-related knowledge gaps. By addressing the knowledge gap in existing literature, the study significantly contributes to understanding WMS utilization in the 3PL context, providing new insights into WMS characteristics overview, advancing research in 3PL logistics selecting WMS, and defining future research venues of WMS aspects.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Sustainability Aspects among Higher Education Students in Qatar

Sustainable development necessitates that societies design activities to meet human needs while protecting the planet’s life-support systems in consideration of depleting natural resources and concern for the state of the resources and climate. Sustainable development emphasizes the conservation and enhancement of natural resources by modifying how they are utilized, highlighting the role of nations in meeting their basic needs for employment, food, energy, and water. Higher education institutions (HEI), such as universities, should be able to produce a workforce that satisfies the demand for competent stakeholders and contributes to the successful implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and sustainability principles into their institutional strategy and organizational culture. This research evaluates the sustainability consciousness of higher education students and the effect of ESD on higher education students in Qatar. The study employs the sustainability consciousness questionnaire (SCQ) to assess HEI students’ sustainable development knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors while considering educational system characteristics such as curriculum, community, and the campus. The questionnaire was distributed among students from different fields and universities in Qatar. Results were analyzed using statistical tools to show that over 80% grasp sustainability-related knowledge. This value gradually decreases in attitudes and behaviors based on evaluating the pro-sustainability student responses. Further, over 60% of the surveyed students indicate external factors excluding the educational system characteristics to have the most profound effect on providing and developing the student’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards sustainable development. Understanding the current state of sustainability education in HEI can lead to an improved preparation of the global youth with the necessary skills to meet the sustainability challenges and to be involved in establishing and sustaining long-term progress that can aid in achieving SDG goals and drive sustainability action.

The Micro Foundations of Sustainability: A Social Process of Sensemaking and Knowledge Sharing

Micro-foundations of sustainability integration have not so far, been much explored. Building on sensemaking as a social process, I expand theory on how managers integrate sustainability in organizational practices. The findings reveal that sustainability-related knowledge is perceived as controversial, that managers unravel multiple dualities during sensemaking, and that sustainability knowledge becomes salient in work relations. I propose a model of sustainable organizing showing how these three dimensions interact. The discussion section elaborates on the implications of a perspective of sustainability rooted in social processes of sensemaking.

The Adaptability of Sustainability Education in Quantity Surveying Degree Programs in Sri Lanka: The Industry Perception

ABSTRACT Bridging the existing gap in sustainability education among quantity surveyors in Sri Lanka, the study aimed to analyze how sustainability education could be incorporated into the curricula of quantity surveying degree programs conducted by the higher education institutions in the country. The study used a mixed-methods approach, which included semi-structured interviews with three experts, a questionnaire survey conducted among 78 quantity surveyors, and expert interviews with 15 senior academics. Thirty-nine sustainability knowledge areas were identified from the semi-structured interviews. Using the survey findings, a mapping chart was prepared to identify the knowledge gaps in sustainability education. The results indicated that several sustainability-related knowledge areas with substantial gaps require enhancement. The barriers that hinder sustainability education and the measures that could be used to overcome those barriers were identified through expert interviews with senior academics. The key identified barriers include lack of sustainability in curriculum development, heavy workload of the students, and lack of knowledge of the academic staff. Incorporating the required knowledge areas in compulsory modules, updating curricula with new knowledge areas, adopting sustainability within the education environment, and developing awareness among the educational community are some of the measures that would help overcome the identified barriers.

Social network governance and social sustainability-related knowledge acquisition: the contingent role of network structure

PurposeThis study aims to understand how firms in developing economies acquire knowledge about social sustainability by leveraging the social capital embedded in firms' social network, through optimally governing relationships with network members. The study proposes that relational and contractual governance mechanisms interact with various structural facets of the network, resulting in varying degrees of social sustainability related knowledge acquisition.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data collected with a multiple respondent survey design from 204 manufacturing firms located in major industrial cities in Pakistan were used. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) followed by hierarchical regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe study finds that both relational and contractual governance mechanisms are positively related to a firm’s social sustainability-related knowledge acquisition, but their effectiveness is impacted by the structural facets of the network. Network size positively moderates the relationship between relational governance and social sustainability related knowledge acquisition, whereas both network range and strength of ties negatively moderate the relationship between contractual governance and social sustainability related knowledge acquisition.Practical implicationsPractitioners with resource-constrained firms should interact with their social network to leverage the knowledge and resources embedded within. The findings prescribe optimal governance strategies for different combinations of network structure variables to gain maximum knowledge about social sustainability.Originality/valueThe literature lacks information on the effect of network structure on the relationships between social network governance and social sustainability-related knowledge acquisition for resource-constrained firms in the developing economy context, making this study’s contributions unique.

Development of Students’ Sustainability Competencies: Do Teachers Make a Difference?

Sustainability competence is an important goal of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in school. It is therefore anchored in the education plans of almost all school tracks in Germany. However, empirical findings regarding ESD in schools are scarce. The present study thus examined how sustainability competencies of secondary-school students develop within the course of a school year. Based on a proposed framework model of sustainability competencies, we assessed (a) students’ sustainability-related knowledge, (b) their affective-motivational beliefs and attitudes towards sustainability, as well as (c) their self-reported sustainability-related behavioral intentions. Our sample comprised n = 1318 students in 79 classrooms at different secondary school tracks (Grades 5–8) in Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany). Measurements were taken at the beginning and at the end of the school year after the introduction of ESD as a guiding perspective for the new education plan. We observed an increase in students’ sustainability-related knowledge but a decline in their affective-motivational beliefs and attitudes towards sustainability over the course of one school year. Multilevel analyses showed that, at the individual level, prior learning requirements as well as ESD-related characteristics (students’ activities and general knowledge of sustainability) proved to be the strongest predictors of their development. In addition, grade- and track-specific differences were observed. At the classroom level, teachers’ attitudes towards ESD as well as their professional knowledge were found to be significant predictors of students’ development. The higher the commonly shared value of ESD at school and the higher teachers’ self-efficacy towards ESD, the higher was the students’ development of sustainability-related knowledge and self-reported sustainability-related behavioral intentions, respectively. The significance of the findings for ESD in schools is discussed.

Circular Fashion: The New Roles of Designers in Organizations Transitioning to a Circular Economy

To tackle global sustainability challenges of the Fashion Industry and ensure long-term viability, companies have slowly started integrating circular approaches. This paper explores if and how fashion designers can aid the transition towards a circular economy. For this purpose, 15 interviews with ten fashion designers working in medium and large international fashion companies and five key expert informants were conducted. The results are summarized in the ORFDCE model (Organizational Roles of Fashion Designers for Circular Economy) and suggests designers can take up three central roles in the transition process, if they expand their sustainability-related knowledge and are supported by four central systemic organizational changes. The model enables companies to identify their specific standing in the transition process and develop designer training and support measures aimed at realizing their designers’ full potential. The article also issues several recommendations for further research, to enable the transition from linear to circular fashion.

Education for Sustainable Development—The Case of Massive Open Online Courses

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a key instrument in transforming societies towards sustainable development, which can play a crucial role in the achievement of Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the current status and problems of implementation of Education for Sustainable Development by examining the sustainability-related knowledge content included in the higher education curriculum, with a special focus on the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). We used both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods, including keyword analysis of selected MOOCs’ syllabuses, to capture the nature of the studied phenomenon and enable assessment of the degree to which the sustainable development goals are integrated into the learning content. We found that most of 17 SDGs are reflected in the MOOCs learning content, but in case of some learning topics, such as “Zero hunger” and “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”, a bigger effort should be made to include them more broadly in the curricula. The research results can support educators’ efforts in identifying and incorporating challenging issues within the processes of curriculum development, indicating the need for a holistic and interdisciplinary approach, in which sustainability should be mainstreamed into all aspects of education.

Innovations for sustainability: challenges of utilising sustainability-related knowledge

Innovations for sustainability: challenges of utilising sustainability-related knowledge

Building a More Sustainable Society? A Case Study on the Role of Sustainable Development in the Education and Early Career of Water and Environmental Engineers

Engineering education is critical for sustainability, given the key role that engineers have in shaping the development of our society. Yet, engineering studies have traditionally not been driven by sustainability-related knowledge and skills, but focused more on general computational skills and technical problem-solving. This has also been the case in our case study, which focuses on recent water and environmental engineering graduates in Finland. We studied the role that sustainable development has had in their education and early career through an extensive questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The analysis was done in two ways: indirectly by comparing how well the key working life knowledge and skills recognized by the respondents correspond with sustainability-related skills, and directly by studying the graduates’ views towards the sustainable development and their possibilities to advance it in their work. The results show that although sustainability was not at the core of respondents’ studies, their key competencies correspond well with sustainability-related working life skills. The respondents also see that sustainable development has a central role in water and environmental engineering, although it is typically more visible at a strategic rather than a practical level. However, the results also indicate that several early-career engineers have deficient knowledge of sustainable development, and are therefore lacking the ability to fully connect the principles of sustainable development into their own expertise. Overall, the findings suggest that water and environmental engineers with their wide set of competencies have the potential to take on a larger role in building a more sustainable society. To ensure this, engineering education should emphasize the connection between the field and sustainable development and clearly link engineers’ core competencies with the skills required to promote sustainability.

What Is Going on with Stakeholder Theory in Project Management Literature? A Symbiotic Relationship for Sustainability

Nowadays the advance towards sustainability poses a global challenge for modern society as well as for companies. Professionals and academics continually redefine business processes and design management mechanisms in a more appropriate way in order to allow companies to balance economic activity with the environmental and social impact that they generate. Under this complex and dynamic scenario, creating a product, providing a service, or achieving a given result requires a different interpretation of the efficiency paradigm and an adequate socio-environmental intelligence. In the context of project management, sustainability-related knowledge, skills, and suitable tools are necessary to face this challenge. Moreover, its close relationship with stakeholder theory presents an alternative to approach that purpose. This article attempts a systematic review of the literature on stakeholder theory in project management during the past nine years, with the aim of providing a comprehensive view of this relationship, revealing its impact and influence on sustainability, and finding new research paths. We highlight the potential benefits derived from this relationship, either as an instrument for the promotion of corporate social responsibility and inclusive policies, as a means for the generation of shared value and technological innovation, or as a key factor in the strategy and business management of a given project.

Re-fashioning the garment industry: Exploring innovations for a circular economy

Abstract The circular economy is promoted as an innovation and growth model for a garment industry widely understood to be wasteful, polluting and ripe for change. There is a growing body of knowledge related to sustainability, design, eco-innovation and business; there is, however, a scarcity of material that examines all subjects as they relate to the garment industry. There exists, in both literature and practice, a conceptual gap between the commercial viewpoint and established thinking around sustainable practices. There is a lack of research investigating operations management, buying and merchandising roles in apparel product development. Understanding the influence of these functional roles is crucial in developing strategies for closing the gap between commercial and environmentally sustainable practices and bringing innovations to market. Investment in sustainability-related knowledge and capabilities within firms is needed. Reconsidering the role of fashion designers, expanding their training and elevating them to process-leading problem-solvers could unlock new sources of value within the industry.

Innovations for sustainability: Challenges in utilizing sustainability-related knowledge

The demands for more sustainable development are increasing, and solving complex sustainability challenges is acknowledged to require innovations that take environmental, social and economic perspectives into consideration. The development of innovations for sustainability requires the utilisation of sustainability knowledge, i.e., creating market value by combining pieces of environmental, organisational and social information. In this study, we address the reasons why sustainability knowledge is not exploited more broadly and set focus on the challenges in the utilisation of sustainability knowledge. The empirical data for the study was collected in an interdisciplinary expert workshop and by conducting semi-structural interviews in four Finnish companies. The study reveals challenges in the utilisation of sustainability knowledge at all stages of knowledge management. We also analyse the potential of digitalisation in enhancing innovations for sustainability and lowering the challenges in the utilisation of sustainability knowledge.

The role of absorptive and desorptive capacity (ACDC) in sustainable supply management

Purpose – Sustainable supply management (SSM) has attracted considerable attention from researchers in recent years concentrating on how firms develop and use SSM capabilities to meet stakeholder demands. Acquiring and sharing sustainability knowledge with suppliers have been identified as critical success factors of SSM. The purpose of this paper is to identify the mechanisms that allow firms to effectively acquire and share sustainability-related knowledge with suppliers and how these knowledge generation and desorption mechanisms support the evolution of firm SSM capabilities. Design/methodology/approach – To address the research purpose, four longitudinal case studies, two industry leaders in SSM and two industry followers, were conducted at multiple consecutive points in time between 2008 and 2013. Findings – The results indicate which mechanisms constitute a sustainability-related absorptive and desorptive capacity and how they support SSM. Thereby, this research explains which mechanisms support firms to acquire sustainability knowledge, assimilate and exploit it and also share it with their suppliers over time. Research limitations/implications – This research sheds light on the development and refinement of SSM capabilities by studying the explorative and exploitative learning cycles within focal buying firms taking place over time. Findings indicate a multiplicity in applying absorptive capacity- and desorptive capacity-related mechanisms yields an ambidextrous ability to simultaneously exploit existing knowledge through incremental SSM improvements and explore new SSM knowledge for more radical refinements of SSM capabilities. Practical implications – The results provide a blueprint for firms, especially for sustainability followers, seeking to develop effective SSM capabilities. Furthermore, the results explain which mechanisms support firms to acquire, assimilate and exploit sustainability knowledge and also to share it with their suppliers. Originality/value – SSM knowledge acquisition, assimilation, exploitation and sharing takes place over time in focal buying firms. This ongoing process helps explain how an SSM capability development and refinement is manifested in both leaders and followers.

Developing a sustainability KM strategy for HA planned works

Effective management of sustainability-related knowledge is central to the development of sustainable construction practices. Despite progress In other contexts, existing knowledge management efforts have been of limited value to contexts such as housing association planned works (cyclical replacement of housing components) due to an inability to reflect the specificities of these projects. This paper presents the development of a structured strategy to improve the capture, storage, retrieval and exchange of sustainability-related knowledge within housing association planned works. Knowledge mapping exercises based on semi-structured interviews were carried out within four different sized Scottish housing associations. Sustainability-related knowledge maps were developed for each activity focusing on managerial, economic, social, environmental aspects and overall flow of knowledge providing the basis for recommendations to improve the management of sustainability-related knowledge during planned works. The strategy promotes a structured approach providing housing associations with the opportunity to tailor the strategy to reflect their context and requirements. Practitioners from the case studies confirmed its usefulness especially for housing associations committed to sustainability but struggling to engage with high-level policy and strategies. One case study association has implemented the high-level principles to support its wider sustainability policy and is piloting a strategy for its planned works.

Drivers for managing sustainability-related knowledge

As organisations try to meet sustainability challenges, they need to be innovative. This often calls for the creation, use and exploitation of new knowledge. Therefore, knowledge resources must be properly managed to enable well-informed decisions. There is, however, little empirical research on the key drivers for managing sustainability-related knowledge in the UK industrial sectors – which is the core aspect of this paper. For this study, four industry sectors: energy and utilities, transportation, construction and not-for-profit organisations were considered, based on the environmental, social and economic impact on UK society. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect industry perception, which was then analysed at both aggregate and sector levels using content analysis for inference and conclusion. The data analysis revealed four key drivers that have fuelled the need for managing sustainability-related knowledge. They are: to improve access to knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives, to identify knowledge assets associated with sustainability initiatives, to improve the flow of knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives and to capture key knowledge associated with sustainability initiatives. The paper concludes that identifying and understanding the key drivers for managing knowledge within the context of sustainability is a complex process. Before embarking on a knowledge management journey, decision makers have to understand what they would like to achieve with their knowledge management programme and what value it needs to add to their organisation in the context of sustainability.

Implementing a holistic process for embedding sustainability: a case study in first year engineering, Monash University, Australia

While there is clear recognition of the need to incorporate sustainable development into university curricula, there is limited research that examines how to achieve that integration or evaluates its impacts on student learning. This paper responds to these knowledge gaps through a case study of curriculum renewal that involved embedding sustainability into a first year engineering curriculum. The initiative was guided by a deliberative and dynamic model for curriculum renewal that brought together internal and external stakeholders through a structured sequence of facilitated workshops and meetings. That process identified sustainability-related knowledge and skills relevant for first year engineering, and faculty members teaching in the first year program were guided through a process of curriculum renewal to meet those needs. The process through which the whole of curriculum renewal was undertaken is innovative and provides a case study of precedent in the field of education for sustainability. The study demonstrates the contribution that can be made by a web-based sustainability portal in supporting curriculum renewal. Learning and teaching outcomes were evaluated through ‘before and after surveys’ of the first year engineering students. Statistically significant increases in student's self-reported knowledge of sustainability were measured as a result of exposure to the renewed first year curriculum and this confirmed the value of the initiative in terms of enhancing student learning. While applied in this case to engineering, the process to achieve integration of sustainability into the curriculum approach is likely to have value for other academic disciplines. Considering student performance on assignments and exam questions relating to sustainability would provide a stronger basis for future research to understand the impact of initiatives like this on student learning.