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From Viability to Sustainability: The Contribution of the Viable Systems Approach (VSA)

Author

Listed:
  • Vincenzo Formisano

    (Department of Economics and Law, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via S. Angelo—Folcara, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Bernardino Quattrociocchi

    (Department of Management, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Roma, Italy)

  • Maria Fedele

    (Department of Economics and Law, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via S. Angelo—Folcara, 03043 Cassino, Italy)

  • Mario Calabrese

    (Department of Management, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161 Roma, Italy)

Abstract

The current dynamics of business systems require new ways of conceiving the role of single entities. On this basis, a complex of interactions between the company and the reference context must be activated to guarantee survival dynamics. From these considerations re-emerge the ideas of Peccei (2013) and King (2013) that recognise in the systemic thought the foundations for a sustainable society. The present study derives from these considerations, and aims at contributing to the advancement of the knowledge necessary to overcome the challenges in the sustainability field. The methodological approach, albeit heuristic, can be traced back to the positive scientific and constructivist method. The results of the study showed the prevalence of qualitative and subjective techniques, accompanied by the so-called inductive method, testifying to the intense interaction between the scholar and the object investigated. With regard to future research, it would be interesting to construct a flexible, scalable and extensible model to recover both a database and an ontology for the theoretical framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Vincenzo Formisano & Bernardino Quattrociocchi & Maria Fedele & Mario Calabrese, 2018. "From Viability to Sustainability: The Contribution of the Viable Systems Approach (VSA)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:725-:d:135035
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Anna Żelazna & Matylda Bojar & Ewa Bojar, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility towards the Environment in Lublin Region, Poland: A Comparative Study of 2009 and 2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-13, June.

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