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Social dimension of sustainability in retail: case studies of small and medium Brazilian supermarkets

Author

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  • Fábio Marques
  • Paulo Sérgio Miranda Mendonça
  • Charbel José Chiappetta Jabbour

Abstract

Purpose - The concept of sustainability is often viewed by organizational leaders as being abstract and difficult to apply in organizational reality. It is thus necessary to conduct more focused research to develop specific dimensions of the sustainability concept. In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the social dimension of sustainability among supermarkets in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach - Based on a literature review and the development of a framework of social business variables, the study examined which practices small and medium Brazilian supermarkets have adopted to promote the social dimension of sustainability. These companies were examined with the goal of relating the actions of each organization to their social performance. Findings - The study found that the Brazilian supermarkets in the sample group practise social responsibility focused on strict regulations and labor laws; these practices conformed with existing legislation but did not address the development of broader actions or social projects. The results show continuities and discontinuities in the adoption of social practices among organizations in order to meet the requirements of labor legislation. The authors found a lack of social projects and greater integration into the community in which each supermarket operates. Originality/value - The study contributes to research on social responsibility in retail, with a specifically Brazilian focus.

Suggested Citation

  • Fábio Marques & Paulo Sérgio Miranda Mendonça & Charbel José Chiappetta Jabbour, 2010. "Social dimension of sustainability in retail: case studies of small and medium Brazilian supermarkets," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(2), pages 237-251, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:srjpps:v:6:y:2010:i:2:p:237-251
    DOI: 10.1108/17471111011051748
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Katherine Trebeck, 2008. "Exploring the responsiveness of companies: corporate social responsibility to stakeholders," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 4(3), pages 349-365, August.
    2. J. Cunningham, 1997. "Case study principles for different types of cases," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 401-423, November.
    3. Sanjay Sharma & Audun Ruud, 2003. "On the path to sustainability: integrating social dimensions into the research and practice of environmental management," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(4), pages 205-214, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Dubey, Rameshwar & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Childe, Stephen J. & Papadopoulos, Thanos & Luo, Zongwei & Wamba, Samuel Fosso & Roubaud, David, 2019. "Can big data and predictive analytics improve social and environmental sustainability?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 534-545.
    2. Andreas Moursellas & Debashree De & Thomas Wurzer & Antonios Skouloudis & Gerald Reiner & Atanu Chaudhuri & Theodoros Manousidis & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Konstantinos Evangelinos & Prasanta Kumar D, 2023. "Sustainability Practices and Performance in European Small-and-Medium Enterprises: Insights from Multiple Case Studies," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 835-860, June.
    3. Reginald Masocha & Olawale Fatoki, 2018. "The Impact of Coercive Pressures on Sustainability Practices of Small Businesses in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-14, August.
    4. Mahdi Anbari Moghadam & Morteza Bagherpour & Seyed Farid Ghannadpour, 2024. "Sustainability assessment in construction projects: a sustainable earned value management model under uncertain and unreliable conditions," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 45-68, March.
    5. Reginald Masocha & Olawale Fatoki, 2018. "The Role of Mimicry Isomorphism in Sustainable Development Operationalisation by SMEs in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.

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