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Towards a Global Sustainability Approach: Challenges and Opportunities for Multinationals.

Elg, Ulf LU and Ghauri, Pervez N (2023) In International Business and Management 37. p.11-31
Abstract
We discuss how multinational enterprises (MNEs) can play a leading role and take more responsibility towards reducing inequalities by developing a global sustainability regime. We especially focus on how this may contribute towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Our purpose is to identify and discuss the components and activities that are needed to develop such a strategy and implement it in markets with different structural and institutional conditions. We will especially discuss interactions between the head office and the local subsidiaries/organizations as well as interactions with different salient groups of stakeholders. We focus on three highly significant groups: business, social and political actors.... (More)
We discuss how multinational enterprises (MNEs) can play a leading role and take more responsibility towards reducing inequalities by developing a global sustainability regime. We especially focus on how this may contribute towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Our purpose is to identify and discuss the components and activities that are needed to develop such a strategy and implement it in markets with different structural and institutional conditions. We will especially discuss interactions between the head office and the local subsidiaries/organizations as well as interactions with different salient groups of stakeholders. We focus on three highly significant groups: business, social and political actors. We identify four key components of a global sustainability approach – namely, (i) make it relevant within the organization, (ii) establish a legitimate sustainable network position, (iii) present incentives and gains that stimulate action and (iv) establish long-term salient structures. These components and the associated activities have not been discussed in a coherent manner although some aspects have been put forward in earlier studies. We present a comprehensive framework that suggests what role MNEs can play and what challenges they face while doing so. The chapter is based on more than 10 years’ experience of studying MNEs’ activities in developing as well as developed markets, including how they work with sustainability. The study is based on data from four Swedish MNEs and three major research projects. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Global sustainability, multinational enterprises, stakeholder relationships, structural and institutional factors, United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, qualitative research
host publication
Creating a Sustainable Competitive Position: Ethical Challenges for International Firms
series title
International Business and Management
editor
Ghauri, Pervez N. ; Elg, Ulf and Melén Hånell, Sara
volume
37
pages
11 - 31
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISBN
978-1-80455-249-0
978-1-80455-252-0
DOI
10.1108/S1876-066X20230000037002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a5fc49d0-e50e-4892-8925-2dbf048450c1
date added to LUP
2023-09-20 15:42:51
date last changed
2023-09-21 11:20:41
@inbook{a5fc49d0-e50e-4892-8925-2dbf048450c1,
  abstract     = {{We discuss how multinational enterprises (MNEs) can play a leading role and take more responsibility towards reducing inequalities by developing a global sustainability regime. We especially focus on how this may contribute towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Our purpose is to identify and discuss the components and activities that are needed to develop such a strategy and implement it in markets with different structural and institutional conditions. We will especially discuss interactions between the head office and the local subsidiaries/organizations as well as interactions with different salient groups of stakeholders. We focus on three highly significant groups: business, social and political actors. We identify four key components of a global sustainability approach – namely, (i) make it relevant within the organization, (ii) establish a legitimate sustainable network position, (iii) present incentives and gains that stimulate action and (iv) establish long-term salient structures. These components and the associated activities have not been discussed in a coherent manner although some aspects have been put forward in earlier studies. We present a comprehensive framework that suggests what role MNEs can play and what challenges they face while doing so. The chapter is based on more than 10 years’ experience of studying MNEs’ activities in developing as well as developed markets, including how they work with sustainability. The study is based on data from four Swedish MNEs and three major research projects.}},
  author       = {{Elg, Ulf and Ghauri, Pervez N}},
  booktitle    = {{Creating a Sustainable Competitive Position: Ethical Challenges for International Firms}},
  editor       = {{Ghauri, Pervez N. and Elg, Ulf and Melén Hånell, Sara}},
  isbn         = {{978-1-80455-249-0}},
  keywords     = {{Global sustainability; multinational enterprises; stakeholder relationships; structural and institutional factors; United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; qualitative research}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  pages        = {{11--31}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{International Business and Management}},
  title        = {{Towards a Global Sustainability Approach: Challenges and Opportunities for Multinationals.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/S1876-066X20230000037002}},
  doi          = {{10.1108/S1876-066X20230000037002}},
  volume       = {{37}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}