Sustainable Development Drivers

'This book is state-of-the-art. the authors present refreshing ideas about sustainability. It is a challenging approach to the conceptualization, measurement and ranking of sustainable development. This goes far beyond technicalities, discussing political, managerial and spiritual aspects of societal change.' – Jan Pronk, International Institute of Social Studies, the Hague, the Netherlands Sustainable development cannot be prescribed – rather, it results from conscious personal choices in government, business and NGOs. This thought-provoking book explores both the origins and future of the global sustainable development movement, and provides an original overview of the driving forces of sustainable development, including market forces and past and future trends. the contributors, leading experts in the field, identify and analyze the sustainability attitudes of key actors in government, corporate and NGO leadership that have shaped sustainable development history. the importance of a new and unconventional role of governments in promoting sustainability is highlighted, while corporations and NGOs feel both the risk of failures and the importance of long-term global stability more directly. Exploring the present and future scope of emerging global sustainable development movement, this stimulating and thought-provoking book will prove invaluable to a wide-ranging audience encompassing: academics, researchers, students and business practitioners with an interest in sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, public administration and public-private interactions; and policymakers involved in environmental, social and economic issues in both government and non-governmental organizations.

Today’s entrepreneurial practices operate in a continuously challenging, highly dynamic, and everchanging environment. In these times of change, it is important to examine up-to-date theoretical infrastructure on the most powerful and representative approaches to sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship. Sustainable and Responsible Entrepreneurship and Key Drivers of Performance covers an updated view of the newest trends, novel practices, and latest tendencies concerning sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in a world dominated by insecurity and dramatic economic, political, and managerial changes. The book presents theoretical infrastructure on approaches to sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship as well as empirical results that make a tremendous contribution to the analysis of organizations’ performance key drivers. Elaborating on topics such as greening economy, intellectual capital, knowledge management, sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems, and social responsibility, this text is essential for entrepreneurs, managers, executives, academicians, scientists, researchers, students, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide.

A comparison of how societal actors in different geographical, political and cultural contexts understand agents and drivers of sustainability transformations.

Master's Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Business economics - Business Ethics, Corporate Ethics, grade: 1,3, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen (Leadership Excellence Institute), language: English, abstract: The integration process of the Sustainable Development Goals into corporate governance structures, management activities and reporting frameworks as well as investment strategies, ratings and products constitutes the core of this paper. Here, four hypotheses are derived from the foundations and critical reflections of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Investment which are tested in seven expert interviews. The Sustainable Development Goals reopen the debate on how economic and financial actors should fulfill their social responsibility towards people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. While the operationalization of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Investment have often served as risk and reputation management in the past, the Sustainable Development Goals now call for social impact and innovation management. As a result, the perspective shifts from the question of how the wider world affects business and financial activities to the question of how business and financial activities affect the wider world. However, the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals is still at an early stage and their driving force for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Investment depends on various conditions, obstacles and friction points.

Various sectors of emerging markets face unique challenges, largely related to the gap between small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) research and practice. The relationship between SMEs and agriculture, tourism, and other key industries requires a close examination to understand the intricacies of their interplay. An emphasis on the need to bridge this gap, and strategies for scaling up and embedding new sustainability and technology trends into SME strategies is necessary for a healthy growth strategy within emerging markets. Drivers of SME Growth and Sustainability in Emerging Markets is a comprehensive book that delves into the intricate dynamics of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in developing economies. With a focus on a keen awareness of the challenges faced by SMEs, this book offers valuable insights for marketers, entrepreneurs, practitioners, and policy makers seeking to unlock the potential of these vital economic contributors. With a focus on entrepreneurship capacity building and government schemes designed to support SMEs, this book equips readers with the knowledge and tools to create an enabling environment for sustainable SME growth. From identifying bottlenecks and challenges to presenting innovative business models and sustainable practices, this book serves as a vital resource for business students, management faculty, and professionals seeking to navigate the complexities of SMEs in emerging markets.

Comprehensively covers the definition, methodology, and current applications of the principles of sustainability and resiliency in every engineering discipline This book contains detailed information about sustainability and resiliency principles and applications in engineering practice, and provides information on how to use scientific tools for sustainability assessment that help engineers select the best alternative for each project or activity. Logically organized around the three pillars of sustainability—environment, economy, and society—it is a primary resource for students and professionals alike. Sustainable Engineering: Drivers, Metrics, Tools, and Applications offers numerous ways to help engineers contribute towards global sustainable development while solving some of the grand challenges the world is facing today. The first part of the book covers the environmental, economic, and social impacts associated with project/product development as well as society as a whole. This is followed by a section devoted to sustainability metrics and assessment tools, which includes material flow analysis and material budget, carbon footprint analysis, life cycle assessment, environmental health risk assessment, and more. Next comes an in-depth examination of sustainable engineering practices, including sustainable energy engineering, sustainable waste management, and green and sustainable buildings. The book concludes with a look at how sustainable engineering may be applied to different engineering (i.e. environmental, chemical, civil, materials, infrastructure) projects. Some of the key features of this book include the following: Provides a complete and sensible understanding of the important concepts of sustainability, resiliency, and sustainable engineering Offers detailed explanations of sustainable engineering practices in waste management and remediation of contaminated sites, civil construction and infrastructure, and climate geoengineering Presents a set of case studies across different engineering disciplines such as bio/chemical, environmental, materials, construction, and infrastructure engineering that demonstrate the practical applicability of sustainability assessment tools to diverse projects Includes questions at the end of each chapter as well as a solutions manual for academic adopters The depth of coverage found in Sustainable Engineering: Drivers, Metrics, Tools, and Applications makes it an ideal textbook for graduate students across all engineering disciplines and a handy resource for active professionals.