IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i14p7534-d589287.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Test of the Sustainability Vision Theory: Is It Practical?

Author

Listed:
  • Nijsiree Vongariyajit

    (Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership, College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

  • Sooksan Kantabutra

    (Center for Research on Sustainable Leadership, College of Management, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand)

Abstract

Since little is theoretically and empirically known about the characteristics of organizational visions that support corporate sustainability, the present study attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What are the characteristics of an organizational vision that promotes sustainability performance? (2) How does such a vision lead to corporate sustainability? The present study examines a Sustainability Vision theory by simulating a retail store environment that comprises Sustainability Vision, Vision Communication, Empowerment of Staff, Motivation of Staff, and Staff Satisfaction variables. A model expressing the relationships among these variables was quantitatively tested by using data from a sample of retail stores in the Bangkok Metropolitan area. Results revealed that visions characterized by brevity, clarity, future orientation, stability, challenges, abstractness and an ability to inspire, and which contain imageries about improving sales, leadership, and customer and staff satisfaction indirectly and directly predict improved store sustainability prospects via Staff Satisfaction. The vision realization variables of Vision Communication, Empowerment of Staff and Motivation of Staff also enhance the vision effects. The present study is among the first few reported studies which identifies vision characteristics supportive of corporate sustainability. It also contributes to the theoretical literature by endorsing the Sustainability Vision theory and offering some directions for further theoretical development. In terms of its contribution to policy and practice, the present study offers some important managerial implications for retail store managers as to how they should espouse a vision that improves the prospect of store sustainability performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Nijsiree Vongariyajit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "A Test of the Sustainability Vision Theory: Is It Practical?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7534-:d:589287
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7534/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/14/7534/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pornkasem Kantamara & Molraudee Saratun, 2017. "An analysis of CEO visions in Thailand," International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(1), pages 23-40.
    2. Richard L. Priem & Joseph Rosenstein, 2000. "Is Organization Theory Obvious to Practitioners? A Test of One Established Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(5), pages 509-524, October.
    3. Soma Chhotray & Olof Sivertsson & Joakim Tell, 2018. "The Roles of Leadership, Vision, and Empowerment in Born Global Companies," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 38-57, March.
    4. Juhani Ukko & Jussi Karhu & Sanna Pekkola, 2009. "Employees satisfied with performance measurement and rewards: is it even possible?," International Journal of Business Excellence, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(1), pages 1-15.
    5. Tai-Wei Chang & Fei-Fan Chen & Hua-Dong Luan & Yu-Shan Chen, 2019. "Effect of Green Organizational Identity, Green Shared Vision, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior for the Environment on Green Product Development Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-17, January.
    6. Bart Buelens & Joep Burger & Jan A. van den Brakel, 2018. "Comparing Inference Methods for Non‐probability Samples," International Statistical Review, International Statistical Institute, vol. 86(2), pages 322-343, August.
    7. Ahmad Karnama & Ricardo Vinuesa, 2020. "Organic Growth Theory for Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-10, October.
    8. Siti Nur Syahirah Mohd Adnan & Raju Valliappan, 2019. "Communicating shared vision and leadership styles towards enhancing performance," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 68(6), pages 1042-1056, March.
    9. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Achieving Corporate Sustainability: Toward a Practical Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-39, August.
    10. Ivar Krumpal, 2013. "Determinants of social desirability bias in sensitive surveys: a literature review," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 2025-2047, June.
    11. Kantabutra, Sooksan, 2011. "Examining store manager effects in consumer and staff satisfaction: Evidence from Thailand," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 46-57.
    12. Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2014. "Managing Corporate Sustainability and CSR: A Conceptual Framework Combining Values, Strategies and Instruments Contributing to Sustainable Development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(5), pages 258-271, September.
    13. Dorel Mihai Paraschiv & Estera Laura Nemoianu & Claudia Adriana Langă & Tünde Szabó, 2012. "Eco-innovation, Responsible Leadership and Organizational Change for Corporate Sustainability," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 14(32), pages 404-419, June.
    14. Priyanka Pathak & M.P. Singh & Gaurav Kumar Badhotiya, 2020. "Performance obstacles in sustainable manufacturing – model building and validation," Journal of Advances in Management Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(4), pages 549-566, June.
    15. Daan Stam & Robert G. Lord & Daan van Knippenberg & Barbara Wisse, 2014. "An Image of Who We Might Become: Vision Communication, Possible Selves, and Vision Pursuit," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(4), pages 1172-1194, August.
    16. Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2019. "Sustainable Social Enterprise Model: Relationships and Consequences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-39, July.
    17. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2020. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Warat Winit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Enhancing the Prospect of Corporate Sustainability via Brand Equity: A Stakeholder Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Xiaode Ji & Yanzhao Su & Yue Zhang & Hui Wang, 2023. "Making Our Firm More Sustainable: The Role of CEO Vision Communication of Sustainability on Sustainability Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    3. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2023. "What do We Know about Vision? A Sustainability Lens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-27, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2020. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    2. Xiaode Ji & Yanzhao Su & Yue Zhang & Hui Wang, 2023. "Making Our Firm More Sustainable: The Role of CEO Vision Communication of Sustainability on Sustainability Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    3. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2021. "Exploring Relationships among Sustainability Organizational Culture Components at a Leading Asian Industrial Conglomerate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-32, February.
    4. Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Toward a System Theory of Corporate Sustainability: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-27, November.
    5. Nikolai Brosch, 2023. "Corporate purpose: from a ‘Tower of Babel’ phenomenon towards construct clarity," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(4), pages 567-595, May.
    6. Warat Winit & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "Enhancing the Prospect of Corporate Sustainability via Brand Equity: A Stakeholder Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Phallapa Petison & Sooksan Kantabutra, 2022. "A Quest for a Sustainable Social Enterprise Model: The Case of Amphawa Chaipattananurak, the Kingdom of Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-31, December.
    8. Hee‐Chan Song, 2021. "Buddhist approach to corporate sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3040-3052, November.
    9. Thaís Vieira Nunhes & Merce Bernardo & Otávio José de Oliveira, 2020. "Rethinking the Way of Doing Business: A Reframe of Management Structures for Developing Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-32, February.
    10. Sooksan Kantabutra & Nuttasorn Ketprapakorn, 2021. "Toward an Organizational Theory of Resilience: An Interim Struggle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-28, November.
    11. Suparak Suriyankietkaew & Krittawit Krittayaruangroj & Nacharee Iamsawan, 2022. "Sustainable Leadership Practices and Competencies of SMEs for Sustainability and Resilience: A Community-Based Social Enterprise Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-36, May.
    12. Hee‐Chan Song, 2020. "Sufficiency economy philosophy: Buddhism‐based sustainability framework in Thailand," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2995-3005, December.
    13. Joanna Radomska, 2015. "The Concept of Sustainable Strategy Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(12), pages 1-10, November.
    14. Philip Hallinger, 2020. "Analyzing the intellectual structure of the Knowledge base on managing for sustainability, 1982–2019: A meta‐analysis," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1493-1506, September.
    15. Stam, D.A., 2019. "Leading for Innovation," ERIM Inaugural Address Series Research in Management 117229, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam..
    16. Schweizer, Lars & Patzelt, Holger, 2012. "Employee commitment in the post-acquisition integration process: The effect of integration speed and leadership," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 298-310.
    17. Fiaz Ahmad Sulehri & Saba Sharif, 2022. "The Impact of Firm Sustainability on Firm Growth: Evidence from USA," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 8(2), pages 1-15, August.
    18. Reeti Kulshrestha & Arunaditya Sahay & Subhanjan Sengupta, 2022. "Constituents and Drivers of Mission Engagement for Social Enterprise Sustainability: A Systematic Review," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(1), pages 90-120, March.
    19. Carter, Kealy & Jayachandran, Satish & Murdock, Mitchel R., 2021. "Building A Sustainable Shelf: The Role of Firm Sustainability Reputation," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 507-522.
    20. Jacqueline Fendt, 2013. "Lost in Translation? On Mind and Matter in Management Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(2), pages 21582440134, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7534-:d:589287. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.