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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 November 2024) | Viewed by 10590

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Heng Liu

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Guest Editor

School of Business, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: strategy; entrepreneurship; governance

Prof. Dr. Zelong Wei

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Guest Editor

School of Management, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
Interests: technology management; strategy; innovation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (www.undp.org/) have provided a roadmap for reducing inequality, improving institutions, enhancing economic growth and sustainable development, and tackling climate change. This brings both opportunities and challenges for firms worldwide, ranging from technological development and value chain transformation in response to the green energy transition to the achievement of sustainable development.

This Special Issue will tend to take a closer look at firm-level sustainable behaviors, their drivers, benefits, and consequences. Following this new global trend, we focus on the different aspects of sustainability, including but not limited to institutional frameworks, policies, firm networks, and the environment. Our central aim is to generate a better understanding of the role of sustainability, its entrepreneurial and innovative causes, and its impacts upon firm behavior and performance. The role of policy and entrepreneurship are especially highlighted.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas and possible themes may include (but are not limited to) the following:

The issues of ESG and corporate sustainable development;
Firm-level factors shaping the sustainable and energy-efficient behaviors;
The impact of new environmental governance policies on the sustainable behavior of local governments and enterprises;
The effects of entrepreneurship on firm sustainable development;
The effects of innovation on firm sustainable development;
Governance and management of firms’ sustainable behavior in different industries, in different regions, and in different countries;
The role of social, ethical, and institutional factors in firms’ sustainable behavior.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Heng Liu
Prof. Dr. Zelong Wei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainability
emerging contexts
policy
entrepreneurship
sustainable development

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 3239 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Brands in Transition: Balancing Brand Differentiation and Standardization in Sustainable Packaging

by Linh Maryse Ho-dac and Maaike Mulder-Nijkamp

Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2381; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062381 - 8 Mar 2025

Viewed by 1806

Abstract

In the changing field of sustainable packaging, companies are confronted with the challenge of balancing sustainability with brand differentiation. The move toward standardized, reusable packaging is beneficial for the environment but restricts the use of custom designs. This study explores how standardized, reusable packaging affects consumer perception in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. It focuses on the evolving role of brands to maintain brand differentiation. This research is centered around two case studies. The first examines 219 tomato products to understand the factors driving packaging diversity. Data was collected from three Dutch supermarket websites to analyze packaging types, materials, and size. The second case study investigates consumer responses to single-use versus standardized reusable packaging across eight brands in both food and non-food categories. An online survey was used to assess perceived quality (PQ), willingness to buy (WTB), and brand perception. The results indicate that standardization has a limited effect on perceived quality (the impression of excellence that a consumer experiences), suggesting that it may encourage more brands to adopt reusable packaging. Willingness to buy findings, indicating whether consumers have the intention to buy a product, were mixed. A decrease was observed in food products and an increase noted in non-food. Brand perception most often showed a decrease, indicating challenges in maintaining brand differentiation. Three strategic approaches for brands to align with a sustainability-driven market while preserving value are presented. These are focusing on visual and verbal differentiation, collaborating with competitors to adopt a common archetypal packaging, or shifting marketing away from physical packaging towards digital and authentic communication. However, the new role of marketers will need further exploration, with a focus on authentically communicating the real content and its added value. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 1191 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Full Competition and Innovation

by Juan Ignacio Palacio-Morena, Alejandro Mungaray-Lagarda, Lizbeth Salgado-Beltrán and Jaciel Ramsés Méndez-León

Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020527 - 11 Jan 2025

Viewed by 817

Abstract

Economic science is built on the basis of the concept of competition. Classical School economists have not defined this concept with precision. The “Neoclassic Revolution” defined the concept of perfect competition as an ideal combination of productive resources accessible to all permanently (optimal size). Within this framework, competition ensures that suppliers will cover demand by matching market prices to both average and marginal costs corresponding to the optimal size. Large and persistent differences in profit and wage rates, when interpreted from a perfect competition perspective, will always be considered a sign of the absence of competition. Only an alternative concept of competition can modify such an interpretation. In this context, the objective of this work was to develop an alternative concept of full competition, which is formally formulated, to foster a more sustainable environment for the coexistence of enterprises of different sizes. The full competition definition assumes that firms maximize long-term benefits (fixed-capital amortization period) by trying to ensure full use of productive capacity and achieving relative advantages through innovation instead of merely adjusting prices to maximize short-term benefits. This approach provides a different explanation for inequalities in profit and wage rates, from simple adjustment in prices (perfect competition) to the search for new and better opportunities through innovation (full competition). This could change the meaning and scope of economic policies, which are influenced by both Neoclassical and Keynesian approaches, when addressing the entrepreneurial challenges of sustainable development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 1368 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Configurational Approach to the Driving Forces for Synergistic Reduction in Pollution and Carbon Emissions

by Yingting Jiang, Wenwen An and Jing Yang

Sustainability 2024, 16(24), 10940; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162410940 - 13 Dec 2024

Viewed by 1020

Abstract

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, the imperative to reduce pollution and carbon emissions has never been more critical. Synergistic effects aimed at mitigating these pressing issues constitute the central concern of contemporary environmental governance and sustainable development in the global context. This paper adopts the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework and a configurational perspective to identify three driving pathways for achieving synergistic reduction in pollution and carbon emission (SRPCE), using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach: the Dual-Wheel Type, the Well-Regulated Type, and the Effective Pull Type. The Dual-Wheel Type illustrates how combining these two strategies can lead to enhanced SRPCE. The Well-Regulated Type is driven by push factors while the Effective Pull Type is driven by pull factors. This study clarifies the interplay between front-end prevention and end-of-pipe treatment in environmental protection investments. It also broadens the understanding of environmental regulation’s impact on corporate environmental governance by highlighting the nuanced ways regulations shape organizational behavior. Finally, it advances research on synergistic effects by focusing on micro-enterprises. This research thus presents a comprehensive perspective on synergistic environmental effects and yields actionable insights, suggesting that the government can adopt synergistic policies while enterprises, through self-regulation and proactive management, can implement sustainable practices to achieve effective pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 2623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Women Entrepreneur’s Perspective towards Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Apparel Sector of Saudi Arabia

by Safiya Mukhtar Alshibani, Suheela Shabir and Norah Albishri

Sustainability 2024, 16(19), 8636; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198636 - 6 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1840

Abstract

Sustainable entrepreneurship has recently started to receive global attention, underscoring the need to understand the perspective of women entrepreneurs working in the apparel sector in Saudi Arabia. The present study focuses on exploring sustainable entrepreneurship with specific regards to the experiences of female entrepreneurs and sustainable activities within the sector. This study used a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews of 30 female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia’s apparel industry. Thematic analysis was employed to understand sustainable entrepreneurship behavior and its causes. The descriptive findings reveal a strong correlation between advanced degrees and professional membership held by the participants, implying higher qualifications and membership with professional bodies result in work with more extensive and established fashion ventures involving on average 10 employees and five business partners. It was also found that female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia employed sustainable strategies based on their beliefs and customer needs and preferences. However, they faced issues of tradition and prejudice against women. This study further identified four critical categories of sustainable entrepreneurship drivers: gender dynamics (GDs), social norms (SNs), access to resources, and sustainable entrepreneurship practices. This study offers valuable recommendations to policymakers, actors, and women entrepreneurs striving to develop sustainable practices in the industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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21 pages, 1753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Influence of Firm Digital Intelligence Transformation and Management Innovation on Performance and Sustainable Development: Empirical Evidence from China

by Yutong Liu and Peiyi Song

Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7578; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177578 - 1 Sep 2024

Viewed by 2260

Abstract

From the perspective of firm capability, this study explores the impact of digital intelligence transformation and management innovation on the performance and sustainable development of Chinese firms. On the basis of constructing an evaluation index system of firm digital intelligence transformation and management innovation, a comprehensive evaluation model of firm digital intelligence transformation and management innovation is constructed via the analytic network process (ANP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. Taking Chinese film and television firms as an example, this study selects 160 data samples from 85 firms and constructs a structural equation model to empirically analyze the impact of digital intelligence transformation and management innovation on the performance of firms. The study results show that, in the context of digitalization and intelligence, firm digital intelligence capability and dynamic capability have a significant positive effect on firm performance. Firm digital intelligence transformation and management innovation directly impact performance and can play a role through firm digital intelligence capability and dynamic capability as intermediaries, and the chain intermediary effect of digital intelligence capability and dynamic capability is significant. The research results show that firm digital intelligence and dynamic capabilities provide a functional path for firm digital intelligence transformation and management innovation to improve performance. Moreover, the innovative application of digital intelligence technology has an important impact on the sustainable development of firms. Digital transformation and management innovation can help firms enhance their ability to manage environmental uncertainties, improve firm performance and foster the achievement of sustainable development goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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29 pages, 2079 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Access to Intermediate Inputs on Export Margins: Firm-Level Evidence from the Regression Decomposition Approach

by Mohammad Rayhan Miah and Masaru Ichihashi

Sustainability 2024, 16(10), 4196; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16104196 - 16 May 2024

Viewed by 2045

Abstract

This paper analyzes how export margins responded to an intermediate input supply shock caused by the 2020 lockdown in China. We use regression decomposition with triple and quadruple difference-in-differences models to identify causal impacts and mitigate potential heterogeneity in transaction-level customs data from the Bangladesh apparel manufacturing industry. The triple difference estimate shows that the average export value per firm–product–destination combination declined by approximately 65%, leading to a decrease in overall exports of woven apparel from Bangladesh. The input supply shock also adversely affected the subgroups of firms across various firm-level characteristics along the intensive margin. Moreover, the export market share decomposition reveals that the shock significantly affected intensive margins by decreasing incumbents’ market allocation by 9%. An equivalent increase in extensive margins led to a readjustment in the market allocation, leading to fewer market leavers and slightly more new market entrants. Our results indicate that Bangladesh’s exports mostly decreased due to the smaller quantities of products exported rather than there being fewer firms, destinations, or products involved in export trade. There were significant market share reallocations that occurred after the Chinese input supply shock. An appropriate policy stance is required for sustainable export sector growth strategies, which will enhance the country’s defense against potential future shocks and foster the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Regional and Firm Sustainable Development)

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