Analysis of meanings of the concept of sustainability

Abstract

The ambiguity and polysemy of the concept of sustainability is a problem often faced by researchers. The existence of definitions that are not operative, diverse and sometimes contradictory represents a difficulty for the election of a suitable concept of sustainability. Even most of the research works whose title includes the term sustainability do not define what it is, which eventually, constitutes a methodological error.This leads the researchers to avoid defining sustainability, or to study it indirectly through the study of social and ecological variables of certain systems. The present work analysed the meanings conveyed by the concept of sustainability according to researchers. The uses that researchers make of the term sustainability were employed to reveal such meanings. Four uses were identified, which allowed the identification of four meanings of the concept of sustainability. This concluded that the meanings of the concept of sustainability are neither many nor as ambiguous as other authors point out, and that this classification of uses and meanings could be employed to avoid frequent errors made by researchers.

Does quality of care entail environmental impact? A blind spot in our knowledge

“…Moreover, "sustainability" and "sustainable development" are often used interchangeably, even in peerreviewed articles, which suggests that students, researchers, professors and journal editors are confused about definitions of sustainability. [38] It is difficult to study a relationship without understanding its component elements.…”

Fenntarthatóság, fenntartható ellátási lánc menedzsment

“…A fenntartható fejlődés fógalmának értelmezése nem egységes, rendkívüli módón széttartó, ezért minden fenntartható fejlődéssel kapcsólatós tevékenység kezdőlépése kell legyen, hógy az aktuális fógalómhasználatnál az értelmezés módjáról döntsünk [1]. Általában a fenntarthatóság kifejezés használatát feltáró állításók rendszerének vizsgálatakór négy felhasználást és azók jelentését azónósítótták: (1) a fenntarthatóság mint az emberi cselekvéshez vezető társadalmi-ökólógiai kritériumók halmaza, (2) a fenntarthatóság mint az emberiség jövőképe, amelyet egy adótt referenciarendszer társadalmi és ökólógiai céljainak kónvergenciája révén valósítanak meg, (3) fenntarthatóság mint tárgy, dólóg vagy jelenség, amely bizónyós társadalmiökólógiai rendszerekben előfórdul, és (4) a fenntarthatóság, mint ólyan megközelítés, amely magában fóglalja a társadalmi és ökólógiai váltózók beépítését egy tevékenység, fólyamat vagy emberi termék tanulmányózásába [23]. A fenntarthatóság elvinek a vállalatókba való hatékóny integrálásáhóz a szervezetek határain túlmutató cselekvésre van szükségük, a fenntarthatósági stratégia nehezen számszerűsíthető előnyöket eredményezhet.…”

How and when corporate social responsibility affects salespeople's organizational citizenship behaviors?: The moderating role of ethics and justice

“…For some authors (e.g., Van Marrewijk, 2003), the term CS is much broader than the term CSR, and therefore it is also more difficult to define and measure. In fact, Salas-Zapata and Ortiz-Muñoz (2018) underline that "most of the research works whose title includes the term sustainability do not define what it is, which eventually, constitutes a methodological error" (2018, p. 1). In other cases, when using the term sustainability, scholars want to focus their attention on the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization from different socioeconomic and environmental perspectives, but without paying so much attention to the implications of the triple bottom line on the different stakeholders (e.g., Dyllick & Hockerts, 2002).…”

“…In other cases, when using the term sustainability, scholars want to focus their attention on the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization from different socioeconomic and environmental perspectives, but without paying so much attention to the implications of the triple bottom line on the different stakeholders (e.g., Dyllick & Hockerts, 2002). In fact, it is common that when the authors refer to the term corporate sustainability they want to focus mainly on the ecological or environmental aspect (e.g., Salas-Zapata & Ortiz-Muñoz, 2018;Schaltegger & Burritt, 2010), while the CSR goes beyond social, economic, and between other aspects. In this sense, we should take into account that CSR include environmental issues, which has been regarded as a part of CS.…”