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The chapter provides an overview of the book and addresses the rationale for the selection of cases reflecting teaching and research in major areas of SDG14. For example, the impact of increasing global sea temperature, ocean acidification, and pollution on aquatic life and biosciences. Fisheries and aquaculture for seafood and marine ingredients and marine protected areas (MPAs) that favour the assemblage of fish, crustaceans, alga, coral, and mussels to enhance and stimulate biodiversity. New products derived from marine biotechnology are viewed to conserve and sustainably use the seas and oceans whilst promoting wealth creation and employment. Marine parks allow scientists to better study the marine environment and explore sustainable balances between tourism, work, and recreation in harmony with the Life Below Water – SDG14 mandate. Finally, the aspects of governance and roles of stakeholders and societal involvement are advocated in achieving the safe and effective use of marine resources. Throughout, the role of higher education in providing educated scientists and multidisciplinary specialists for future generations to come is highlighted.

Patriotism is often described as the “love of country” that individuals display in the acclamation of their national community. Despite the prominence of this sentiment in various societies around the world, organizational research on patriotism is largely absent. This omission is surprising because entrepreneurs, human resource (HR) divisions, and firms frequently embrace both patriotism and patriotic organizational practices. These procedures include (among other interventions) national symbol embracing, HR practices targeted toward military members and first responders, the adulation of patriots and celebration of patriotic events, and patriotic-oriented corporate social responsibility (CSR). Here, the authors argue that research on HR management and organization studies will likely be further enhanced with a deeper understanding of the national obligation that can spur employee productivity and loyalty. In an attempt to jumpstart the collective understanding of this phenomenon, the authors explore the antecedents of patriotic organizational practices, namely, the effects of founder orientation, employee dispersion, and firm strategy. It is suggested that HR practices such as these lead to a patriotic organizational image, which in turn impacts investor, customer, and employee responses. Notably, the effect of a patriotic organizational image on firm-related outcomes is largely contingent on how it fits with the patriotic views of other stakeholders, such as investors, customers, and employees. After outlining this model, the authors then present a thought experiment of how this model may appear in action. The authors then discuss ways the field can move forward in studying patriotism in HR management and organizational contexts by outlining several future directions that span multiple levels (i.e., micro and macro). Taken together, in this chapter, the authors introduce a conversation of something quite prevalent and largely unheeded – the patriotic organization.

In a world with over 8 billion people, ensuring sustainable food sources is paramount. This chapter explores the pivotal role of aquaculture in addressing the challenges of marine conservation and sustainable resource use. Aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 14, aquaculture emerges as a solution to relieve pressure on wild fish stocks and enhance food security. The chapter emphasises the rapid growth of this sector and underscores the importance of international cooperation and policies like the Global Ocean Treaty in ensuring marine biodiversity. While acknowledging the potential of aquaculture, the chapter delves into environmental concerns surrounding fishmeal and fish oil in feed. It advocates for innovative technologies and ingredients to establish a circular bioeconomy. The significance of higher education in advancing sustainable aquafeed technology, breeding, and genetics is highlighted, with a discussion on milestones achieved by experts like Dr John E. Halver and Professor Simon J. Davies. Examining technological advances, the chapter explores molecular genetics, transgenics, and gene editing, particularly CRISPR biosciences, as transformative tools for enhancing aquaculture productivity and sustainability. Environmental impacts are addressed, proposing solutions such as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Multitrophic Aquaculture Systems (MTA) to minimise ecological footprints. Throughout, there is a strong emphasis on the integral role of research and education in fostering sustainable aquaculture practices. The chapter advocates for specialised courses and programs in higher education to prepare the next generation for the challenges and opportunities in aquaculture, ensuring its contribution to global food security and environmental stewardship.

In recent years, international bodies and public opinion have recommended that governments adopt social responsibility practices to inform and be accountable to citizens about their sustainability actions in environmental, social and economic fields (Galera et al., 2014) and restore citizens' confidence in public authorities (Crane et al., 2008; Shepherd et al., 2010). This chapter reviews the literature on measuring and reporting sustainable performance in the public sector. Analyzing 35 studies published in a period of 10 years (from 2012 to 2021), we address two specific research questions: How and to what extent have public organizations changed to integrate sustainability reporting (SR) systems? What are the enabling organizational factors in adopting SR in public organizations?

This study aims to respond to calls for more research to understand how sustainability control systems (SCSs) feature (or do not feature) in short-term operational and long-term strategic decision-making.

An in-depth case study of a large multinational organisation undertaking several rounds of sustainability reporting is presented. Data collection was extensive including 26 semi-structured interviews with a range of employees from senior management to facility employees, access to confidential reports and internal documents and attendance of company meetings, including an external stakeholder engagement meeting and the attendance of the company’s annual environmental meeting. A descriptive, analytical and explanatory analysis is performed on the case context (Pfister et al., 2022).

Simon’s (1995) levers of control framework structures our discussion. The case company has sophisticated and formalised diagnostic controls and strong belief and boundary systems. Conventional management controls and SCSs are used in short-term operational decision-making, although differences between financial imperatives and other aspects such as environmental concerns are difficult to reconcile. SCSs also provided information to justify company actions in short-term decisions that impacted stakeholders. However, SCSs played a very limited role in the long-term strategic decision. Tensions between social, environmental and economic factors are more reconcilable in the long-term strategic decision, where holistic risks and opportunities need to be fully identified. External reporting is seen in a “constraining” light (Tessier and Otley, 2012), and intentionally de-coupled from SCSs.

This paper responds to recent calls for rich, holistic and contextually-grounded perspectives of sustainability processes at an extractives company. The study provides novel insight into how SCSs are used (or not used) in short-term or long-term decision-making and external reporting. The paper illustrates how a large company is responding to sustainability pressures within the unique contextual setting of New Zealand. The study outlines the imitations of existing practice and provides implications for how sustainability-based internal controls can be better embedded into organisations.

This chapter examines the Netherlands’ challenges in safeguarding its low-lying coastline against rising sea levels and the consequences of coastal defense strategies on marine life, particularly in relation to SDG14. Sea-level rise necessitates increased soft coastal defense strategies, affecting seafloor areas and marine biodiversity through sand extraction and sand nourishments. The use of hard structures for coastal defense contributes to the loss of natural coastal habitats, raising biodiversity concerns. The chapter explores the potential benefits of artificial hard surfaces as marine habitats, emphasising the need for careful design to prevent ecological problems caused by invasive species. Strategies for enhancing biodiversity on human-made hard substrate structures, including material variations, hole drilling, and adaptations, are discussed. The ecological impact of marine sand extraction is examined, detailing its effects on benthic fauna, sediment characteristics, primary production, and fish and shrimp populations. Solutions proposed include improved design for mining areas, ecosystem-based rules for extraction sites, and ecologically enriched extraction areas. The ecosystem effects of marine sand nourishments are also analysed, considering the impact on habitat suitability for various species. The chemical effects of anaerobic sediment and recovery challenges are addressed. Mitigation measures, such as strategic nourishment location and timing, adherence to local morphology, and technical solutions, are suggested. The chapter underscores the importance of education in Nature-based Solutions and announces the launch of a new BSc programme in Marine Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, integrating social and ecological knowledge to address challenges in seas, oceans, and coastal regions and support SDG14 goals.

Why is it that highly trained and seasoned executives fail? On the surface, this doesn’t make sense because they are very successful; yet research in the organization sciences provides no shortage of evidence to prove just that. From the classic Mann Gulch fire disaster of Weick’s famous collapse of sensemaking study, to studies of myopia of learning, escalation of commitment, threat-rigidity, dominant logic, the architecture of simplicity, the Icarus Paradox, to core competencies turning into core rigidities, and navigating new competitive markets using “old” cognitive maps, and many more such examples point to a ubiquitous phenomenon where highly trained and experienced professionals find themselves “stuck” in the heat of battle, unable to move and progress. On the one hand, for some, there is a desperate need for change, but are unable to do so, due to their trained incapacities. On the other hand, some simply cannot see the need for change, and continue with their “business as usual” mentality. For both, their visions of the world shrink, they have a tendency to cling onto their past habitual practices and oversimplify the complexity of the situation. In moments like these: DROP YOUR TOOLS and UNLEARN! This book chapter introduces a framework (grounded in clinical psychology) that has had consistent success in helping seasoned executives and key decision-makers open up the alternatives whenever they find themselves stuck with complexity.