Download or read book Strategy and Sustainability written by Mike Rosenberg and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-30 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Business and environmental sustainability are not natural bedfellows. Business is about making money; sustainability is about protecting the planet. Business is measured in months and quarters; sustainability often requires significant short term costs to secure a sometimes uncertain long-term benefit. To some activists, all executives are exploitative, selfish “1 percenters”. To some executives, all activists are irresponsible, unyielding extremists. And yet engaging with the issue isn’t optional – all businesses must have a strategy to deal with sustainability and, like any strategy, this involves making choices. Strategy and Sustainability encourages its readers to filter out the noise and make those choices in a hard-nosed and clear-eyed way. Rosenberg’s nuanced and fact-based point of view recognizes the complexity of the issues at hand and the strategic choices businesses must make. He blends the work of some of the leading academic thinkers in the field with practical examples from a variety of business sectors and geographies and offers a framework with which Senior Management might engage with the topic, not (just) to save the planet but to fulfil their short, medium, and long-term responsibilities to shareholders and other stakeholders.“/p>

Download or read book Strategy for Sustainability written by Adam Werbach and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leave your quaint notions of corporate social responsibilty and environmentalism behind. Werbach is starting a whole new dialogue around sustainability of enterprise and life as we know it in organisations and individuals.

Download or read book Managing the Business Case for Sustainability written by Stefan Schaltegger and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 626 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The difficulties in moving towards corporate sustainability raise the question of how environmental and social management can be integrated better with economic business goals. Over the last decade, the relationship between environmental and economic performance, and more recently the interaction between sustainability performance and business competitiveness, have received considerable attention in both theory and practice. However, to date, only partial aspects of the relationship between sustainability performance, competitiveness and economic performance have been studied from a theoretical as well as an empirical perspective. And, to date, no unique relationship has prevailed in empirical studies. A number of explanations have been put forward to explain this, including methodological reasons, such as the lack of statistical data, the low quality of that data, or the fact that such data is often available for short time periods only. Other theoretical explanations have been developed, such as the influence of different corporate strategies or the relatively small influence of environmental or sustainability issues as one factor among many on the economic or financial success of firms. So, how should the business case for sustainability be managed? This is the starting point for this book, which compiles insights on a large number of aspects of the link between sustainability performance, business competitiveness and economic success in an attempt to provide a comprehensive and structured view of this relationship. The book provides an unrivalled body of knowledge on the state of theory and practice in this field and identifies prospective future fields of work. The book includes: conceptual frameworks for the interaction of social, environmental and economic issues in business environments; case studies of companies that have successfully integrated social, environmental and economic issues; analyses of the causal and empirical relationship between environmental and/or social performance, business performance and firm-level competitiveness; concepts and tools useful for improving business value with proactive operational strategies; assessment of the factors influencing operational sustainability strategies and their economic impact; and comparisons of interactions between sustainability performance and firm competitiveness across industry sectors and countries. Managing the Business Case for Sustainability is the definitive work in its field: the most comprehensive book yet published on the theory and practice of managing sustainability performance, competitiveness, environmental, social and economic performance in an integrated way. It will be essential reading for managers, academics, consultants, fund managers, governments and government agencies, NGOs and international bodies who need a broad and comprehensive overview of the business case for sustainability.

Download or read book Handbook of Sustainability Driven Business Strategies in Practice written by Markovic, Stefan and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2021-12-07 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainability is a top priority for organizations and a key strategy in corporate agendas, but the effective deployment of any strategy demands that the strategy is consistent, functional, and aligned. This Handbook advocates sustainability strategies that encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions at department-level.

Download or read book Sustainable Operations Management written by Breno Nunes and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2022-12-26 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable Operations Management applies the issues of sustainability to all strategic decisions of operations: capacity management, supply network, process technology, and development and organisation. This book extends the existing literature of operations management that for years has been paramount in creating economic value with little consideration of environment and social dimensions. Whilst based on robust theoretical frameworks, some developed by its own authors, the book is enriched by international case studies and real-world illustrations throughout, to demonstrate how this theory translates to practice. Each chapter begins with learning objectives and ends with a summary, activity, and questions for discussion. Readers will gain a comprehensive and in-depth knowledge on how to manage operations for sustainability. They will learn the ways to formulate a sustainable operations strategy and the elements involved in managing tactical and operational activities to enhance sustainability performance over time. The book covers all aspects of the new business sustainability paradigm from an operations perspective, including sustainable development goals, the circular economy and digital transformation. With international agreements and national policies in place around themes such as climate change, ocean plastic pollution, loss of biodiversity, water scarcity, and zero landfill targets, this book will be a must for any university abiding to the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRIME). The text is suitable mostly for MSc and MBA students on sustainable supply chain and operations management modules as well as broader Operations Management courses, but it can also be used for final-year Undergraduate students as part of advanced operations management modules. Online resources include chapter-by-chapter PowerPoint slides and a test bank of questions.

Download or read book The Big Pivot written by Andrew S. Winston and published by Harvard Business Review Press. This book was released on 2014-03-11 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live in a fundamentally changed world. It’s time for your approach to strategy to change, too. The evidence is all around us. Extreme weather, driven by climate change, is shattering records all over the planet. Our natural resources are in greater demand than ever before as a billion more people enter the global middle class, wanting more of everything. Radical transparency is opening up company operations and supply chains to public scrutiny. This is not some futuristic scenario or model to debate, but today’s reality. We've passed an economic tipping point. A weakening of the foundations of our planetary infrastructure is costing businesses dearly and putting our society at risk. The mega challenges of climate change, scarcity, and radical transparency threaten our ability to run an expanding global economy and are profoundly changing “business as usual.” But they also offer unprecedented opportunities: multi-trillion-dollar markets are in play, and the winners of this new game will profit mightily. According to Andrew Winston, bestselling author (Green to Gold) and globally recognized business strategist, the way companies currently operate will not allow them to keep up with the current—and future—rate of change. They need to make the Big Pivot. In this indispensable new book, Winston provides ten crucial strategies for leaders and companies ready to move boldly forward and win in this new reality. With concrete advice and tactics, and new stories from companies like British Telecom, Diageo, Dow, Ford, Nike, Unilever, Walmart, and many others, The Big Pivot will help you, and all of us, create more resilient businesses and a more prosperous world. This book is the blueprint to get you started.

Download or read book Climate Change The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review written by Harvard Business Review and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2020-09-22 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is threatening our world. How are you responding? Heat waves, flooding, extreme storms, harsh winters. The effects of climate change are only getting worse. How can you ensure your organization is taking the right steps to mitigate this threat--and what can you, as an individual, do to help? These articles by experts and researchers will help you understand how climate change is affecting the future of business. Climate Change: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review will prepare you to join in the current discussion, identify immediate and long-term risks for your company, and plan for the future. Business is changing. Will you adapt or be left behind? Get up to speed and deepen your understanding of the topics that are shaping your company's future with the Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review series. Featuring HBR's smartest thinking on fast-moving issues--blockchain, cybersecurity, AI, and more--each book provides the foundational introduction and practical case studies your organization needs to compete today and collects the best research, interviews, and analysis to get it ready for tomorrow. You can't afford to ignore how these issues will transform the landscape of business and society. The Insights You Need series will help you grasp these critical ideas--and prepare you and your company for the future.

Download or read book Case for Sustainability in Strategy and Operations written by Niraj Dalmia and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The previous industrial revolutions coupled with long-established business models have created a lock-in towards a linear 'take-make-dispose' model of production and consumption - products are manufactured using non-renewable sources and raw materials, manufacturing wastes are discarded as unusable, product is sold through the supply chain often creating more disposal of wastes, the final product is used by the end consumer till a less than optimal end-of-life, and then disposed or incinerated as landfill. The effects are clear and unsustainable - rapid spikes in resource prices, dangerous price volatility in the economy, discomforting signs of resource exhaustion and a trend towards business uncertainty and disruptions that can derail economic and social growth. The need for an alternative business model is becoming paramount, compelling organizations to find solutions to advance resource performance by reusing, remanufacturing, refurbishing and recycling products and parts to restore non-renewable resources, essentially 'closing the loop'. The management thinking behind creating this circular or 'cradle-to-cradle' supply chain rather than a linear or 'cradle-to-grave' model addresses the various aspects of revamping a business model from product design to recycling methods. This thesis focuses on overcoming challenges of product design in achieving that end. The paper is structured around four chapters. Chapter I opens the paper with an analysis of the circular supply chain model as compared with the linear consumption model, its impact on sustainability and management practices, the emergence and necessity of closing the loops, and the progress so far and limitations of the model. The role of product design in creating circular supply chains, and the variables associated with the challenges are explored in Chapter II. Based on these variables we analyze two case studies to check how our findings apply to two important product life cycle strategies. We also analyze the impact of these strategies on competitiveness and sustainability to demonstrate the business case for circular supply chains. This allows us to demonstrate important links between these variables to highlight overarching criteria to satisfy effective product design in Chapter III.

Download or read book Corporate Sustainability in Practice written by Paolo Taticchi and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-11-24 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Building better organisations, with a clear sense of purpose, is a common challenge faced by many entrepreneurs and executives in industry. A fully integrated corporate sustainability strategy can help organisations to better manage risks, to win business opportunities and to ultimately strengthen reputation. Building on the experience of renowned strategists, sustainability, finance and academic experts, this book offers practical tools and approaches that can be used to develop and implement fully integrated corporate sustainability strategies.

Download or read book Operations Management and Sustainability written by Luitzen de Boer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited book presents cutting edge international research in operations management sustainability and topical research themes. As the sustainability agenda gains greater prominence and momentum throughout society, business actors and stakeholders are increasingly concerned with the impact of current business operations. There is a growing need for OM research and practice which reflects these concerns. Based on demands from industry and society at large, universities and schools now develop academic programs which are meant to serve this need – yet there is no clear and manifest research program concerning OM and sustainability. This book is of use to both researchers orientating themselves in this new and exciting field and educators seeking inspiration to develop new courses.

Download or read book Sustainable Transformation Strategy written by Paolo Taticchi and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-04-29 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This casebook demonstrates how companies can design and execute corporate sustainability strategies into their overall business strategy to achieve sustainable transformation. It offers a set of case studies from different industrial sectors such as aerospace and defence, beauty, energy, engineering and construction, fashion retail, financial services, food and hospitality, life sciences, motorsports, pharmaceutical, software, toy production. Each story presents practical and concrete actions taken by companies to develop their sustainability strategies, as well as challenges and issues faced during the process. Concluding with best practices emerging from the cross-case analysis, this book is beneficial for sustainability and management professionals, students and scholars.

Download or read book The Business Guide to Sustainability written by Marsha Willard and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-09-02 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First edition: Winner of Choice Magazine - Outstanding Academic Titles for 2007 Sustainability promises both reduced environmental impacts and real cash savings for any organization - be it a business, non-profit/NGO or government department. This easy-to-use manual has been written by top business consultants specifically to help managers, business owners, organizational leaders and aspiring environmental managers/sustainability coordinators to improve their organization's environmental, social and economic performance. The authors demystify 'sustainability', untangle the plethora of sustainability frameworks, tools and practices, and make it easy for the average person in any organization to move towards sustainability. Organized by sector (manufacturing, services and office operations, and government) and common organizational functions (senior management, facilities, human resources, purchasing, environmental affairs and compliance, marketing and public relations, and finance and accounting), the authors show how organizations can incorporate sustainability into their everyday work through the application of useful tools and self-assessments. This fully updated edition includes a new chapter on information and communication technology (ICT). The authors have also added many new facts, stories, practices and resources throughout the book to keep up with this rapidly emerging field and have updated their widely used SCORE sustainability assessment.

Download or read book Strategic information systems management for environmental sustainability enhancing firm competitiveness with Green IS written by Löser, Fabian and published by Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin. This book was released on 2015-07-06 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last three decades, information and communication technologies have fundamentally changed the way we work, live and communicate. The ubiquity of internet services, which become increasingly interactive and complex, together with enhanced connectivity, facilitated by innovative mobile devices, induces an ever-rising demand for computing, storage and data transmission capacities. Today, information systems (IS) constitute the backbone of the globalized economy and are indispensable for modern business and production processes. At the same time, environmental sustainability has evolved as the most pressing societal challenge of the 21st century, in particular due to the looming threats of climate change. By virtue of their global influence and reach, business companies significantly contribute to the creation of environmental problems, but owing to their organizational knowledge, capabilities and resources, they also have the capacity and ability to play a key role in shaping the path towards a more sustainable development. The companies leading the way have noticed that corporate sustainability is not necessarily a burden that negatively impacts their bottom line. If strategically managed, environmental product and process innovations can decrease operational costs, enhance corporate reputation, and differentiate from competitors. With regard to environmental sustainability, IS play a contradictory role: on the one hand, the manufacturing, operation and disposal of information technology (IT) infrastructure are responsible for serious environmental impacts: from the mining of conflict minerals to carbon dioxide emissions that equal those of the airline industry to enormous amounts of toxic e-waste. On the other hand, IS are perceived as key enablers of a "green" economy: environmental management systems and the reengineering of business processes can substantially reduce the environmental impacts of business organizations, while technological innovations provide opportunities to decrease the ecological footprint of end-user products and services. Many organizations have started to implement first environmental measures to decrease IT energy consumption and to reduce operational costs, mostly in an unstructured and uncoordinated manner though. Although Green IS practices feature a considerable potential to increase corporate environmentalism while creating promising business opportunities, the adoption of enterprise-wide cross-functional initiatives aimed at implementing Green IS has been rather slow. Economic uncertainties regarding the long-term effects of Green IS adoption and the lack of appropriate management frameworks have been identified as main inhibitors of an encompassing implementation of Green IS initiatives throughout the enterprise. In this context, this thesis addresses relevant research gaps, contributes to theory development in the evolving Green IS research discipline, develops practice-oriented management frameworks, and emphasizes the importance of following a strategic approach to leverage the competitive potential of Green IS. This cumulative thesis comprises an introduction that includes a literature review and a pre-study, four theory-based conceptual research articles, and two empirical studies, one of them building on qualitative, exploratory case study research whereas the other relies on quantitative data which has been analyzed with structural equation modeling. This thesis targets four specific research goals to advance theory-building in Green IS research and to promote the adoption of Green IS in practice. First, this thesis clarifies and defines the central terms and key concepts Green IT, Green IS, Green IS strategy, and Green IS practices drawing on a transdisciplinary research approach. Second, the most important challenges and inhibitors of Green IS adoption are identified and characterized. In particular, the lack of management frameworks, which encourage a holistic implementation that follows a strategic rationale, the complexity of strategic Green IS alignment, the multi-dimensional performance impacts of cross-functional initiatives and, above all, the uncertainty relating to the business case of Green IS practices, are identified as the most pressing challenges. Third, current actions of business firms to address these challenges are examined. Building on exploratory case study research, distinctive Green IS strategies are identified in managerial practice. Most notably, the empirical insights from quantitative survey research suggest a positive relationship between Green IS adoption and firm competitiveness, thus decreasing the economic uncertainty which inhibits the implementation of far-reaching environmental initiatives. Fourth, practice-oriented management frameworks are developed. The fine-grained Green IS strategy concept advises the formulation of strategies addressing the corporate, competitive, and functional management level. The proposed typology of four Green IS strategies illustrates distinct strategic options, from which executives can choose under consideration of their competitive targets and the firm-specific context. To allow for consistency of Green IS strategies, the presented alignment framework facilitates coherence with economic and environmental corporate goals. Furthermore, the actors, roles and responsibilities relevant to the alignment process are described. In addition, a management framework for the holistic adoption of Green IS, which specifies decisive management areas and distinguishes between three degrees of environmental impacts, is presented along with a comprehensive catalogue of Green IS implementation measures. As a consequence, this research offers both empirical insights and conceptual models to advance the adoption of Green IS initiatives, thus meeting the challenges of climate change and turning corporate sustainability into a business opportunity. Informationssysteme (IS) zeigen in Bezug auf ökologische Nachhaltigkeit gegensätzliche Eigenschaften. Einerseits verursachen die Herstellung, der Betrieb sowie die Entsorgung von Informationstechnologie (IT) – Infrastrukturen schwerwiegende negative Umweltauswirkungen: Vom Abbau von Konfliktmineralien über Kohlendioxidemissionen bis hin zu beträchtlichen Mengen giftigen Elektroschrotts. Andererseits werden IS als Schlüsseltechnologien für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft gesehen. Umweltmanagementsysteme und die Umgestaltung von Geschäftsprozessen können den ökologischen Fußabdruck von Organisationen bedeutend verringern. Zudem eröffnen technologische Innovationen neuartige Möglichkeiten, die Umweltauswirkungen von Produkten und Dienstleistungen über den gesamten Lebenszyklus hinweg zu senken. Zahlreiche Organisationen haben damit begonnen, einzelne Green-IT-Maßnahmen zu implementieren um den Energieverbrauch und operative Kosten zu senken. Allerdings verfolgen die meisten Unternehmen hierbei keinen strukturierten oder strategischen Ansatz. Obwohl Green-IS-Initiativen beachtliche Potentiale zur Verbesserung der ökologischen Nachhaltigkeit von Organisationen bieten und gleichzeitig vielversprechende wirtschaftliche Chancen eröffnen, schreitet die Umsetzung von bereichsübergreifenden Green-IS-Maßnahmen in Unternehmen nur langsam voran. Ökonomische Unsicherheiten in Bezug auf die Rentabilität derartiger Maßnahmen sowie der Mangel an adäquaten Management-Frameworks werden in diesem Zusammenhang als zentrale Hinderungsgründe für eine strategische und ganzheitliche Umsetzung von Green-IS-Initiativen identifiziert. Diese Dissertation adressiert diese Hinderungsgründe, schafft Schlüsselkonzepte für den neuen Green-IS-Forschungszweig, entwickelt praxisorientierte Management-Frameworks und hebt die Bedeutung eines strategischen Ansatzes bei der Implementierung von Green IS hervor. Diese Forschungsarbeit offeriert empirische Einblicke wie auch konzeptionelle Modelle um die Umsetzung ganzheitlicher Green-IS-Initiativen in Organisationen voranzutreiben. Unternehmen haben somit die Chance, den Herausforderungen des Klimawandels verantwortungsvoll zu begegnen und gleichzeitig durch eine nachhaltige Unternehmensführung Wettbewerbsvorteile zu generieren.

Download or read book Sustainable Operations Management written by Andrea Chiarini and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-06 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents innovative research on various aspects of sustainability in the field of operations management and illustrates the potential of sustainability thinking and practice to improve operations performance and thereby meet customer needs. Particular attention is devoted to corporate social responsibility and marketing strategy, knowledge management for sustainability, the role of culture in a sustainable built environment, sustainable manufacturing through the application of lean and green concepts, advancing sustainability through ISO standards, and the sustainable supply chain. The present decade is proving to be a time of change in terms of business strategies and operations management. Many of the trends are still subject to uncertainty, but an understanding of the need for, and benefits of, sustainability can give a clear indication of their trajectory. Consumers and markets in general believe that while implementing their business strategies, companies should also try to improve society and the environment and to exercise social responsibility toward their employees. This book provides insights into how this may be achieved, and it is recommended for researchers as well as all practitioners and managers dedicated to enhancing sustainability in operations.

Download or read book Foundations of Sustainable Business written by Nada R. Sanders and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-10-10 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Foundations of Sustainable Business is designed to introduce future business leaders to the most important social and environmental issues of our generation. From the perspectives of a business thought-leader and a public interest policy expert, the text provides a comprehensive, balanced introduction to sustainable business that integrates sustainable policies into all core business functions, including leadership, finance, accounting, risk management, marketing, supply chain management, and operations. Presenting sustainability as a strategic priority for all aspects of business, the text clearly defines all key concepts and shows how social, economic, and environmental trends are interconnected and relevant to corporate strategy. While the text provides an honest look at climate change, human trafficking, and environmental issues such as water shortage and ecosystem health, all normative guidance is based on traditional business value propositions, taking into account cost, risk, strategy, marketing potential, and operational feasibility. Additionally, the text offers a variety of pedagogical tools in each chapter to provide an engaging, qualitative-based learning process. Each chapter ends with original cases with focused questions that test comprehension of concepts. With in-chapter discussion questions, illustrative diagrams, ethical dilemmas, managerial insights, links to fascinating TED Talk videos, and on-point Harvard Business Review cases, Foundations of Sustainable Business is user-friendly for instructors and accessible to students.

Download or read book Implementing Sustainable IT Strategy written by Edward Curry and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainable IT (Information Technology) involves the responsible management of resources (both IT and non-IT) encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Sustainable IT has the potential to be a significant contributor to an organization's sustainability strategy. In this teaching case, we examine what Intel IT has done to transform its operations with Sustainable IT, resulting in the avoidance of significant CO2 emissions and cost savings. This teaching case challenges the reader to analyze the Sustainable IT capability at Intel. The case includes insights into strategic and operational challenges of planning and managing Sustainable IT. Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases.

Download or read book Practical Sustainability Strategies written by Nikos Avlonas and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-10-21 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strategies that enable organizations to succeed as businesses and as responsible corporate citizens Based on the authors' many years of research and hands-on experience, this book provides tested and proven practical strategies that make it possible for organizations to develop, maintain, or extend their competitive advantage without causing harm to the environment and society. Moreover, it explains how to set goals and objectives and then monitor, measure, and report on progress towards achieving corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Most importantly, readers will discover that this can all be accomplished while, at the same time, improving bottom-line profitability. Practical Sustainability Strategies: How to Gain a Competitive Advantage is divided into four parts: Part 1, Introduction to Sustainability, underscores the urgency for organizations to adopt and develop sustainable practices Part 2, Sustainable Strategies, details numerous strategies that have been proven to work, including environmental innovation through biomimicry, green buildings, and green chemistry Part 3, Tools and Metrics, offers practical information on implementing strategies and measuring sustainability and reporting, including global standards and guidelines for managing sustainability, life-cycle analysis, carbon and water footprints such as GRI, GHG Protocol, UN Global Compact Part 4, Conclusion, provides an expert forecast of the future of sustainability Case studies based on the authors' research and fieldwork illustrate how leading companies have implemented each of the sustainability strategies discussed in the book. There's also an appendix with additional case studies exploring various aspects of business practices and sustainability. Practical Sustainability Strategies is ideal as a graduate textbook as well as a reference for business managers. All readers will not only gain a greater appreciation for sustainable development, but also the skills needed to integrate sustainability into all aspects of their organization's business practices.