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Principles for organizations striving for sustainable degrowth: Framework development and application to four B Corps
Hankammer, Stephan Kleer, Robin Mühl, Lena Euler, Johannes
Hankammer, Stephan
Kleer, Robin
Mühl, Lena
Euler, Johannes
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Publication Type
Journal article with impact factor
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Supervisor
Publication Year
2021
Journal
Journal of Cleaner Production
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Publication Volume
300
Publication Issue
June
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Abstract
Economic growth is generally seen as a central economic and political goal. The critique of this view has increased recently. In this context post-growth concepts, such as sustainable degrowth, emerged as an alternative paradigm focusing on ensuring human wellbeing within planetary boundaries. Since business activity is a key driving force behind economic growth, the role of corporate organizations in a transition towards a post-growth society is a particularly challenging question. It is still unclear, for instance, what business models for organizations approaching degrowth could look like. Therefore, our study aims to contribute to understanding guiding principles for organizations approaching degrowth. In this exploratory work, we use a two-step approach: First, based on a systematic literature review, we derive principles for a conceptual framework composed of business-relevant claims in the degrowth discourse in order to assemble and synergize fragmented findings. The resulting conceptual framework serves to describe and assess organizations with respect to their approximation to degrowth. Second, we apply the framework to four organizations certified as B Corps based on qualitative content analysis of interviews with corporate representatives and additional company data. Overall, our findings show that B Corps rather successfully implement numerous degrowth-approaching principles in their organization within our current economic system, while none of the organizations is seen as fully degrowth-conform. With our analysis we uncover significant tensions regarding growth-orientation and identify further needs for empirical and conceptual research.
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Keywords
Sustainable Degrowth, Corporate Organizations, Business Model, B Corps, Framework Development, Framework Application