Conceptualisations of incumbent firms in sustainability transitions: Insights from organisation theory and a systematic literature review

Magnusson, Thomas; Werner, Viktor

doi:10.1002/bse.3081

Cited by 29 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 208 publications

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“…The existing literature often considers small companies as the (only) drivers of sustainability transitions and incumbents as followers, whereas more recent research questions whether this is always the case. By specifically addressing incumbents, Magnussen and Werner (2022) examine an often‐neglected perspective and provide an overview and broad foundation for the further discussion of more specific aspects of corporate and entrepreneurial contributions to sustainability transitions of markets and society.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing entrepreneurial and corporate contributions to sustainability transitions

2022

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To achieve an economy within ecological boundaries that meets the needs of all requires societal transitions (i.e. systemic changes of collective cultures, structures and practices). Such a societal and economic transition requires corporate and entrepreneurial organisations to transform their businesses, business models and societal roles. While the importance of companies for sustainable development has been acknowledged in the existing literature the link between transformations at the organizational level and sustainability transitions beyond organizational boundaries needs further investigation. This contribution therefore unpacks the duality of companies in sustainability transitions: they are subject to the transformative changes in the economy and society, and they can be leaders of sustainability transitions of the economy and society. Companies are challenged to proactively manage a simultaneous build‐up of sustainable and phase‐out of unsustainable products, services and practices. Key approaches for sustainability transformation management are discussed and conclusions for research and practice deducted.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing entrepreneurial and corporate contributions to sustainability transitions

2022

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“…Social sustainability also has internal and external impacts on OE (Mani et al ., 2020). It is important to differentiate between internal and external factors, since from a social point of view, sustainability encompasses both, as mentioned by the institutional theory-based view (ITBV) (Magnusson and Werner, 2023). The internal impact consists of the fulfillment of industrial safety and occupational health requirements (Newman et al ., 2016).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Key factors in operational excellence for Industry 4.0: an empirical study and maturity model in emerging countries

Henriquez

Muñoz-Villamizar

Santos

2023

JMTM

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PurposeThis paper proposes a maturity model to indicate the operational excellence (OE) implementation status of businesses in emerging countries, considering its importance in Industry 4.0.Design/methodology/approachThe study involves four steps. First, undertake a study of the literature to identify the variables to consider in the maturity model; second, identify how to organize the variables found in the first step; third, structure a questionnaire to define the maturity model; and lastly, validate the variables found in the literature and the maturity levels.FindingsA total of 23 variables were validated through interviews with general managers, operation managers and experts within organizations. Interviews were carried out in 49 companies from different sectors. Five maturity levels were defined in this study: basic level, beginner level, training level, innovative level and champion level.Originality/valueMany businesses are implementing OE as a practice to remain competitive in their industries, targeting economic, environmental and social sustainability. However, OE implementation in companies from developing or emerging countries is far below the average level of that in developed companies due to cultural, political or economic constraints. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no model that indicates the status of OE implementation in companies from emerging countries or the different levels to implement OE. This study fills the mentioned gap.

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“…Companies now realize that to be socially legitimate, they must earn the respect of their business partners, customers and society (Hussain, Rigoni, & Cavezzali, 2018). It is essential to continuously innovate (Ardito et al, 2019) and seek to combine the logic of action of all stakeholders, namely, increasingly informed customers and demanding business partners (Magnusson & Werner, 2022; Nason et al, 2018). They require a broader understanding of the interdependence between various stakeholders (Goettsche et al, 2016), directly or indirectly linked to their business.…”

Section: Theoretical Background and Hypothesis Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greening the business: How ambidextrous companies succeed in green innovation through to sustainable development

2022

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This paper seeks to investigate the impact of ambidexterity (exploration and exploitation) on green product innovation and the success of new products through the effects of sustainability, considering the moderating role of customer pressure. This research proposes a theoretical model that was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) and a multigroup analysis to understand the moderating role of customer pressure. A 23‐item questionnaire was developed to explore the proposed relationships, applied in two different moments, answered by two other critical respondents from each company. At the end of the second collection moment, 336 valid questionnaires were collected from a sample of industrial SMEs in Portugal. The results show a positive influence of ambidexterity on sustainability and, therefore, on new product success and green product innovation. In addition, green product innovation increases the success of new products due to the growing demand for more sustainable products. Furthermore, the chain of effects between ambidexterity and further product success was strengthened when customer pressure was higher. This study stresses the need to actively manage exploration and exploitation investments to enhance ambidexterity, especially when sustainability and green innovation are the expected outcomes. The originality of this research is related to the contributions of hierarchical dynamic capabilities, combining and balancing exploration and exploitation, to produce successful ambidextrous companies in sustainability and green strategies.

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Conceptualisations of incumbent firms in sustainability transitions: Insights from organisation theory and a systematic literature review

Cited by 29 publications

References 208 publications

Managing entrepreneurial and corporate contributions to sustainability transitions

Managing entrepreneurial and corporate contributions to sustainability transitions

Key factors in operational excellence for Industry 4.0: an empirical study and maturity model in emerging countries

Greening the business: How ambidextrous companies succeed in green innovation through to sustainable development

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