Sustainable development: paradoxes, misunderstandings and learning organizations

Abstract

Purpose -Sustainability is, in itself, the idea of a harmonic answer to the dual nature of the most pressing problem for global society. Most of the problems dealing with sustainability concern its dual and contradictory nature. That paradoxical reality is in no way a unique feature of sustainability; its universal pervasiveness is demonstrated by the attention that Western and Eastern philosophies have given to it. This paper seeks to describe paradoxes that arise in managerial and organizational learning processes and proposes a taxonomy. It pays special attention to the central paradox of "complexifying" and to reductionism-holism in science. Design/methodology/approach -The work is based on the theories of organizational learning and managerial cybernetics, under the paradox view of management. Findings -The study shows the relevance of the paradox view to management understanding of the complexity of sustainability, its controversial nature; and how the latter relates to epistemology and to the complementarity of analytical and synthetics methods in research and science. It also demonstrates that, at organizational levels, harnessing tensions that emerge from natural paradoxical situations enhances sustainable oriented decision-making.Research limitations/implications -The paper builds a bridge toward scientific communities that, working on sustainability and/or complexity, are unaware of the important contribution of cybernetics, especially Ashby's work and the VSM's relevance to the examination of complex societal issues. Practical implications -The paper provides a platform to enquire on the implications of societal learning on sustainability, and on de facto global digital networks emerging from over ideologized constituents that, in the name of the greenness of the environment and of a just society, fail to see how rapidly global society is positively changing after the dark years of the Cold War. Originality/value -The paper reviews current developments on the paradox view of management, and proposes a taxonomy of paradoxes based on managerial cybernetics and organizational learning.

An Integrated Diagnostic Framework to Manage Organization Sustainable Growth: An Empirical Case

“…Sustainable management is increasingly recognized as a central determinant in embracing sustainability with a clear process and steps, arguing that the success of multinational companies depended most significantly on the process quality of management systems [11,49,50]. Embracing sustainability implied changing deeply embedded customs into management systems that are sustainable and environmentally friendly and that ensure the growth requirements of the organization [49,51,52].…”

The Web-Based Learning Program of Ergonomics as a Tool for Promoting Sustainable Well-Being at Work in a Large Company

“…The concept of sustainability requires harmonious, bipartite global economic development. It should provide well-being and satisfactory, unburdened work to a large and growing population, while simultaneously avoiding polluting or wasting natural resources to the greatest extent possible (Ramirez, 2012). Attaining sustainability in an organization is a long-term goal, and should be regarded as an essential component of the company's operations.…”

“…Figure 1. Learning demands and impacts to sustainable well-being at work (e.g., Falconer, 2006;Goh et al;Haugh & Talwar, 2010;Pehkonen et al, 2009;Ramirez, 2012) The purpose of this study was to describe the web-based learning program of ergonomics, the Ergonetti, as a tool for promoting sustainable well-being at work in a large company from the viewpoint of the students. Specifically, the aims were to describe the views of students of the ergonomics learning program on the importance of learning (1) to the students themselves and to other workers in the company, (2) to the organization and the working environment, and (3) to the company's leadership.…”

“…Sustainable development and sustainability are closely related terms (Ramirez, 2012). Sustainable development was established as a concept in Brutland's (1987) report.…”

“…An online tutor guides the studies, but students perform the learning tasks in a genuine work environment, which is either their own workplace or a target workplace of their own choice. The development cycle model for the learning program is based on (Kolb, 1984) experiential learning, which has been described as the heart of OL (e.g., Ramirez, 2012), and on the models of on-the-job-learning (Pohjonen, 2002). The model is efficient and can be used to easily identify developmental needs in work places and to Journal of Education andTraining ISSN 2330-9709 2014, Vol.…”