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  • 1.  AOM 2019 Panel Symposium on Sustainable Strategizing

    Posted 08-04-2019 15:55

    Sustainability Strategists – We Need Your Help!

              Since this "Organizational Strategizing for an Inclusive Planet Earth" symposium (Session #2055 - 1:15 to 2:45 on Tues. the 13th in the Defender room of the Westing Copley Place) proposal was submitted several months ago, the ecological pressures on business systems have increased as a result of deteriorating environmental systems. Panelists from a half dozen countries will share emerging approaches to organizational strategizing for tackling the most pressing socio-ecological issues facing the planet. 

              In spite of many technical advances and some political progress, there is a tremendous short-fall in the sustainable investment needed to overcome and regenerate the "overshoot" of natural resource usage as well as shortfalls in social foundations needed for inclusive solutions around the globe. GHGs passed sustainability levels (e.g., 350 ppm for CO2) in the 1980s & have now reached 415 ppm! Behind closed doors, many executives admit "carbon prices" of $200.-/ton are needed, but publicly they want to discuss $20-40.-/ton fees. Within 2 years, NGOs will be able to monitor significant "externalities" like methane leaks from satellites!

              One month ago at ESCP Europe in Berlin, five transformation experts from Club of  Rome, The Natural Step, The Boston Consulting Group, Interface and Academia discussed the question: " CAN Business Lead the Way to a Sustainable Future? Full recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e90bY0k89Uo

              After improving our understanding on why our transition to sustainability is so slow, we want now discuss HOW can business lead the way. It seems we understand the problems and have the solutions. So, please help us figure out the actions. We are striving for "one best answer" in the fields of Materiality, Innovation, Investment, Inequality, Viability, and Education.

              We intend to illustrate and demonstrate how forms of "new thinking" with regard to organizational strategizing can be translated into practice to help solve the root-causes of these socio-ecological challenges, which are posing urgent Crises for Civilization as well as biodiversity.

              We look forward to your participation!

                        Sincerely, Thomas Wunder (Germany) and John Grant (USA)



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    Thomas Wunder
    Professor
    Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences
    Neu-Ulm
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  • 2.  RE: AOM 2019 Panel Symposium on Sustainable Strategizing

    Posted 08-05-2019 22:15
    Hi Thomas and John, This is such an important subject! I hope many people attend the symposium.

    FYI. We just published a symposium in Organization & Environment on "Understanding the Role of the Corporation in Sustainability Transitions" The objective of this symposium is to better understand the role of corporations in promoting systemic change https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1086026619848255

    Delmas, M. A., Lyon, T. P., & Maxwell, J. W. (2019). Understanding the role of the corporation in sustainability transitions. Organization & Environment, 32(2), 87-97. 
    Here is the abstract: 
    The state of the planet calls for large-scale sustainability transitions involving systemic adoption of markedly better environmental and social practices. The objective of this symposium is to better understand the role of corporations in promoting such systemic change. We present four case studies-representing diverse industries and change mechanisms--to investigate corporate leadership in sustainability transitions. The cases examine a wide range of mechanisms used by corporations to progress toward sustainability, such as political coalition building and information strategies through eco-labels, socially responsible investing, and the public statements of CEOs. In this introduction, we discuss the challenges associated with both achieving and studying systemic change, explain the rationale for a case study approach, describe the findings from the case studies, and draw some general conclusions on the mechanisms by which firms may be able to lead, or at least participate in, systemic change in the different phases of sustainability transitions.

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    Magali Delmas
    Univ of California Los Angeles
    Los Angeles CA
    (310) 825-9310
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