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Corporate Sustainability Strategies and Decision Support Methods: A Bibliometric Analysis

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  • Fotis Kitsios

    (Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia st., 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Maria Kamariotou

    (Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia st., 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Michael A. Talias

    (Healthcare Management Postgraduate Program, Open University Cyprus, P.O. Box 12794, Nicosia 2252, Cyprus)

Abstract

Sustainability is becoming an increasing issue for decision-makers and scholars worldwide and many managers understand the significance of the strategic approach of corporate sustainability. However, they face difficulties in aligning sustainable development and strategic management as well as to implement it in practice. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a bibliometric analysis exploring the integration of strategic management, decision-making and corporate sustainability, providing a framework of interrelated issues according to the current literature in this area. 72 peer-reviewed papers were analyzed based on Webster’s and Watson’s (2002) methodology. The results of this review revealed that the number of publications in this domain has increased in the last decade, and there is a need to foster research (especially empirical) in this field because managers should find out ways to implement, in action, corporate sustainability strategies and integrate their action plans with their business strategy. This review concludes with a framework that includes the most commonly addressed issues of this topic and provides opportunities and challenges for further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Fotis Kitsios & Maria Kamariotou & Michael A. Talias, 2020. "Corporate Sustainability Strategies and Decision Support Methods: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:521-:d:307136
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    References listed on IDEAS

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