Sustainable business growth: exploring operations decision-making

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how operations decision-making may keep the growing firms within the boundaries of corporate and societal sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The authors classify operations decisions during growth periods according to the three dimensions of the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental). By means of a longitudinal case study of a family-owned wood construction firm that is in a process of intense growth, the authors identify, visually represent and analyse the complex sequences of selected managerial operations decisions. Findings The empirical data suggest that operations decisions made by managers during growth periods follow specific patterns. From the analysis, the authors derive various research propositions that investigate how a well-understood and therefore efficient and effective decision-making process can facilitate sustainable business growth. Research limitations/implications The findings offer opportunities for future studies to zoom in on specific parts of the decision-making process during growth periods. Moreover, given the exploratory nature of this study, future research should test hypotheses derived from the research propositions. Practical implications This study investigates operations decision-making during growth, which is crucial for guiding companies through this complex transition phase. Originality/value This conceptual and empirical analysis explores new theory and contributes to the vastly under-researched subject of sustainable business growth.

Modeling the Influence of Information Systems on Sustainable Business Performance and Competitiveness

“…Further, the results in this paper indicate that decision making (DM) has a positive effect on sustainable business performance and competitiveness and this is complementary to the findings of other existing studies [62,80,81].…”

Sustainable Growth in SMEs: A Review from the Malaysian Perspective

“…Schwab, Gold, Kunz, and Reiner (2017) add to the list by defining sustainable growth as growth in economic, social and environmental performance. Doane and MacGillivray (2001) view sustainability as long-term survival from all the three aspects of environmental, social and economic.…”

Structural Differentiation and Organisational Learning Capability s Predictors of Corporate Venturing and Business Growth among SMEs in South Africa

“…This probably holds true for the growth of those businesses. Regardless of whether an enterprise is a start-up or a global multinational, almost every organisation has growth in its plans (Schwab et al, 2017). Business growth is a multi-faceted phenomenon that is ordinarily related with enterprise survival, accomplishment of enterprise objectives and success, or an increase in operations (Phillips, Moos & Nieman, 2014).…”

“…Emerging global interest in concepts such as, structural differentiation, organisational learning capability, corporate venturing, and business growth, reveals a number of dynamic weaknesses in earlier research, raising serious questions about their contribution to theory and practice within the SME sector of developing countries. Remarkably, regardless of expanding acknowledgment of such concepts around the world, most research has been directed at large enterprises settings that may contrast uniquely from small enterprises in the aspect of business development, strategic focus, and organisational needs (Cullen, Anderson & Baker, 1986;Alegre & Chiva, 2009;Narayanan et al, 2009;Schwab, Gold, Kunz & Reiner, 2017). The above view warrants an investigation into structural differentiation and organisational learning capability as prognosticators of corporate venturing and business growth among SMEs within the Gauteng Province of South Africa.…”