The corporate appropriation of sufficiency: driving forces and degrees of appropriation[L’appropriation de la sobriété par les entreprises : forces en tension et degrés d’appropriation]

This paper explores the appropriation of the concept of sufficiency (sobriété) in a corporate context. We selected a qualitative exploratory approach through the collection of primary and secondary data on companies demonstrating sufficiency practices. The analysis of this data using force field theory (Burnes & Cooke, 2013) and appropriation theory (Vaujany, 2006) revealed a process of arbitration between forces that encourage and discourage the deployment of sufficiency in companies. This trade-off leads to three different degrees of appropriation: elementary, experimental and systemic. Elementary appropriation reflects a defensive position motivated by compliance with regulations, risk management and competitiveness, resulting in minimal integration; sobriety is then perceived as a constraint. Experimental appropriation sees sufficiency as a gradual change and a market opportunity, driven by changing demand and personal values, through pilot projects. Systemic appropriation reflects a profound, values-driven transformation of the entire organisation, where sufficiency becomes a guiding principle. For each level of appropriation, we present the corresponding modalities of deployment, highlighting the management tools that can help overcome the obstacles to scaling up sufficiency in a strong circularity approach.