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Article
Publication date: 17 May 2022

Philipp C. Sauer, Minelle E. Silva and Martin C. Schleper

While various supply chain (SC) sustainability investigations exist, their connection to supply chain resilience (SCRes) remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, the authors…

1916

Abstract

Purpose

While various supply chain (SC) sustainability investigations exist, their connection to supply chain resilience (SCRes) remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, the authors answer the question: “How do firms' sustainability actions affect their SCs' resilience and sustainability trajectories in turbulent environments?" by exploring the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted 10 case studies in five industries located in six European countries. A total of 19 semi-structured interviews and relevant secondary data were collected and analyzed in reference to SC sustainability learning and the literature on SCRes approaches (i.e. engineering, ecological and social-ecological).

Findings

31 SC actions referring to different sustainability dimensions were identified to map SCRes learning through a temporal, spatial and functional scale analysis. While five cases are related to an engineering approach focused on “bouncing back” to pre-pandemic goals, three cases were focused on “bouncing forward” as part of an ecological approach. Moreover, the authors identified the existence of two social-ecological resilience cases which developed long-term actions, updating functional set-ups transcending the SC level. The results furthermore illustrate an influence of the SCRes approaches on SC sustainability learning, generating three different paths: flat, flat ascending and ascending SC sustainability trajectories.

Research limitations/implications

The study develops an overview of the adoption of SCRes approaches due to temporal, spatial and functional scales, and their effect on SC sustainability trajectories through exploitation and exploration capabilities. Future research should elaborate on potential moderators in the proposed relationships.

Practical implications

A better understanding of the link between SC sustainability actions and SCRes will help practitioners to make better informed decisions in turbulent environments.

Originality/value

Unlike previous research, this paper provides empirical evidence on engineering, ecological and social-ecological SCRes approaches, as well as SC sustainability trajectories.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 42 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2011

Seleshi Sisaye

The ecological framework focuses on ecosystems, natural resources, agricultural practices, geographical locations, conservation and environmental management. Recently, ecology has…

5136

Abstract

Purpose

The ecological framework focuses on ecosystems, natural resources, agricultural practices, geographical locations, conservation and environmental management. Recently, ecology has provided the underlying framework for sustainability development and reporting. This paper aims to relate the ecological approach to the environmental and conservation objectives embedded in sustainability development and reporting.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper argues that sustainability reporting is an organizational development and management program that has to be studied within the context of ecological ethics. It examines the evolution of sustainability reporting in relation to triple bottom line (TBL) accounting systems prepared to report the economic, social and environmental objectives of organizations.

Findings

The paper shows that sustainability is a question that transcends several disciplines, including accounting and sociology. While sustainability has been within the domain of sociology (human ecology) and ecological anthropology, recently the subject has attracted researchers from other disciplines, notably from accounting and business management. This paper notes that sustainability development will continue to be of importance to financial accounting reports. TBL reporting has become a competitive advantage for many business organizations for sustained profitability and growth.

Research limitations/implications

The paper examines how governmental and corporations' natural resources conservation efforts have shaped the disclosure of environmental and social information in sustainability accounting reports. It applies theories of functionalism, institutional legitimacy, adaptation, incremental and transformational growth strategies from the organizational ecology and sociology literature to study the evolution of sustainability development and reporting.

Practical implications

Accounting has benefited from sociological theory and methods of research. It highlights the importance of ecological issues in shaping the preparation of sustainability reporting in accounting systems, a subject of interest to practitioners and accounting researchers.

Originality/value

The paper is one of the few attempts to relate ecology and sustainability to accounting reports. It integrates the sociological and organizational development literature related to ecology to advance behavioral accounting research in sustainability reporting beyond current social and environmental issues.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 April 2017

Jasper Hessel Heslinga, Peter Groote and Frank Vanclay

The purpose of this paper is to look at the potential synergies between tourism and landscapes and examine the potential contribution of tourism to build social-ecological…

6663

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at the potential synergies between tourism and landscapes and examine the potential contribution of tourism to build social-ecological resilience in the Dutch Wadden.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reveal how a social-ecological systems perspective can be used to conceptualize the Wadden as a coupled and dynamic system. This paper is a conceptual analysis that applies this approach to the Dutch Wadden. The data used for the inquiry primarily comes from a literature review.

Findings

The authors argue that the social-ecological systems perspective is a useful approach and could be used to improve the governance of multi-functional socio-ecological systems in coastal areas. Opportunities for synergies between tourism and landscapes have been overlooked. The authors consider that tourism and nature protection are potentially compatible and that the synergies should be identified.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is only a conceptual application rather than an empirical case study. Further research to actually apply the methodology is needed.

Practical implications

Managers of protected areas should consider applying a social-ecological systems approach.

Social implications

The views of a wide variety of stakeholders should be considered in landscape planning.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in the articulation of the social-ecological systems perspective as a way to identify and understand the complex interactions between tourism and landscape, and the potential synergies between them.

Details

Journal of Tourism Futures, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-5911

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 February 2018

Marty Martinson and John P. Elia

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine school health education in the USA and present alternative approaches for more critical and comprehensive health education.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine school health education in the USA and present alternative approaches for more critical and comprehensive health education.

Design/methodology/approach

An ecological model framework is used to identify the limitations and opportunities for improvement in school health education in the USA. An argument is made for school health education that embraces ecological approaches, political economy theory, and critical pedagogies.

Findings

US schools have been tasked with providing health education that is primarily rooted in individualistic approaches. Often missing from this education is recognition of the social and structural determinants of health that greatly influence one’s ability to practice the health behaviors promoted in schools. This raises pedagogical and ethical concerns, which can be addressed by teaching health education that is grounded in ecological and political economy understandings of health and in critical pedagogies that allow students to more comprehensively and accurately understand health, how their worlds influence health, and their agency within those worlds.

Practical implications

This paper offers justification for a critical model of school health education and for the professional preparation of school health educators that is grounded in critical pedagogy and ecological approaches.

Originality/value

This work complements other research on critical health education by adding explicit integration of the ecological model and the political economy theory within critical pedagogies.

Details

Health Education, vol. 118 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2012

Seleshi Sisaye

The purpose of this paper is to trace the impact that the ecological approach has in international development programs in both the USA and Europe. It discusses the applications…

1708

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to trace the impact that the ecological approach has in international development programs in both the USA and Europe. It discusses the applications of sustainability by international donor agencies among bilateral and multi‐lateral organizations in developing economies. It outlines the influence of sustainability in the US Federal Government agencies to protect and maintain environmentally‐based development programs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper compares industrial ecology and ecological anthropology approaches to sustainability development. It discusses their policy implications for international development assistance programs. It describes how anthropological and sociological approaches to sustainability have impacted the development policies and programs of bilateral and multilateral organizations, as well as those of multi‐national corporations.

Findings

There are common sustainability trends among the four competing donor organizations in approaching sustainability development by bilateral and multilateral international development organizations. These organizations – the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank, the United Nations and its affiliated Organizations, and the US Federal government agencies, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency – have shaped and influenced the policies and programs of sustainability development in business organizations and in developing economies.

Originality/value

Sustainability has been a subject of interest in international development assistance programs in both bilateral and multilateral organizations since the 1970s. Over time, the subject of sustainability received prominence in the developed world. It can be argued that sustainability has its roots in the developing economy and has been adapted/modified to meet the environmental and natural resources conservation and management policies of the developed economies.

Details

World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-5961

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2008

Tenley M. Conway, Chelsea Dalton, Jennifer Loo and Laura Benakoun

The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries…

3634

Abstract

Purpose

The ecological footprint represents a simple way to assess the amount of materials consumed and waste produced by a given entity. The approach has been applied to countries, towns, households, and more recently university campuses. One of the challenges of using the ecological footprint at a university is the difficulty of determining how large the footprint should be. The authors have developed a calculator specific to the needs of a university campus, and applied it to the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM). Rather than focus on the overall size, the purpose of this paper is to instead create several scenarios to help communicate the relative impacts of alternative actions.

Design/methodology/approach

An ecological footprint calculator appropriate to the campus was developed and applied to UTM. Three scenarios were then created: on‐campus electricity generation versus electricity purchased from the grid, current commuting patterns versus those expected if a student bus pass is adopted, and use of virgin office paper versus recycled office paper.

Findings

The results of the calculator suggest that energy consumption represents the largest component of UTM's footprint, followed by commuting to campus.

Practical implications

The relative benefits of on‐campus electricity generation, increasing public transit use, and the adoption of recycled paper are all highlighted through the scenario calculations.

Originality/value

This paper presents a way to avoid the difficulty of determining how large a university's footprint should be through the use of an alternative scenario method, which provides an easy way to communicate the impacts of consumption decisions to a campus' community.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 May 1998

Daryl W. Cowell

Approaches to land use planning have gone through considerable evolution during the past 30 years. Western nations have learned hard lessons about the consequences of not…

1669

Abstract

Approaches to land use planning have gone through considerable evolution during the past 30 years. Western nations have learned hard lessons about the consequences of not considering ecological process and structures when undertaking land use planning, development, and when harvesting resources. As a result, modern concepts of conservation biology and landscape level planning have developed and are beginning to be implemented in North America, Europe, Australia and portions of South America. An approach to ecological based landscape planning, as developed through several applications in Canada, is discussed. The approach incorporates principles of conservation biology and relies heavily on abiotic landscape components for mapping and interpretation. Landscape planning is defined and discussed according to three key components: (1) the planning framework; (2) ecological analysis; and (3) implementation of the whole. The planning framework includes the goals and objectives of the plan which is based on prevailing socio‐cultural values. The analysis attempts to determine full landscale representivity then maximize ecological integrity.

Details

Environmental Management and Health, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-6163

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2015

Faiza Akhtar, Suleman Aziz Lodhi and Safdar Shah Khan

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of ecological sustainability is attracting attention of global business community as neoclassical approach continues to fail in…

2123

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of ecological sustainability is attracting attention of global business community as neoclassical approach continues to fail in delivery. There is now an emerging need to explore new approaches towards balancing ecological and economic returns. The paper extends the philosophy of Permaculture into business domain and explores its compatibility to be integrated with strategic management perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

The study primarily conducts a review of Permaculture and Strategic Management domains and uncovers the compatibility between the two domains while arguing that the integration of Permaculture philosophy in business strategy would achieve sustainability.

Findings

Permaculture philosophy is compatible with Strategic Management process for developing business strategies. It can incorporate ecological and social aspects for developing integrated strategy process for sustainability in organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Focusing on financial and non-financial value addition contributed by organizations towards community would lead to long-term sustainability of the organization and the community which supports it.

Originality/value

The study extends the emerging philosophy of Permaculture into the established domain of Strategic Management. Arguing that simultaneous equilibrium of capacities, resources and demands of stakeholders must be maintained for sustained economic success in business world.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 26 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 July 2017

Lee Cheng and Samuel Leong

The growing needs of interdisciplinary research have been hindered by implementation difficulties because of factors such as the availability and distribution of related…

Abstract

Purpose

The growing needs of interdisciplinary research have been hindered by implementation difficulties because of factors such as the availability and distribution of related knowledge. Knowledge management could be a viable solution to address the problems of interdisciplinary research and further its synergic effect by optimizing the use of knowledge across different disciplines. A knowledge management ecological (KME) approach that facilitates the study of knowledge management in discourses between different disciplines was proposed and applied in a case study within an interdisciplinary environment comprising three disciplines: software development, software business and music education.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of key informants to examine the knowledge management processes within the environment.

Findings

The findings reveal the details of knowledge management activities in each of the three disciplines, but the lack of collaboration between them limits the opportunity for a synergistic effect to benefit the cross-discipline environment.

Originality/value

This study shows how the KME approach can be used to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding of knowledge management within and between different disciplines.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 April 2023

Iryna Savka, Inna Prokopchuk, Stanislav Navrotnyy, Volodymyr Prusak and Yuriy Prusak

The purpose of the research is to substantiate the possibilities of the development of ecological design in the process of future designers professional training and the…

42

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to substantiate the possibilities of the development of ecological design in the process of future designers professional training and the implementation of student projects in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This article offers one of the possible ways to solve the problem of rational use of wastes of natural resources in the projects of design students. In Ukraine, the ecological direction acquires national features and many Ukrainian manufacturers associate this mainly with ecologically clean materials: this is most typical for furniture products and traditional construction made of wood. The proposed technique is an effective tool for analyzing the interaction of environmental and design disciplines at different levels, as well as an effective criterion for evaluating methods of structuring educational material. The introduction of the correlation index makes assessing the effectiveness of the application of environmental knowledge in design possible.

Findings

The analysis of the world ecological design experience makes presenting the Ukrainian experience of environmental design possible, the origins of which date back to the 1920s of the 20th century. In terms of the purpose and methods of education, the authors consider art and industrial schools to be the primary basis of design education in Ukraine. In the 1990s of the 20th century, on the material and technical bases, educational-methodical and staffing with experienced teachers that design departments are formed, which train and graduate certified designers in various specializations. The need for readiness to solve the tasks of environmental education of future designers in the context of end-to-end environmental training is an urgent problem. Relying on ecological concepts makes optimally structuring the educational material possible, taking into account the requirements for both environmental and professional training.

Research limitations/implications

Studies have established that the application of the authors' method of continuous environmental education has a positive effect on the assimilation of environmental knowledge and method's use in professional theory. Increasing the rates of assimilation and application of environmental knowledge by students has a positive effect on the interaction of environmental and professional knowledge.

Practical implications

The practical significance of the project consists in the implementation of the development of design projects on specific topics, including competitive, diploma and master's theses. The presented examples of designer shaping from wastes are expressive examples to follow in educational design, important for the development of students' creative and ecological thinking. The methodology is tested in several institutions of higher education in Ukraine, and the authors hope that this can spread in other countries, in particular in the training of designers specializing in “Furniture Design.”

Social implications

Ecodesign is gradually being established in the general structure of design theory and, accordingly, has the right to an independent role in the formation of new principles of shaping the spatial and object environment of human life.

Originality/value

New approaches require new educational standards, curricula and teaching methods, directed in particular to the development of a systemic interdisciplinary approach.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 13 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

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