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Article
Publication date: 13 July 2010

Cathy A. Rusinko

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework in the form of a generic matrix of options for integrating sustainability in higher education (SHE) so that university faculty…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework in the form of a generic matrix of options for integrating sustainability in higher education (SHE) so that university faculty and administrators can make more appropriate and strategic choices with respect to SHE.

Design/methodology/approach

This original matrix draws from and extends previous empirical and conceptual research on integrating SHE. The paper addresses the needs and weaknesses stated in earlier literature on SHE.

Findings

The matrix includes four different options or scenarios for integrating SHE; these options are based on delivery of SHE and focus of SHE. Advantages and disadvantages of each option are discussed, as well as rationales for choosing each option. In addition, suggestions for future research are included.

Practical implications

The matrix can provide a platform from which to launch discussions about SHE, as well as a template with respect to “how to” integrate SHE.

Originality/value

This original matrix contributes to the literature by providing a broad, non‐discipline‐specific orientation; it is applicable at course, program, and cross‐disciplinary/cross‐university levels, and can be applied internationally. Users can move between and among options, and can implement multiple options simultaneously. Further, the matrix includes all dimensions of sustainability – environmental, social, and economic/financial.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 May 2014

Bruce Perrott

The purpose of this article is to build on the original Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2007) model by proposing a new model of organisational sustainability which includes the…

4781

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to build on the original Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2007) model by proposing a new model of organisational sustainability which includes the economic dimension. There is a growing level of interest by senior executives in the role and potential impact that sustainability will have on their organisation’s future strategy and structure. Although management is keenly aware that sustainability is important in their future planning, there is much uncertainty about what level of involvement and commitment they should make towards sustainability endeavours.

Design/methodology/approach

This article reviews the existing organisational sustainability change model while building a case to have the important economic strand added to the original change dimensions relating to the human and the environmental strands.

Findings

This conceptual paper builds on previous work of sustainability organisational change theorists to produce an enhanced sustainability change model thus proposing a more comprehensive and integrated sustainability stage model that can guide managers in their quest to evolve effective and more sustainable organisations.

Originality/value

This is a conceptual paper that builds on previous work of sustainability organisational change theorists to introduce an enhanced sustainability change model that includes the important economic dimension to the widely accepted social and environmental dimensions, thus proposing a comprehensive and integrated sustainability stage model that can guide managers in their quest to evolve effective and more sustainable organisations.

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2016

Chamila Roshani Perera and Chandana Rathnasiri Hewege

The purpose of this study is to extend the current knowledge of curriculum developments in international business and marketing curricula. Integrating sustainability into business…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to extend the current knowledge of curriculum developments in international business and marketing curricula. Integrating sustainability into business and marketing curricula of the universities are widely debated in previous literature. Sustainability is a global phenomenon; however, curriculum development projects aimed at integrating sustainability education into international business and marketing curricula are scarce. The study investigates the learning gaps in sustainability education among undergraduates enrolled in an International Marketing course to postulate a series of pedagogical practices, leading to effective integration of sustainability education into the curricula.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-phased research method consisting of complementary data collection techniques informed the findings of this study. First, an online survey was conducted among 111 undergraduates enrolled in an International Marketing course. The findings of the survey are used in designing the second phase of data collection performed through a content analysis of essays written by 60 undergraduates evaluating sustainable marketing practices of international firms. Informed by the findings gathered through SPSS- and Nvivo-aided data analysis, this study postulates a series of pedagogical practices.

Findings

The study argues that curriculum development projects in integrating sustainability into an existing curriculum in universities should be aimed at bridging undergraduates’ learning gaps in sustainability education. The main learning gaps identified in the study reveal that undergraduates find it difficult to view the social function of international business firms from a holistic point of view; critically assess sustainable marketing practices; and articulate futuristic views on sustainable marketing practices. Further, the content analysis revealed three major thematic categories: sustainability from reductionists’ perspective, sustainable marketing practices bring nothing “but good for businesses”, ambivalent about the future success of sustainable marketing practices. Triggered by these learning gaps, thematic categories and the theoretical underpinnings of Rusinko’s (2010) matrix for integrating sustainability education, the study offers a set of practical pedagogical guidelines to incorporate sustainability education into curricula.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to exploring undergraduate student perspectives, and it would be worthwhile if educators’ perspectives are explored in future studies. The findings could be further improved by conducting a cross-sectional study across several business disciplines.

Practical implications

Based on the findings of the study, a set of guidelines for developing a pedagogical plan to incorporate sustainable education into curricula is presented.

Originality/value

Educators argue that successful curriculum development projects aiming at integrating sustainability into existing curricula should be aligned with the structure of the existing curricula, and those new pedagogical practices in integrating sustainability into existing curricula should be built on students’ learning gaps in sustainability education. To this end, this study examined undergraduates’ learning gaps in sustainability education and postulated pedagogical practices toward integrating sustainability education into an existing curriculum of international marketing.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 17 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2011

Tribhuvan Pratap Singh, N.S. Bisht and Megha Rastogi

Sustainability may be defined as a concept that activates the inner sense of individuals, companies and societies to initiate, promote and sustain practices to protect and enhance…

Abstract

Purpose

Sustainability may be defined as a concept that activates the inner sense of individuals, companies and societies to initiate, promote and sustain practices to protect and enhance the human and natural resources needed by future generations to enjoy a quality of life equal to or greater than our own. To translate this vision into action, it takes time, efforts and sincere leadership and managerial commitments towards sustainable global development. Therefore, the role of business schools is critical in generating a work force to cater to such needs. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the top business schools in India which promote sustainability issues, exploring the challenges of incorporating sustainability in the business curriculum and practices developed by leading professors and business schools to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 35 faculty members from 17 leading business schools of India forms the basis of this research. Data were collected through on‐line questionnaires, telephone interviews and in‐depth exploration of teaching plans and course materials.

Findings

The findings highlight the importance of sustainability issues within the business curriculum and the value of integrated case studies which provide a wider perspective to students. Faculty members face serious challenges in the conflict between monetary and sustainability orientations of the curriculum, maintaining students' interest, applying new pedagogical tools effectively, and including considerations of social costs and quality of life.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to existing knowledge about the practical challenges of designing and teaching sustainability issues through integrated courses. It also explores the effectiveness of innovative pedagogical tools to address such issues.

Book part
Publication date: 28 June 2016

Belverd E. Needles, Mark L. Frigo, Marian Powers and Anton Shigaev

Prior research shows that companies that achieve high performance excel at certain financial objectives. This chapter addresses the question: Do companies that excel at these…

Abstract

Purpose

Prior research shows that companies that achieve high performance excel at certain financial objectives. This chapter addresses the question: Do companies that excel at these financial performance objectives also excel in integrated reporting and sustainability reporting?

Methodology/approach

We compare a sample of high performance companies (HPC) with a sample of companies that purport to support integrated reporting, and a sample that purport to support sustainability reporting. Our hypotheses are that HPC will equal or exceed the integrated reporting and sustainability reporting practices shown by International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) companies and US companies will be less at these practices than non-US companies.

Findings

Our findings indicate that IIRC companies and GRI companies generally do not meet the high financial performance measures of the HPC. Based on an integrated reporting and sustainability reporting matrix, we show that HPC exhibit equal performance on the practices of sustainability and integrated reporting compared to GRI companies, but both HPC and GRI are lower on these practices than IIRC companies. Also, US companies disclose less information in sustainability reports and integrated reports as compared to non-US companies. Overall, all three groups fall short of full compliance with standards of integrated reporting and sustainability reporting.

Originality/value

This chapter provides evidence as to the financial performance and the current state of integrated reporting and sustainability reporting among HPC, GRI, and IIRC companies. This chapter highlights the global need for a generally accepted set of standards for sustainability and integrated reporting practices.

Details

Performance Measurement and Management Control: Contemporary Issues
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-915-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 4 October 2018

Belverd E. Needles, Marian Powers, Mark L. Frigo and Anton Shigaev

This study establishes a baseline evaluation of sustainability reporting (SR) and integrated reporting (IR) practices among groups of companies globally using a combined…

Abstract

This study establishes a baseline evaluation of sustainability reporting (SR) and integrated reporting (IR) practices among groups of companies globally using a combined evaluation matrix. We evaluate a sample of high performance companies (HPC), global reporting initiative (GRI) companies, international integrated reporting committee (IIRC) companies, and a control group of companies that do not belong to any of these groups. We test for high performance and compliance with a 30-point evaluation matrix for financial reporting, corporate governance, integrated disclosure, SR, and assurance developed from the standards set by GRI and IIRC. This chapter provides evidence as to the current IR and SR states, and shows that considerable variation exists even among companies that have pledged to improve reporting in this arena. The analysis also shows that companies that belong to no special group do in fact score on a level that shows that SR and IR standards are being implemented by many companies in the world, not just those in special groups like the HPC, GRI, and IIRC. Finally, this study provides direction for global regulators and professional associations, and to the management of companies that aspire to HPC status while meeting the IR and SR standards.

Details

Performance Measurement and Management Control: The Relevance of Performance Measurement and Management Control Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78756-469-5

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 June 2018

Muhammad Bilal Farooq, Ammad Ahmed and Muhammad Nadeem

The purpose of this study is to develop a sustainability reporter classification matrix (hereafter referred to as the “matrix”) to explain why some reporters publish…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a sustainability reporter classification matrix (hereafter referred to as the “matrix”) to explain why some reporters publish better-quality sustainability reports than others and why some reporters experience improvements in the quality of their sustainability reports while others experience no improvement or a decline in sustainability report quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on the existing literature, which is analysed using a combination of legitimacy theory (i.e. commitment to sustainability reporting) and resource-based view (RBV, i.e. competencies in sustainability reporting).

Findings

A two-dimensional matrix is developed representing organisations’ competencies in (explained using the RBV) and commitment to (explained using legitimacy theory) sustainability reporting. Based on these two dimensions the matrix identifies four reporter classifications: incompetent uncommitted reporters (who publish low-quality reports); competent uncommitted reporters (who publish average-quality reports); incompetent committed reporters (who publish average-quality reports); and competent committed reporters (who publish high-quality reports). The matrix explains how reporters can transition from one quadrant/classification to another and how this transition can be either forward (moving from a lower quadrant to a higher quadrant), resulting in improvements in report quality, or backward (moving from a higher quadrant to a lower quadrant), leading to a deterioration in disclosure quality.

Originality/value

The study builds on the extant literature, combining legitimacy theory with the RBV, to provide a more complete explanation for why organisations publish sustainability reports of varying quality and why this quality varies over time. These insights can also be used to explain variations in the quality of integrated reports. The matrix may prove useful to practitioners as a tool for classifying reporters, identifying issues, assessing risk and tracking progress made.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2022

Ashutosh Samadhiya, Rajat Agrawal and Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes

The integration of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an emerging model, and the global pressure of various stakeholders raises scepticism of any…

Abstract

Purpose

The integration of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an emerging model, and the global pressure of various stakeholders raises scepticism of any emerging model towards providing sustainability. Therefore, this research aims to identify and rank the potential significant drivers of an integrated model of I4.0 and TPM to guide manufacturing enterprises towards sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

This research follows a four-phase methodology including literature review and expert opinion to select the sustainability indicators and I4.0-integrated TPM key drivers, followed by employing the analytic hierarchy process approach for weight determination of sustainability indicators. The research then deploys the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to prioritise the I4.0-integrated TPM key drivers based on their effect on various sustainability indicators. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to check the robustness of the TOPSIS.

Findings

The findings establish the top five most influential key drivers of an I4.0-integrated TPM system, which include top management support, formal I4.0 adoption program, mid-management involvement and support, solid TPM baseline knowledge and high engagement of the production team. These top drives can lead manufacturing firms towards sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

The digitalisation of shop floor practices, such as TPM, could be adapted by shop floor managers and policymakers of manufacturing companies to deliver sustainability-oriented outcomes. In addition, this research may aid decision-makers in the manufacturing sector in identifying the most important drivers of I4.0 and TPM, which will assist them in more effectively implementing an integrated system of I4.0 and TPM to practice sustainability. The scope of TPM applicability is wide, and the current research is limited to manufacturing companies. Therefore, there is a huge scope for developing and testing the integrated system of I4.0 and TPM in other industrial settings, such as the textile, food and aerospace industries.

Originality/value

This research makes a first-of-its-kind effort to examine how an I4.0-integrated TPM model affects manufacturing companies' sustainability and how such effects might be maximised.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 December 2021

Koorosh Gharehbaghi, Kerry McManus, Maged Georgy, Ken Farnes, Francesca Pagliara and Matt Myers

Through the significance matrix, this paper aims to investigate and explore the main sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure projects. Sydney’s Metro mega…

Abstract

Purpose

Through the significance matrix, this paper aims to investigate and explore the main sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructure projects. Sydney’s Metro mega transportation infrastructure is used as a case study. Sydney’s Metro was selected because of its sustainability challenges faced because of the areas’ diverse ecological zones. Sydney’s Metro is thus examined as the basis of best practice for the determination of the sustainability factors of transportation infrastructures.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research evaluates the environmental impact assessment and environmental assessment processes, to alleviate the problems of the mega transportation infrastructure.

Findings

This research found that a more comprehensive determination is needed to further analyse the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures, use of a significance matrix would further assess the environmental complexities of mega transportation infrastructures and the sustainability factors of mega transportation infrastructures should include a nonlinear and asymmetrical scheme highlighting its components and carefully outlining its integration and consolidation.

Originality/value

Although there is concurrent research into sustainability factors of mega transportation, this paper undertakes a new methodology for such infrastructure. While the significance matrix is not a new concept, it has never been used specifically for mega transportation infrastructure. Subsequently, using the significance matrix as a methodology, this research undertakes such environmental analysis and assessment and thus produces a qualitative risk analysis matrix. The findings from this research will ultimately assist the key stakeholders of mega transportation infrastructures to better plan, monitor and support similar projects.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2021

Aarti Singh and Sushil

In developed and developing countries, organizations need to do sustainability reporting. The purpose of this paper is to identify the vital linkages of sustainability, which…

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Abstract

Purpose

In developed and developing countries, organizations need to do sustainability reporting. The purpose of this paper is to identify the vital linkages of sustainability, which helps to capture the existing waste management practice in sustainable organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports a mixed-method approach for sustainable organization. Initially, the waste management and sustainability factors have been linked together for finding the relation between them through the situation, actor, process, learning, action, performance (SAP-LAP) linkages framework; it has been used as qualitative design details to achieve sustainability in the organization. The waste management and sustainability factors linkages have been used as a reference to guide the cause and effect relationship through decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to upgrade knowledge for a sustainable organization.

Findings

The proposed method has been used to meet the functional requirements of sustainability in the organization. Waste management has been analyzed as the most significant benchmarks to achieve sustainability in the organization. The causal relationship reveals that the social image of an organization as a sustainable organization is the effect of its governmental directives, followed by the organization. The governmental directives is the most influencing dimension, and waste management efficiency and energy consumption are the most related, whereas wastivity is the most flexible dimension of sustainability in the organization. To increase its customer satisfaction, profit share and market value, these factors must be considered as vital factors of organization's sustainable performance.

Research limitations/implications

The scope of the present research has been limited to benchmark sustainability by analyzing eight waste management factors and ten critical sustainability factors that have been grouped into four dimensions in the service sector, which could be generalized. The expert's view has been captured for DEMATEL based on “ratings provided by experts,” which may be biased.

Practical implications

Benchmarked sustainability factors have been proposed to increase the value and performance of the organization. The cause and effect relationship is useful to present the capability of waste management to act as a strong foundation for establishing a sustainable organization, where governmental directives, wastivity, waste management efficiency, and energy consumption act as the benchmarking factors to compare sustainable organization performance in developing the county's viewpoint. The present study considered the fourth dimension of sustainability “government and customer” as the dynamic dimension of sustainability, which can absorb and diffuse the changes in sustainable organization with time and can improvise social acceptance.

Originality/value

The research improves the existing method of measuring the performance of the sustainable organization by using well-established methods.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

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