How a Common Good–Oriented Company Goes Green: The Gift Economy as a Driver of Ecological Transition

In the civil economy, and even more so in the gift economy, the logic of giving can find its place in economic activity itself. It is well established that giving can support social and ecological actions, but the question remains as to how it can support an organization's ecological transition. Based on a qualitative investigation within a South Korean gift economy organization, our study reveals that ecological awareness-raising or training, support for ecological actors, and efforts to reduce waste and emissions are all more effective when they are experienced as opportunities to practice the logic of giving and to strengthen social ties. We also highlight four characteristics of the ecological transition based on the logic of giving: ecological giving as a choice for entrepreneurs and managers, the practice of ecological giving by all, the cascading of ecological gifts, and the synergy between social and ecological giving. Finally, our study identifies the specific tensions inherent in this ecological response and also shows how, in a collectivist culture, economic actors confront these tensions by focusing on the benefits of collective action.