Systematic Review - Network for Business Sustainability

ehaviours, practices and mindsets (Baya & Gruman,
2011; Dunphy, Griffiths & Benn, 2003; Low, Lamvik,
& Myklebust, 2001; Mani, Lyons, & Sriram, 2010;
McDonough & Braungart, 2002;).
SOI in the context of
organizational transformation
While Operational Optimizers aim to do more with less,
firms in Organizational Transformation pursue a different
objective, the most ambitious conceptualization of
which is the “net positive impact” firm.
These firms must identify and work with new types
of partners, build external linkages to motivate and
inspire systemic change, address the social dimension
of sustainability and reframe and redefine the purpose
of business in society as part of wider social and
environmental ecosystems.
Organizations in this space experiment with innovative
practices characterized by the following activities:
• Transforming relationships and interactions
between industry and diverse stakeholders
• Transforming consumer behaviour
• Delivering products and services to under-served
populations
• Reframing the purpose of business in society
This transition has frequently been discussed in terms
of the Schumpeterian notion of creative destruction, the
continuous reconfiguring of organizations in response
to change (e.g. Stafford & Hartman, 2001). Firms find
this to be a challenging space to occupy, and many
change agents meet with resistance within the firm
and from established firms, the marketplace and other
stakeholders.
Navigating the transition can be particularly difficult
for incumbent firms that may be constrained by
legacy systems and may find their core competences
becoming core rigidities (Leonard-Barton, 1992).
Existing systems’ entrenched behaviours and practices
act as barriers. Firms may find help to negotiate
this space through novel collaborations (e.g. with
environmental NGOs) and by extending the firm’s nontechnological
competences (e.g. the ability to lobby or
to find alternative routes to market).
Walden Paddlers is an interesting case of a start-up
that, guided by principles of sustainability, was able
to achieve its goals because it had the opportunity to
design relationships and principles from scratch.
In Practice
Success, in the case of Walden Paddlers,
was accredited to the principal’s
sustainability vision and capacity to mobilize
resources in the network organization,
as a result of informal communications,
considerable selling of ideas and continuous
learning and adaptability as new information
emerged. Further, Walden Paddlers adopted
an alternative mode of organization, the
virtual corporation or network, in which
the entire value chain was conceived as a
source of opportunity. Adapted from Larson
(2000).
Innovating for Sustainability 36