Sustainable Capability Research Articles

How action learning broke down silos, built referent power, and created sustainable capability building

This paper presents a case study of how technology support moved from being a just in time (JIT) help service to developing capability and capacity building through a process of building digital self-efficacy (DSE). By active membership of the UNSW Online Learning and Innovation Community of Practice (OLI CoP) a process of action learning cycles was undertaken in partnership to focus on pedagogy ahead of technology. By doing so, a scalable change process was initiated that brings the coalition of the willing into being core university influencers. As a result, the academics see technology become embedded into their pedagogical practice rather than a tool alone. This case provides insights from the key learnings which have, in turn, enabled a new model of technology support delivery. This model has also provided career growth opportunities for both academics and the educational technology services (ETS) team, while also supporting student learning.

Digital Capabilities as Mediators: Fostering Managerial and Sustainable Capabilities among Digital Users and Providers

Digital Capabilities as Mediators: Fostering Managerial and Sustainable Capabilities among Digital Users and Providers

Elements Supporting Translation of Evidence Into Practice: A Model for Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Scientist Collaboration.

To present evidence-based elements supporting the synergistic relationship between nurse scientists and clinical nurse specialists to improve the translation of evidence into practice. Using best-practice elements to support the improvement of evidence-based translation, we define the roles and synergies between nurse scientists and clinical nurse specialists within clinical environments. Five themes were identified in the literature review:● Although clinical nurse specialists and nurse scientists differ in focus and competencies, they are in key positions to collaborate to meet healthcare demands.● Clinical nurse specialists are well-equipped to implement the science developed by nurse scientists.● To meet the increased demands and complexity of the healthcare system and patient needs, organizational leadership must lend support to clinical nurse specialists and nurse scientist collaboration.● Clinical nurse specialists are well-positioned to foster interprofessional partnerships and generate opportunities for evidence-based project initiatives across healthcare disciplines.● Clinical nurse specialists should utilize professional models to inform practice to improve the review, translation, and implementation of research into practice. Projects conducted using a collaborative structure had a system-level impact and long-term sustainability capabilities. Additionally, projects were more likely to be disseminated by clinical nurse specialists within a formal structure.

Leveraging Innovation Capability and Organizational Resilience for Business Sustainability Among Small and Medium Enterprises: A PLS-SEM Approach

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of innovation capability on business sustainability in Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as consider the effects of organizational resilience, sustainable competitive advantage, and environmental dynamism as mediators in succession. A quantitative approach was adopted to collect data from 401 employees in SMEs in the Lagos Metropolitan Area of Nigeria. We conducted the analysis of the collected data using the partial least squares approach (PLS-SEM). This research establishes that innovation capabilities are beneficial for ensuring business sustainability. The findings further corroborate the importance of sustainable competitive advantage and environmental dynamism for business sustainability. Finally, the results show that environmental dynamism is important for helping small business owners sustain their businesses and increase their innovation capabilities. Similarly, the indirect paths also showed that resilience organizations, like SMEs, play a role in the paradigm. However, businesses can benefit from this study’s findings by crafting strategies that adapt more quickly to changing market dynamics and capitalize on emerging possibilities. This way, businesses may take the necessary measures to stay ahead of the competition while guaranteeing sustainability. Even though the heuristic model emphasizes originality, the current research on how to successfully link innovative capacity to sustainability and build sustainability in dynamic environments is sparse.

Capabilities to create new value for business sustainability: a retailer case study from Malaysia

PurposeThe lack of a direct link between business value and sustainability is a critical roadblock to truly embedding sustainability in business strategies. Before launching the sustainability journey, every organisation should answer the question: “What value would this strategy offer our organisation?” Conversely, when organisations are opportunistic toward quick profits, the negative consequences of one domain spill over to another. The desire to produce more may result in overproduction, overconsumption or environmental pollution.Design/methodology/approachTo give a complete analysis of sustainable capabilities, this study combines current theoretical understanding from past literature, followed by exploratory interviews and a thorough case study. The case study ventured into uncharted territories, unveiling an exciting new sphere of value catalysed by the mechanisms of sustainable co-creation. Additionally, it exposed thought-provoking motives driving supply chain actors’ unwavering commitment to ethical decision-making, even amidst towering challenges.FindingsOur empirical lens reveals the hidden mechanics of resource sharing and the genesis of newfound value, illuminating previously obscure corners of the sustainability field. Moreover, it sheds light on retailers striving to cultivate green retail supply chains. It delivers an actionable framework that bolsters business sustainability and fuels competitive edge, which is vital in the rapidly evolving landscapes of emerging economies.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into the sustainable value-creation mechanism in ALPHA, a Malaysian retailer, uncovering how supply chain actors’ business activities generate economic, social and environmental performance.

Antecedent of Event Management Intention Toward Sustainable Practices: A Theoretical Framework

The incidence of rising global temperature, extreme weather, depletion of finite resources, and other environmental impacts has shown as one of the most crucial issues to deal with. The situation to create low-carbon communities and sustainable systems through sustainable event management—that is, the switch from conventional event management concept to more environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices among the event company by engaging with various stakeholders. Recent studies suggested that evidence on sustainable intentions concerning events in Malaysia is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, environmental consciousness and economic benefit toward sustainable capabilities. This paper will contribute to future literature regarding understanding what drives the event management intention toward sustainability contributing to the existing green behavior and body of literature. It will increase stakeholder awareness and policymakers to be more innovative in reducing environmental impact. This paper is expected to better understand company behavior toward adopting ecologically ethical and socially accountable methods. More research needs to be done to validate and reinforce the proposed theoretical framework. Therefore, future research should concentrate on both qualitative and quantitative research designs by examining the relationship between the antecedents and intention. Ideally, insights from practitioners and academicians are highly encouraged in substantiating the proposed theoretical framework.

A Group Intuitionistic Fuzzy Exponential TODIM Method Considering Attribute Interactions Applied to Green Building Material Supplier Selection

Green building, driven by the goal of sustainable development, has prompted extensive attention to be paid to the environmental impact of its materials. However, some of the traditional methods of evaluating building material suppliers and attribute systems are not able to adapt to the new issues arising from the green context. This paper aims to provide a new solution for selecting green building material suppliers to enhance the green efficiency of buildings. Specifically, this paper presents a framework for evaluating and selecting suppliers of green building materials that meet the criteria of environmental friendliness and sustainability. A comprehensive evaluation attribute system is established, encompassing cost, quality, service level, delivery capability, and green and sustainable ability. Additionally, a group decision-making method based on the exponential TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese for Interactive and Multi-attribute Decision Making) and intuitionistic fuzzy numbers is developed to integrate expert opinions from diverse domains. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers represent an extension of traditional fuzzy sets, offering a means of more fully and accurately responding to the inherent vagueness and hesitancy of human thinking. They can often prove invaluable when faced with problems containing uncertainty. Moreover, to obtain more precise attribute weights, the λ-fuzzy measure, Choquet integral, and Shapley value are employed to consider attribute interactions. Subsequently, a selection case involving six timber suppliers was proposed. Subsystem analysis was employed to ascertain the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various suppliers, with a view to facilitating future improvements. The findings indicated that green and sustainability capability attributes exert a considerable influence on the selection of green building material suppliers. Consequently, suppliers distinguished under this standard may encounter challenges in attaining exemplary rankings. Comparative analysis and robustness analysis have demonstrated the efficacy, superiority, and stability of the proposed framework. The findings of this paper can provide a reference for companies engaged in or planning to develop green buildings and help them choose green building material suppliers, which can help them achieve the expected green building efficiency and promote the sustainable development of the industry.

A bibliometric perspective: three stages of green knowledge management thematic evolution in business literature

Purpose Green knowledge management (GKM) has become a more prominent research topic because of its ability to balance business sustainability, performance and society's well-being. The purpose of this paper is to study how GKM literature evolved before and after two major events: the introduction of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the first conceptualization of GKM. In this paper, GKM is holistically examined following the stages of the knowledge management cycle, a framework for organizational knowledge-processing phases. Design/methodology/approach This study performed a bibliometric analysis of 1,274 papers related to GKM from 1995 until January 2024. Findings Over the three decades, this research outlined the intertwined relationships between core themes in the domain such as knowledge management in the context of corporate social responsibilities, sustainable development (SD), competitive advantage and so on, and popular theories. GKM evolved from an “industrial and technical view” of knowledge management to a more emerging perspective of a “social process.” Emerging themes were identified such as green innovation, information security or organizational learning sub-themes with key technologies like block-chain, big data analytics and artificial intelligence. Future research can explore themes such as green knowledge integration, green entrepreneurship, green supply chain and green knowledge integration capabilities. Practical implications This review offers practitioners a holistic picture of GKM to tackle emerging environmental concerns and increase businesses' competitive advantages. This study provides insights into the future practices of GKM, incorporating emerging technological advancement, to gain green intellectual capital and build dynamic capabilities for sustainability. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide a comprehensive picture of the GKM literature, from its earliest forms of corporate social responsibility and SD until the introduction of SDGs, and in combination with the evolution of knowledge management cycle stages.

Innovating for the Future: AI and HRM Capabilities for Sustainability in Higher Education

Innovating for the Future: AI and HRM Capabilities for Sustainability in Higher Education

The Synthesis of Integrative Sustainable Capability to Indonesian Sustainable Eco-print Fashion

With a focus on small businesses that are oriented towards sustainable fashion in the Eco-print business, this research focuses on forming a synthesis of Integrative Sustainable Capability variables which are derived from a systematic process through the derivation process of Resources Based Theory and Strategic Orientation. The synthesis of Strategic Resources in the theory of Resources Based and Strategic Orientation leads to the construction of a new concept, namely Integrative Sustainable Capability as a competency to integrate environmental and social considerations to strategically acquire, combine and deploy the resources in business operations and cooperation included in knowledge management to generate performance values. The structured idea process method is used to synthesize novelty constructed in the Integrative Sustainable Capability. The Integrative Sustainable Capability is used as a mediator in the relationship between Knowledge Management Capabilities and Entrepreneurial Performance in the context of Eco-print small businesses. The conceptual model was formed by linking these three variables of Knowledge Management and Entrepreneurial Performance with Integrative Sustainable Capability as a mediation derived from the synthesis of novelty process in the context of Eco-print small business.

A comprehensive review of agile techniques in academic institutions for promoting sustainability capabilities

Adaptability, dialogue, creativity, self-confidence, respect, responsibility, emotional intelligence and systemic perspective are a few examples of the critical competencies that must be transmitted using contemporary educational methods and through a changing and developing society, instruments to promote lifetime learning and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Due to the active participants and constructionist tenets involved, they have been established; applying agile techniques to the leadership of programs in multiple sectors might be a useful instrument to impart such skills. As a result, the study has started including some examples of applying agile techniques in learning, which gave rise to the term Agile Education (AE). This study conducts a systematic review to examine how this cutting-edge educational instrument has been applied to education to promote important sustainable development features. Results for 10 of the 121 studies reviewed that show a distinct connection among the essential ESD capabilities and AE are provided. It has been demonstrated that AE enhances the accomplishments, contentment and engagement of both instructors and students while fostering an environment for learning that promotes the growth of morally and environmentally conscious people.

A new sustainable filtration membrane extraction method based on nanoconfined liquid phase extraction: Determination of organochlorinated pesticides and pyrethroids in tea samples

BackgroundPesticides are used in agricultural production for prevent and control crop diseases and pests, but it is easy to cause excessive pesticides residues in agricultural products, polluting the environment and endangering human health. Due to their unmatched and sustainable capabilities, nanoextraction procedures are becoming every day more important in Analytical Chemistry. In particular, nanoconfined liquid phase extraction has shown extraction capabilities toward polar, medium polar, and/or nonpolar substances, which can be easily modulated depending on the nanoconfined solvent used. Furthermore, this “green” technique showed excellent characteristics in terms of recoveries, extraction time (≤1 min), reliability, and versatility. (97) ResultsIn this work, the advantages of this technique have been coupled with those of filtration membrane extraction, making use of carbon nanofibers (CnFs) growth on carbon microspheres (CμS). This substrate has been deposited on a filter, which combined with gas chromatographic mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis successfully employed for the nanoextraction of 30 pesticides (18 organochlorine and 12 pyrethroids) in tea samples. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the linear range with standard solutions was from 1 to 1000 ng mL−1 (R2 ≥ 0.99), the limit of detections in tea samples were in the range 0.56–17.98 μg kg−1. The accuracy of the developed method was evaluated by measuring the extraction recovery of the spiked tea samples, and recoveries between 74.41 % and 115.46 %. (119) SignificanceConsidering the versatility of nanoconfined liquid phase extraction and the functionality of the filtration membrane extraction procedure, this new extraction method can be considered a powerful candidate for automatized high-throughput analyses of real samples. (34)

The impact of environmental protection tax on corporate performance: A new insight from multi angles analysis

This study investigates the practical effects of adopting the environmental protection tax (EPT) policy on corporate performance in China. The analysis uses the Difference in Differences (DID) approach based on a quasi-natural experiment scenario. The findings indicate there is a negative impact of implementing the EPT policy on the financial performance of corporations, and the conclusion remains unchanged despite exhaustive robustness testing. The negative impact can be partly attributed to corporate technology innovation inputs. Meanwhile, enterprise property rights, pollution, and technical levels also substantially influence the implementation effect of the legislation. However, implementing this policy has improved corporations’ environmental performance and established its efficacy in enhancing their sustainable capabilities. This study comprehensively explores the impact of environmental control legislation on business performance, spanning financial, environmental, and social dimensions. Corresponding findings offer valuable insights into how firms react to environmental legislation and adjust to the external environment. Meanwhile, it also provides an objective reference for the comprehensive green transformation.

Closing the loop: does corporate sustainability capability matter for improving energy efficiency? Evidence from Pakistan

PurposeThis study aims to examine whether and how corporate sustainability capability influences energy efficiency through competitive intensity and slack resource availability.Design/methodology/approachThe authors applied a two-wave research design and administered a survey questionnaire to senior-level managers of 78 ISO-14001 and ISO-50001 certified manufacturing companies. The authors use a multi-method approach for data analysis. AMOS 23 software was applied for covariance-based structural equation modeling. In addition, SPSS 25 software was applied for hierarchical regression analysis to examine the causal relationships in the model.FindingsThe finding reveals that corporate sustainability capabilities, which include energy-saving opportunities, seizing energy-saving opportunities and resource reconfiguration, significantly improve firms’ energy efficiency. In addition, competitive intensity and slack resource availability positively moderated the relationship between corporate sustainability capability and energy efficiency.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the link between corporate sustainability capability and energy efficiency in developing countries such as Pakistan. Although the influence of various corporate sustainability capabilities on sustainable performance has been widely examined in the literature, the role of corporate sustainability capability has been limitedly explored with energy efficiency. This study extends the literature by adding to the knowledge of corporate sustainability capability that enhances boundary conditions in developing countries.

Fostering sustainability capabilities through experience: A case study on virtual mobility in STEM

For a 21st century facing cascading crises, including global pandemics, climate change, and social and economic disruption, education is more critical than ever. Universities, and consequently their curricula, have a responsibility to prepare all students and graduates to respond to and live within a disrupted, complex, and uncertain future. One way of preparing students to think and address complex global challenges is through international learning experiences. However, the global pandemic triggered an unforeseen disruption to student mobility and the acceleration of online learning environments, such as virtual mobility programs. To date there has been little exploration of how virtual mobility programs can be designed for science and their ability to foster sustainability capabilities within the discipline. This paper reports on the design (its curriculum and pedagogy) of an experiential virtual mobility program, designed and delivered during the pandemic. It illustrates an innovative, co-created, STEM-focused case study whereby learning focused on varied approaches to agricultural challenges and practices. Through the perspective of student participants, key education for sustainability capabilities of sustainability thinking, collaboration, affective learning, critical reflection, and interdisciplinary knowledge were analysed as themes and are discussed in relation to how these capabilities were shaped by the program design. We share this discussion to support and expand the use of further meaningful virtual experiences to foster sustainability capabilities in an international (online) setting by other University educators.

Green supplier development and sustainable supply chain management

AbstractThe rapid rise in demand for sustainably produced goods over the last decade has made integrating environmental sustainability practices into the supply chain a strategic capability for many businesses. Despite the rapid growth of green supply chain management research, scholars have not fully examined supplier development in the context of the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between green supplier development strategies and supplier adoption of natural resource‐based view (NRBV) strategies, as well as their impact on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. We make a significant contribution in this field by integrating a natural‐resource‐based view and a dynamic capabilities perspective to investigate how firms in developing economies overcome the environmental sustainability capability deficiencies of small and medium‐sized enterprises and are able to develop and implement environmentally sustainable practices. Based on a survey of 167 manufacturing companies in Kenya, the findings reveal that focal firms' indirect environmental sustainability supplier development strategies significantly impact environmental sustainability practices among suppliers and that the focal firm‐supplier dyadic relational capabilities significantly affected suppliers' implementation of environmental sustainability practices. Furthermore, focal firms' resource investment (financial and capital) in environmentally sustainable supply chain management programs to develop suppliers has a significant impact on suppliers' implementation of environmental sustainability practices.

Optimizing the Digital Transformation Capability for Enhancing Economic Sustainability of Entrepreneurial Venture: The Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation

Optimizing the Digital Transformation Capability for Enhancing Economic Sustainability of Entrepreneurial Venture: The Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation

국내 지속가능발전교육 정책 및 실천 동향에 관한 연구

In order to analyze the policy trends and practices of ESD in Korea, this study analyzed related data focusing on five priority action areas proposed by UNESCO: policy improvement, learning environment, educator capacity building, youth participation opportunities, and community capacity building. Based on the analysis, the study suggested the policy implications for the spread and activation of ESD. First, it is necessary to move beyond the stage of establishing an initial system for ESD to the stage of internalizing sustainable capabilities by establishing a diagnostic system for learners and institutions. Second, in addition to ESD programs focused on climate and environmental education, programs on various contents and practices for the co-prosperity of the human community, such as human rights, citizenship, equality, social justice, healthy consumption and production, should be expanded in the future. Third, beyond delivering the concept and content of ESD through educational curriculum or training, the principle of sustainability should be institutionalized throughout the operational process of educational organizations. Finally, in order to connect ESD and community life, teaching and learning models for ESD should be specified in schools, and clear methods and guidelines for incorporating ESD in lifelong education should be prepared.

Dynamic capabilities for sustainability: Toward a typology based on dimensions of sustainability‐oriented innovation and stakeholder integration

AbstractThis study aims to synthesize the current state of knowledge on conceptualizations of dynamic capabilities for sustainability (DCsS)—patterns of behavior in organizations specialized in adapting to sustainability demands. Our main goal is to elucidate the theoretical nature of the DCsS construct and provide a theoretical foundation for future empirical works. We perform a systematic literature review focused on existing conceptualizations of DCsS. Our content analysis of 86 articles reveals two emerging dimensions that account for variation in DCsS definitions: (i) the novelty degree of pursued sustainability‐oriented innovations and (ii) the level of stakeholder integration. Based on these dimensions, we identify four distinct types of DCsS: (1) firm‐level eco‐efficiency; (2) Firm‐level transformation; (3) supply chain or network level eco‐efficiency; and (4) systemic transformation. We illustrate the predominant underlying practices and related outcomes of each type, as described in the literature. By developing a typology that integrates distinct conceptualizations, we substantiate and clarify the DCsS construct, thus providing a fruitful starting point for more distinct and focused operationalizations of DCsS. By conceptualizing sustainability‐oriented innovation and level of stakeholder integration as integral dimensions constituting DCsS, we offer a more nuanced theoretical understanding of the DCsS construct.

CAPACITY BUILDING PLANNING FOR FISHERMEN COMMUNITY’S EMPOWERMENT

Efforts to promote fishing community empowerment frequently face obstacles owing to inefficient measures carried out by multiple parties that do not result in substantial improvements in the fishing communities. The persistence of this problem, however, can be linked to a lack of capacity building activities, particularly in the context of sustainability, which is critical for long-term development among fishermen. This research intends to investigate the reality of fishermen's capacity building in Terengganu, Malaysia, using the aspects of economic sustainability, institutional environment, and fishermen's technology. The study included 220 coastal fishermen who were sampled in stages. Questionnaires were used to collect data, which was then analysed using descriptive statistics and Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (SEM-PLS). According to the study's findings, the development of sustainability capabilities (technological, economic, institutional, and technological) influences the empowerment of fishing communities. As a result, community empowerment programmes should focus on capacity building in order to foster a well-empowered community.