CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES – BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FORMULATION AND IPLEMENTATION

Theme Identification of success factors in the implementation process of corporate sustainability strategies. Justification of the paper The importance of formulating corporate sustainability strategies is already recognized... [ view full abstract ]

Theme
Identification of success factors in the implementation process of corporate sustainability strategies.

Justification of the paper
The importance of formulating corporate sustainability strategies is already recognized by mangers. However, the translation into action and therefore into initiatives depicts challenges (Epstein and Roy, 2001). There is still a clear gap between strategy formulation and implementation (Raps, 2008). Literature about the implementation of corporate sustainability strategies is still underrepresented and scholars claim for more empirical research (e.g. Banerjee, 2001; Baumgartner, 2009; Klettner et al. 2014).

Purpose
The purpose of this study is two-fold: First, to gain more insight into the success factors of corporate sustainability strategy implementation by focusing on an essential but also crucial industry type: the automotive industry. Second, to better understand revealed challenges and to provide empirical evidence and knowledge to support this field.

Theoretical framework
The chosen method for this paper is single case study design. The content is based on the triangulation of different qualitative methods of data collection: (1) literature and documents, (2) qualitative interviews and (3) participant-observation in the field at one specific site including a sustainability workshop for managers. By extensively reviewing the existing literature of corporate sustainability strategy implementation, conceptual models (e.g. Epstein and Roy, 2001; Nathan, 2010; Simas et al., 2013) and empirical studies (e.g. Brunner, 2006; Epstein and Roy, 2007; Klettner et al., 2014) and therefore research gaps could be identified.

Results and conclusions
The results of this paper are six success factors: Organizational structure, organizational culture, leadership, management control, motivation and qualification as well as communication. This research results support managers to bridge the gap between corporate sustainability strategy formulation and implementation and give scholars more insights from internal perspective.

Implications for Tipping Points
The notion of ‘tipping point’ as a ‘point of transformation’ means linked to the present paper that the focus from corporate sustainability strategy formulation should develop to implementation.

Key words
Corporate Sustainability Strategies, Automotive Industry