No abstract

This literature review article aims to bring a better understanding to the field of corporate sustainability (CS) as studied by management scholars. The first part of this review quantifies the amount of research devoted to CS and related topics such as corporate social responsibility, corporate social performance, environmental strategies and environmental performance from 1995 through 2013. The authors then summarize the different definitions, organizational theories, and measures that have been adopted by management scholars working in the CS field in both academic and practitioner management journals. The results show that the CS field is still evolving and different approaches to define, theorize, and measure CS have been used. Differences are also found between the literature that targets scholars versus the one targeting practitioners. The authors also provide a set of recommendations on how to advance the CS field.

This paper examines the influence of internal barriers on the relationship between the organizational capability of stakeholder integration and proactive environmental strategies. We adopt a moderate hierarchical regression model to test the hypotheses using data from a sample of 73 managers in the business education industry. The paper contributes to stakeholder theory by showing that stakeholder integration positively influences the development of proactive environmental strategies when managers perceive internal barriers to the development of such strategies. This article also explores an ethical dilemma-managers may use the stakeholder integration capability to support their own interests rather than to benefit stakeholders.

No abstract

Manuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: We examine whether director interlocks enable or inhibit a firm's adoption of a proactive environmental strategy. Specifically, using resource dependence theory, we argue that director interlocks with suppliers are linked to varying likelihoods that a firm adopts a proactive environmental strategy, depending on the relation between the provided resources and the environmental approach. Research Findings/Insight: Based on a sample of US electric firms, our results show that director interlocks with firms providing knowledge-intensive business services are positively linked to the adoption of proactive environmental strategies. However, director interlocks with firms providing financial resources and fossil fuel are negatively related to the adoption of these strategies for our sample. Theoretical/Academic Implications: Board linkages may enable and inhibit proactive environmental strategies. We contribute to resource dependence theory by offering empirical evidence that the reduction of uncertainty about critical resources by director interlocks may either make business change easier or constrict a firm's autonomy, making change more difficult. Practitioner/Policy Implications: The influence of interlocking directors varies depending on the type of resources that director interlocks transfer to their organizations. As a result, the selection of specific director interlocks can become very important to the strategic goals of the firm. Regulators should continue to pay attention to potential risks for other stakeholders from director interlocks.