Special section: new perspectives on sustainability. Introduction

Sustainability has become increasingly important in research, policy and organizational strategies since the 1980s (Pope et al., 2004). Today, many activities in different sectors and in countries all over the world are striving for sustainability, and corresponding research programs have been launched. An important characteristic is the broad interpretation of the sustainability concept and the aim to integrate different domains: energy resources, water, economic development, health, lifestyle, etc. (Kajikawa, 2008). The emphasis is on the balance between the economy, society and the environment (Komiyama and Takeuchi, 2006). This special issue is composed to provide some additional insights into the frameworks and findings based on this broad view. It highlights need for new research approaches in terms of both methodology and conceptual clarifications, and it highlights need for practical activities among both businesses and public organizations. A core message is that the development of sustainability should not be considered one-sidedly from the technological perspective, but services and social issues are tightly linked to the whole.