Sustainability vs. the Market - Coping with Conflicts of Dual Logics: A Case Study of Industrial MNCs
(2024) BUSN09 20241Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- This paper addresses the urgent need for industrial companies to take action to transition towards sustainable development. More specifically, companies must include practices aimed at reducing social inequalities along the supply chain as well as reducing their corporate footprint actively counteracting climate change, thereby adhering to regulatory environments. In this context, to transition towards a more sustainable business, companies must deal with conflicts between the institutionalized logic of sustainability and the market-driven logic and develop respective coping strategies. Despite a growing body of literature on institutional complexity, the practical approaches for managing conflicting logics remain underexplored,... (More)
- This paper addresses the urgent need for industrial companies to take action to transition towards sustainable development. More specifically, companies must include practices aimed at reducing social inequalities along the supply chain as well as reducing their corporate footprint actively counteracting climate change, thereby adhering to regulatory environments. In this context, to transition towards a more sustainable business, companies must deal with conflicts between the institutionalized logic of sustainability and the market-driven logic and develop respective coping strategies. Despite a growing body of literature on institutional complexity, the practical approaches for managing conflicting logics remain underexplored, particularly at the managerial level within industrial multinational corporations. Hence, this study aims to enhance understanding of the strategies employed by managers in industrial multinational corporations to resolve conflicts arising from the dual logics of sustainability and the market. Based on a multiple case study of two industrial multinational companies, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with a sample of four managers, focusing on their efforts to integrate sustainability practices into their operations.
The findings of this research identify an extensive list of conflicts arising from the presence of dual logics and respective coping strategies. Also, they provide a more nuanced understanding of the importance of stakeholders and cooperation along the supply chain aimed at enhacing transpareny. Moreover, The findings suggest that a sustainability-enabling corporate culture involving top management support is crucial for promoting managerial institutional work.
The findings add to prior research by expanding the understanding of the operationalization of the implementation of sustainability practices in companies by identifying conflicts arising from the presence of dual institutional logic and respectives coping strategies. Further, concrete examples are given, proving insights for managers. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9160163
- author
- Wentzler, Wiebke Laura LU and Salzbrunn, Max Torben LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN09 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Institutional Logics, Institutional Complexity, Multiple Institutional Logics, Institutional Work, Sustainable Development, MNCs, Manufacturing Industry, Market-Driven Logic, Institutional Logic of Sustainability
- language
- English
- id
- 9160163
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-26 13:19:06
- date last changed
- 2024-06-26 13:19:06
@misc{9160163,
abstract = {{This paper addresses the urgent need for industrial companies to take action to transition towards sustainable development. More specifically, companies must include practices aimed at reducing social inequalities along the supply chain as well as reducing their corporate footprint actively counteracting climate change, thereby adhering to regulatory environments. In this context, to transition towards a more sustainable business, companies must deal with conflicts between the institutionalized logic of sustainability and the market-driven logic and develop respective coping strategies. Despite a growing body of literature on institutional complexity, the practical approaches for managing conflicting logics remain underexplored, particularly at the managerial level within industrial multinational corporations. Hence, this study aims to enhance understanding of the strategies employed by managers in industrial multinational corporations to resolve conflicts arising from the dual logics of sustainability and the market. Based on a multiple case study of two industrial multinational companies, this study draws on semi-structured interviews with a sample of four managers, focusing on their efforts to integrate sustainability practices into their operations.
The findings of this research identify an extensive list of conflicts arising from the presence of dual logics and respective coping strategies. Also, they provide a more nuanced understanding of the importance of stakeholders and cooperation along the supply chain aimed at enhacing transpareny. Moreover, The findings suggest that a sustainability-enabling corporate culture involving top management support is crucial for promoting managerial institutional work.
The findings add to prior research by expanding the understanding of the operationalization of the implementation of sustainability practices in companies by identifying conflicts arising from the presence of dual institutional logic and respectives coping strategies. Further, concrete examples are given, proving insights for managers.}},
author = {{Wentzler, Wiebke Laura and Salzbrunn, Max Torben}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Sustainability vs. the Market - Coping with Conflicts of Dual Logics: A Case Study of Industrial MNCs}},
year = {{2024}},
}