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The key role of corporate culture in greening the innovation process
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2003-10-12
Author(s)
Bieker, Thomas
Abstract
As an empirical research project has found out, a Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) provides sufficient potential to integrate sustainability aspects into the general management of companies (see Figge et al. 2001; Bieker et al. 2001). It is a tool that has been developed to focus on more qualitative aspects (such as social and environmental ones). As the Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan & Norton 1997) is designed to “translate strategies into action”, it provides a methodology to bridge the gap between the strategic and operative levels of sustainability management. However, the SBSC-concepts have not been implemented yet by the companies involved. Coming up from St. Gallen management model, a company’s vision and mission, aspects of strategy, structure and culture as well as supporting processes seem to be of utmost importance when defining and implementing a SBSC. Corporate culture strongly influences a corporation’s strategies, structures and supporting processes. This implies that the implementation of a sustainability-oriented strategy is more likely to be internally adopted after having explored employees’ shared assumptions or beliefs. What are fostering and hindering factors for the introduction of the above-presented SBSC-concept? The fact that a BSC or SBSC might increase internal transparency, a commitment from top management when introducing such a tool becomes crucial.
It is a shared belief inside both companies, that the strategic relevance of product-related environmental goals will be of major importance in the future. Here, a commitment of top management regarding the strategic importance of such goals is most likely to be supported by the middle and lower management. Today, employees in both companies attach a rather medium level of importance regarding product-related environmental aspects. This is possibly due to the fact that the customer is currently not willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Nevertheless, there is the underlying assumption in both companies that a shift of paradigms towards “greener” products will take place. This will evolve rather “step by step” and strongly depend on a “greener customer” or “responsible politicians” that are willing to shift existing frameworks. This might indicate both a larger room to move for companies regarding greener products and services and employees’ willingness to improve the environmental performance of future products. A relative huge need for action is expected in the realm of training people in the field of environmental aspects. Similarly, employees’ scope regarding environmental aspects as well as a change of organisations openness or flexibility (i.e. “acting vs. bureaucracy”) is expected to improve.
It is a shared belief inside both companies, that the strategic relevance of product-related environmental goals will be of major importance in the future. Here, a commitment of top management regarding the strategic importance of such goals is most likely to be supported by the middle and lower management. Today, employees in both companies attach a rather medium level of importance regarding product-related environmental aspects. This is possibly due to the fact that the customer is currently not willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Nevertheless, there is the underlying assumption in both companies that a shift of paradigms towards “greener” products will take place. This will evolve rather “step by step” and strongly depend on a “greener customer” or “responsible politicians” that are willing to shift existing frameworks. This might indicate both a larger room to move for companies regarding greener products and services and employees’ willingness to improve the environmental performance of future products. A relative huge need for action is expected in the realm of training people in the field of environmental aspects. Similarly, employees’ scope regarding environmental aspects as well as a change of organisations openness or flexibility (i.e. “acting vs. bureaucracy”) is expected to improve.
Language
English
HSG Classification
not classified
Refereed
No
Book title
Proceedings of the 11th Greening of Industry Network Conference
Event Title
11th International Conference of the Greening of Industry Network (GIN)
Event Location
San Francisco
Event Date
12.-15.10.2003
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
39763