An Organizational Roadmap of Business Sustainability

25 Pages Posted: 28 May 2014

See all articles by Katrin Muff

Katrin Muff

Business School Lausanne

Thomas L Dyllick

University of St. Gallen

Date Written: April 30, 2014

Abstract

The Business Sustainability Typology provides an answer to the difficult question of what business sustainability actually means and how to differentiate between beginning, intermediate and advanced levels in business practice. It offers a practical approach to evaluate different levels of integrating sustainability in business (Dyllick & Muff, 2013). While the Typology highlights three different shifts to move from business-as-usual to Business Sustainability 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, this article looks at organizational challenges and consequences. The article offers concrete strategic support for companies in their sustainability journey.

Section 1 summarized the Business Sustainability Typology (Dyllick & Muff, 2013). Section 2 identifies the organizational development domains to be studied. Section 3 provides an in-depth analysis of existing studies in the relevant domains of business sustainability. Section 4 offers a comparative overview of attributes of organizations for each type of business sustainability, and concludes with open questions as well as suggested further research.

Keywords: business sustainability, corporate sustainability, environmental, social and economic sustainability, triple bottom line, corporate social responsibility, responsible leadership, stakeholder engagement, alternative forms of ownership, financing sustainable business, organizational culture

Suggested Citation

Muff, Katrin and Dyllick, Thomas L, An Organizational Roadmap of Business Sustainability (April 30, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2442211 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2442211

Katrin Muff (Contact Author)

Business School Lausanne ( email )

Route de la Maladière 21
PO Box 73
Lausanne, 1022
Switzerland

Thomas L Dyllick

University of St. Gallen ( email )

Tigerbergstr. 2
Saint Gallen, St. Gallen CH-9000
Switzerland

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