On the Nature of Corporate Sustainability
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Author / Producer
Date
2020-09
Publication Type
Journal Article
ETH Bibliography
yes
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Abstract
Scholarly and managerial interest in corporate sustainability has increased significantly in the past two decades. However, the field is increasingly criticized for failing to effectively contribute to sustainable development and for its limited impact on managerial practice. We argue that this criticism arises due to a fundamental ambiguity around the nature of corporate sustainability. To address the lack of concept clarity, we conduct a systematic literature review and identify 33 definitions of corporate sustainability. Adopting the Aristotelian perspective on definitions, one that promotes reducing concepts to their essential attributes, we discern four components of corporate sustainability. These components offer a conceptual space of inquiry that, while being parsimonious, offers nuanced understanding of the dimensions along which definitions of corporate sustainability differ. We discuss implications for research and practice and outline several recommendations for how advancements in construct clarity may lead to a better scholarly understanding of corporate sustainability.
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Publication status
published
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Book title
Journal / series
Volume
33 (3)
Pages / Article No.
319 - 341
Publisher
SAGE
Event
Edition / version
Methods
Software
Geographic location
Date collected
Date created
Subject
corporate sustainability; construct clarity; Aristotelian definitions; strategy implementation; Discourse analysis
Organisational unit
03695 - Hoffmann, Volker / Hoffmann, Volker
Notes
Funding
182188 - Unpacking pathways to corporate sustainability (SNF)