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The Resilience of a Sustainability Entrepreneur in the Swedish Food System

Author

Listed:
  • Markus Larsson

    (Division of Environmental Strategies Research (fms), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Rebecka Milestad

    (Division of Environmental Strategies Research (fms), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Thomas Hahn

    (Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Jacob Von Oelreich

    (Division of Environmental Strategies Research (fms), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Organizational resilience emphasizes the adaptive capacity for renewal after crisis. This paper explores the sustainability and resilience of a not-for-profit firm that claims to contribute to sustainable development of the food system. We used semi-structured interviews and Holling’s adaptive cycle as a heuristic device to assess what constitutes social and sustainable entrepreneurship in this case, and we discuss the determinants of organizational resilience. The business, Biodynamiska Produkter (BP), has experienced periods of growth, conservation and rapid decline in demand, followed by periods of re-organization. Our results suggest that BP, with its social mission and focus on organic food, meets the criteria of both a social and sustainability entrepreneurial organization. BP also exhibits criteria for organizational resilience: two major crises in the 1970s and late 1990s were met by re-organization (transformation) and novel market innovations (adaptations). BP has promoted the organic food sector in Sweden, but not profited from this. In this case study, resilience has enhanced sustainability in general, but trade-offs were also identified. The emphasis on trust, local identity, social objectives and slow decisions may have impeded both economic performance and new adaptations. Since the successful innovation Ekolådan in 2003, crises have been met by consolidation rather than new innovations.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Larsson & Rebecka Milestad & Thomas Hahn & Jacob Von Oelreich, 2016. "The Resilience of a Sustainability Entrepreneur in the Swedish Food System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:6:p:550-:d:71851
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hebinck, Aniek & Selomane, Odirilwe & Veen, Esther & de Vrieze, Anke & Hasnain, Saher & Sellberg, My & Sovová, Lucie & Thompson, Kyle & Vervoort, Joost & Wood, Amanda, 2020. "Exploring the transformative potential of urban food: a future research agenda," SocArXiv 4k6dh, Center for Open Science.
    3. Ana-Maria Zamfir & Cristina Mocanu & Adriana Grigorescu, 2018. "Resilient Entrepreneurship among European Higher Education Graduates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-24, July.
    4. Riccardo Santoni, 2023. "Integrated Reporting come sistema manageriale per raggiungere obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile: una verifica empirica," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2023(1), pages 43-68.
    5. Shanshan Dai & Qingming Cui & Honggang Xu, 2018. "The Resilience Capabilities of Yumcha Restaurants in Shaping the Sustainability of Yumcha Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    6. Adrian Micu & Angela-Eliza Micu & Alexandru Capatina & Nicoleta Cristache & Bogdan George Dragan, 2018. "Market Intelligence Precursors for the Entrepreneurial Resilience Approach: The Case of the Romanian Eco-Label Product Retailers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, January.
    7. Irene Daskalopoulou & Athanasia Karakitsiou & Zafeirios Thomakis, 2023. "Social Entrepreneurship and Social Capital: A Review of Impact Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, March.

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