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  • 1.  Join the conversation on the dangers posed by win-win strategies

    Posted 11-28-2020 10:08
    Ken Pucker (ex COO of Timberland) and I have published, in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, an article on "The Dangerous Allure of Win-win Strategies".  We argue that a lot of popular notions are both damaging and wrong.  

    In response, an active conversation has started at both SSIR and ARCS.  At SSIR, Mark Kramer has weighted in to say we are in error.  At ARCS, we have been likened to smelly cats, monkeys, and stuffed donkeys.  In our defense, both Brian Eno and the Buddha have been evoked.  Come join the discussion.

    Andy

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    Andrew King
    Boston U. Questrom School of Business
    Boston MA
    (617) 358-6649
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  • 2.  RE: Join the conversation on the dangers posed by win-win strategies

    Posted 11-29-2020 16:29
    Andrew,

    I read your article in SSIR and think it is spot on. Tallies with the argument Daniel Nyberg and I have been making for some years now on the obfuscation of much corporate environmentalism that relies on the 'win-win' rhetoric. The key point here (that you and Ken make) is that without a 'win' for the business (i.e. profit maximisation) there will be no voluntary positive environmental action. The climate crisis is a systemic crisis that requires a systemic, regulatory response around aggressive decarbonization. Hoping that voluntary corporate initiatives will be sufficient is magical thinking and serves to simply distract and delay the urgent economic interventions that are now required. The fact that consultants with vested interests are wading in to attack your piece is just evidence that you're uncovering some inconvenient truths of how much corporate sustainability is just predatory delay! Keep at it.

    Best,

    Chris
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    Prof Christopher Wright
    University of Sydney Business School
    Sydney, AUSTRALIA, 2006
    christopher.wright@sydney.edu.au
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    CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT
    Professor of Organisational Studies
    Discipline of Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

    THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY BUSINESS SCHOOL, The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006 T +61 2 9351 5860 | M +61 435 659 780
    E christopher.wright@sydney.edu.au | W http://www.econ.usyd.edu.au/staff/christopherw
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