IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v180y2022i4d10.1007_s10551-022-05192-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-stakeholder Engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals: Introduction to the Special Issue

Author

Listed:
  • G. Abord-Hugon Nonet

    (Jönköping International Business School)

  • T. Gössling

    (KEDGE Business School)

  • R. Tulder

    (Rotterdam School of Management)

  • J. M. Bryson

    (University of Minnesota)

Abstract

The world is not on track to achieve Agenda 2030—the approach chosen in 2015 by all UN member states to engage multiple stakeholders for the common goal of sustainable development. The creation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) arguably offered a new take on sustainable development by adopting hybrid and principle-based governance approaches, where public, private, not for profit and knowledge-institutions were invited to engage around achieving common medium-term targets. Cross-sector partnerships and multi-stakeholder engagement for sustainability have consequently taken shape. But the call for collaboration has also come with fundamental challenges to meaningful engagement strategies—when private enterprises try to establish elaborate multi-stakeholder configurations. How can the purpose of businesses be mitigated through multi-stakeholder principle-based partnerships to effectively serve the purpose of a common sustainability agenda? In selecting nine scholarly contributions, this special issue aims at advancing this discourse. To stimulate further progress in business studies, this introductory essay, furthermore, identifies three pathways for research on multi-stakeholder engagement processes in support of the Decade of Action along three coupling lines: multi-sector alignment (relational coupling), operational perception alignment (cognitive coupling) and goal and strategic alignment (material coupling).

Suggested Citation

  • G. Abord-Hugon Nonet & T. Gössling & R. Tulder & J. M. Bryson, 2022. "Multi-stakeholder Engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals: Introduction to the Special Issue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 945-957, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:180:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05192-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-022-05192-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-022-05192-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-022-05192-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Utting & Ann Zammit, 2009. "United Nations-Business Partnerships: Good Intentions and Contradictory Agendas," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 90(1), pages 39-56, May.
    2. Lucia Gatti & Peter Seele & Lars Rademacher, 2019. "Grey zone in – greenwash out. A review of greenwashing research and implications for the voluntary-mandatory transition of CSR," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Stephen Fineman & Ken Clarke, 1996. "Green Stakeholders: Industry Interpretations And Response," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(6), pages 715-730, November.
    4. Rob Tulder & M. May Seitanidi & Andrew Crane & Stephen Brammer, 2016. "Enhancing the Impact of Cross-Sector Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Rob Tulder & Nienke Keen, 2018. "Capturing Collaborative Challenges: Designing Complexity-Sensitive Theories of Change for Cross-Sector Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(2), pages 315-332, June.
    6. Lucia Gatti & Babitha Vishwanath & Peter Seele & Bertil Cottier, 2019. "Are We Moving Beyond Voluntary CSR? Exploring Theoretical and Managerial Implications of Mandatory CSR Resulting from the New Indian Companies Act," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(4), pages 961-972, December.
    7. Uwe Gneiting & Ruth Mhlanga, 2021. "The partner myth: analysing the limitations of private sector contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals," Development in Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(7), pages 920-926, October.
    8. Noralv Veggeland, 2014. "A New Perspective on Management by Objectives and Results Business-Oriented Accounting in the Public Sector," Journal of Empirical Economics, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 2(1), pages 1-6.
    9. Reed, Darryl, 1999. "Stakeholder Management Theory: A Critical Theory Perspective," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 453-483, July.
    10. Abdulkarim Hasan Rashed & Afzal Shah, 2021. "The role of private sector in the implementation of sustainable development goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 2931-2948, March.
    11. Brian D. Christens & Paula Tran Inzeo, 2015. "Widening the view: situating collective impact among frameworks for community-led change," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 420-435, October.
    12. Peter Seele & Irina Lock, 2015. "Instrumental and/or Deliberative? A Typology of CSR Communication Tools," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 401-414, October.
    13. Miguel Soberón & Teresa Sánchez-Chaparro & Julia Urquijo & David Pereira, 2020. "Introducing an Organizational Perspective in SDG Implementation in the Public Sector in Spain: The Case of the Former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-20, November.
    14. Ivan Montiel & Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Junghoon Park & Raquel Antolín-López & Bryan W. Husted, 2021. "Implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(5), pages 999-1030, July.
    15. Wim Dubbink & Luc Liedekerke, 2014. "Grounding Positive Duties in Commercial Life," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(4), pages 527-539, April.
    16. John M Bryson, 2004. "What to do when Stakeholders matter," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 21-53, March.
    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. Imperiale, Francesca & Pizzi, Simone & Lippolis, Stella, 2023. "Sustainability reporting and ESG performance in the utilities sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Luminita Lazar & Laura Boicenco & Elena Pantea & Florin Timofte & Oana Vlas & Elena Bișinicu, 2024. "Modeling Dynamic Processes in the Black Sea Pelagic Habitat—Causal Connections between Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Two Climate Change Scenarios," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-26, February.
    3. repec:aif:journl:v:31:y:2024:i:1:p:64-75 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Yeboah, Samuel, 2023. "Navigating Sustainability: Unveiling Responsible Consumption and Production in Developing Economies for SDG 12 Achievement," MPRA Paper 118214, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 25 Jul 2023.
    5. Alan Bandeira Pinheiro & Gabriel Gusso Mazzo & Gabriele da Cunha Lopes & Manuel Castelo Branco, 2023. "A Bird’s Eye View: Uncovering the Impact of Stakeholder Pressure on Sustainable Development Goal Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-15, November.

    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. Paula Ungureanu, 2023. "Putting Space in Place. Multimodal Translation of the Grand Challenge of Regional Smart Specialization from Policy to Cross-sector Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(4), pages 895-915, May.
    2. Theresa Gehringer, 2020. "Corporate Foundations as Partnership Brokers in Supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    3. Jiawen Chen & Linlin Liu, 2020. "Eco-Efficiency and Private Firms’ Relationships with Heterogeneous Public Stakeholders in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Stella Pfisterer & Rob Van Tulder, 2020. "Navigating Governance Tensions to Enhance the Impact of Partnerships with the Private Sector for the SDGs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Hannah Jun & Minseok Kim, 2021. "From Stakeholder Communication to Engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Case Study of LG Electronics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Juelin Yin & Dima Jamali, 2021. "Collide or Collaborate: The Interplay of Competing Logics and Institutional Work in Cross-Sector Social Partnerships," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 673-694, April.
    7. Samuel Petros Sebhatu & Bo Enquist, 2022. "Values and Multi-stakeholder Dialog for Business Transformation in Light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 1059-1074, November.
    8. Radka MacGregor Pelikánová & Martin Hála, 2021. "CSR Unconscious Consumption by Generation Z in the COVID-19 Era—Responsible Heretics Not Paying CSR Bonus?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, August.
    9. Egle Jakunskiene, 2021. "Assessment of the Impact of Social Responsibility on Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.
    10. Wenjie Liu & Pursey P. M. A. R. Heugens, 2024. "Cross-sector collaborations in global supply chains as an opportunity structure: How NGOs promote corporate sustainability in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(4), pages 429-449, June.
    11. Anthony Alexander & Helen Walker & Izabela Delabre, 2022. "A Decision Theory Perspective on Wicked Problems, SDGs and Stakeholders: The Case of Deforestation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 975-995, November.
    12. Simona Fiandrino & Francesco Scarpa & Riccardo Torelli, 2022. "Fostering Social Impact Through Corporate Implementation of the SDGs: Transformative Mechanisms Towards Interconnectedness and Inclusiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 959-973, November.
    13. Leopoldo Gutierrez & Ivan Montiel & Jordi A. Surroca & Josep A. Tribo, 2022. "Rainbow Wash or Rainbow Revolution? Dynamic Stakeholder Engagement for SDG-Driven Responsible Innovation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(4), pages 1113-1136, November.
    14. Peter Seele & Mario D. Schultz, 2022. "From Greenwashing to Machinewashing: A Model and Future Directions Derived from Reasoning by Analogy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(4), pages 1063-1089, July.
    15. Camelia-Cristina Dragomir & Diana Foriş & Aurel Mihail Ţîţu & Tiberiu Foriş, 2020. "The Role of Intermediaries in Supporting Collaboration for Sustainability: A Model of Commissioning Intervention in the Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Territorial Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-16, August.
    16. Vestergaard, Anne & Langevang, Thilde & Morsing, Mette & Murphy, Luisa, 2021. "Partnerships for development. Assessing the impact potential of cross-sector partnerships," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    17. Hildegunn Mellesmo Aslaksen & Clare Hildebrandt & Hans Chr. Garmann Johnsen, 2021. "The long-term transformation of the concept of CSR: towards a more comprehensive emphasis on sustainability," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-14, December.
    18. José María Agudo-Valiente & Pilar Gargallo-Valero & Manuel Salvador-Figueras, 2019. "Perceptions of Final Beneficiaries about the Performance of Cross-sector Partnerships: A Case Study Applied to the 2008 Zaragoza International Exhibition on Water and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-20, July.
    19. Sietze Vellema & Greetje Schouten & Rob Van Tulder, 2020. "Partnering capacities for inclusive development in food provisioning," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(6), pages 710-727, November.
    20. Eva Daniela Cvik & Radka MacGregor Pelikánová, 2021. "The Significance of CSR During COVID-19 Pandemic in the Luxury Fashion Industry - A Front-Line Case Study," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 109-126.

    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:kap:jbuset:v:180:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05192-0. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.