Business Commons^™

Attaining Sustainability: The American Evolution Of Socially Responsible Business Practices, Lauren M. Beatty

Alumni Scholarship

The focus of this thesis is on the evolution of socially responsible business practices (SRBPs); the historical progression of commercial philanthropy; the current market trends that drive corporate actions; and the projected rise of social responsibility integration within organizational cultures. The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence for how SRBPs contribute to, rather than detract from, the strength and success of American consumer goods companies because of their strategic integration in organizational cultures. In addition to providing a brief historical overview of the evolution of SRBPs, the thesis will highlight how the objectives of SRBPs have continuously advanced …

Chapter 7: Determining Environmental Values: Storytelling At Bp., Jacob Massoud, David M. Boje

Jacob Massoud

To enhance sustainable development research and practice the values of the researchers, project managers and participants must first be made explicit. Values in Sustainable Development introduces and compares worldviews and values from multiple countries and perspectives, providing a survey of empirical methods available to study environmental values as affected by sustainable development. The first part is methodological, looking at what values are, why they are important, and how to include values in sustainable development. The second part looks at how values differ across social contexts, religions and viewpoints demonstrating how various individuals may value nature from a variety of cultural, …

Product And Consumer Characteristics As Moderators Of Consumer Response To Sustainable Products, Kealy Carter

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two essays. In both, product sustainability is broadly focused on the environmental and social performance (Luchs et al. 2010) of a product. The first essay explores the role of firm sustainability reputation in behavioral intentions for sustainable products. Additionally, this essay applies construal level theory (Liberman and Trope 1998; Vallacher and Wegner 1985, 1987) and addresses the situation that exists wherein sales of sustainable products produced by firms founded under sustainability principles are more stable than those produced by traditional firms (Clifford and Martin 2011). The second essay introduces a measure of consumer perceived product sustainability …

Eco-Friendly Or Eco-Frenzy? A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Companies’ Environmental Decisions, Sandria S. Stephenson, Natalie Rodriquez

Faculty and Research Publications

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and analyze the incremental costs of businesses becoming “green.” It answers the overarching question: are businesses becoming eco-friendly or eco-frenzy? For the purposes of this paper, eco-friendly is defined as companies that strive to be environmentally conscious. Conversely, companies that are eco-frenzy become environmentally conscious for the wrong reasons, such as gaining an environmental reputation. With the increase in popularity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the legal requirements related to environmental laws, more businesses have been incorporating the ideas of sustainability into their strategic positioning. At the start of the 21st …

A Model For Meeting And Event Venues To Implement Green Practices, Justine Clewer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 2007 green meetings were ranked as the third most anticipated trend by Event Solutions magazine’s survey of 1,350 event professionals, however by 2011 it was an emerging trend (Goldblatt, 2012). Today, meeting and event planners are increasingly including clauses in their contracts with venues pertaining to green practices, and are willing to look elsewhere if a venue does not agree to partake in the green initiatives. For venues the failure to “go green” can mean a substantial loss of revenue. Nonetheless, many businesses are hesitant to engage in green (sustainable) practices, because they are not properly educated on the …

Corporate Sustainability And The Role Of The Consumer: Three Essays, Jeffrey Gauthier

Doctoral Dissertations

The challenge of sustainability has become an increasingly important concern for organizations. Sustainability raises new questions of legitimacy for organizations, compelling them to address stakeholder expectations of economic, environmental, and social performance. Although consumer stakeholders act as the ultimate arbiter of legitimacy for many firms, we know little about how consumers may influence corporate sustainability. This dissertation consists of three essays that examine the role of consumers in influencing corporate sustainability. The first essay examines how companies may attempt to manage sustainability ratings assigned by ratings agencies in an attempt to retain consumer stakeholder support. I argue that an understanding …

Framing Sustainability For The Free, Frugal, And Fit & Fabulous, Usu Jon M. Huntsman School Of Business, Alexi Lamm, Edwin R. Stafford

Jon M. Huntsman School of Business News Collection

Days prior to the February, 2011 Utah State University student referendum, the ‘green police’ were out in force issuing ‘citations’ to students who drove to school or placed recyclable items in the trash. The ‘citations’ were actually political leaflets from representatives of the USU College Republicans dressed in satirical law enforcement garb, protesting the“Blue Goes Green” ballot measure that would impose a 25 cent-per-credit-hour fee (averaging about $3 per student per semester) to fund a proposed Student Sustainability Office and administer a grant program for student initiatives to conserve resources on campus. Although placed on the ballot by a student …

Three Essays On The Enterprise Strategy For Multinational Firms, Veselina Plamenova Vracheva

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

The enterprise strategy (ES) of the firm is the overarching organizational strategy which reflects the firm's degree of integration with society. It asks, "What do we stand for?" Very little is known about the ES; however, it is an important construct which can deepen our understanding of the stakeholder management process and the firm's long-term performance. Unlike much previous ES research, this three-essay dissertation examines both the nature of and the antecedents for ES in a cross-national setting.

The introductory essay offers a conceptual model describing the organizational identity orientation effects on the multinational enterprise's (MNE) ES. Additionally, it shows …

Sustainability: An Examination Of Trends In The Floral Industry, Emily Gaul

Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration

Sustainability in the floral industry is a constantly changing subject. As more products are created for florists to use in their designs, sustainability will evolve and be redefined. The purpose of this study was to examine the sustainable trends in growing, designing, and marketing within the floral industry. As seen in the companies analyzed, each business plan constitutes a different set of practices that are utilized for the benefit of that company. An applied best practices analysis was conducted on the floral industry’s trends in sustainability. In the floral industry, businesses are shifting away from importing and focusing on local …

Corporate Social Responsibility: A Case Study On Carlsberg, Anne Sofie Brusendorff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In today’s business environment corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are extremely influential in a firm’s competitiveness. A literature review will provide an analysis of past cases illustrating the importance of CSR, considering both positive and negative impacts CSR strategy can have on business success. Furthermore, important definitions and terminology critical to understanding CSR will be highlighted. This paper explores the evolution of CSR and provides a general overview of the effects CSR can have on a company’s reputation. The way a company can effectively utilize a CSR-strategy as a competitive advantage is also examined, along with scholarly views both …

Rebranding The Wku Office Of Sustainability, Mary Boothe

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since its inception in 2008, the WKU Office of Sustainability has struggled with general program and initiative awareness as well as student engagement in university sponsored sustainability activities. Attempts to target and capture an audience have been inconsistent due to lack of budget and staff, resulting in varying levels of success. The purpose of this project is to identify, through a population survey, a student market that is interested but unaware of the information, services, and initiatives provided by the WKU Office of Sustainability. Once identified, the market was assessed using statistical data and focus groups to determine the most …

Assortment Planning Of Automotive Products: Considerations For Economic And Environmental Impacts Of Technology Selection, Ali Taghavi, Ratna Babu Chinnam

Industrial and Systems Engineering Faculty Research Publications

A manufacturer’s assortment is the set of products that the company offers to its customers. Assortment planning considerably affects both the sales revenue and product offering costs for the company and it had experienced growing attention across different industries over recent decades. In this study, we propose a modeling framework that seeks to identify the optimal assortment for a manufacturer of configurable products (in particular, automobiles). Our model accounts for environmental considerations (Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements, tail-pipe emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions related to the production of the fuel used to power the vehicle) during assortment planning. We formulate …

Corporate Sociability: Analysing Motivations For Collaborative Regulation, Mark Findlay

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The article explores the features and charts the principle theorizing of regulatory sociability from collaboration rather than intervention, whatever the interest-based motivation behind transforming crisis, toward orderliness. A key theme is the role played by corporations in facilitating and benefiting from sociability. A particular explanatory focus on the way in which corporate culture can change from predatory jurisdiction shopping to embracing mutuality of interests in the context of environmental sustainability is employed. The article concludes with a discussion of how, as compulsory discipline increases, it may produce compliance but at costs for regulatory sociability. The alternative regulatory paradigm is one …

Difference In Degrees: Ceo Characteristics And Firm Environmental Disclosure, Ben W. Lewis, Judith L. Walls, Glen W. S. Dowell

Faculty Publications

We contribute to the literature on firms’ responses to institutional pressures and environmental information disclosure. We hypothesize that CEO characteristics such as education and tenure will influence firms’ likelihood to voluntarily disclose environmental information. We test our hypotheses by examining firms’ responses to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and find that firms led by newly appointed CEOs and CEOs with MBA degrees are more likely to respond to the CDP, while those led by lawyers are less likely to respond. Our results have implications for research on strategic responses to institutional pressures and corporate environmental performance.

Reverse Logistics Planning: A Strategic Way To Address Environmental Sustainability While Creating A Competitive Advantage, Melissa R. Icenhour

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Optimization Of A Small Business's Sustainability Using Life-Cycle Analysis Software And Benefit Corporation Assessment Tools, Zachary Paul Angelini

Student Research Projects

American Bench Craft produces hand-crafted American-made goods that include leather wallets, cardholders, belts, bracelets, etc. Their unique designs have a very specific focus on simplicity, which is the key to making their mission work.

Mission: Quality & Durability

Simple products are more durable. Less parts equals less susceptibility to failure. Simple designs and premium materials make their products truly built to last.

Mission: American Jobs

Their simple design concept allows them to manufacture right here in the USA, manufacture locally and utilize chronically underemployed populations. They are creating American jobs where they are needed the most.

Mission: Environmental Sustainability

The …

Blue And Orange Lunch Line, Donald Riger

College of Business and Economics Presentations

The fall 2013 section of Supply Chain Management 420-Creating Sustainable Goods and Services, taught by Dr. Tom Gattiker, completed a group project using the Green Breakthrough process which is based on Design Thinking. The assignment for this portion of the course was a written proposal for a product or service that:

– Is highly innovative, not incremental

– Meets a customer (e.g. student, faculty) need

– Has a significant environmental benefit

– Related to the BSU / our campus

– Customer facing

– Could be implemented at BSU (or nearby) within one year

I was a member of team 2 …

Corporate Social Responsibility Of Multinational Corporations, Lok Yiu Chan

Global Honors Theses

Corporate social responsibilities (CSR) are becoming increasingly important in today’s business world. Companies should care about their stakeholders’ interests but at the same time, they should place more emphasis on other areas apart from solely profits making. Most people used to think that businesses are taking advantages from consumers. Nonetheless, nowadays stakeholders are not only concern about profits; they are more interested in company regarding various economic, environmental, ethical, governance, and social aspects, since these factors significantly affect the fate of the company in long term. Research has proven that there is a competitive advantage for corporations that have a …

A Global Investigation Of Stakeholder And Contextual Influences On Firm Engagement In Sustainability, Annette M. Nemetz

Dissertations and Theses

Global sustainability issues cross all sectors of society, including businesses, governments, and communities and come with substantial costs. Business organizations are increasingly expected to address sustainability issues in a responsible manner and to disclose socially responsible behaviors accurately and transparently, showing that they are effective at managing and being proactive about sustainability challenges. In light of these pressures and expectations for business organizations, the fundamental research question for this study was whether variation existed in the levels of engagement in sustainability efforts across firms globally, and, more importantly, why such variation existed.

The level of strategic firm engagement in sustainability …

Competing For Sustainability Within Carbon Constrained World: A Strategic Climate Change Planning Framework, Ananda Wickramasinghe, Helan Gamage

Ananda Wickramasinghe

Addressing issue of Green House Gas emissions with climate change is becoming one of the critical social, economic, political and ecological issues for governments and businesses. Australia's per capita emission due to electricity is five times than the world average. This study explores government and firms especially resource sector strategic initiatives to date, and how foresight will develop capability in capitalising the changing climate change challenges, structure adaptation process and how different firms' strategies enhance sustainable innovation and knowledge management. Due to short-termism, and lack of emissions target strategy and carbon trading mechanism, country's climate strategic change initiative is fairly …

Airline Innovation And Sustainability: A Systems Perspective, Peter Critchley, Lee Styger

Lee Styger

Air transport has been the scene of remarkable and rapid innovation since man first controlled powered flight in Kitty Hawk in 1903. Significant developments in aviation technology, for example, the onset of the Jet Age, tend to dominate popular perception of aviation innovation. The commercial airline industry is hugely complex and inexorably tied to our economic, social and technological systems. Consequently, it is also on the leading edge of the sustainability debate. Modern air transportation has developed into a hugely complex system in a relatively short time. That rapid development and complexity, however, offers insights into how the industry can …

A Reusable Wine Package That Also Serves As A Wine Rack, Mariah Cochiolo

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to design and create a prototype of a reusable wine package that would be used primarily to transport a bottle of wine home, but also serve as a piece to build a wine rack when it reaches the consumer’s home.

This study investigated the factors to take into consideration when designing a wine package and coming up with a plan to build a product that met all those needs. One hundred questionnaires were sent to people over the age of twenty one to find out what they thought of the prototype and idea. The …

Speaking Of Corporate Social Responsibility, Hao Liang, Christopher Marquis, Luc Renneboog, Sunny Li Sun

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We argue that the language spoken by corporate decision makers influences their firms’ social responsibility and sustainability practices. Linguists suggest that obligatory future-time-reference (FTR) in a language reduces the psychological importance of the future. Prior research has shown that speakers of strong FTR languages (such as English, French, and Spanish) exhibit less future-oriented behavior (Chen, 2013). Yet, research has not established how this mechanism may affect the future-oriented activities of corporations. We theorize that companies with strong-FTR languages as their official/working language would have less of a future orientation and so perform worse in future-oriented activities such as corporate social …

Investigating The Portrayal And Influence Of Sustainability Claims In An Environmental Advertising Context, Shannon Cummins, Timothy M. Reilly, Les Carlson, Stephen J. Grove, Michael J. Dorsch

Marketing & Entrepreneurship Faculty Publications

The ability of consumer judges to identify sustainable messages in environmental advertising and the effect of these messages is explored. A content analysis provides insight into these judges’ perceptions of the depth of environmental advertising messages. An experiment investigates the influence of sustainable messages and includes collection of cognitive response data to evaluate the cognitive dimension of sustainability messages. Content analysis results suggest that sustainability messages may influence how environmental advertisements are perceived. These findings are supported by the cognitive response data, which shows cognitive differences across advertisements, and the experimental manipulation that suggests sustainable ads may be more involving …

Sustainability Fellowships: The Potential For Collective Stakeholder Influence, Kent Walker Dr., Andre Laplume

Odette School of Business Publications

Purpose –Given the current ecological state of the planet organizations now need to develop their sustainability to a significantly greater extent and at a faster pace. This paper proposes stakeholder collectives as a means for rapid and comprehensive sustainability, while also examining the moderating influence of firm size and change potential.

Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical analysis leads to the development of multiple propositions. The work concentrates on one research question: How can we bring about rapid and comprehensive organizational sustainability?

Findings – Arguments for the inability of individual stakeholders to drive the level of sustainability now required are presented. Propositions …

The Motivating Role Of Dissociative Outgroups In Encouraging Positive Consumer Behaviors, Katherine White, Bonnie Simpson, Jennifer Argo

Management and Organizational Studies Publications

Previous research has found that people tend to avoid products or behaviors that are linked to dissociative reference groups. The present research demonstrates conditions under which consumers exhibit similar behaviors to dissociative out-group members in the domain of positive consumption behaviors. In particular, when a consumer learns that a dissociative out-group performs comparatively well on a positive behavior, the consumer is more likely to respond with positive intentions and actions when the setting is public (vs. private). The authors suggest that this occurs because learning of the successful performance of a dissociative out-group under public conditions threatens the consumer’s group …

Situational Variables And Sustainability In Multi-Attribute Decision-Making, Bonnie Simpson, Scott Radford

Management and Organizational Studies Publications

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine whether consumers demonstrate a multi-dimensional understanding of sustainability in their decision-making and addresses the situational influence of confidence and compromise on sustainable product choices.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using three choice-based conjoint experiments the authors examined the importance of sustainability, compromise and confidence to consumers across two contexts. Two-step cluster analyses were used to segment consumers based on the importance scores.

Findings

– Data indicates that the environmental dimension of sustainability is the most influential followed by economic and social. The responses suggest three distinct segments identified as self-focused, trend motivated and …

Sustainability Dilemmas In Emerging Economies, Rama K. Jayanti, M.V. Rajeev Gowda

Business Faculty Publications

Increasing evidence of climate change is forcing businesses to play an active role in reducing sustainability burdens and preserving resources for future generations. Extant research on sustainability has an exclusive focus on developed countries with stringent environmental regulations and activist scrutiny. Emerging markets present interesting dilemmas since rapid mass urbanisation aimed at raising standards of living poses concomitant threats to environmental health. This round table aimed to showcase best practices in sustainability within the Indian business context. Insights from the discussion regarding sustainability dilemmas provide a fertile ground for bench marking global sustainability best practices.

The Great Sustainability Challenge, Isidor Wallimann

Sociology - All Scholarship

"The balance between society and nature is askew. The age of industrialization and the subsequent era of consumerism are large culprits for pollution and the degradation of the environment. Human activity on Earth has undeniably affected the planet and has contributed colossal levels of carbon emissions that are pushing global temperatures to keep rising. Significant ecological risks to human survival may result from not taking more pressing action. Governments have a role to play in moving more rapidly and effectively towards more sustainable practices – “how to be more sustainable?” is a question that must be integrated in all decision-making …

Strategic Marketing Sustainability: From A Marketing Mix To A Marketing Matrix, Alan Pomering

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

This paper proposes a marketing planning framework that will assist managers to address sustainability challenges in their decision making, in line with the American Marketing Association's (AMA) revised (2007) definition of marketing, which calls for a responsibility to society at large, not just individual consumers. At present, marketing's conceptual frameworks lag behind what is a fundamental and significant shift in marketing philosophy. We propose a Sustainability Marketing Model, a simple yet systematic framework that ensures sustainability cascades through the marketing planning process. In developing this, the marketing mix is replaced with a matrix that adds four critical decision fields to …