| Title |
Business sustainability and E-footprints on Earth's life and ecosystems: generic models |
| ID_Doc |
65663 |
| Authors |
Svensson, G; Wagner, B |
| Title |
Business sustainability and E-footprints on Earth's life and ecosystems: generic models |
| Year |
2012 |
| Published |
European Business Review, 24.0, 6 |
| DOI |
10.1108/09555341211270555 |
| Abstract |
Purpose - Companies and their business networks impact on Earth's life and ecosystems must be seriously addressed and minimized. The purpose of this paper therefore proposes and describes a generic model as well as a network model of business sustainability. Design/methodology/approach - "Business sustainability" is defined as a company's or an organization's efforts to manage its impact on Earth's life-and eco-systems and its whole business network. The work concentrates on one research question, namely: how can business sustainability and E-footprints be conceptualised? Findings - The model introduced emphasises not only the importance of business networks adopting an E-footprint and an Earth-to-Earth (EE) cradle-to-cradle approach, but also a transformative Earth (E) footprint-model derived and inspired from a causal framework in complexity sciences. Research limitations/implications - Research is rare that simultaneously focuses on EE-approaches, E-footprint stakeholders and zero-sum cycles. The authors have striven to address this gap by introducing a business sustainability model in an EE-approach and with an interconnecting transformative E-footprint-model. Practical implications - It is crucial to embed appropriate routines and processes within the company in the first instance with the aim of business sustainability. This may cause a ripple effect in the company's business network as raw material producers, value-adding suppliers and customers become drawn into make appropriate strategic, tactical and operative adaptations in their own business dealings. This stresses the importance of E-footprint stakeholders fostering networks of both interdependent and collaborative corporate efforts aimed at business sustainability. Originality/value - The main contribution should be a business sustainability model of life and ecosystems froman EE-approach with a transformativeE-footprint. model. Each company within a business network must endeavour to minimise its E-footprint through its zero-sum cycles. These should be seen as interdependent and interconnected thereby contributing to the total E-footprint of the business network. |
| Author Keywords |
Transformative; Business; Sustainability; Earth; EE-approach; E-footprint; Interface; Sustainable development; Ecosystems |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) |
| EID |
WOS:000213187300005 |
| WoS Category |
Business |
| Research Area |
Business & Economics |
| PDF |
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