scholarly journals To Buy Green or Not to Buy Green: Do Structural Dependencies Block Ecological Responsiveness?

2020 ◽  
pp. 014920632097789
Author(s):  
Simon J. D. Schillebeeckx ◽  
Teemu Kautonen ◽  
Henri Hakala
Keyword(s):  
Value Creation ◽  
Switching Costs ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
External Influence ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Development Costs ◽  
Input Material ◽  
Reputation Effects

Despite the significant increase in interest in sustainable business practices, decisions on switching to more environmentally friendly input materials are understudied. In a conjoint experiment, we presented 267 Finnish manufacturing firms with an opportunity to acquire an alternative, more ecological input material and investigated their willingness to switch to that material. We find that in general, firms are willing to substitute their current principal input with a more ecological alternative under conditions of functional parity. However, such willingness is contingent on the firm’s value creation structures. Specifically, if the products and processes driving the firm’s value creation rely more on tangible materials (high materiality), firms anticipate higher input-switching costs, which leads to inertia and slows the adoption of alternative, environmentally friendlier inputs. However, if a firm’s value creation is driven more by intangible assets, like intellectual property and amortizable development costs, input-switching costs appear lower. Such firms not only find it easier to adopt ecological inputs but may also derive greater benefit from leveraging the positive reputation effects associated with ecological improvements. By exploring how willingness to switch to an alternative input material is constrained by organizational structures, our findings contribute to research on input substitution and theories of external influence, like demand-side research, stakeholder theory, and ecological responsiveness.

Responsible entrepreneurship: outlining the contingencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 538-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Vallaster ◽  
Sascha Kraus ◽  
Norbert Kailer ◽  
Brooke Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Responsible Innovation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Society Business ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to give an up-to-date assessment of key topics and methods discussed in the current literature on responsible entrepreneurship. In the past years, sustainable development itself has become a more popular and important topic in the academic literature and hence the field of sustainable entrepreneurship has become a greater topic of interest and opportunity for solution. Therefore, a systematic literature review is conducted to assess new contributions to the field and its potential for the future of sustainable development, with a focus on responsible innovation.Design/methodology/approachSystematic, evidence-informed literature review following Tranfieldet al.(2003).FindingsBased on a conceptual literature review, five streams of research that responsible entrepreneurs distinguish from purely for-profit entrepreneurs are identified and discussed: walking the line between profit creation and value creation for society; business models of responsible entrepreneurs; their role in transforming society; getting ready to innovate responsibly; and the role of market incentives to foster sustainable business practices.Originality/valueThe structured literature review allows to identify future research paths. In detail, ideas as regards the management of upcoming tensions when trying to combine profit creation and value creation for society, and finally, the way innovation processes need to be rethought when innovating responsibly are discussed and outlined.

Fostering Responsible Business

2017 ◽  
pp. 309-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Hossein Rahdari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Shed Light

Corporate social responsibility networks and associations play a significant role in fostering responsible business yet there exists a lacuna in the literature regarding the role of these networks and associations in augmenting responsible business practices. Furthermore, research studies with regard to how they function seem to be non-existent. Following this line of argument, this study attempts to shed light on these ambiguities by examining three leading networks. The results suggest that corporate sustainability and responsibility networks and associations play the role of facilitators, by providing tools and services, and incentivize business organizations to take measurable actions towards corporate sustainability. Moreover, they function as the engine of growth for responsible and sustainable business ecosystem. With their growing influence and the mainstreaming of responsible practices, a review of their objectives, organizational structures, types of activities, practices and impacts using a reviewing framework would provide a solid background for future research.

scholarly journals Value Chains vs. Ecosystems: Current Perspectives Among Swedish SMEs Entering the Interconnected World of IoT

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Centerholt ◽  
Frida Kjidderö ◽  
Ted Saarikko ◽  
Sten Grahn
Keyword(s):  
Value Creation ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Linear Perspective ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Industrial Firms ◽  
Industrial Iot ◽  
Technical Proficiency ◽  
Strong Attachment

Smart connected industrial products and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming the industrial business landscape in a radical way. To reach the full potential of IoT-technologies manufacturing firms are forced to rethink almost every aspect of their value creation process. To utilize this promising digital technology and to cope with the new market conditions of IoT environments, research shows that industrial firms have to make a fundamental shift in value creation logic and break free from the value chain perspective of business. Instead they have to embrace a view where value is co-created within ecosystems in both a vertical and a horizontal manner. By exploring the value creation logic of small and medium sized (SME) Swedish industrial machinery manufacturers, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how manufacturing firms view their value creation processes and how aligned this logic is to the latest research in IoT. The study found that Swedish industrial machine manufacturers do understand the transformative force of IoT-technologies and see great business opportunities to utilize IoT in their business. The study, however, identified a lack of co-creation and difficulties in embracing an ecosystem perspective. While quick to embrace change on a technical level, respondents still adhere to a firm-centric and linear perspective of value creation, with a strong attachment to the value chain concept. The study suggests that it is not a lack of technical proficiency or engineering know-how, but rather an adherence to goods-dominant logic and attachment to the value chain concept that prevent Swedish SME manufacturers from fully embracing the growing market of industrial IoT. Hence, we see an urgent need for both practitioners and academia to shift their attention from the dazzling potential of cutting-edge technologies to the nitty-gritty business of incorporating co-creation and ecosystem-thinking into current business practices.

Fostering Responsible Business

2019 ◽  
pp. 1519-1541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Hossein Rahdari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Shed Light

Corporate social responsibility networks and associations play a significant role in fostering responsible business yet there exists a lacuna in the literature regarding the role of these networks and associations in augmenting responsible business practices. Furthermore, research studies with regard to how they function seem to be non-existent. Following this line of argument, this study attempts to shed light on these ambiguities by examining three leading networks. The results suggest that corporate sustainability and responsibility networks and associations play the role of facilitators, by providing tools and services, and incentivize business organizations to take measurable actions towards corporate sustainability. Moreover, they function as the engine of growth for responsible and sustainable business ecosystem. With their growing influence and the mainstreaming of responsible practices, a review of their objectives, organizational structures, types of activities, practices and impacts using a reviewing framework would provide a solid background for future research.

scholarly journals Perceived Value, Social Bond, and Switching Cost as Antecedents and Predictors of Customer Loyalty in the B2B Chemical Industry Context: A Literature Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Samudro ◽  
Ujang Sumarwan ◽  
Eva Z . Yusuf ◽  
Megawati Simanjuntak
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Switching Costs ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Switching Cost ◽  
Social Bond ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business

Industries have been emphasizing customer loyalty to ensure business sustainability. A lot of constructs influence customer loyalty, and this paper focuses on perceived value, social bond, and switching cost. What is actually behind customer’s retention with the firms becomes exciting topics to be explored since firms will employ the best strategy to retain customers, either through offering superior value, investing in a relationship, or in setting up switching costs. This study is designed to develop integrative constructs of customer loyalty and investigates their antecedents using the literature review method. Perceived value tends to be evaluated from an economic benefit perspective since this paper refers to some business practices in chemical industries that concern cost. Purposely, to achieve this economic value, both firms and customers need to work closely, transparently, and cooperatively since the beginning; hence, it needs an interpersonal relationship between parties. With more transferred information from the customer and more transparent communication, firms will be able to identify the customer’s need and deliver tailored superior value. This literature review finds that excellent value and the social bond become financial and relational switching costs for the customer. By understanding antecedents of loyalty, a firm can develop a social bond, superior value, and set up switching costs to create loyalty and build a sustainable business relationship.

Role of Positive Emotions in Organisational Coping

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2and3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vibhuti Gupta ◽  
Devalina
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Charismatic Leadership ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Support Layout

The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions postulated by Barbara L. Fredrickson proposes that emotions like joy, interest, contentment, and love enable an individual to broaden his/her patterns of thinking and acting, which in turn build the personal coping resources, whether intellectual, physical, social, or psychological, by way of creating novel ideas, actions or social relationships. This paper is a review of 15 empirical studies carried out during 1998-2012 that support the contributions of this theory to the creation of a healthy workplace by fostering positive emotions in employees. Positive emotions were found to be pivotal in enhancing employee performance, encouraging innovation and creativity that result in sustainable business practices, helping organizations make good decisions, facilitating work-flow and motivation, developing authentic and charismatic leadership styles, job enrichment, better team performance, and satisfactory customer relations. A link between positive emotions and an upward spiral of personal and organizational resources has also been established where positive self-evaluation, development of resilience, a climate of social support, layout of clearer goals, high quality social-interaction, good health and productivity of workers have been found to promote effective coping.

scholarly journals Editorial: Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7132
Author(s):  
Joseph Amankwah-Amoah ◽  
Frederick Ahen
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
New Ventures ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Sustainable Waste Management ◽  
Sustainable Business

In this Editorial, we synthesise the articles in the Special Issue with unique insights into sustainable waste management innovations and sustainable business practices [...]

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