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How do Universities Make Progress? Stakeholder-Related Mechanisms Affecting Adoption of Sustainability in University Curricula

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  • Deborah de Lange

Abstract

This paper develops a theoretical model to explicate stakeholder-related mechanisms that affect university adoption of sustainability in curricula. This work combines stakeholder and institutional theories so as to extend both. By examining change in the university context wherein there is confusion about sustainability adoption, this research adds to previous institutional theory focusing on strongly contested practices, primarily in the for-profit firm setting. Sustainability is a transformational challenge and may be adopted reactively or proactively. Also, stakeholder theory is extended in a mixed profit and non-profit context. Propositions suggest how the extent of embeddedness affects an organizations’ selection of stakeholders, consequently affecting the type of adoption. This facilitates a greater understanding of why two competing definitions of stakeholders may operate. Moreover, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations are discussed as affecting adoption in different ways. A responsible leader organization is newly defined and intrinsic motivation is proposed as underlying its choice of the widest set of stakeholders leading to broad, proactive adoption. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

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  • Deborah de Lange, 2013. "How do Universities Make Progress? Stakeholder-Related Mechanisms Affecting Adoption of Sustainability in University Curricula," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 103-116, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:118:y:2013:i:1:p:103-116
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1577-y
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    3. Andrew Ronnie Mugenyi & Charles Karemera & Joshua Wesana & Michaël Dooms, 2022. "Institutionalization of Organizational Change Outcomes in Development Cooperation Projects: The Mediating Role of Internal Stakeholder Change-Related Beliefs," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Giorgio Mion & Angela Broglia & Angelo Bonfanti, 2019. "Do Codes of Ethics Reveal a University’s Commitment to Sustainable Development? Evidence from Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Rubén Ladrera & Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano & Iraima Verkaik & Narcís Prat & José Ramón Díez, 2020. "What Do Students Know about Rivers and Their Management? Analysis by Educational Stages and Territories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Walter Leal Filho & Kay Emblen-Perry & Petra Molthan-Hill & Mark Mifsud & Leendert Verhoef & Ulisses Miranda Azeiteiro & Paula Bacelar-Nicolau & Luiza Olim de Sousa & Paula Castro & Ali Beynaghi & Jen, 2019. "Implementing Innovation on Environmental Sustainability at Universities Around the World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Kim Ceulemans & Rodrigo Lozano & María Del Mar Alonso-Almeida, 2015. "Sustainability Reporting in Higher Education: Interconnecting the Reporting Process and Organisational Change Management for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-23, July.

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