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Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision

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  • Sooksan Kantabutra

    (Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership and ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue, College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

Abstract

While vision is considered as the starting point for any transformation process toward sustainability, little is known about how such a vision looks. To fill in a fundamental gap in the corporate sustainability literature, the present study advances a theory of organizational vision into a coherent theory of sustainability vision. It adopts the theory-building approaches of covering-law, enlightenment, and process by comparing and contrasting a diverse set of relevant plausible, logical, empirical, and/or epistemological conjectures so that highlighting occurs to form the substance of the refined theory. The resulting theory of sustainability vision asserts that effective sustainability visions are characterized by the seven attributes of brevity, clarity, future orientation, stability, challenge, abstractness, desirability or ability to inspire and one imagery of stakeholder satisfaction. Relevant propositions and a model are introduced for future research, followed by practical implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Sooksan Kantabutra, 2020. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1125-:d:316723
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Jana Hornungová & Kateřina Petrová & František Milichovský, 2020. "Modeling Cause and Effect Relationships of Strategy Map Using Economic and Social Performance Factors in the Organizational Culture," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 68(3), pages 613-624.
    7. Khaled Abdulrahman Alfalah, 2024. "Banks' vision statements: peculiarities and missing links," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 12(1), pages 112-123, September.
    8. Nijsiree Vongariyajit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "A Test of the Sustainability Vision Theory: Is It Practical?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    9. 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.
    10. Sooksan Kantabutra & Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn, 2021. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Resilience: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-28, November.
    11. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Toward a System Theory of Corporate Sustainability: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-27, November.
    12. Jane Boeske & Peter A. Murray, 2022. "The Intellectual Domains of Sustainability Leadership in SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.

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