Paradoxical tensions in the pursuit of Corporate Sustainability
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2019-10-07
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en
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Corporate sustainability (CS) has seeped through in almost every organisation, small or large. However, the financial, social and environmental objectives at the triple-bottom-line are often contradictory which makes the pursuit of CS rather challenging for managers. Because of the paradoxical nature of many CS objectives, managers face tensions in the pursuit of CS in which a win-win outcome is impossible. This study tries to gain a deeper understanding of those tensions, how companies deal with them and how that affects the way companies try to become (more) sustainable. Using a qualitative and explorative research design at ten companies that are proactively engaged in CS, this study finds that additional evidence for the paradoxical nature of the tensions that managers have to deal with daily. Furthermore, two integrative strategies (i.e. synthesise & separate) are the main strategies to deal with such tensions followed by a trade-off strategy. Finally, this study shows that the positive effect of the synthesise strategy on the way companies pursue CS and the delaying or decelerating effect that a separation strategy can have. Furthermore, multiple limitations and recommendations for both the scientific arena as well as for practice are given.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen