IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i15p4155-d253771.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Achieving Corporate Sustainability: Toward a Practical Theory

Author

Listed:
  • Sooksan Kantabutra

    (Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership, College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

Abstract

The present study aims at exploring processual relationships between corporate sustainability predictors and sustainability performance, as informed by the Thai philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, and accordingly proposes a theory of corporate sustainability to fill in the fundamental gap in the literature. Based on a framework derived from the literature, multi-data collection methods and the framework approach to qualitative data analysis are adopted to explore the relationships at a sustainable enterprise in Thailand. Findings reveal six processual relationships leading to improving corporate sustainability performance directly and indirectly. Grounded upon seven established theories, the existing empirical literature and the findings of the present study, a coherent theory of corporate sustainability is developed to inform future theory building and guide future corporate sustainability research. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Achieving Corporate Sustainability: Toward a Practical Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-39, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4155-:d:253771
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4155/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/15/4155/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francesco Perrini & Angeloantonio Russo & Antonio Tencati & Clodia Vurro, 2011. "Deconstructing the Relationship Between Corporate Social and Financial Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(1), pages 59-76, March.
    2. Milé Terziovski, 2010. "Innovation practice and its performance implications in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector: a resource‐based view," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 892-902, August.
    3. Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Culture Development for Sustainable SMEs: Toward a Behavioral Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Hosseini, Jamshid C. & Brenner, Steven N., 1992. "The Stakeholder Theory of the Firm: A Methodology to Generate Value Matrix Weights," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(2), pages 99-119, April.
    5. Caterina Brandoni & Barbara Marchetti & Gionanni Ciriachi & Fabio Polonara & Mariella Leporini, 2016. "The impact of renewable energy systems on local sustainability," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 385-402.
    6. repec:eme:srjpps:v:6:y:2010:i:2:p:381-392 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Jeffrey A. Martin, 2000. "Dynamic capabilities: what are they?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 1105-1121, October.
    8. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    9. Jonathon N. Cummings, 2004. "Work Groups, Structural Diversity, and Knowledge Sharing in a Global Organization," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(3), pages 352-364, March.
    10. Jones, Charles I, 1995. "R&D-Based Models of Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(4), pages 759-784, August.
    11. Matteo Mario Savino & Antonio Mazza, 2016. "Assessing product sustainability measurement within quality management systems: a case study in automotive industry," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 258-278.
    12. Salvatore Digiesi & Giuseppe Mascolo & Giorgio Mossa & Giovanni Mummolo, 2016. "Internalisation strategies of external costs of transport for a sustainable logistics," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 238-257.
    13. Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Sustainable Social Enterprise Model: Relationships and Consequences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-39, July.
    14. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2017. "A Thai Rhineland leadership model: in search for corporate sustainability model for Asia," International Journal of Business Excellence, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(1), pages 16-40.
    15. Beata Zyznarska-Dworczak, 2018. "The Development Perspectives of Sustainable Management Accounting in Central and Eastern European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Michele Germani & Andrea Luzi & Eugenia Marilungo & Alessandra Papetti & Margherita Peruzzini, 2016. "Investigating the sustainability of a high-energy consuming industrial process to achieve total quality," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 301-324.
    17. Sooksan Kantabutra & Suparak Suriyankietkaew, 2013. "Sustainable leadership: Rhineland practices at a Thai small enterprise," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 19(1), pages 77-94.
    18. Phillips, Robert & Freeman, R. Edward & Wicks, Andrew C., 2003. "What Stakeholder Theory is Not," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(4), pages 479-502, October.
    19. Dedeurwaerdere, Tom & Admiraal, Jeroen & Beringer, Almut & Bonaiuto, Flavia & Cicero, Lavinia & Fernandez-Wulff, Paula & Hagens, Janneke & Hiedanpää, Juha & Knights, Paul & Molinario, Erica & Melindi-, 2016. "Combining internal and external motivations in multi-actor governance arrangements for biodiversity and ecosystem services," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-10.
    20. Elisa Negri & Maria Holgado & Dirk Wagner & Christian Grefrath & Marco Macchi & Gerhard Gudergan, 2016. "Continuous improvement planning through sustainability assessment of product-service systems," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 168-190.
    21. Constance E. Helfat & Margaret A. Peteraf, 2003. "The dynamic resource‐based view: capability lifecycles," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 997-1010, October.
    22. Warat Winit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2017. "Sustaining Thai SMEs through perceived benefits and happiness," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 40(5), pages 556-577, May.
    23. Greenley, Gordon E. & Foxall, Gordon R., 1996. "Consumer and nonconsumer stakeholder orientation in U.K. companies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 105-116, February.
    24. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2017. "Exploring the corporate sustainability process: a Thai perspective," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 22(2), pages 170-189.
    25. Stefano Armenia & Rosa Maria Dangelico & Fabio Nonino & Alessandro Pompei, 2019. "Sustainable Project Management: A Conceptualization-Oriented Review and a Framework Proposal for Future Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, May.
    26. Giada Di Stefano & Alfonso Gambardella & Gianmario Verona, 2012. "Technology Push and Demand Pull Perspectives in Innovation Studies: Current Findings and Future Research Directions," Post-Print hal-00696607, HAL.
    27. Amy J. Hillman & Gerald D. Keim, 2001. "Shareholder value, stakeholder management, and social issues: what's the bottom line?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 125-139, February.
    28. A. Pal Pandi & P.V. Rajendra Sethupathi & D. Jeyathilagar, 2016. "Quality sustainability in engineering educational institutions - a theoretical model," International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 364-384.
    29. Di Stefano, Giada & Gambardella, Alfonso & Verona, Gianmario, 2012. "Technology push and demand pull perspectives in innovation studies: Current findings and future research directions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 1283-1295.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yu-Jie Xu & Syarifah Mastura B. Syed Abu Bakar & Waqas Ali, 2019. "Role of Public Service Motivation, Organization Values and Reward Expectation on Performance of Public Sector Employees in Henan, China," International Journal of Human Resource Studies, Macrothink Institute, vol. 9(4), pages 231-247, December.
    2. Hee‐Chan Song, 2021. "Buddhist approach to corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3040-3052, November.
    3. Suwongrat Papangkorn & Pattanaporn Chatjuthamard & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2022. "Sustainable development and firm performance: Evidence from Thailand's sufficiency economy philosophy," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1030-1043, October.
    4. Preechaya Chavalittumrong & Mark Speece, 2022. "Three-Pillar Sustainability and Brand Image: A Qualitative Investigation in Thailand’s Household Durables Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-22, September.
    5. Veerawin Korphaibool & Pattanaporn Chatjuthamard & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2021. "Scoring Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through GRI Standards and Firm Risk: A Case Study of Thai Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Hee‐Chan Song, 2020. "Sufficiency economy philosophy: Buddhism‐based sustainability framework in Thailand," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2995-3005, December.
    7. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "Exploring Relationships among Sustainability Organizational Culture Components at a Leading Asian Industrial Conglomerate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-32, February.
    8. Qiuzhen Ren & Yingjie Xu & Ranran Zhou & Jingdong Liu, 2020. "Can CEO’s Humble Leadership Behavior Really Improve Enterprise Performance and Sustainability? A Case Study of Chinese Start-Up Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-25, April.
    9. Suparak Suriyankietkaew & Krittawit Krittayaruangroj & Nacharee Iamsawan, 2022. "Sustainable Leadership Practices and Competencies of SMEs for Sustainability and Resilience: A Community-Based Social Enterprise Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-36, May.
    10. Monrudee Theeraworawit & Suparak Suriyankietkaew & Philip Hallinger, 2022. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in a Circular Economy: A Bibliometric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, July.
    11. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2020. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    12. Nijsiree Vongariyajit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "A Test of the Sustainability Vision Theory: Is It Practical?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Thaís Vieira Nunhes & Merce Bernardo & Otávio José de Oliveira, 2020. "Rethinking the Way of Doing Business: A Reframe of Management Structures for Developing Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-32, February.
    14. Sooksan Kantabutra & Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn, 2021. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Resilience: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-28, November.
    15. Levente Bakos & Dănuț Dumitru Dumitrașcu & Katalin Harangus, 2019. "Human Factor Preparedness for Decentralized Crisis Management and Communication in Cyber-Physical Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Toward a System Theory of Corporate Sustainability: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-27, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Sustainable Social Enterprise Model: Relationships and Consequences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-39, July.
    2. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "Exploring Relationships among Sustainability Organizational Culture Components at a Leading Asian Industrial Conglomerate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-32, February.
    3. Sooksan Kantabutra & Prattana Punnakitikashem, 2020. "Exploring the Process Toward Corporate Sustainability at a Thai SME," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Sooksan Kantabutra & Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn, 2021. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Resilience: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-28, November.
    5. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2020. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    6. Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Culture Development for Sustainable SMEs: Toward a Behavioral Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Phallapa Petison & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "A Quest for a Sustainable Social Enterprise Model: The Case of Amphawa Chaipattananurak, the Kingdom of Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-31, December.
    8. Hee‐Chan Song, 2020. "Sufficiency economy philosophy: Buddhism‐based sustainability framework in Thailand," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2995-3005, December.
    9. Christoph P. Kiefer & Pablo Del Río González & Javier Carrillo‐Hermosilla, 2019. "Drivers and barriers of eco‐innovation types for sustainable transitions: A quantitative perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 155-172, January.
    10. Amedeo Maizza & Monica Fait & Paola Scorrano & Antonio Iazzi, 2019. "How Knowledge Sharing Culture Can Become a Facilitator of the Sustainable Development in the Agrifood Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, February.
    11. Pinho, Celso R.A. & Pinho, Maria Luiza C.A. & Deligonul, Seyda Z. & Tamer Cavusgil, S., 2022. "The agility construct in the literature: Conceptualization and bibliometric assessment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 517-532.
    12. Forliano, Canio & Ferraris, Alberto & Bivona, Enzo & Couturier, Jerome, 2022. "Pouring new wine into old bottles: A dynamic perspective of the interplay among environmental dynamism, capabilities development, and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 448-463.
    13. Warat Winit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Enhancing the Prospect of Corporate Sustainability via Brand Equity: A Stakeholder Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    14. Guo, Jingjing & Guo, Bin & Zhou, Jianghua & Wu, Xiaobo, 2020. "How does the ambidexterity of technological learning routine affect firm innovation performance within industrial clusters? The moderating effects of knowledge attributes," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    15. Maria Glinyanova & Ricarda B. Bouncken & Victor Tiberius & Antonio C. Cuenca Ballester, 2021. "Five decades of corporate entrepreneurship research: measuring and mapping the field," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1731-1757, December.
    16. Näyhä, Annukka, 2020. "Finnish forest-based companies in transition to the circular bioeconomy - drivers, organizational resources and innovations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    17. Jose Lopez-De-Pedro & Eva Rimbau-Gilabert, 2012. "Stakeholder Approach: What Effects Should We Take into Account in Contemporary Societies?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(2), pages 147-158, May.
    18. Pinget, Amandine, 2016. "Spécificités des déterminants des innovations environnementales : une approche appliquée aux PME [Specificities of determinants for environmental innovation : an approach applied to SMEs]," MPRA Paper 80108, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Mahoney, Joseph & Asher, Cheryl Carleton & Mahoney, James, 2004. "Towards a Property Rights Foundation for a Stakeholder Theory of the Firm," Working Papers 04-0116, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    20. Magaly Gaviria-Marin & Jorge Matute-Vallejo & Hugo Baier-Fuentes, 2021. "The effect of ICT and higher-order capabilities on the performance of Ibero-American SMEs," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 414-450, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:15:p:4155-:d:253771. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.