Stakeholder participation in sustainability assessment of non-wicked problems: The case of a future seaweed industry in Sweden

Acceptance by, and cooperation with relevant stakeholders in developing new sustainability initiatives when they are generally perceived as positive, is one of the keys for successful implementation of such new sustainability initiatives later on. It is remarkable, however, that ample literature exists about involving stakeholders in research projects focusing on problems with diverging views (controversy) around facts and values (wicked problems), but there is very little literature addressing whether and how to involve relevant stakeholders in case of initiatives where diverging norms and values do not play a (substantial) role, like in sustainability assessment for a future seaweed industry. This perspectives paper addresses that gap, and explores how to design such sustainability assessment, illustrated by how stakeholder interaction influenced the assessment and its results for a future seaweed industry in Sweden, followed by a discussion whether and how a similar approach may benefit sustainability assessment of other non-wicked sustainability initiatives.

Challenges of network interaction in managing sustainable development projects in developing countries: case of an international consulting company

Purpose This study aims to explore the challenges and complexities of interaction in international stakeholder networks within the context of projects focused on the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs). In particular, it examines the challenges faced by stakeholders in a network from a developed country during interaction in the context of a developing country. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach, this study analyses interview data collected from the key managers of an international consulting company in charge of a water supply and sanitation project in Nepal. The primary data is triangulated with secondary data, such as project reports and related academic articles. Findings This study illustrates how interaction in international stakeholder networks affects and is interrelated with SDGs, as well as how aiming to achieve one specific goal can stimulate the implementation of other sustainable goals. Further, this research shows how project managers from a developed country had to adapt to the specifics of the developing country context and how their sustainability project influenced the well-being of local communities by improving environmental and social sustainability. Research limitations/implications The research suggests that challenges in stakeholder interaction may arise because of differences in process management methods used by the international stakeholders involved in the project and country-context specifics, such as corruption, imperfect national regulations, cultural specifics, effects of climate change, etc. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature on international multi-stakeholder interaction between actors from developed and developing countries. Furthermore, it adds to the literature on stakeholder networking by highlighting the importance of engaging in a dialogue with local communities during the conceptualisation stages of both sustainability and SDG implementation because of diverging worldviews and practices.

Recycling of Coal Fly Ash as an Example of an Efficient Circular Economy: A Stakeholder Approach

The scale of waste formation from coal-fired generation is significant and tends to grow steadily in the context of the global use of coal for power production. This paper covers the problems and current opportunities for recycling coal fly ash waste from coal generation from the position of a stakeholder approach, namely, identification of the main participants and determination of the effects for economic agents in coal fly ash recycling projects. Based on the method of economic modeling and the empirical assessment of project efficiency, this paper presents alternative patterns of stakeholder interaction in the process of implementing coal fly ash recycling projects, estimates the effects of using coal fly ash, and identifies conflicting interests between stakeholders. It is shown that the reason behind the low interest of the Russian private sector in the processing of coal fly ash is the lack of stimulating market mechanisms for manufacturers and consumers of ash products, the high risks of implementing recycling projects based on clean coal technologies, and low environmental payments for commercial companies.

Empathy in non-altruistic settings: Conceptualization and operationalization in business

A hundred years since the first mention of the word empathy in the English language, scientists and philosophers have been unable to arrive at a common consensus on its precise definition. Common wisdom associates empathy with vicarious emotional arousal or altruism. This study conducts a systematic review of research work in business studies dealing with empathy. The method used comprises applying lower-level abstract taxonomy to empathy, for the first time, in external business stakeholder interaction situations of sales, marketing, and customer service. The measurement scales used in the studies are analyzed to showcase mental processes at stake during the act of empathy, the theorized functions, and expected business outcomes of empathy. Implications are drawn for various aspects of managerial decision making. The study suggests a novel framework to execute a more nuanced grade examination of processes involved in empathy and reducing subjectivity in conceptual definitions. The study also calls for overhauling empathy measurement scales, mainly to suit adaptations in empirical business studies.

Stakeholder interaction for sustainability in seaports. Analysing the implementation and its linkages to overarching interaction efforts

Purpose This study aims to analyse how and to what extent stakeholder interaction for sustainability is implemented in organisations and the linkages to the overarching interaction efforts. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted in the context of seaports. To examine interaction activities with stakeholders for sustainability and how they are implemented, the study uses content analysis of sustainability reports. Findings The results show that the majority of ports recognise the importance of stakeholder interaction to create value and guide organisational sustainability; however, it is implemented to varying levels and degrees, which affects the form and extent of the overarching interaction efforts. The paper proposes four categories of implementing stakeholder interaction, showing the linkages to the number of stakeholder groups involved, sustainability dimensions covered and interaction approaches used. Originality/value This paper contributes to sustainability, stakeholder and management literature by highlighting different levels of implementation of stakeholder interaction for sustainability and its linkages to overarching efforts that may affect the sustainable development of an organisation. The results of this study provide a better understanding of stakeholder interaction within organisational sustainability approaches and implementation in sustainability-oriented business models. As organisations seek to increase their sustainability performance, these insights may be useful for both academia and practice.

Logistics digital transformation model based on a platform solution

This paper is devoted to researching the major aspects of the digital transformation of the logistical field. Provided are the suggestions for constructing logistical process stakeholder interaction models. One of the major trends in digital logistics is platform solutions that will come to replace specialized digital solutions. Based on this trend, authors provide the 3-level model of stakeholder interaction on the logistical platform which could form the foundation of a future platform solution architecture. The creation of the logistical platform is the next step in the digital transformation of logistics which aims to create a unified logistical ecosystem.

The first step in removing communication and organizational barriers to stakeholders’ interaction in Smart Grids: A theoretical approach

This research is the first step in scientific work on the formation of organizational and communication system stakeholders` interaction in Smart Grid. This theoretical research studies the cooperation of stakeholders under the logical and meaningful process of initiation, design, implementation, and development of Smart Grid projects. According to researches analysis in this area and the best practice approaches to the development of Smart Grids, a stakeholder` interaction matrix has been formed. The peculiarity of the developed matrix is taking into account the stages and directions (key aspects) of the Smart Grids development. It forms the basis for a systematic analysis of the problem under study. So the designed matrix will be used as a component of the formation of the stakeholders` interaction logicalstructural scheme. The development of this scheme is an intermediate stage in modeling the interaction of stakeholders. The research results presented in this paper are the first theoretical step in a multi-stage study of stakeholder interaction.

HARMONIZATION OF STAKEHOLDER INTERESTS IN THE SYSTEM OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE

The aim of the article is to outline theoretical and methodological approaches to harmonizing the interests of stakeholders in the system of sustainable finance on a platform approach to the organization of stakeholder interaction as partners in the process of ensuring sustainable management. It is established that the organization of sustainable management concerns the formation of financial relations in the interests of the maximum number of stakeholders, which will contribute to the homeostatic development of the economic system. The place and role of the financial component in harmonizing the interests of stakeholders are determined. Stakeholders in the financial relations of sustainable management are considered as a system set of groups and individuals from the internal and external environment of economic entities that provide homeostasis of the economic system through optimal distribution and use of financial resources in the process of interaction. A matrix of differentiation of stakeholders is constructed according to the importance of participation in the management process and the degree of their interest in decision-making. Passive and active hosts and users have been identified, among whom it is necessary to establish interaction to transfer as many participants as possible to the categories of active hosts and users and apply platform technological innovations for this purpose. It is determined that the stakeholders-hosts should act as agents of the territorial business ecosystem, forming the trend of sustainable management through collaborative interaction with each other. It was found that in the future it is necessary to create a full-fledged system of sustainable finance, in which in addition to the existing components of responsible investment and banking, sustainable insurance and stock markets, it is necessary to develop a sustainable public sector financial system, including sustainable fiscal and budgetary pension system and sovereign financing of sustainable development. The formation of the logistic cycle of sustainable economic reproduction due to the action of regulatory, stabilization, inclusive and other mechanisms of the system of sustainable finance is shown.