Dissertations / Theses: 'Sustainable business performance'

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Aucamp, Abram Carel. "Strategic high performance business development : sustainable procurement." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/21523.

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Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The role of the traditional purchasing department has evolved significantly over the last decade into a competitive value adding procurement function within an organisation’s lean supply chain model. It has become a necessity to work with the suppliers to provide flexible, accurate, effective and cost effective goods and/or services (Barla, 2003; Ellram, 2002). In addition organisations are developing and utilising new business models geared towards improving both the balance sheet and the income statement to respond to external forces and new market opportunities. The change in business model places additional emphasis on leveraging increased innovation from suppliers, thus having a vast impact on supply management to such an extent that organisations are creating strategic relationships (Carter et al., 2007). In this paper, the supplier relationship management model will be studied under lean philosophy as to address the focal point – sustainable procurement. The paper will consist of three main areas: Supplier relationship management – Literature study Supplier relationship management – Case study Supplier relationship management – Operational tool Supplier relationship management – Literature study will address the theoretical methodologies, best practices, benefits and advantages, etc. Supplier relationship management – Case study will showcase a South African multi-national FMCG1 manufacturer’s methodology as well as the benefits of utilising a supplier relationship management approach to procurement. Supplier relationship management – Operational tool will be a practical tool developed for evaluating and facilitating supplier relationship management in an African context. The end result of the paper should be a feasible solution to prolonging the impact of procurement, thus increasing sustainability in the maturity stage of procurement’s life span in the typical product life cycle model (Canny Buyer, 2007). 1 Fast Moving Consumer Goods (“FMCG”) are products that have a quick turnover and relatively low cost (Wikipedia, 2007a).
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tradisionele rol van die aankope department binne ‘n organisasie het oor die laaste dekade merkwaardig verander en word nou bedryf as ‘n kompeterende waardetoevoegende skakel binne die organisasie se voorsieningsketting. Terselfdetyd het dit noodsaaklik vir leweransiers en organisasies geword om op ’n geïntegreerde wyse te werk te gaan om meer akkurate en koste-effektiewe goedere en/of dienste te lewer (Barla, 2003; Ellram, 2002). Organsisasies is ook genoodsaak om nuwe innoverende besigheidsmodelle te ontwikkel om ten beste eksterne besigheidsfaktore en nuwe markgeleenthede aan te spreek ten einde beide die balanstaat sowel as die inkomste staat positief te impakteer. Hierdie kardinale veranderinge in die besigheidsmodel van organisasies lei daar toe dat addisionele druk op leweransiers geplaas word om met innovasie navore te kom. Op sy beurt plaas dit verdere druk op die voorsieningsketting, selfs tot so ’n mate dat dit die organisasie noop om na die moontlikhede van strategiese vennootskappe te ondersoek (Carter et al., 2007). Die skryfstuk gaan leweransiers verhoudingsbestuurmodelle evalueer en bestudeer binne ‘n voorsieningsketting om sodoende die vraag na volhoubare verkryging te beantwoord. Die skryfstuk sal uit drie fokusareas bestaan, naamlik: Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Literatuurstudie Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Gevallestudie Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Bedrysmodel Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Literatuurstudie sal die teoretiese metodologie, die vooren nadele van leweransiers verhoudingsbestuur aanspreek. Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Gevallestudie sal ‘n studie loots binne die verhoudingswerkinge binne ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse multi-nationale maatskapy wat in die vinnige verbruikersgoederemark betrokke is. Leweransiers Verhoudingsbestuur – Bedrysmodel sal ’n praktiese voorstel vorendag bring om ’n leweransiersverhouding meer doeltreffende te bestuur in Afrika. Die eindresultaat van die skryfstuk sal dus ’n lewens vatbare oplossing wees om die volhoubare impak van verkrying te verleng in die volwasse stadium van ‘n produk se lewensiklus (Canny Buyer, 2007).

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Kharchuk, V. Yu. "Sustainable development concept as a key approach towards business performance." Thesis, Київський національний університет технологій та дизайну, 2019. https://er.knutd.edu.ua/handle/123456789/12943.

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Lord, Richard. "South Africa a sustainable future : performance indicators for government and business." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53596.

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Study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment tries to provide insight into the reasons required for the formulation of sustainability performance indicators. It develops two sets of performance indicators for government and business respectively, to be used in an attempt to create a sustainable South Africa. It is approached in a very distinctive manner with two specific focus areas. Firstly, it examines the requirements of government, as this allows for the creation of a foundation upon which business can prosper, and examines the requirements with which to create this foundation. Secondly, once a sound foundation is laid, this paper examines the requirements of business that is believed to provide guidelines for shaping their sustainability. All this is done against a backdrop of the principles of good governance endorsed both internationally and in South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie dokument probeer om lig te werp op die redes vir die formulering van prestasie aanwysers vir volhoubare ontwikkeling, en struktureer twee stelle aanwysers vir die regering en besighede, om hulle volhoubaarheid te ondersteun in Suid-Afrika. Daar is twee spesifieke fokusareas. Eerstens word verwys na die regering, en die vereistes waarop die fondasie gebou kan word waarop besighede kan floreer. Tweedens word gekyk na wat van besighede verlang word om verder volhoubare riglyne te omhels. Dit word alles gedoen teen die agtergrond van goeie regerings-en besigheidspraktyke, wat tans internasionaal en plaaslik beoefen word.

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Tekin, Ilknur Mary Joy Nirmala. "Green Index: Integration of Environmental Performance, Green Innovativeness and Financial Performance." PDXScholar, 2014. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1815.

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The integration of sustainability performance of companies is becoming increasingly important. The recent global requirements (i.e. the Kyoto Protocol) for significant reduction of the negative impact of companies on the environment over the next 6 years have been putting pressure on the companies, requiring them to lower the negative environmental impact of market performance. This requirement challenges the profitable growth of the companies' business functions, given the change needed for business operations to improve on their environmental impact. In this dissertation a new corporate sustainability performance index, called: The Green Index, for measuring and assessing the integrated sustainability performance of companies is developed. The Green Index integrates Environmental Performance, Green Innovativeness and Financial Performance, by quantifying the expert opinions toward their integration. Development of the Green Index is a holistic approach in defining and measuring "green" performance for companies, integrated into their market performance. Green Index, for the first time in the literature, introduces Green Innovativeness in defining and measuring Green Performance of companies, in integration with Environmental and Financial Performance. In the literature and business practices, there are various sustainability indices used, and methodological approaches in measuring corporate sustainability performance with more than hundred performance indicators. The Green Index, uniquely refers to the collective expert opinion of management researchers, executive managers of corporations, high-tech companies' R&D managers, financial managers, corporate social responsibility managers, in defining a shorter list of 29 performance measures under the three core performance dimensions. Hierarchical Decision Modeling is used for the development of Green Index based on experts' collective decisions. At the next level, desirability levels for each one of the 29 performance measures are scaled by a group of angel investors and investors. And their collective desirability quantifications are used toward the application of the Green Index to quantify the Green Index value for a set of scenario analyses for alternative company performance states. Green Index fills a major gap in the scholarly literature and business practices. It meets the needs prioritized in the near future strategy of World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) towards development of new performance metrics and business models for industries that are financially successful while innovating with green products as they are reducing their negative environmental impact (WBCSD Annual Report 2010, 2011).

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Chareonwongsak, Kriengsak. "Enhancing board motivation for sustainable competitive performance of Thailand's business co-operatives." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:5be642a7-4fa4-4b48-8f97-44eec0598220.

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This study aims to answer the main questions "Does the motivation of Co-operative Board of Directors affect the Co-operative's performance in Thailand, and to what extent?", and "Which factors affect the motivation of Co-operative's Board of Directors?" The methods used consist of both quantitative and qualitative approaches: Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and in-depth interview, respectively. The study result suggests that the motivation of Co-operative Board of Directors significantly affects the Co-operative's performance with a standardized factor loading of 0.144. Surprisingly, the types of motivation that affect the Co-operative's performance are not those of altruism, but they are those of personal interests, i.e. to gain reputation from the community or society, to obtain honors or awards, and to gain the feelings of accomplishment from working. However, this result is subject to the condition that cooperative performance is measured solely in financial terms and quality of management. This is due to the current limitation in standardizing the measurement of cooperative performance in social terms and should be left for future research. Factors that are found to affect Board Member motivation include the knowledge, skills and experience possessed by the Board Members, Board authority and function, the composition of the Board (the presence of external persons) and lastly, the quality of the Board meetings. Specifically, Board authority and function is the characteristic determining whether the Board is involved in the Co-operative operation. Factors whose relationship with Board motivation was not found included the one person one vote principle, Board size, chairman-manager duality, Board term, and Board structure (the presence of a compound Board).

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Kitsis, Aleksandr Alex. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Antecedents, Practices, and Performance." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1540481106350436.

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Glass, Roland. "The interrelationship between sustainable business practices and financial performance in an emerging market." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/52396.

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This research report interrogates the linear association between sustainable business practices and corporate financial performance over an 11-year analysis of the JSE Socially Responsible Investment Index (SRI Index). The primary objective is to ascertain the difference in the financial performance of companies listed on the JSE SRI Index and companies not listed on the JSE SRI Index. The financial performance of two groups of companies are compared in three periods through quantitative analysis. The three periods are 2004 to 2009 (39 pairings), 2010 to 2014 (67 pairings) and 2004 to 2015 (43 pairings). The percentage change in the financial performance between the SRI and son-SRI companies in each period is tested. The secondary objective is to establish whether there was a difference in the financial performance of the sustainably advanced group of companies. A pre-2010 and post-2010 comparison of financial performance was quantitatively performed on 36 JSE SRI companies. The principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility provide a comprehensive business case for the inculcation and investment into its practices. Sustainable business practices are changing the orientation of business from short-term profit maximisation for shareholders to intergenerational equity for stakeholders. The results of the study find that companies not listed on the JSE SRI Index are more profitable than the SRI companies over the 11-years. Furthermore, the pre-2010 SRI group financially outperform the post-2010 group as market conditions dictate financial performance.
Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
ms2016
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
MBA
Unrestricted

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Draper, David M. "Connecting global performance support a horizontal and vertical performance analysis for a sustainable training and development support network within a global multinational enterprise /." Menomonie, WI : University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2007/2007draperd.pdf.

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Rocchia, Bénédicte, and Léo Béchet. "Sustainable Investment performance: investor's ethical dilemma : A comparative study of the US, UK and Eurozone sustainable and conventional indices." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Handelshögskolan vid Umeå universitet, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-45016.

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Terzic, Monika, and Francesca Pitzalis. "How to be Lean and Sustainable : A startup perspective." Thesis, Internationella Handelshögskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, IHH, Centre of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (CeLS), 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-36323.

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Abstract Background: Companies are under pressure to do more with less and at the same time they are affected by market needs such as customer demand, being sustainable and innovative in order to survive in the competitive market. There is a need to work with continuous improvements of the company performance considering the social, economic and environmental aspect. Research has shown that there is a relationship between lean management and corporate sustainability. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to understand to what extent the concepts of lean and sustainability are implemented in a startup and how they relate to each other. Method: The study is based on a qualitative research method with focus on the theory, which gave this thesis a deductive character. We wanted to develop a deeper understanding of how and when a startup can apply a lean method and how it can be sustainable. We applied a case study research method and the qualitative data was collected by conducting a document analysis with coding. Conclusion: The results show that the concepts of lean and sustainability are intertwined and that they can and should be considered in a startup - aiming to build a business model, responding to stakeholder demand, and improving the corporate sustainability performance.

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Schoeman, H. S. "Enabling sustainable growth through the transformation of Sasol Synfuels from good-to-great." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50338.

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Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current transformation of Sasol Synfuels in enhancing overall business performance and realising organic growth is assessed. The framework for the assessment is based on the ideas expressed by Collins (2001), supplemented by other ideas found in the literature relevant to business performance improvement within manufacturing organisations. Gaps and opportunities are identified within the context of three of the Synfuels strategic elements of operations excellence, worldclass people and leveraging technology. Improvement areas identified are the further development of transformational leadership, reduction in fixed costs to ensure more flexibility and reduction in the current size of Synfuels. The development of transformational leadership needs to be extended to create fanatically driven, sheer workmanlike diligence, as well as determination and tenacity creating a culture of a strong disciplined work and performance ethic. Reducing fixed costs to enhance profitability can be achieved by applying risk-reward agreements and application of value based management principles to enhance the understanding amongst all employees of the value drivers of the Synfuels business model. A reduction in the size of Synfuels to facilitate easier change management and a stronger focus on delivering the same business results through the employment of fewer resources is also recommended. Barriers to achieving operations excellence identified are a lack of management consensus and underestimation of the task required to internalise the change management process. Neglecting the basics in achieving the fundamental manufacturing output elements and resistance to daily discipline are identified as the main focus areas. It is further recommended to establish a culture of discipline where employees are allowed to function effectively within the proposed framework of disciplined people, thought and action in combination with freedom to innovate and achieve growth in the business through constant adaptation as this is fundamental to enhancing the current performance of Synfuels.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die transformasie van Sasol Synfuels om die algehele besigheidsprestasie en realisering van organiese groei te weeg te bring is geevalueer. Die raamwerk vir die evaluasie is gebaseer op idees uitgespreek deur Collins (2001) en aangevul met ander idees soos gevind in literatuur relevant tot besigheidsprestasie verbetering in vervaardigingsorganisasies. Gapings en geleenthede is geidentifiseer om organiese groei teweeg te bring binne die konteks van drie van die Synfuels strategiese oogmerke van bedryfsuitnemendheid, wereld-klas mense en die benutting van tegnologie. Areas wat geidentifiseer is wat tot 'n verbetenng in die prestasie van Synfuels kan lei is die verdere ontwikkeling van transformasionele leierskap, vermindering in die vaste koste om meer buigsaamheid te verleen en om die organisasie se grootte te verminder. Die ontwikkeling van transformasionele leierskap moet uitgebrei word om professionele doelgerigtheid sterker te ontwikkel wat sal lei tot die skep van 'n sterk kultuur van werks-en prestasie-etiek, spesifiek gerig op drie gedragsaspekte om fanaties te dryf vir resulate, toegewyde harde werk en vasberadenheid, asook deursettingsvermoë. Verskillende wyses waarop vaste koste verminder kan word deur die toepassing van risiko-vergoeding beginsels en die toepassing van waarde gebaseerde bestuurstegnieke om die begrip van die ekonomiese beginsels van Synfuels se besigheid by alle werknemers te bevorder. Verder word ook voorgestel dat na maniere gekyk word om die grootte van Synfuels te verminder om makliker veranderingsbestuur en 'n meer doeltreffende fokus te plaas daarop om dieselfde besigheidsresultate met minder hulpbronne te behaal. Hindernisse in die bereiking van bedryfsuitnemendheid wat geidentifiseer is, is 'n potensiele gebrek aan konsensus by bestuur in terme van wat bereik moet word terwyl die taak van veranderingsbestuur onderskat word. Nalaat om aandag aan die basiese aspekte om vervaardigingsuitsette te behaal en weerstand teen daaglikse dissipline is ook aspekte waaraan aandag geskenk moet word. Dit word ook aanbeveel om 'n kultuur van dissipline te skep waarbinne werknemers toegelaat word om effektief te funksioneer binne die voorgestelde raamwerk van gedissiplineerde mense, denke en aksie in kombinasie met innoverende denke en deurlopende verbeteringsprosesse groei teweeg gebring deur deurlopend aan te pas aangesien dit fundamenteel is om die prestasie van Synfuels te verbeter.

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Mulder, Dewy F., and Carlos Ramirez-Navarrete. "Identifying Corporate Sustainable Development as a part of the Organizational Performance. A case study within the Swedish FPP Industry." Thesis, Halmstad University, School of Business and Engineering (SET), 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-4006.

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The purpose of this thesis is to test a combination of tools and theory to identify corporate sustainable development as part of organizational performance. Nowadays, in global business, the concept and application of sustainable development has become an important factor in the daily operations and strategies for the companies. The policies and practices of the companies are more aware of environmental, social and financial aspects. The publication of sustainability and environmental reports is becoming more popular within business. The media and stakeholders as customers, investors or government offices are more interested in the company’s position towards social and environmental issues. Therefore, the above purpose could be a potential asset for businesses and researchers to relate corporate sustainable development with organizational performance. We will not try to generalize, but test the usability of the theory combined in one model, which can be an asset to test corporate sustainability within a company’s organizational performance. This research will have a deductive approach, and could possibly encourage inductive research for further study. The theoretical framework consists of three sections including two theories, which uniquely identify corporate sustainable development (CSD) and organizational performance (OP). Finally, a combination of these two theories is shown as a practical model that we will try to test in a case. Our thesis will have a qualitative approach. Interviews are the main data collection tool as secondary data (company documents etc.). Secondary data is used as a supporting collection method. The personal interviews, conducted through video conferencing, have been recorded and transcribed for usage in the empirical method. The interview guide can be found in the appendix. The outcome of this research shows that many aspects are entangled within the phenomenon known as “corporate sustainable development”. We have found that economic prosperity has a strong presence (in both cases) within the environmental performance, just as social equity showed within learning and development performance, and social equity has a strong link with social performance. Looking at the case companies, and determining the focus on every dimension, we therefore found measurable relations between OP variables and CSD dimensions. We can also conclude that, when performing the second case analysis (Sveaskog), the results of the measures found were not always similar which asks for more case studies. An overall conclusion on the usability of the measurement tool leans towards positive, for practical usage. However, before using this combination of tools, more research is necessary, especially in the area of multiple case studies. Due to time restrictions, we could compare two case companies, whilst more cases could enhance the general application and usability of these tools.

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Meutcheho, Jean-Paul. "A Mixed Methods Analysis of Professionals' Perceptions of the Impact of Sustainable Supply Chain Management on Company Performance." Thesis, Lawrence Technological University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10027561.

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A wave of sustainability initiatives is affecting many traditional corporate functions. While many companies focus on their own internal sustainability initiatives, there is a small but growing number of initiatives focused on promoting sustainability across the supply chain. The resulting sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is faced with the challenge of justifying its contribution to the performance of the focal company. This study attempts to gain insights into the perception professionals have of the impact of SSCM on corporate environmental, social, and economic performance. The study looks into the moderating effects of company size, industry collaboration, and regulatory framework on the relationship between SSCM and corporate performance. Using a mixed methods approach, this research collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data from 242 respondents. Simple and multiple linear regressions in Minitab 17 were used to analyze the quantitative data; qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. In the end, triangulation was used to integrate the quantitative and qualitative analyses to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions reported by survey respondents.

The results of this study show that SSCM is statistically significant to corporate environmental, social, and economic performance based on the independent variables analyzed. The results also show that the moderating effect of company size, industry collaboration, and regulatory framework on the relationship between SSCM and corporate performance made a difference for all three moderators based on factorial plot analysis. However, only the regulatory framework was found to be a statistically significant moderator based on regression analysis. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data showed that SSCM helps the focal company mitigate risks and improve, or preserve, its reputation. Another benefit of SSCM is its ability to help the focal company create a competitive edge with sustainability-conscious stakeholders. At the macro level, the benefits of SSCM are in the areas of long term availability of natural resources, respect for human rights, and better opportunities for persons from socially disadvantaged groups. The challenges of SSCM were reported to be in the areas of cost, difficult enforcement and implementation, and the lack of a common commitment to SSCM throughout the supply chain. These challenges could be overcome through leadership, collaboration, and consistent regulations at the corporate, industry, and country levels respectively. The triangulation (meta inference) showed alignment between the correlation between SSCM and economic performance, and the fact that solutions to most of the reported challenges to the implementation of SSCM in the thematic analysis had economic implications for the focal company. This study provides corporate leaders and governments with meaningful insights into how SSCM can be leveraged as an effective tool to enhance corporate performance and sustainability initiatives.

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Suansawat, Rachata. "The influence of supply chain integration and green supply chain management practices on sustainable firm performance in Thai manufacturing industry." Thesis, University of Hull, 2013. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:10514.

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Sustainability become a new challenge for various dimensions, not only in academic area, but also has managerial perspectives. Consequently, to achieve competitive advantage, leading to sustainable performance, organisations need to explore what are the causes of the sustainable performance of the firm and how to manage them. Currently, natural environmental impact is more likely to be a critical problem for any organisation. Based on natural resource-based view of the firm (Hart, 1995), natural environmental issues can make a firm obtain new potential specific resources that are difficult to imitate by other organisations. Such resources can be created by supply chain integration (SCI) and also green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. However, there is inconclusive about the impact of SCI and GSCM practices on sustainable performance, in terms of evidence environmental and economic perspective. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand the relationship between SCI, GSCM practices and sustainable performance, both direct and indirect effect of the relations. Base on survey method, this research used manufacturers in Thailand as a sample of the developing countries to collect data which come from multiple manufacturing industries. The research methodology used the Churchill (1979) framework for specifying and generating measured items. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to extract the main factors before using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses. Measurement model was firstly used to evaluate all measures and structural model was employed to test theoretical hypotheses. The empirical results of this research conclude that SCI has no direct positive impact on sustainable performance. Nevertheless, environmental and economic outcomes can be achieved by mediating effect of GSCM practices. Therefore, this research contributes to theoretical and practical view. In academic perspective, researchers can extend this finding to study on this issue further, while in managerial view, practitioners or managers can apply this result to their business strategies to improve their organisational performance.

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Atkinson, I. J. "Development of a model for the assessment of sustainable high street performance based on stakeholder needs and expectations." Thesis, Liverpool John Moores University, 2018. http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/9561/.

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The decline of high streets due to external factors, such as changing consumer trends, the growth of alternative forms of retail, changing economic conditions etc., is a topic that has received a great deal of political and media attention during the last decade. The performance of high streets is influenced by a multitude of complex and conflicting economic, environmental and social factors. However, despite this, existing performance measures continue to place emphasis on the retailing and economic functions of high streets. As consumer needs and expectations shift towards a preference for social and experiential high street features, the need to change the perception of high street success is increasingly important. This study has identified statistically significant differences between importance scores allocated to high street assessment criteria by a range of high street stakeholder groups. These differences reveal the varying priorities of key stakeholders when it comes to high streets, and the subsequent need to account for the varied needs and expectations of stakeholders when it comes to assessing high street performance. This research contributes new and original knowledge through the development and application of a high street sustainability assessment model that incorporates criteria weightings to reflect the needs and expectations of key high street stakeholders. Utilising Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods, the model comprises an all-inclusive set of weighted criteria that reflects a high street's economic, environmental and social functions. The model is applied to a practical example of eight English town centre high streets. The thesis presents the ranking of the high streets in terms of their relative sustainability and provides a step-by-step guide of how key stakeholders can apply the model for their own high street decision making needs. The model can inform national and local high street policy, strategies and decision making, and provides benefits to a range of stakeholders, including national and local government, town centre managers, local businesses and local communities. The model output can inform recommendations and indicate areas of improvement that would be most beneficial to improved high street sustainability.

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Konradsson, Olivia, and Anna Witsenboer. "The relationship between a sustainable mindset and organizational performance : A multiple case study in the Dutch and Swedish organic food sector." Thesis, Jönköping University, Internationella Handelshögskolan, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-49253.

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Background The world is facing difficulties in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability. Sustainability in the food industry is especially important, as food production exceeds planetary limits, resulting in a need for the food industry to embrace sustainable business practices and face the growing pressure to account for externalities. However, what drives leaders to embrace sustainability? Scholars have only just started to emphasize the importance of the mindset of leaders. A sustainable mindset strongly influences an organization and its strategy, and could thus potentially contribute to organizational performance. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to identify whether the mindset behind a sustainability strategy supports organizational performance. With this thesis, we hope to contribute to the body of knowledge on a sustainable mindset in an organizational setting. Method This thesis adopted a qualitative exploratory research approach. Semi- structured interviews were conducted with both sustainable entrepreneurs and employees at organic food stores in order to gain an understanding of the mindset, strategy and organizational performance. Conclusion This study has found that the sustainable mindset does support organizational performance. The research participants all indicate that their sustainable mindsets are deeply ingrained into the organizations’ core missions. The mindset urges individuals to act sustainable in every respect, both on an individual and on an organizational level. The sustainability movement shaped by the study participants does therefore support organizational performance in various ways, as it directly influences the triple bottom line.

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Tchaikovsky, Zulfiya. "The Relationship Between Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Stakeholder Pressure, and Financial Performance." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4024.

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Corporate sustainability confronts significant challenges when supply chain managers pursue short-term financial performance to meet stakeholders' expectations. To achieve sustainable economic success, organizational managers need to understand the relationship between corporate sustainability and long-term financial performance. Based on the resource dependence theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between sustainable supply chain management (SCM), stakeholder pressure, and corporate sustainability performance. The population consisted of worldwide public organizations from Newsweek Global Green Ranking 2016 list engaged in sustainable SCM. The secondary data for the study were collected from databases hosted by Sustainalytics and Standard & Poor's. The hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated statistically significant relationships between sustainable SCM and corporate sustainability performance, F(5, 158) = 3,981, p = .002, R2[.112], and between stakeholder pressure and corporate sustainability performance, F(5, 158) = 2,552 p = .030, R2[.075]. Analysis of the relationship between sustainable SCM and corporate sustainability performance with stakeholder pressure as a moderator showed non-significant interaction effect, F (5, 158) = 5.54, p < .001, R2 =.11. R2 -chng =.0007, p-int = .669. With stakeholder pressure as a mediator, the relationship showed non-significant indirect effect, b = .024, z = 0.97, p = .329. The findings of this study could contribute to the social change given that sustainable development of supply chains support the conservation of natural resources and living standards of stakeholders.

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Andersson, Kajsa, and Simon Mårtensson. "ESG investing in the Eurozone : Portfolio performance of best-effort and best-in-class approaches." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-161407.

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The last decades have seen a rapid increase of sustainable investing, also known as ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing. There has also been an increasing body of academic literature devoted to whether investors can gain any financial benefits from taking ESG under consideration. Previous literature of portfolio performance in terms of risk-adjusted returns has given much of its attention to best-in-class approaches, which is a strategy that selects top performers in ESG within a sector or industry. The purpose of this study is foremost to investigate a best-effort approach to ESG investing, which is a strategy that focuses on the top improvers in ESG. The purpose is further to compare this with a best-in-class approach, since the findings from earlier studies of this strategy still are inconsistent. The region chosen to perform this study in is the Eurozone. Several theories that have implications for portfolio studies and abnormal returns are taken under consideration in relation to the study and its findings. This includes the efficient market hypothesis, the adaptive market hypothesis and modern portfolio theory. The theoretical framework also cover asset-pricing models and the notions of risk-adjusted returns. A quantitative study with a deductive approach are used to form portfolios, with a Eurozone index as the investable universe. Best-effort and best-in-class portfolios as well as difference portfolios of the two approaches are created, based on ESG data and different cut-off rates for portfolio inclusion. As for risk-adjusted performance measure, the Carhart four-factor model are used. The overall results are mostly insignificant findings in terms of abnormal returns. However, three best-effort portfolios based on the top ESG improvers show significant positive abnormal returns. These findings are strongest for the environmental and social factor. As for the best-in-class approach, only the governance portfolios provided weakly significant results in terms of abnormal returns. Further, the study is not able to significantly distinguish between a best-effort and a best-in-class approach when it comes to risk-adjusted performance. The exception is the environmental factor based on the top performers in each approach, where the best-effort portfolio outperforms the best-in-class portfolio. Finally, none of the portfolios provided significant negative risk-adjusted returns. This can at least be considered as good news for ESG investing, since it indicates that investors do not have to sacrifice risk-adjusted returns in order to invest in a more sustainable way.

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Fontannaz, Suzanne Elizabeth. "Addressing the challenge of complexity with the development of the performance "ESP" conceptual framework to guide sustainable organisational development." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/793.

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Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A fundamental shift has occurred from the industrial age, traditional worldview to the knowledge age, emerging worldview. The implication of this shift is that organisations can no longer rely on an enduring competitive advantage for sustainable results. This raises questions about the relevance of the existing organisational performance approaches in addressing the challenge of complexity, particularly with regard to the validity and reliability of the established performance management frameworks. In the industrial age, financial measures were sufficient for measuring organisational performance. However, the emergence of the networked economy implies that a more composite measure is required, which reflects the diversity of stakeholder interests. The research confirms that, whilst there is no universal agreement in defining organisational performance, there is agreement that sustainable organisational performance is a combination of growth (social and economic measures) and profitability (financial measures). Further, the research confirms the existence of gaps, which undermine organisational performance. These gaps originate from the divergent approaches to organisational performance, which can be traced through the evolution of organisational development theory and management practice. Existing research studies collaborate the existence of these divergent approaches in determining organisational performance. These approaches include execution, strategy and people, representing the ‘ESP’ of organisational performance. Execution refers to a process based, micro perspective of organisational performance, whilst strategy and people refer to the systemic, macro approaches. In conditions of hyper-change, execution is considered to be the key determinant of organisational performance, whilst the traditional, strategy approach is found to be essential in addressing the challenge of complexity. The emergence of the networked economy implies that a more composite, people approach is required to address the challenges associated with increasing connectivity. The research proposition contends that an execution culture is necessary for addressing the challenge of complexity. This culture is dependent on the strategic fusion of the divergent strategy and people approaches and the existence of a strategic paradigm throughout the organisation. Organisational performance resides in an organisation’s ability to integrate the divergent approaches, to develop the necessary dynamic capabilities for sustainable organisational performance. The Performance ‘ESP’ framework reflects the integration of these approaches and provides a visual confirmation of the research proposition. The level of execution is determined by the existence of a strategic paradigm throughout the organisation, which is determined by individual performance, defined by the level of effectiveness, strength (individual) and partnership (‘ESP’). The development of a strategic paradigm is particularly relevant in the South African context, where historical factors have inhibited the level of empowerment within organisations. It is recommended that organisations apply the Performance ‘ESP’ index as a diagnostic tool to assess the existence of an execution culture to address the challenge of complexity. The purpose of the assessment tool is to complement the financial measures of performance, to ensure a balance between profitability and growth, to ensure sustainable organisational performance.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar het ‘n fundamentele verandering plaasgevind van die industriële tydperk en tradisionele wêreldbeskouiing na die kennistydperk en opkomende wêreldbeskouing. Die implikasie van hierdie verandering is dat organisasies nie meer kan staatmaak op ‘n deurlopende mededingende voordeel vir volhoubare resultate nie. Dit laat vrae ontstaan oor die toepaslikheid van die bestaande organisatoriese prestasiebenaderings om die uitdaging van kompleksiteit te hanteer, veral met betrekking tot die geldigheid en betroubaarheid van die bestaande prestasiebestuursraamwerke. Tydens die industriële tydperk was finansiële maatstawwe voldoende om organisasieprestasie te meet. Die opkoms van die netwerk-ekonomie impliseer egter dat ‘n meer saamgestelde maatstaf nodig is, wat die diversiteit van die belange van belanghebbers weerspieël. Die navorsing bevestig dat, hoewel daar geen universele ooreenkoms is in die definisie van organisasieprestasie nie, daar wel ooreenkoms is dat volhoubare organisasieprestasie ‘n kombinasie is van groei (sosiale en ekonomiese maatreëls) en winsgewendheid (finansiële maatreëls). Daarbenewens bevestig die navorsing die bestaan van gapings wat organisasieprestasie ondermyn. Hierdie gapings ontstaan uit die uiteenlopende benaderings tot organisasieprestasie, wat gevolg kan word deur die evolusie van organisasie-ontwikkelingsteorie en bestuurspraktyk. Bestaande navorsingstudies gebruik ‘n samestelling van hierdie uiteenlopende benaderings om organisasieprestasie te bepaal. Hierdie benaderings sluit in uitvoering, strategie en mense, wat in die Engelse afkorting die ‘ESP’ van organisasieprestasie verteenwoordig. Uitvoering verwys na ‘n prosesgebaseerde mikroperspektief van organisasieprestasie, terwyl strategie en mense verwys na die sistemiese makrobenaderings. In omstandighede van hiperverandering word uitvoering gesien as die sleutelbepaler van organisasieprestasie, terwyl die tradisionele strategiebenadering noodsaaklik is vir die hantering van die uitdaging van kompleksiteit. Die opkoms van die netwerk-ekonomie impliseer dat ‘n meer saamgestelde, mensbenadering nodig is om die uitdagings te hanteer wat saamgaan met groter onderlinge verbondenheid. Die navorsingsvoorstel se uitgangspunt is dat ‘n uitvoeringskultuur nodig is om die uitdaging van kompleksiteit te hanteer. Hierdie kultuur is afhanklik van die strategiese samesmelting van die uiteenlopende strategie- en mensbenaderings en die bestaan van ‘n strategiese paradigma dwarsdeur die organisasie. Organisasieprestasie hang af van ‘n organisasie se vermoë om die uiteenlopende benaderings te integreer en die nodige dinamiese bekwaamhede te ontwikkel vir volhoubare organisasieprestasie. Die prestasie- of ‘ESP’-raamwerk weerspieël die integrasie van hierdie benaderings en voorsien ‘n visuele bevestiging van die navorsingsvoorstel. Die vlak van uitvoering word bepaal deur die bestaan van ‘n strategiese paradigma dwarsdeur die organisasie, wat bepaal word deur individuele prestasie, gedefinieer deur die vlak van doeltreffendheid, sterkte (individueel) en vennootskap (‘ESP’). Die ontwikkeling van ‘n strategiese paradigma is veral toepaslik in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, waar historiese faktore die vlak van bemagtiging binne organisasies geïnhibeer het. Daar word aanbeveel dat organisasies die Prestasie ‘ESP’ Indeks toepas as ‘n diagnostiese instrument om die bestaan van ‘n uitvoerende kultuur te bepaal vir die hantering van die uitdaging van kompleksiteit. Die doel van die bepalingsinstrument is om die finansiële maatstawwe van prestasie aan te vul om sodoende ‘n balans tussen winsgewendheid en groei te verseker en dus volhoubare organisasieprestasie te verseker.

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Adhanom, Abraham. "Transforming Christian Schools Using Sustainable Model of Organizational Change and Performance Improvement." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2777.

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Organizational failure in Christian schools is a common phenomenon affecting millions of families in the United States. In the past 2 decades alone, more than 200 Christian schools closed each year; and many continued to struggle for survival. This trend presented significant challenge for the sustainability of faith-based schools that serve over 10% of grade-level students in the country. The purpose of this study was to examine internal and external factors impacting the performance of Christian schools and analyze existing theories of institutional effectiveness leading to the development of a sustainable framework. The research question addressed what type of organizational change and performance improvement model is suitable for Christian schools. A total of 32 participants from 5 schools with roles varying from students, alumni, parents, teachers, administrators, board members, and industry experts were interviewed using purposeful sampling method based on their demonstrated leadership capacities. Grounded theory was used for data analysis in categorizing responses using keywords, and synthesizing functional themes that lead to generate the theoretical framework. The result of the study was manifested as The CONCORD Model, featuring an integration of the core attributes of efficacy including academic excellence, visionary leadership, streamlined business processes, socio-cultural diversity, dynamic resource development, and community outreach and networking initiatives. The outcome of the study fills a void in existing literature by presenting a sustainable model for organizational leadership, strategic management, and efficient operations for Christian schools. The model can also be extended to serve transformational initiatives in related nonprofit institutions to impart positive social change and a brighter future for communities that value faith-based education and service for the common good.

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Kyere-Frempong, Bertha, and Olakunle Lemboye. "Young Small Business Strategies and Re-orientation towards Sustaining its Business Goals." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för management, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-4570.

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This research is aimed at studying the business strategies of young small businesses in Finland and Ireland. Needless to say those young small businesses are critical to many economies despite their size. Studying their operational strategies and finding ways to re orient them to attain and sustain their business goals despite being faced with economic challenges, is therefore of scholastic interest To carry out this study, a qualitative method was used. The primary data used was interview of the manager of four young small firms; two from Finland and two from Ireland. To achieve geographical spread and diversity of information 4 firms were selected: 2 each from Finland and Ireland. And to avoid management bias in information delivery; we interviewed selected employees to help cross check information gathered from the latter. Some randomly selected employees of these firms were also interviewed. Secondary data such as literature collected from books, journals and previous researches were also used. Findings on strategies that the businesses applied during their operation were qualitatively analyzed and recommendations made to help re-orient such businesses. The analysis of the collected data revealed that products and service offerings, strategic marketing and communication, operational costs effectiveness, business educational background as well as commitment of the entrepreneur coupled with the corporate social responsibility affects the goals and for that matter the success of young small businesses. In Recommendation, it is therefore that if young small businesses would not consider their size and scale of operation but objectively adhere to strategy formation principles, they would experience swift strategy implementation guidelines and be in a better position to monitor and control their progress to be able to effect appropriate changes on time in order to sustain their business goals in the long run notwithstanding the economic challenges they face.

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Jagani, Sandeepkumar Bhailalbhai. "Byproduct Management and Sustainability Performance: Theory and Practices of US Manufacturing Firms." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo15254501620662.

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Bergquist, Gustav, and Pelle Sandström. "Är det lönsamt att investera i CSR? : Förhållandet mellan Corporate Social Performance och Corporate Financial Performance." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Företagsekonomiska institutionen, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-355085.

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Denna studie undersöker det finansiella värdeskapandet av CSR-aktiviteter genom att studera förhållandet mellan Corporate Social Performance (CSP) och Corporate Financial Performance (CFP). I enlighet med The CSP-CFP multilevel framework studeras ett avgränsat CSP-CFP samband med utgångspunkt i svenska konsumenter. Vidare undersöker studien den modererande effekten av företagsstorlek på det undersökta CSP-CFP sambandet. Av resultatet framkommer ett signifikant positivt CSP-CFP förhållande för CSR-aktiviteter riktade mot svenska konsumenter. Av resultatet framkommer även ett signifikant starkare positivt CSP-CFP samband för små svenska företag jämfört med för stora svenska företag. Resultatet bidrar till en ökad förståelse av CSP-CFP förhållandet på den svenska marknaden avgränsat för intressentgruppen konsumenter. Framtida forskning kan med fördel, genom kvalitativa metoder, undersöka de underliggande faktorerna som påverkar det finansiella värdeskapandet av CSR-aktiviteter riktade mot konsumenter.

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Goodman, Andrew. "Evaluating sustainable supply chain management : Using the Triple Top Line to evaluate sustainability in the textile industry." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-14012.

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Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore how CSR reporting of supply chain management indicators and metrics in the textile and apparel industry relate to the Triple Top Line framework. Design/methodology/approach: This thesis is conducted by doing a content analysis of sustainable supply chain management performance metrics and indicators in a first step which is then matched within the conceptual framework of the Triple Top Line. Finally, a content analysis of branded marketers’ and retailers’ corporate social responsibility reports is conducted using the conceptual framework as a guideline. Findings: The results showed that certain segments of the conceptual framework were under represented in the terms of sustainable supply chain management performance indicators and metrics, and that the reporting of the metrics and indicators is still lacking as a whole within the textile and apparel industry. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of the thesis are that the analysis of the CSR reports was conducted through a manifest content analysis and could be improved by using a latent approach and whilst the CSR reports of branded manufacturers and retailers were analysed, the researcher could have included the analysis of fabric and fibre producers to have an even more complete vision of the industry. Originality/value: The value of this thesis is that it offers academics and practitioners a new conceptual framework to evaluate their CSR reporting and measuring of sustainable supply chain management indicators and performance metrics.

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Guedri, Zied. "Performance variations among strategic group members in the pharmaceutical industry : an examination of individual sustainable growth capabilities, 1995-1997." Thesis, Connect to online version, 1998. http://0-wwwlib.umi.com.mercury.concordia.ca/cr/concordia/fullcit?pMQ39083.

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Grimaldi, Angela, and Malin Fredriksson. "The Sustainable Development for Chikweti in the Forest Industry in Developing Mozambique – How can an Improved Management Structure Facilitate Chikweti’s Business Performance." Thesis, Mälardalen University, School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-9913.

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Amegashie, Alex. "Diversity Management Program Strategies to Support Competitive Advantage and Sustainable Growth." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5160.

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The study focuses on key characteristics that affect diversity management (DM) in the United States. Developing effective strategies to support and enhance workforce diversity is a competitive business advantage as diverse workforce economic and social contributions outpace homogeneous workgroups. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that service organization leaders (diversity practitioner-leaders) use to develop DM programs to support competitive business advantage and sustainable growth. The general systems theory and DM framework were the lens that guided the study. Five diversity practitioner-leaders from service organizations with business operations in the northwestern region of United States were interviewed. Participants responded to open-ended interview questions. Data collection processes included validating and triangulating the information gathered from participants via transcript review and use of archival business documents and peer-reviewed sources. Following the thematic data analysis, major themes emerged that include linking diversity programs to business goals, educating and creating diversity awareness, and implementing diversity reporting and accountability. Findings revealed strategies that diversity practitioner-leaders could use to enhance workplace DM practices and support sustainable business growth. The study findings could help organizational leaders to affect positive social change by building diverse, welcoming, and all-inclusive workplace cultures, whereby all employees can strive to achieve their full potential, thus improving employee engagement and productivity. As workplace diversity improves, employees' engagement and productivity increases as well as their socioeconomic contributions.

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Amiri, Carla. "Is green the new black? : An empirical study on the correlation of CSR initiatives and profitability on Nordic mutual funds." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Företagsekonomiska institutionen, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-451193.

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This research examines whether Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives impact fund financial performance of 46 Nordic mutual funds during the past five years (2016-2020). Previous studies have focused on which of the two alternatives generates a rewarding financial result. To complement previous research, this study focuses on the development of CSR - whether the gap formed between CSR initiatives and fund financial performance is moving closer towards each other based on the increased focus of ESG factors during the recent years. Two categories, strong and weak ESG performance, are juxtapositioned to find out at what stage the development is. Furthermore, analysis on which of the three categories: environmental, social or governance individually, is the driving factor of the development of CSR initiatives. Based on the matched pair methodology and hypothesis testing, funds with CSR initiatives have reached the point, in which they perform equally well to their peers without such motives. The underlying driver behind the development are examined.

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Kelley, Keith James. "Regional Diversification and Performance: Conceptualization and Competing Strategic Objectives." FIU Digital Commons, 2013. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/935.

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This dissertation comprised of three essays provides justification for the need to pursue research on multinationality and performance with a more fine-grained approach. Essay one is a conceptual response to an article written by Jean-Francois Hennart in 2011 which questions the need and approach toward future research in this domain. I argue that internalization theory does not render multinationality and performance research meaningless and identify key areas where methodological enhancements can be made to strengthen our research findings with regard to Hennart’s call for more content validity. Essay two responds to the need for more-fine grained research on the consequences of multinationality by introducing non-traditional measures of performance such as social and environmental performance and adopting a more theoretically relevant construct of regionalization to capture international diversification levels of the firm. Using data from the world’s largest 600 firms (based on sales) derived from Bloomberg and the Directory of Corporate Affiliates; I employ general estimating equation analysis to account for the auto-correlated nature of the panel data alongside multivariate regression techniques. Results indicate that regionalization has a positive relationship with economic performance while it has a negative relationship with environmental and social performance outcomes, often referred to as the “Triple Bottom-Line” performance. Essay three builds upon the work in the previous essays by linking the aforementioned performance variables and sample to corporate reputation which has been shown to be a beneficial strategic asset. Using Structural Equation Modeling I explore economic, environmental and social signals as mediators on relationship between regionalization and firm reputation. Results indicate that these variables partially mediate a positive relationship between regionalization and firm reputation. While regionalization positively affects the reputation building signal of economic performance, it aids in reputation building by reducing environmental and social disclosure effects which interestingly impact reputation negatively. In conclusion, the dissertation submits opportunities for future research and contributes to research by demonstrating that regionalization affects performance, but the effect varies in accordance with the performance criterion and context. In some cases, regional diversification may produce competing or conflicting outcomes among the potential strategic objectives of the firm.

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Grundström, Gustav, and Isabelle Miedel. "Sustainable Investing : On the relation between sustainability rating and greenhouse gas emissions." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-185219.

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Sustainability and finance should go hand in hand. A financial system that supports sustainablegrowth is necessary for the transition to a carbon-free society. Environmental, Social andGovernance (ESG) is a sustainability performance measurement used worldwide. Previousresearch within the ESG area has mainly focused on ESG score and financial performance.Environmental performance gets more attention from investors, and the Nordic countries areall in the top five when it comes to sustainability ranking. This research examines the relationbetween sustainability ratings (E score and ESG score) in the Nordic countries as well as if therelation differs between different rating agencies. To study the relationships, a regressionanalysis was performed, and we could not draw any concrete conclusions whether low CO2emissions are associated with a higher E- or ESG score in the Nordic countries. The resultindicates that a high E- or ESG score does not seem to be associated with lower CO2 emissions.A significant result was found on the fact that the E- and ESG scores relation to CO2 aredifferent between rating agencies. However, full access to one of the rating agencies has notbeen granted, which entails some limitations and further research on the questions isrecommended.

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Hedqvist, Lisa, and Amanda Larsson. "ESG or Financial Performance - Does It Have to be a Choice? : A Regression Analysis of Thomson Reuters ESG scores and Financial Performance in Sweden and the UK." Thesis, Jönköping University, Internationella Handelshögskolan, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-48849.

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Background: The term Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is a relatively new concept within the financial industry. However, there are a couple of issues connected to the ESG score and sustainable finance. Thus, there is an ongoing conflict between creating economic value, which is the main task for managers, as well as tackling ethical issues such as ESG. Purpose: The purpose of this report is to investigate if there is a correlation between ESG scores and financial performance measures. The measures analysed are, Return on Assets (ROA), Retention Ratio (RET), Operating Cash-Flow (CF) and Debt-Equity (DE), for listed companies in Sweden and the UK. Method: To see if there is a correlation between ESG and financial performance, a Pooled OLS Regression and Fixed Effect Regression Model (FE) was used. The data was collected from the Thomson Reuters datastream, where 75 companies listed on the OMXSLCGI in Sweden and 75 companies listed on the FTSE100 in the UK, was retrieved. Conclusion: The regression results indicated a positive correlation between CF and ESG for both the FE regression and the Pooled OLS for the Swedish middle-ranked companies, as well as a positive correlation between DE and ESG for the lower-ranked Swedish companies. For the UK, no significant variables were found. Because of the limited significant results, this thesis found that there is yet no apparent correlation between the ESG score and financial performance based on the four years analyzed.

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Wehlin, Jolina, and Victoria Axelsson. "Investment strategies and performance of sustainable Swedish Funds : A study on how the risk-adjusted return of a Swedish fund is affected by the application of ESG and SRI-integration." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för nationalekonomi och statistik (NS), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-96303.

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Dahlberg, Linnea, and Frida Wiklund. "ESG Investing In Nordic Countries : An analysis of the Shareholder view of creating value." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-149988.

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ESG ratings have become a recognised sustainability performance measurement throughout the world. The Nordic countries Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway are ranked top four in the world when it comes to ESG ratings. However, do investors in these countries recognise the sustainability performance of the firms in their investment decisions? The purpose of this study was to see if Nordic investors value ESG factors, by testing for a relationship between high ESG ratings and corporate financial performance. To be able to fulfil this purpose, several multiple regression models were conducted on data for a time-span between 2007-2017 on 108 firm observations and 995 firm-year observations. Corporate financial performance was represented by the dependent variables Tobin’s Q and Return on Assets as measurements for market and accounting performance respectively. The results showed a significant positive relationship between several ESG ratings and market performance, while no significantly positive, nor negative, relationship could be found between accounting performance and ESG ratings. Based on the results from the tests, conclusions were drawn that Nordic investors do value ESG ratings when choosing their investments, indicating that companies can benefit from having good sustainability policies. This thesis challenges the classical view of profit maximisation being the ultimate interest of shareholders, as it shows a positive relationship between ESG and financial market performance. The results indicate that investors take more factors into consideration in their investment decisions than only financial accounting returns. Therefore, conclusions have been made that the Stakeholder theory better explains value creation than the Shareholder theory does. This because the Stakeholder theory emphasises that firms maximise value by taking all stakeholders affected by their business cycle into account, not only the shareholders. Furthermore, based on the results, this thesis concludes that Nordic investors’ interests are in line with the society’s interests as they do value ESG ratings when investing. No previous study on the topic has been conducted on the Nordic market, thus this study fills a research gap on the relationship between financial performance and corporate sustainability.

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Sokol, Vadym, and Kristijan Jordanov. "Site selection for small retail stores using sustainable and location-driven indicators : Case study: Starbucks coffee shops in Los Angeles." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för industriell ekonomi, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-20053.

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Site selection decisions remains a complex yet crucial process for strong business performance. Despite the extensive number of publications in this field, the emergence of new data collection technique, improved location analytics, and changes in consumers’ preferences call for testing of new models and hypothesis. This study compares traditional site selection indicators (e.g. property size, proximities, competition, and demographic profiles) with novel site-selection indicators (e.g. environmental sustainability performance and socio-demographic characteristics from Tapestry data). By investigating a case study of Starbucks coffee stores in Los Angeles, we argue that environmental sustainability performance and socio-demographic Tapestry segments correlate with business performance indicators of small retail shops in two ways. First, higher sustainability scores result in increased foot traffic, and by extension increased business performance. Second, Tapestry segmentation stands as significant indicator of business performance in site selection modeling – specifically, by demonstrating the significant correlation between socio-demographic consumers’ segments and the number of visitors per location. The output of this study offers an alternative location-driven site selection method, important for businesses and key industry-players in sharpening location-allocation decision-making processes.

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Feist, Ellen. "Cascading Loop Creation : a case study of how digitalisation brings fashion retail product service systems, business partners, and customers together." Thesis, Högskolan i Borås, Akademin för textil, teknik och ekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-26405.

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Background – Circular economy (CE) is gaining more and more importance in research, based on the great desire to change the linear fashion economy to a circular. A Product Service System (PSS) can contribute to the achievement of CE, as PSSs, such as take-back or repair services, bring back the garments to the fashion retail company into the CE. Regarding, closed-loop goals have been created from which the third goal needs to be recently achieved by the fashion industry. Closed-Loop Goal 3 deals with the cascading flow of garments, which sends a garment into multiple usage loops. To accomplish the cascading garment flow, this method connects several PSSs to close the loop, and fewer garments end in landfill. To achieve that, the involvement of customers and business partners is essential as they are purchasing and repatriating garments and materials into the cascading loops. Purpose – The research purpose is to offer new knowledge regarding how fashion retailers can implement cascading loop systems in the textile Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) and narrow the research gap of cascading loop creations. The study aims to investigate how to involve customers and business partners in PSSs through the digitalisation of cascading garment flow. By doing so, the cascading garment flow intends to achieve improved sustainable performance by allowing used garments to enter a cascading garment flow system. Methodology – This thesis is a single case study that has been conducted through an abductive approach. The research is built on different customer and business partner involvement theories and the triple bottom line theory. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted as primary data collection. Additionally, the data has been supplemented by secondary data in the form of company documents such as sustainability reports. Afterwards, the data has been analysed qualitatively by thematic analysis and by the SDG assessment tool. Findings – The results have shown that a mixture of smart service tools, stakeholder and customer communication can achieve customers and business partners' involvement in creating a cascading garment flow. Additionally, the findings offer an insight into the potential contribution of the SDG goal achievement, which is showing that the digitalised PSSs involving customers and business partners in the cascading flow can potentially obtain sustainable performance. Practical implications & Research limitations – The cascading garment flow as the Closed Loop Goal 3 in CE is still a relatively unexplored area. However, the implementation is essential for sustainable performance and development. Therefore, it is suggested that other issues within the cascading garment flow should be investigated. Additionally, this research was mainly districted by the smaller selection of literature of former research, which did not offer much support.

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Mamede, Pedro. "Understanding and use of sustainable performance measures in small and medium firms : the impact of family involvement." Thesis, Paris 1, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019PA01E043.

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Partant du point de vue de la performance durable des entreprises, cette thèse se propose à étudier les implications de l´influence familiale au niveau de la compréhension et l’utilisation de mesures de performance durable dans les PME, en particulier dans les entreprises familiales portugaises. Dans un premier temps, une étude bibliométrique a été utilisée pour cartographier les réseaux de connaissances pertinents sur la performance durable des entreprises, extrayant 1271 articles de 1987 à 2015. Par la suite, une analyse bibliométrique sur la période 1987 à 2015 et une analyse lexicale de 63 résumés portant sur les PME ont été menées. Les articles analysés ont montré un cadre théorique propre et l´orientation opérationnelle des études sur les PME. Puis, en utilisant une méthodologie matched-paired et une approche statistique multivariée, nous avons utilisés des données de performance de 65 PME portugaises de 2012 à 2016. Les principales conclusions confirment que la participation familiale influence positivement la performance financière, mais a un effet mixte sur les performances environnementales et sociales. Il a également été prouvé qu'il existe un lien positif entre la performance sociale et financière. Finalement, une étude de cas d’une PME familiale montre qu’une vision socioémotionnelle restreinte prédomine dans les discours des dirigeants et dans leurs actions de gestion, privilégiant ainsi l’engagement limité des parties prenantes. Enfin, il a été prouvé qu'il existait un lien positif entre la performance environnementale et la performance financière dans un contexte de gestion mixte familiale / non-familiale
From a corporate sustainability performance lens, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the implications of family involvement in the understanding and use of sustainable performance measures in SMEs with an emphasis in Portuguese family firms. First, a bibliometric study has been used to map the relevant knowledge network on sustainability performance measures and measurement field, retrieving 1271 articles from 1987 to 2015. Second, a bibliometric and abstract lexical analysis were used on 63 SMEs. Corporate sustainability performance studies showed specificities of core theoretical knowledge and the greater operational SMEs focus. Third, using matched paired methodology and multivariate approach, we focus 65 Portuguese SMEs from 2012 and 2016. The main findings show a consistent pattern that corporate family involvement influence financial performance but have a mixed effect on environmental and social performance. It was also be provide evidence of positive link between social and financial performance. Fourth, a case study of a sustainable oriented family owned SME shows that a restricted socioemotional view is dominant in top managers discourses and in their managerial actions, privileging primary stakeholders engagement. Finally, it was provided evidence of positive link between environmental and financial performance in a dual managed context

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Jansson, Andreas, and Ebba Lind. "Chasing the Greater Good : A Qualitative study in how Sustainability is steered and implemented through Control Systems." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-66426.

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Today's society is a vulnerable society. Climate change and social injustices are genuine threats to how the lives of future generations are going to be, and humans are the cause of these problems. Sustainable development needs to be achieved if we want future generations to have a good and dignified existence. Companies have a significant impact on society, and therefore play an essential role in how successful we are in achieving sustainable development. Past research has found that control systems, especially reward systems, can be important to implement sustainability in companies. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to get a deeper understanding of how organizations implement and steer sustainability by including it in their control systems, and particularly, how reward systems are used in the context of sustainability. By studying past research and theories regarding sustainable development, management control, performance measurements and reward systems, we have gained knowledge and an understanding of how these areas are connected. To achieve the purpose of this study, a qualitative study was done in which we conducted eleven semi-structured interviews with managers and sustainability experts from six different companies. Based on the empirical findings of the study, we were able to make several conclusions. First, sustainability is integrated into already existing control systems, which often interact and are related to each other, and we found that there is a balance between social and environmental dimensions. Companies choose to focus on sustainability issues were they have the most negative impact, and they include sustainability mostly in their cybernetic and administrative controls, for instance through performance measurements (KPIs) and policy documents. Also, several companies incorporate sustainability into their reward systems, such as rewards for safety parameters and reducing CO² emissions. What kind of rewards that are given for sustainability performance differ, some companies give monetary rewards while other give non-monetary. Non-monetary rewards are in the findings presented as most valuable for sustainability. We can also conclude that there are challenges with rewarding sustainability, but many respondents have overcome them and use reward systems as a way of implementing sustainability. Those who do not reward sustainability today can imagine doing so in the near future.

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Persdotter, Isaksson Maria. "Adapting the environmentallysustainable logistics performancemanagement process." Licentiate thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för ekonomistyrning och logistik (ELO), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-82576.

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Process based approaches to environmentally sustainable logistics performancemanagement are lacking within organizations that buy logistics services (buyers) and thatsell logistics services (LSPs), which puts a damper on environmentally sustainablelogistics performance. Organizations understand the potential of environmentallysustainable logistics performance management, but they seems unable to developeffective management processes and accurate environmentally sustainable logisticsmetrics. An environmentally sustainable logistics performance management process(ESLPM process) is one way for an organization to manage its performance in line withits environmental strategy and overall environmental targets.The purpose of this thesis is to adapt the logistics performance management process toinclude environmental sustainability. The first research question is about thecharacteristics for including environmentally sustainable logistics in the logisticsperformance management process. Characteristics that need to be included in the logisticsperformance management process must be identified in order to illustrate the process, inorder to improve the environmental performance. Moreover, by identifying thecharacteristics of the process activities, it is possible to compare how the characteristicsof the process are similar and/or different between organizations. The performancemanagement process can only be used successfully if the strategy is closely aligned tosome process activities being implemented; this motivates the second research question,which is how the ESLPM process can be expanded to measure alignment.The method used to collect empirical data is primarily interviews in eight multiple-casestudies of four organizations buying logistics services and four organizations sellinglogistics services. The frame of reference is based on the inclusion of environmentalsustainability characteristics in the logistics performance management process and thealignment between process and strategy as well as within processes. The results include a description of an ESLPM process that contains five activities withseventeen characteristics for managing environmentally sustainable logistics. Specificcontexts of eight organizations, like type (private, public, or private/public) and size(small, medium, or large) and their influence and implications concerning the ESLPMprocess are discussed and presented. The matching between the theoretical ESLPMprocess (based on the frame of reference) and the empirical ESLPM process is presentedand then compared within the eight organizations, resulting in a modified ESLPM processwith twenty characteristics. The results shows that the use of an ESLPM process is stillin beginning stages and is not done in a structured manner; in particular, the organizationsfind it difficult to establish appropriate ESLP metrics, to define the ESLP metrics, to setaccurate ESLP targets, and to collect and measure the ESLP metrics.Results from measuring level of alignment include theoretical measurement models fortwo types of alignment, a model for measuring alignment between process and strategy,as well as a model for measuring alignment within a process. The two theoretical modelscontain different aspects that measure alignment on three different levels (high, medium,low). These models are tested within each organization, and the results from measuringlevel of alignment per organization is used to evaluate the two theoretical models,resulting in modified models for measuring alignment.The results lead to increased understanding of how type and size influence thecharacteristics of the ESLPM process and the level of alignment. The results also contribute to the literature on environmentally sustainable logistics performancemanagement and the alignment both between process and strategy as well as within theESLPM process. The result can be used by organizations selling and buying logisticsservices to improve their environmentally sustainable logistics performance.

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Kneipp, Jordana Marques. "Gestão estratégica da inovação sustentável e sua relação com o modelo de negócios e o desempenho empresarial." Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 2016. http://repositorio.ufsm.br/handle/1/3147.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
The conditioning factors of the globalized world create new demands and opportunities for the development of a corporate management model based on the assumptions of sustainability, which imply substantial investments in innovation. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between strategic management of sustainable innovation, business model and business performance of manufacturing companies. The strategic management of sustainable innovation was analyzed from two dimensions: strategic posture, underpinned on the studies of Schaltegger, Lüdeke-Freund and Hansen (2012) and de Eiriz, Faria and Barbosa (2013); and sustainable innovation practices, evaluated on the basis of Bocken et al. (2014). The analysis of the business model was based on studies of Boons and Lüdeke-Freund (2013), Kiron et al.(2013) and Taran and Boer (2015). Business performance was evaluated by considering the dimensions proposed by Gunday et al. (2011), GRI (2006) and the OECD (2005). The first phase of the research was qualitative; a multiple case study was conducted with four companies from Brazil and four companies from Spain. The results of this phase showed that the management of sustainable innovation is considered to be a strategic issue in the Brazilian companies, and there is a clear relationship between business model and business performance. However, in the Spanish companies, innovation is related to the search for better results, and actions in favor of sustainability occur because of legal restrictions and consumer pressure. An association between the dimensions could not be identified. The results of the qualitative phase have confirmed the guiding assumption that the strategic management of sustainable innovation, the business model and the business performance of companies differ in the business context of an emerging economy such as Brazil and of a developed economy such as Spain. The second phase of the study was quantitative; a survey was conducted with Brazilian manufacturing companies. The results have shown that the strategic management of sustainable innovation is related to the companies' business model and their business performance, as there were positive associations between the dimensions of the independent and dependent variables. There were also differences between the adoption of sustainable management of innovation, degree of innovation of the business model and business performance, as there were significant differences in the test of difference between means and in logistic regression analysis. Thus, the assumptions of this study were confirmed.
Os fatores condicionantes do mundo globalizado criam novas exigências e oportunidades em relação ao desenvolvimento de um modelo de gestão para as organizações que contemple as premissas da sustentabilidade, o que pressupõe investimentos substanciais em inovação. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a relação da gestão estratégica da inovação sustentável com o modelo de negócios e o desempenho de empresas industriais. A gestão estratégica da inovação sustentável foi analisada a partir de duas dimensões: postura estratégica, tendo como base os estudos de Schaltegger, Lüdeke-Freund e Hansen (2012) e Eiriz, Faria e Barbosa (2013); e práticas de inovação sustentável, avaliadas com base em Bocken et al. (2014). No que se refere ao modelo de negócios, teve-se como base os estudos de Boons e Lüdeke-Freund (2013), Kiron et al., (2013a) e Taran e Boer (2015). O desempenho empresarial foi avaliado considerando as dimensões propostas por Gunday et al. (2011), GRI (2006) e OCDE (2005). A primeira fase da pesquisa caracterizou-se como qualitativa e foi conduzida a partir de um estudo de casos múltiplos com quatro empresas do Brasil e quatro empresas da Espanha. Os resultados dessa fase permitiram concluir que, nas empresas brasileiras, a gestão da inovação sustentável é considerada uma questão estratégica, ficando evidenciada uma relação com o modelo de negócios e o desempenho empresarial. Porém, nas empresas espanholas, a inovação está relacionada com a busca por melhores resultados, e as ações em prol da sustentabilidade ocorrem em virtude de restrições legais e pressões dos consumidores, não sendo possível identificar uma associação entre as dimensões analisadas. A partir dos resultados da etapa qualitativa, foi possível confirmar o pressuposto norteador de que a gestão estratégica da inovação sustentável, o modelo de negócios e o desempenho se diferenciam no contexto empresarial de uma economia emergente como o Brasil e de uma economia desenvolvida como a Espanha. A segunda etapa do estudo caracterizou-se como quantitativa e compreendeu a realização de uma pesquisa survey com empresas industriais brasileiras. Os resultados permitiram observar que a gestão estratégica da inovação sustentável está relacionada com o modelo de negócios e o desempenho empresarial, na medida em que foram encontradas associações positivas entre as dimensões das variáveis dependente e independentes. Também foi possível verificar diferenças entre a adoção de uma gestão da inovação sustentável, o grau de inovação do modelo de negócios de negócios e o desempenho empresarial, tendo em vista que foram constatadas diferenças significativas no teste de diferença de médias e na análise de regressão logística. Desse modo, foi possível confirmar as hipóteses norteadoras do estudo.

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Ahlrik, Alma, and Hertha Kamras. "Sambandet mellan aktiekurseroch hållbarhetsprestation : En eventstudie om Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Företagsekonomiska institutionen, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-435487.

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Denna studie undersöker indexinkluderingar och indexexkluderingars påverkan på europeiska företags aktiekurser genom att studera bolag som inkluderats i eller exkluderats ur hållbarhetsindexet Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe under perioden 2017–2019. Vidare undersöks även specifikt svenska bolag som inkluderats, exkluderats eller bibehållit sin plats i indexet under samma tidsperiod. Detta till följd av det ökade intresset och utbudet av ESG- relaterade investeringar i världen, inte minst i Europa. En standardmässig eventstudiemetod baserad på marknadsmodellen används för att på kort sikt undersöka detta eventuella samband. Vi kan i resultatet inte finna några starka bevis på att en annonsering i sig har någon tydlig påverkan på företagens aktieavkastning för vare sig europeiska eller svenska bolag. Däremot finner vi att svenska bolag som behållit sin plats eller inkluderats i indexet visar en positiv genomsnittlig kumulativ avvikelseavkastning (CAR) mellan två och tio dagar efter annonseringsdagen. Det kan trots det inte bevisa indexets relevans för marknaden vilket stödjer tidigare studiers resultat.
This paper examines the impact of index inclusions and index exclusions on the share prices of European companies by studying companies that are included or excluded from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe during the period 2017-2019. Furthermore, Swedish companies that have been included, excluded or retained their place in the index during the same time period are also specifically examined. This due to the increased interest and supply of ESG- related investments in the world, especially in Europe. A standard event study method based on the market model is used to investigate this possible connection in the short term. We cannot find strong evidence that an announcement has any evident impact on companies' return on investment for either European or Swedish companies. On the other hand, we find that Swedish companies that have retained their place or are included in the index show a positive average cumulative abnormal return (CAR) between two and ten days after the announcement date. Despite this, the results cannot prove the index's relevance to the market which supports previous studies.

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Ahlklo, Yrr, and Carin Lind. "E, S or G? A study of ESG score and financial performance." Thesis, KTH, Industriell ekonomi och organisation (Inst.), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-246008.

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Sustainability is not a new concept to the financial markets, but its popularity and wider use have increased as people have grown more concerned about the future of this planet. However, the relationship between sustainable investments and financial performance is not clear. One of the most used measures of sustainability is the concept of ESG score, where E, S and G stand for environmental, social and governance. In this study, we investigate the relationship between ESG score and financial performance, both market and accounting based. We also separate the score into its individual parts E, S, and G, and try to distinguish which factor has the strongest relation to financial performance. To evaluate the relationship, a regression analysis was performed on a sample of Nordic stocks and the Sustainalytics ESG rank. Our findings concluded no significant relationship between ESG score and financial performance, neither market nor accounting based. The environmental factor (E) showed the strongest relation to financial performance, however slightly negative and only significant to one dependent variable out of three. Our results indicate that based on the ESG score used in this study, no conclusions can be drawn about financial performance. Since our research does not indicate a significant relationship, our recommendation is to invest in the highest ESG ranked stock in case of choosing between two otherwise similar stocks.
Hållbarhet är inget nytt koncept inom finans, men dess popularitet och användning har ökat kraftigt. Dock är det fortfarande oklart hur hållbara investeringar förhåller sig till lönsamhet och avkastning. En av de mest använda hållbarhetsmåtten är ESG, som står för environmental, social and governance. I denna studie undersöker vi relationen mellan ESG-mått och lönsamhet, både marknads- och resultatbaserad. Vi delar också upp ESG i sina tre komponenter E, S, och G för att undersöka vilken faktor som har den starkaste relationen till lönsamhet. Detta görs genom en regressionsanalys med paneldata från ett urval av nordiska aktier och Sustainalytics ESG-mått. Vårt resultat visar ingen signifikant relation mellan ESG-mått och lönsamhet. Komponenten E visar den starkaste relationen till lönsamhet, ett signifikant och något negativt samband, men endast till en av tre responsvariabler. Vårt resultat indikerar således att inget samband verkar finnas mellan lönsamhet och dessa ESG-mått. Eftersom vår studie inte visar på något signifikant samband, blir vår rekommendation att investera i den aktien med högst ESG-mått, om man skulle välja mellan två annars lika aktier.

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Casselryd, Linnéa, Agnes Lantto, and Alicia Julienne Zanic. "MSCI Climate Paris Aligned Indices : A quantitative study comparing the performance of SR indices and their conventional benchmark indices." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Företagsekonomi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-185021.

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There is no clear consensus about whether green investments perform better, worse orequal to conventional brown investments. With the rising popularity of socialinvestments, it becomes increasingly important to understand these investments. Therecent launch of the MSCI Climate Paris Aligned Indices (CPAI) aim to illustrate thedevelopment of an economy that is in line with the requirements and goals of the ParisAgreement from 2015. In this research we aim to find out whether the MSCI Europe,USA and EM Climate Paris Aligned Indices outperform their parent indices. We do thisby comparing performance measures such as the net return, standard deviation of netreturns and Sharpe ratio. We further conduct an ordinary least squares regression to testwhether the betas and Jensen´s alphas of the CPAI differ significantly from their parentindices.The results show that only the USA CPAI clearly outperforms its parent index. This isdue to it having a higher Sharpe Ratio and Jensen’s alpha as well as higher monthly netreturns and a lower standard deviation compared to its parent index. The regressionshows that it does perform better than the parent index. The results for the EM CPAIshow that it performs in a similar way as its parent index. It has a higher monthly netreturn but also slightly higher standard deviation which leads to an equally large Sharperatio. Neither the estimated Jensen’s alpha nor the beta are significantly different fromthose of its parent index and thus the hypothesis of it performing equally as well as itsparent index cannot not be rejected. Lastly, the Europe CPAI has a higher Sharpe ratio,Jensen’s alpha and monthly net returns than its parent index, but it also exhibits a higherstandard deviation. The regression indicated that it performs in a similar way as itsparent index, no difference could be proven. In conclusion, this means that all CPAIperform at least equally as well as their parent indices, if not better.

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Esterhuyse, Willem Petrus. "The sustainability balanced scorecard : its theory and applications to companies operating within the South African fishing industry." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/816.

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Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie korporatiewe fiaskos gedurende die afgelope dekade het wêreldwye opskudding veroorsaak met die gevolg dat daar vanaf ‘n nuwe oogpunt gekyk word na die wyses waarop korporasies bestuur word. Terselfdertyd is daar ‘n wêreldwye belangstelling gekweek in volhoubare ontwikkeling en korporasies se bydrae daartoe. Dit, tesame met korporatiewe bestuur, het tot die gevolg gehad dat die fokus vanaf die tradisionele finansiële verslaggewing geskuif het na rapportering op die sogenaamde “Tripple Bottom Line” en meer en meer maatskappye oor die wêreld genereer en publiseer deesdae op hul ekonomies-, maatskaplike-, omgewingsverantwoordelikhede en prestasies. Gou is daar egter besef dat rapportering en die opstel van beleide self nie genoeg is nie en een van die die grootste uitdagings aan korporatiewe bestuurders tans is om te verseker dat hul korporatiewe bestuurstelsels hul volhoubare strategieë ondersteun om te verseker dat die strategieë in hul maatskappystelsels en prosesse geintegreer is. Kaplan en Norton het in 1992 die Gebalanseerde Telkaart ontwikkel. Die telkaart is as instrument voorgestel om strategieë in aksie oor te skakel. Die telkaart erken dat die tradisionele finansiële maatstawwe nie voldoende is om die volhoudbare sukses van die maatskappy te verseker nie en skep ‘n balans tussen nie-tradisionele maatstawwe oor vier areas: finansieël, kliënte, interne prosesse en leer en groei. Alhoewel daar verskeie gevallestudies in literatuur voorkom waar Gebalanseerde Telkaart implementering gefaal het, het navorsing bewys dat in gevalle waar dit wel suksesvol geimplementeer is, die telkaart ‘n dramatiese verskil aan die maatskapy se prestasie gemaak het. Daar moet dus besef word dat die telkaart wel sy tekortkominge het en dat die implementering daarvan oordeelkundig moet geskied. Gedurende die 21st eeu het outeurs die potensiaal van die Gebalanseerde Telkaart om korporatiewe volhoudbaarheidsstrategië in aksie oor te skakel raakgesien om sodoende die gaping tussen volhoudbare korporatiewe bestuur en die integrasie van beleid en strategieë in die maatskappy prosesse en -stelsels te oorbrug met die integrasie van volhoudbare maatstawwe in die Gebalanseerde Telkaart. Wêreldwyd is die visvangbedryf gedurig onder die kollig vanweë sy impak op die omgewing en die Suid-Afrikaanse visvangbedryf word nie uitgesluit nie. Die visbedryf is ‘n bron afhanklike bedryf en maatskappye moet teen mekaar meeding vir toegang tot die ontgunning van die bron. Vanuit ‘n ekonomiese en ‘n omgewings oogpunt is dit dus van uiters belang dat maatskappye in die bedryf volhoudbare strategieë toepas om die hernubaarheid van die bron te verseker. Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye bevind hulself egter in ‘n unieke situasie in terme van maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid vanweë die onregmatighede van die apartheidstelsel en maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid moet dus transformasie insluit. Daarvoor het die Departement van Handel en Industrie reeds Die Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigings Telkaart ingestel om die vordering van maatskappye te meet. Hierdie telkaarte vorm dus ‘n uitstekende basis vir die volhoudbaarheids gebalanseerde integrasie, nie net om te voldoen aan die legislatiewe regulasies nie, maar ook om die geleenhede wat daaruit kan voortspruit ten volle te benut. Hierdie navorsingsverslag ondersoek dus die skakels tussen korporatiewe bestuur en korporatiewe volhoudbaarheid, die teorië rondom die Volhoudbaare Gebalanseerde Telkaart en die moontlike toepassing daarvan op die Suid-Afrikaanse visbedryf.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Over the past decade outrageous corporate fiascos has resulted in a renewed interest in Corporate Governance and the way Corporates are managed. At the same time sustainable development and the Corporate contribution and Corporate sustainability has gathered worldwide interest in both institutional and corporate spheres. This has triggered new expectations for business transparency and has shifted the focus from traditional financial reporting to reporting on the organization’s impact and performance on the triple bottom line. More companies from across the globe are developing and reporting on their economic, social- and environmental responsibility and performance. It soon became clear that reporting on broad policy is simply not enough and one of the biggest challenges of corporate managers today are to ensure that their sustainable strategies and policies are integrated into their organizational governance structures and processes. Kapland and Norton have developed the Balanced Scorecard in 1992 to provide business managers with a management tool to translate their strategies into action. The scorecard recognizes that traditional financial measurements is not enough to ensure the continued success of organizations and creates a balance between non traditional measurements across four perspectives: financial, customers, internal processes and learning and growth. Although various case studies exist about Balanced Scorecard implementation, empirical research have indicated substantial performance improvement at organizations that have successfully implemented the Balanced Scorecard. Implementation thereof therefore has to be carried out with caution. During the 2000’s authors has recognized the potential of the Balanced Scorecard to translate Corporate sustainability strategies into action and bridge the gap between the way corporates are governed and sustainability by integrating sustainability measures into the Balanced Scorecard for the creation of the sustainability Balanced Scorecard. Fisheries, world wide are continually under the spotlight as a result of their impact on the environment and the South African fishing industry is certainly not excluded. Fisheries are a resource dependent industry and companies have to compete against each other for access to these resources. Apart from its environmental impact it is therefore of outmost importance that managers within the industry considers all the sustainability aspects in their organizational structures. This research report thus explores the link between Corporate Governance and Corporate Sustainability, the theory surrounding the sustainability Balanced Scorecard and the possible application thereof in order to ensure the long term sustainability of the industry.

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Coelho, Jose Flavio Guerra Machado, and f. coelho@bigpond com. "SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS MODEL FOR INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAINS." Central Queensland University, 2006. http://library-resources.cqu.edu.au./thesis/adt-QCQU/public/adt-QCQU20060720.094327.

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The title of the research is Sustainability Performance Evaluation Management Systems Model for Individual Organizations and Supply Chains. This research has achieved its aim to develop and demonstrate the practical implementation of a simple and objective sustainability performance evaluation management system model for individual organizations and supply chains. It has resulted in the recognition that a new concept Network of Interested Partners underpins the achievement of sustainability. The term acknowledges the interdependence and reflects the essential cooperation that must be achieved between business organisations, their commercially related entities and the local community if progress towards sustainability is to be achieved. It therefore encompasses and extends the concept of a supply chain as currently used. Sustainable Development is defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as development, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future societies to meet their own needs. Organizations, as part of human activities, also have to be sustainable. The sustainability of organizations is directly linked to the continual improvement of business performance. Many organizations have found a way to improve performance through the establishment of management systems. International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards are recognized worldwide as reliable and efficient tools for the implementation of management systems. However, they do not always result in the desired improvement in outcomes. Therefore, if the required improvement of business performance is to be achieved, improved methodologies for development and implementation of performance evaluation (PE) processes are necessary. These methodologies must take into consideration sustainability principles. They also have to be applicable to individual entities and supply chains, with or without management systems in place. Supply chains are important because it is being increasingly recognized that overall supply chain performance is a means of adding value and competitive advantage to all businesses. In the first part of the research a performance evaluation model or PE (version 1 model) was developed. This was used as criteria to compare and evaluate existing performance evaluation processes and outcomes of individual organisations and their respective supply chain within the Gladstone region, Australia. Questionnaires have also been used to identify and evaluate the needs of the interested parties in relation to the organizations and supply chains business performance and processes of performance evaluation. All the information provided in the first part of the research was used by the researcher to develop the Sustainability Performance Evaluation Management Systems model or SPEMS (version 2 model). This incorporates the concepts of Network of Interested Parties/Partners. In particular, one of the outcomes is recognition that organizations need to establish partnerships if effective supply chain performance improvement is to be achieved. Therefore the establishment of partnerships has become a key requirement for the implementation of SPEMS. The establishment of partnership among participants of a supply chain of Gladstone and implementation of the eight first steps of the SPEMS (version 2 model) in this supply chain was commenced successfully through workshops. The supply chain was formed by commercial organizations, government entities and interested parties from the community. SPEMS requires that partners all have the same level of ownership and authority in the decisions of the supply chain. Some new terms and their definitions have been created within the research to support the new SPEMS model. They include: Network of Interested Partners, sustainability for organizations, sustainability KPI and sustainability friendly organizations. All of the above are encompassed within the final SPEMS (version 3 model).

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Amirbagheri, Keivan. "An analytical study about the relationship between Green Supply Chain Management practices and Organizational Performance." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/668317.

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En esta disertación de doctorado en tres capítulos principales, estudié un estudio analítico sobre la relación entre las prácticas de Green Supply Chain Management y el desempeño organizacional utilizando tres metodologías diferentes (análisis bibliométrico, estudio cualitativo y estudio cuantitativo). En el segundo capítulo, utilizando el análisis bibliométrico, revisé las tendencias en el mundo de la cadena de suministro verde. El tercer capítulo de esta tesis revisó cualitativamente en base al uso de entrevistas el nivel de implementación de la práctica de gestión de la cadena de suministro verde en los casos seleccionados y su influencia en el desempeño organizacional. Finalmente, mediante el uso de operadores OWA, este estudio propuso nuevos operadores para la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero.

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Källberg, Marcus, and Ajdin Mlivic. "Hållbart inköp - Kriterier, mätning och uppföljning : En fallstudie på Hydroware." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för ekonomistyrning och logistik (ELO), 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-85493.

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Bakgrund: Valet av leverantör är ett väldigt viktigt sådant för inköpare för att säkerställa strategisk konkurrenskraft och ökade krav på hållbarhet har försvårat det ytterligare. För företag som anser sig värna om social och miljömässig hållbarhet går det inte längre att bara fokusera på leverantörer som erbjuder de billigaste priserna. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur Hydroware och andra företag inom tillverkningsindustrin hade kunnat förändra sitt sätt att välja och utveckla leverantörer för att uppnå en mer hållbar verksamhet. Metod: Studien har genomförts som en fallstudie, med en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och deduktivt angreppssätt. Datainsamlingen har gjorts genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer, både på plats samt via telefon. Resultat: Hydroware rekommenderas att först och främst implementera en tydligare process vid valet och utvecklingen av leverantör för att därefter kunna införa tydligare mått och kriterier ur hållbarhetssynpunkt. Ett supplier scorecard har även tagits fram för att underlätta för Hydroware att mäta och bedöma leverantörernas prestationer i syfte att uppnå en mer hållbar verksamhet. Modellen bidrar med ett systematisk tillvägagångssätt för att följa upp leverantörerna, men innehåller även en viss grad flexibilitet. Vikterna som kriterierna tilldelas kan justeras och kriterier kan antingen adderas eller reduceras beroende på eventuella marknadsförändringar eller ändrade prioriteringar.
Background: Supplier selection is a very important choice for buyers to ensure a strategic competitiveness and increased demands on sustainability have made that choice even harder. Companies that consider themselves safeguarding social and environmental sustainability can no longer just focus on the suppliers that offers the lowest prices. Purpose: The purpose with this study was to investigate how Hydroware and other companies within the construction industry could change their way of selecting and developing their suppliers to achieve a more sustainable business. Methodology: The study was conducted as a case study with a qualitative research method and deductive approach. The data has been collected through semi-structured interviews, both onsite and by phone. Conclusion: Hydroware is primarily recommended to implement at clearer process regarding supplier selection and development, in order to later introduce more defined measurements and criterias regarding sustainability. A supplier scorecard has also been presented in order to simplify the measurement and evaluation of their suppliers with the purpose to achieve a more sustainable business. The model will contribute with a systematic approach to follow-up on their suppliers but also with a degree of flexibility. Because the weights assigned to the criterias can be adjusted and the criterias can be added or reduced based on possible changes in the market or changed priorities.

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Gonzales, Gemio Carla Tattiana. "The role of responsible innovation in increasing firm performance in small and medium-sized enterprises and increasing their sustainability." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/671230.

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It is difficult to imagine life without changes influenced by technology and innovation, which are characteristic of the era in which we live, with changes that, albeit always present throughout the history of mankind, are today presented as challenges for companies, organisations and governments, which pursue sustainable development, that is, prudent use of resources for the benefit of humans and the ecosystem around us, in a way that makes available such resources today and into the future. Unfortunately, the outcome of business innovation practices that are at the centre of these processes have resulted in the exclusion of four billion segment of the population comprising low-income groups in developing countries, also in degradation of natural resources, climate change, social inequality and excessive consumption of resources, because perhaps what was once good and innovative is now no longer so. In this context, debates have emerged and caught the attention of researchers and practitioners about how companies could innovate in a way that promotes sustainable development, which comes from "innovation", but also it to be "responsible". Responsible innovation (RI) deepens the relationship between science and society, which seeks for innovation under a democratic governance framework to be better integrated into society to ensure its contribution and benefits are effective. But how does responsible innovation in industry happen? In other words, in terms of one of the most widely used definitions in the academic context, “responsible innovation means taking care of the future through collective stewardship of science and innovation in the present”. Although this last definition acknowledged responsible innovation as a practice closely related to sustainability, the way in which its integration happen into industry is still in its infancy, and even more so when it comes from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This discussion remains one of the major research gaps analysed in this thesis. Moreover, in order to survive in a global and highly competitive environment, SMEs seek to achieve sustainable development through technological innovations. 3D printing (3DP) holds substantial promise for sustainability and the creation of a circular economy. Although 3D printing does not have a real sense of poverty alleviation in developing countries, has the potential to be a transformative alternative to the local production and consumption system. Manufacturing requires an understanding of local cultural issues that affect the management and organizational practices on which the competitiveness of enterprises is based. In that sense, once the decision is made to use a technology, it must be adopted and implemented. However, 3D printing, in that sense, is currently in the early stages of adoption especially from the perspective of small and medium enterprises. Therefore, in order to strengthen this area of research, this dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing the adoption of 3D printing by different types of SMEs. This analysis is therefore another of the main topics analysed in this thesis. Regarding the main topics of this thesis, unawareness of the potential value of responsible innovation for SMEs with the common objective of reaching sustainability, that generates economic benefits, but also generate social value connected to the global challenges of society. Even more so in a developing country, such as Bolivia, means once again being left out of an important socio-economic development, in a society that is marginal to what is going to happen. Bolivia has been undergoing a major boom period in recent years due to the price of oil and its derivatives, which has led to one of the best GDP per capita indices in Latin America, but despite these indicators, it is one of the poorest countries in the region with one of the highest indices of inequality, which could increase levels of poverty and extreme poverty, which in 2019 were 37.2% and 12.9% respectively (INE, 2019). These are part of the greatest challenges that Bolivia still faces. Thus, the third analysis for understanding the spread of responsible innovation is through corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. This understanding is crucial for SMEs because, CSR seems to have a relevant capability of promoting responsible innovation, in particular resulting from collaboration with other stakeholders. Based on the existing literature, this dissertation proposes three different analyses. The first empirical study explores the key factors that determine the adoption of 3DP technology by SMEs in Arizona in the United States. Their results suggest that factors such as relative advantage, integration, readiness, managerial obstacles, and in turn, external collaboration foster the adoption of 3DP. The second study deals with a systematic literature review to develop a conceptual model for responsible innovation and its relationship with business performance through corporate social responsibility and sustainable innovation practices. The last one empirical study focuses on explore whether CSR practices towards stakeholders promotes RI and financial performance, findings suggest that the relationship between CSR and financial performance mediated by responsible innovation was positive but weak. Finally, the results of this dissertation join the emerging debate on responsible innovation and its application in SMEs. The focus is on SMEs because they represent 98% of the companies in the world. Their achievements have the potential to generate a major impact on the country's economy and society. Furthermore, this dissertation could also help researchers and practitioners to new insights to address responsible innovation for society, with society and for sustainable development.

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Haile, Yohannes. "Sustainable Value And Eco-Communal Management: Systemic Measures For The Outcome Of Renewable Energy Businesses In Developing, Emerging, And Developed Economies." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1459369970.

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Paños, Álvarez Antonio. "Las tecnologías de la información como fuente de ventajas competitivas. Una aproximación empírica." Doctoral thesis, Universidad de Murcia, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/11002.

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El trabajo se centra en el estudio de la influencia de las tecnologías de la información (TI) en los resultados de las empresas desde la enfoque de recursos y capacidades. A partir del análisis controvertido de la bibliografía existente hasta la década de los 90, se propone un modelo de medida de las TI, de las ventajas competitivas internas y externas que dichas tecnologías son susceptibles de generar y su repercusión sobre el rendimiento de las empresas. El análisis empírico realizado sobre una muestra de 186 empresas, determina relaciones significativas entre el esfuerzo inversor en TI y las ventajas competitivas generadas, que junto con la existencia complementaria de factores organizativos contingentes influyen de forma positiva sobre el rendimiento de las empresas.
The work concentrates on the study of the information technologies (IT) influences on the results of the companies from the Resource-based Approach. From the controversial analysis of the existing bibliography until the decade of the 90, we propose a measurement model of IT, its internal and external competitive advantages that these technologies are susceptible to generate and its repercussion on the companies performance. The empirical analysis made on a sample of 186 companies, determines significant relations between the investing effort in IT and the generated competitive advantages, that along with the complementary existence of contingent organizational factors, influence in a positive way on the firms performance.

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Holtz, Robert, and Josefine Wiebe. "Attraheras arbetssökande individer av ett företags CSR-engagemang? : Företagens sociala ansvar." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Företagsekonomi, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-29232.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sustainable business performance'

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