Cooperativeness as a Virtue of Sustainability

2021 ◽  
pp. 161-186
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Cultural Perspectives ◽  
Environmental Virtue

Cooperativeness, although mentioned by environmental philosophers, has not received adequate attention from scholars of environmental virtue. I seek to remedy this neglect by exploring the virtue’s relationship to both social and environmental sustainability. Cooperativeness must first be differentiated from cooperation, defined, and refined. Once this is accomplished, I use specific cases to demonstrate cooperativeness in action: ecological restoration (an example of environmental sustainability) and cooperative business (an example of social sustainability). Although this chapter draws on resources from Christian ethics, multiple religious and cultural perspectives support cooperativeness in one form or another; this chapter should prove interesting and informative to Christians and non-Christians alike.

scholarly journals Institutional-Political Scenarios for Anthropocene Society

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Hoffman ◽  
P. Devereaux Jennings
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Change Mechanisms ◽  
Main Change

Natural scientists have proposed that humankind has entered a new geologic epoch. Termed the “Anthropocene,” this new reality revolves around the central role of human activity in multiple Earth ecosystems. That challenge requires a rethinking of social science explanations of organization and environment relationships. In this article, we discuss the need to politicize institutional theory as a means understanding “Anthropocene Society,” and in turn what that resultant society means for the Anthropocene in the natural environment. We modify the constitutive elements of institutional orders and a set of main change mechanisms to explore three scenarios around which future Anthropocene Societies might be built—Collapsing Systems, Market Rules, and Cultural Re-Enlightenment. Simultaneously, we use observations from the Anthropocene to expose limitations in present institutional theory and propose extensions to remedy them. Overall, this article challenges organizational scholars to consider a new paradigm under which research in environmental sustainability and social sustainability takes place.

The impact of the motivation for status on consumers’ perceptions of retailer sustainability: the moderating impact of collectivism and materialism

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 292-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mertcan Tascioglu ◽  
Jacqueline Kilsheimer Eastman ◽  
Rajesh Iyer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bandwagon Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate consumers’ perceptions of status motivations on retailers’ sustainability efforts and whether collectivism and materialism moderate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research methodology using survey data was used. Data were collected by administering questionnaires from millennial respondents (n = 386) from the USA and Turkey. Findings The results show that cultural value (collectivism) and materialism can serve as moderators of the effects of status motivation and sustainability. The findings indicate that the link between status motivation and sustainability perceptions (both environmental and social sustainability) is stronger for more collectivist consumers. In terms of materialism, while it did not moderate the relationship between status motivation and perceptions of environmental sustainability, it did moderate the relationship between status motivation and perceptions of social sustainability, particularly the uniqueness aspect of materialism. Research limitations/implications The stronger link between status motivation and both environmental and social sustainability for collectivists suggests that the bandwagon effect may be impacting their need for status. The stronger link between status motivation and social sustainability for those more materialistic suggests that their need for status may be more impacted by a snob effect as they want to appear unique. The use of college students is a limitation of this study, and future research needs to explore a wider range of age groups to determine if there are generational differences. Additionally, future research could examine other cultural dimensions such as power distance and masculinity versus femininity. Practical implications Findings from this research provide insights for retailers, especially those targeting the status and luxury market when developing their sustainability plans. An interest in sustainability may aid consumers in meeting their need for status, particularly for those status consumers who are more collectivist, as a means to fit in with their group. For more materialistic consumers, retailers may want to focus more on unique social sustainability efforts that are more publicly noticeable. Social implications Social sustainability, a topic not studied as frequently as environmental sustainability, has significant implications for consumers. The findings suggest that the link between status motivation and social sustainability is stronger for collectivists, suggesting a bandwagon effect. Additionally, the authors find that the link between status motivation and social sustainability is stronger for materialists, particularly the uniqueness dimension of materialism, suggesting a snob effect. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in the exploration of how status motivation impacts consumers’ perceptions of retailers’ environmental and social sustainability efforts and if these relationships are moderated by collectivism and materialism. Few studies have examined social sustainability, especially in terms of culture.

scholarly journals Is Innovation a Driver of Sustainability? An Analysis from a Spanish Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9286
Author(s):  
Alicia Llorca-Ponce ◽  
Gregorio Rius-Sorolla ◽  
Francisco J. Ferreiro-Seoane
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Environmental Certification ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive ◽  
Employment Generation ◽  
Financial Profitability ◽  
Spanish Region

1. Background. It is well-known that innovation contributes to economic growth, improves productivity and enables competitive advantage. However, beyond these matters, it would be of interest to know what role innovation plays in relation to sustainability. This paper focuses on whether innovation is a driver of sustainability in its three dimensions: social, economic and environmental. 2. Methods. The study was conducted with companies in the Valencian community (Spain) to analyze whether they significantly contribute to sustainability as innovators. Economical sustainability was assessed based on economic and financial profitability; social sustainability was assessed by employment generation. To determine whether companies contributed to environmental sustainability, we considered those which, apart from a reputation (“label”) in innovation, had some kind of environmental certification. 3. Results. Our results indicate that innovative companies are more profitable and generate more employment. However, there are no differences in terms of performance and employment generation between innovative companies and those that are also environmentally sensitive. 4. Conclusion. Innovation is a driving force of economic and social sustainability in the studied area, but environmental sensitivity is not a driver for economic and social sustainability.

scholarly journals A Technology-Based Innovation Adoption and Implementation Analysis of European Smart Tourism Projects: Towards a Smart Actionable Classification Model (SACM)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10279
Author(s):  
Dejan Križaj ◽  
Miha Bratec ◽  
Peter Kopić ◽  
Tadej Rogelja
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Innovation Adoption ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Classification Model ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
Adoption And Implementation ◽  
Implementation Analysis ◽  
Smart Tourism

Similar to the concept of “Smart Cities”, “Smart Tourism” has undoubtedly become a promising field of research, and “the” buzzword in the last five years. But how much of this is “smart washing”, and how much progress has really been made? We focus on the adoption and implementation of technological innovations to analyze the publicly available descriptions of Smart Tourism projects implemented in Europe according to the stringent technological criteria of contemporary Smart Tourism definitions. The results show that the vast majority of projects branded as “smart” predominantly pursue environmental sustainability goals, but do not feature advanced technology that meets the Smart Actionable attribute criteria, and do not address social sustainability issues to the same extent as the environmental ones.

scholarly journals Environmental and Social Sustainability in UK Construction Industry: a Systematic Literature Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Fotios Misopoulos ◽  
Vicky Manthou ◽  
Zenon Michaelides
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Community Sustainability ◽  
Bottom Line

Research on sustainability in the construction industry is common in construction journals addressing the potential adverse effects conventional practices have in the construction community. Sustainability is addressed through the environmental, social and economic impacts in literature and researchers and practitioners always drive the need for an equal attention on these three dimensions, but not so successfully at present. Sustainability covers a broad content with various suggested approaches arising from different countries all over the world. Previous studies have investigated sustainable construction issues as a global concept and in individual developed countries such as the US, Australia, and China. The aim of this research is to investigate the extent of coverage, by academia, of the sustainability concept in UK construction industry, with a focus on the environmental and social aspects of sustainability, based on the Triple Bottom Line framework. The researchers conducted a systematic literature review, searching relevant articles with predefined criteria in two major bibliographical databases, which offer great coverage of the existing academic journals in social sciences. The study utilised the PRISMA reporting approach and the search resulted in thirty-one suitable articles. The findings revealed that environmental sustainability receives much more attention than social sustainability. Added emphasis is given to green buildings and materials used. Government regulations seem to be the leading driver for adopting sustainable practices, while lack of knowledge/awareness of sustainable best practices is the leading challenge.

scholarly journals Shaping Aquaculture Management—An Interest Tug O’ War

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8853
Author(s):  
Signe A. Sønvisen ◽  
Christian Vik
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Industry Growth ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Management Regime ◽  
Spatial Management ◽  
Aquaculture Management

(1) Background: Although Norwegian aquaculture has experienced tremendous development, environmental challenges limit opportunities for growth. To promote environmentally sustainable industry growth, a new spatial management regime was introduced: the Traffic Light System (TLS). However, with a focus on environmental sustainability and economic growth, the new regime largely ignores important factors for industry development: legitimacy and acceptance. (2) Methods: This study used qualitative methods such as interviews and document analysis. (3) Results: The results showed how aquaculture stakeholders perceive and weigh the dimensions of sustainability. Low social sustainability, owing to low content legitimacy and acceptance, places stakeholders in an interest tug o’ war. (4) Conclusions: Legitimacy and acceptance are prerequisites for industry growth, which may ultimately affect the objective of sustainable growth. In particular, a lack of legitimacy and acceptance may affect procedural legitimacy and thus the long-standing institutional setup in Norway.

scholarly journals Using a Product’s Sustainability Space as a Design Exploration Tool

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. Mattson ◽  
Andrew T. Pack ◽  
Vicky Lofthouse ◽  
Tracy Bhamra
Keyword(s):  
Multiobjective Optimization ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Optimization Techniques ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Alternative View ◽  
Water Wells ◽  
Sustainable Product Development ◽  
Exploration Tool ◽  
Sustainable Product

Sustainable design is often practiced and assessed through the consideration of three essential areas: economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability. For even the simplest of products, the complexities of these three areas and their tradeoffs cause decision-making transparency to be lost in most practical situations. The existing field of multiobjective optimization offers a natural framework to define and explore a given design space. In this paper, a method for defining a product’s sustainability space (defined by economic, environmental, and social sustainability objectives) is outlined and used to explore the tradeoffs within the space, thus offering both the design team and the decision makers a means of better understanding the sustainability tradeoffs. This paper concludes that sustainable product development can indeed benefit from tradeoff characterization using multiobjective optimization techniques – even when using only basic models of sustainability. Interestingly, the unique characteristics of the three essential sustainable development areas lead to an alternative view of some traditional multiobjective optimization concepts, such as weak-Pareto optimality. The sustainable redesign of a machine to drill boreholes for water wells is presented as a practical example for method demonstration and discussion.

Organizational creativity and sustainability-oriented innovation as drivers of sustainable development: overcoming firms' economic, environmental and social sustainability challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime E. Souto
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Statistical Technique ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Performance ◽  
Organizational Creativity ◽  
Sustainability Challenges

PurposeSustainable development is key to firms' competitiveness, survival, growth and profitability, although sustainability emerges as a great challenge. The aim of this study is to analyze the links between organizational creativity (which integrates sustainability orientation), sustainability-oriented innovation and the multidimensionality of firms' sustainability performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 417 valid responses from manufacturing SMEs were collected through a questionnaire. PLS-SEM is the statistical technique used in the hypothesis testing.Findings Organizational creativity (which integrates sustainability orientation) and sustainability-oriented innovation are positively associated with economic sustainability performance, environmental sustainability performance and social sustainability performance; sustainability-oriented innovation has a partial mediation effect on the relationship between organizational creativity and economic, environmental, and social sustainability performance; and organizational creativity (which integrates sustainability orientation) has a positive effect on sustainability-oriented innovation.Originality/valueSustainability orientation is integrated into organizational creativity without limiting it, sustainability-oriented innovation encompasses innovation and sustainability in all its breadth without forgetting the innovation process openness, and firm's sustainability performance has a multidimensional approach. Such innovation and creativity contribute – in an interconnected way – to sustainable development, as well as overcoming sustainability challenges and firms' barriers to sustainability. Likewise, the aforementioned creativity must be implemented throughout the company, even beyond its contribution to the innovation process. Thus, the implementation of new ideas, thoughts, perspectives, views, and mental models – fruit of the described creative process – will generate new models and paths in which firms' profitability, growth and survival are related with overcoming environmental and social problems.

Digital Economy Transformation in Nexus With External and Social Sustainability

2022 ◽  
pp. 156-185
Author(s):  
Arif Budimanta Sebayang ◽  
Telisa Aulia Falianty ◽  
Firdha Anisa Najiya ◽  
Gusti Raganata
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Regression Model ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Mobile Cellular ◽  
The Impact

In response to Indonesia's accelerating digital use, this study aims to address challenges to implement digital business models and identify the impact of digital economy to external and social and environmental sustainability. This study uses desk study, descriptive statistical analysis, and quantitative regression model and qualitative information from discussion with relevant stakeholders. This study provides several important results. First, increase in mobile cellular subscription will lead to increase in inequality, while percentage of internet user to population has shown otherwise. Second, the study also found that technology has a possibility to affect environment since it could increase CO2 emission. The digital technology gives the pressure to increase balance of payment deficit. The recommendations include increasing digital access and digital literacy, developing pro-environment technology, and increasing the exports of digitally deliverable services.

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