Strategic processes towards sustainable development in large, international companies: A cross-case analysis using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD)
(2021) MGTN59 20211Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- The discussion of human activities exploiting natural resources and their environmental impact has gained more traction throughout the past decade. Especially the role corporations play in these developments has caused a shift within corporate strategic considerations. As a result, today, many companies assume increasing responsibility to improve their sustainability performance. Large, international corporations have a unique position to make significant contributions to global efforts towards sustainable development. However, in order to develop a successful sustainability strategy, companies must first understand the magnitude of the challenge of strategic sustainable innovation. We, therefore, set out to contribute to a more holistic... (More)
- The discussion of human activities exploiting natural resources and their environmental impact has gained more traction throughout the past decade. Especially the role corporations play in these developments has caused a shift within corporate strategic considerations. As a result, today, many companies assume increasing responsibility to improve their sustainability performance. Large, international corporations have a unique position to make significant contributions to global efforts towards sustainable development. However, in order to develop a successful sustainability strategy, companies must first understand the magnitude of the challenge of strategic sustainable innovation. We, therefore, set out to contribute to a more holistic understanding by identifying the key features of ongoing strategic sustainable innovation processes in large, international companies. Using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), we conduct a cross-case analysis through document reviews of, and semi-structured interviews with three large, international companies. Our findings suggest that companies need to consider three key success factors when developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy: (1) building strong communication channels throughout the organization and within the system, (2) creating a flexible and agile decision-making process by applying backcasting from an overarching principle-based vision, and (3) developing a holistic strategy covering all aspects of sustainability while focusing on core operations of the business. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9058607
- author
- Simonarson, Daniel LU and Zydorek, Friederike LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MGTN59 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- sustainability, strategy, management, strategic sustainable innovation, sustainable development, FSSD, circular business, systems thinking
- language
- English
- id
- 9058607
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-30 12:55:58
- date last changed
- 2021-06-30 12:55:58
@misc{9058607, abstract = {{The discussion of human activities exploiting natural resources and their environmental impact has gained more traction throughout the past decade. Especially the role corporations play in these developments has caused a shift within corporate strategic considerations. As a result, today, many companies assume increasing responsibility to improve their sustainability performance. Large, international corporations have a unique position to make significant contributions to global efforts towards sustainable development. However, in order to develop a successful sustainability strategy, companies must first understand the magnitude of the challenge of strategic sustainable innovation. We, therefore, set out to contribute to a more holistic understanding by identifying the key features of ongoing strategic sustainable innovation processes in large, international companies. Using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), we conduct a cross-case analysis through document reviews of, and semi-structured interviews with three large, international companies. Our findings suggest that companies need to consider three key success factors when developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy: (1) building strong communication channels throughout the organization and within the system, (2) creating a flexible and agile decision-making process by applying backcasting from an overarching principle-based vision, and (3) developing a holistic strategy covering all aspects of sustainability while focusing on core operations of the business.}}, author = {{Simonarson, Daniel and Zydorek, Friederike}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, title = {{Strategic processes towards sustainable development in large, international companies: A cross-case analysis using the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD)}}, year = {{2021}}, }