Systematic Review - Network for Business Sustainability

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constructing a model of SOI Past research on SOI helped shape our model of the three contexts: Operational Optimization, Organizational Transformation and Systems Building. As firms move from Operational Optimization to Organizational Transformation, they change across several dimensions: • Firms become systemic – interested in connections with society – rather than insular (inwardly focused) • Innovation becomes integrated throughout the firm rather than a stand-alone, “add-on” activity • Innovation incorporates social as well as technical considerations • Firms move from reducing harm to delivering benefits to society Specific practices are associated with each context. Innovating for Sustainability 14
We developed our model of contexts of SOI by drawing on previous definitions and academic models of SOI (see Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 for a full description of these definitions and models). Many competing conceptualizations exist, and there is little consensus. In this chapter, we identify the elements of past models that we incorporated into our model. We then present our model: specific dimensions and contexts of SOI. DRAWING FROM PAST MODELS In defining SOI, some studies draw inspiration from Our Common Future, the report by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987), commonly referred to as the Brundtland Report (see Appendix 3). This report emphasizes the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development, such as resource limits (energy, materials, waste and land), equitable access to constrained resources, inter-generational and intra-generational equity, and a progressive transformation of economy and society (Stubbs & Cocklin, 2008). However, although drawing on the Brundtland Report, most studies define SOI much more narrowly, adopting an eco-innovation perspective internal to the firm (e.g. Fussler & James, 1996). Only at the turn of the century does the perspective broaden to include the social dimension and integrate the world outside the firm. For example, George et al.’s (2012) conceptualization of inclusive innovation explicitly meshes the economic objectives of firms with opportunities to enhance the i social and economic wellbeing of disadvantaged members of society. Another conceptualization includes “products, processes, marketing methods and organizational methods, but also … innovation in social and institutional structures” (Machiba, 2010, 360). Some researchers’ definitions view SOI as reducing the harmful impact of operations; other definitions see it as oriented toward making a positive net contribution. Later definitions and those that more holistically conceptualize sustainability incorporate the idea of a positive contribution (e.g. Bos-Brouwers, 2010a; Klewitz & Hansen, 2011; George, McGahan & Prabhu, 2012). Clearly, SOI has many aspects. SOI incorporates multiple considerations (environmental, social and economic), has wide influences (on products, processes, value chains, business models, institutions and the wider community) and introduces new relationships and bodies of knowledge. This review defines SOI broadly. For a sustainability-motivated firm, one that either wants to begin to adopt sustainability practices or is already on that path and seeking to improve, any review of SOI must embrace this range of aspects. STAGES OF SOI Many earlier models of SOI (Appendix 4) adopt the metaphor of “sustainability journey” and suggest that firms pass through a set of stages as sustainability considerations become more integrated into their core thinking and processes. The models are inconsistent, however, with respect to the point of departure, the number of stages, stage duration, how to move from Innovating for Sustainability 15
Page 1 and 2: innovating for sustainability A Sys
Page 3 and 4: Through innovation, companies can b
Page 5 and 6: Dear Reader, I’m pleased to share
Page 7 and 8: introduction This systematic review
Page 9 and 10: To address the needs of all firms,
Page 11 and 12: origins of SOI and its relation to
Page 13: customers or the acquisition of new
Page 17 and 18: From the models reviewed, we envisi
Page 19 and 20: Dimension 2: Stand-alone/integrated
Page 21 and 22: OPERATIONAL OPTIMIZATION ORGANIZATI
Page 23 and 24: The previous chapters presented a m
Page 25 and 26: Internally, SOI can require working
Page 27 and 28: Operational Optimizers must source
Page 29 and 30: 2. Use available tools such as envi
Page 31 and 32: LCA has multiple variants (Kaval, 2
Page 33 and 34: • Reducing energy and chemical us
Page 35 and 36: 4. Ensure functionality is not comp
Page 37 and 38: In the Organizational Transformatio
Page 39 and 40: In Practice The contribution of lon
Page 41 and 42: sustainability goals and objectives
Page 43 and 44: eports or as social and environment
Page 45 and 46: PROCESS INNOVATION A number of cate
Page 47 and 48: In Practice The cradle-to-cradle me
Page 49 and 50: In Practice InterfaceFLOR is gradua
Page 51 and 52: In Practice There is a potentially
Page 53 and 54: development on the needs of the poo
Page 55 and 56: such innovations. Much more difficu
Page 57 and 58: discussion Firms are re-embedding t
Page 59 and 60: competitive advantages. Third, firm
Page 61 and 62: previous reviews Earlier literature
Page 63 and 64: The current study extends these pre
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additional materials The appendices
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appendix 1: methodology The systema
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SEARCHING THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE
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Search methods We used the followin
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At the outset of this project, the
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Data were coded according to biblio
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Table 8 JOURNALS PROVIDING ONLY A S
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DESIGN OF STUDIES Sectoral distribu
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which speaks to the contestation ar
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The studies in our sample are mixed
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THE ELEMENTS OF INNOVATION A tradit
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appendix 3: definitions of SOI This
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SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED AND SUSTAINA
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STUDY MODEL Alexander Ballard Ltd.
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appendix 6: frugal, reverse and soc
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Benyus, J.M. (1997). Biomimicry: in
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Del Río, P., Carrillo-Hermosilla,
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Hunt, C.B. & Auster, E.R. (1990). P
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Machiba, T. (2010). Eco-innovation
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Reay, T., Berta, W. & Kohn, M.K. (2
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Wagner, M. (2007). On the relations
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Network for Business Sustainability
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Systematic Review - Network for Business Sustainability

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