Weaving An Integrated Web: Multilevel and Multisystem Perspectives of Ecologically Sustainable Organizations

Starik, Mark; Rands, Gordon P.

doi:10.5465/amr.1995.9512280025

Cited by 631 publications

(494 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…While some suggest that a 'revamp' of existing models and theories of organisations is a way to bring about sustainability (for example see Hart 1995;Starik and Rands 1995), others note that more radical change is required (Gladwin et al 1995;Purser et al 1995). Recent analyses of the corporate sustainability discourse notes that while organisations may be 'talking green' the level to which they may be 'acting green' is questionable (Milne et al 2006;2008;Prasad and Elmes 2005).…”

Section: Background Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

HR managers and environmental sustainability: strategic leaders or passive observers?

Harris

Tregidga

2012

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

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INTRODUCTIONWhile many organisations have been quick to jump onboard the 'sustainability bandwagon' little appears to have been done to consider the role of, and effect on, the HR function and manager. In fact, organisations have tended to treat sustainability and HR in silo. This paper examines questions such as: How are HR managers defining and enacting corporate sustainability? And what is the effect of the HR managers' social and political contexts in this role? We do so b y focusing on the relationships between HR and environmental sustainability. In particular, we explore the challenges posed to, and reactions of, HR and HR managers by the concept of su stainable development and the corporate sustainability rhetoric.Drawing on a set of interviews undertaken wi th 11 New Zealand (NZ) HR managers we explore three related aspects of morality identified by Fineman (1997): private, conventional and enacted. We analyse a group of HR managers' private views on the environment and consider how these relate to their organisations stated position, as well as how they are enacted (o r not) within their work context. In doing so, we begin to examine how green territories are construed and contested within the HR arena, something not considered in the extant literature. Moreover, we explore and analyse the current state of HR and environmental sustainability, examining not only what the HR function is doing in the name of su st ainability, but also, what they believe they can and should be doing. We therefore begin to critically examine the relationship between HR and environmental sustainability and start to explore what sustainability may mean for various HR functions.We s tructure the paper as follows. Fi rst, we review the background literature. Here we consider the sustainable development concept within the business context and the emerging HR literature in the area. Se cond, we present our framework and approach taken in the paper followed by an overview of our data sources and method. Findings are then presented and discussed. The paper ends with conclusions and implications. BACKGROUND LITERATURE

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Section: Background Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

HR managers and environmental sustainability: strategic leaders or passive observers?

Harris

Tregidga

2012

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

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“…Jennings and Zandbergen (1995) see sustainability in terms of the relation between the ecological system and the social system, where the social system contains human capital and the economic system. They take an institutional Starik and Rands (1995) suggest a multilevel and multi-system approach to sustainability, which includes ecological, socialcultural, political-economic, organizational and individual elements, and describe characteristics of ecologically sustainable organizations at all these levels. At the social-cultural level, these characteristics include 'involvement with social-cultural elements to advance sustainability values, involvement in educational institutions' environmental literacy efforts, provision of environmental information to various media, dissemination of sustainability information from culturally diverse stakeholders, and attention to environmental stewardship values of organisational members' (Starik and Rands, 1995, p. 916).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corporate sustainability – integrating environmental and social concerns?

Schaefer

2004

Corp Soc Responsibility Env

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This article presents a case of the early stages of an attempted integration of environmental management and corporate responsibility in a UK utility company, which may, in due course, develop into a more holistic orientation towards corporate sustainability. The company had made some deliberate attempts to link environmental and social responsibility issues. However, this integration was partial and contested within the company. The case shows that dealing with environmental soundness and starting to integrate environmental and social issues and management need not be a sequential process. Institutional and wider social factors are shown to play a strong role in influencing company thinking and actions in this area, seemingly sending rather mixed signals in this case. The case also highlights the role of sustainability champions in making links between the organization's business purpose, its environmental performance and its social responsibility in terms of the long term sustainability of the region and the company's future. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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“…Company strategies aimed at sustainable development actually require systemic modes of solution i.e. taking into account the holistic impact on ecosystems and societies [15][16][17]. These strategies thus refer to several relations which are external to the company.…”

Section: Taking a Closer Look At Environmentalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firms and their Responsibility towards Nature

Ballet¹,

Bazin²

2005

J. of Social Sciences

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Corporate social responsibility is increasingly discussed in economics and management studies today. Corporate leaders often make use of this concept, which finds its origins in philosophy, to analyse the normative behaviour of their companies. But what exactly is corporate responsibility? Is it a mere concept currently in vogue, or is it a new structural approach which could indeed take responsibility into account insofar as long-term environmental preservation is concerned? In order to answer this question, this study first proposes a reading of "stakeholders". This approach poses several problems when dealing with corporate responsibility regarding the preservation of nature. Secondly, it presents a more detailed analysis of such corporate social responsibility and the problems it poses. The debate regarding action with the interest of its outcome and action in the interest of the action itself is the focal point of present discussion.

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Weaving An Integrated Web: Multilevel and Multisystem Perspectives of Ecologically Sustainable Organizations

Cited by 631 publications

References 14 publications

HR managers and environmental sustainability: strategic leaders or passive observers?

HR managers and environmental sustainability: strategic leaders or passive observers?

Corporate sustainability – integrating environmental and social concerns?

Firms and their Responsibility towards Nature

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