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Making sense of sustainability work: A narrative approach

Author

Listed:
  • Tim Williams
  • Melissa Edwards
  • Tamsin Angus-Leppan
  • Suzanne Benn

Abstract

Corporate sustainability is a priority for organisations, but the nature of the enabling intra-organisational activities, processes and managerial agency is not well understood. In this study, we examine the activity and agency of corporate sustainability managers through a narrative approach and the novel theoretical lens of ‘sustainability work’: purposeful and strategic activities to shape the social-symbolic context such that social and environmental outcomes are prioritised. Analysing how individuals across a range of diverse organisations and industries frame their activity, we identify three overlapping and co-occurring broad subsets of sustainability work: goal-directed, other-directed and self-directed. Through our notion of sustainability work, we contribute by recasting managerial agency in the enabling of sustainability as occurring in the social-symbolic realm and highlighting the implications in both theory and practice for the professionalisation of sustainability. JEL Classification: M10, M14

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Williams & Melissa Edwards & Tamsin Angus-Leppan & Suzanne Benn, 2021. "Making sense of sustainability work: A narrative approach," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 46(4), pages 740-760, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ausman:v:46:y:2021:i:4:p:740-760
    DOI: 10.1177/0312896220978447
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    1. Cong Zhou & Weili Xia & Taiwen Feng & Jijiao Jiang, 2023. "Enabling environmental innovation via green supply chain integration: A perspective of information processing theory," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 48(2), pages 235-261, May.

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    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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