Juan Carlos Sosa Varela

A Triple Bottom Line Dominant Logic for Business Sustainability: Framework and Empirical Findings

ABSTRACT Purpose: A limited number of studies have attempted to reveal the mechanism underlying integration amongst the economic, environmental, and social components of business sustainability (BS). BS refers to a company’s efforts to go beyond focusing only on profitability, also to manage its environmental, social, and broader economic impact on the marketplace and society as a whole. The research objective of this study is therefore to develop and test a framework of BS, based upon the triple bottom line (TBL) approach. Methodology/approach: Companies with more than 100 employees were identified to take part in the study. Respondents included executives in charge of BS initiatives, such as chief sustainability officers, sustainable business managers, and CEOs. Ultimately, 261 companies agreed to participate. Questionnaires (and an accompanying letter with survey details and contact information on the researchers) were sent to the targeted key informant in the company. A total of 110 usable questionnaires were returned, generating a final response rate of 42.1%. Findings: To assess the underlying pattern of dimensions and items of the BS framework, factor analyses were conducted. An initial factor analysis revealed 3 separate subframeworks of BS (economic, social, and environmental dimensions of the TBL-approach), all of which demonstrate satisfactory factor solutions. A second factor analysis iteration, containing all subframeworks of BS (i.e., 20 dimensions and 60 items) generated a total explained variance of 80%, although the factor loadings of 3 dimensions and their items merged with 3 other dimensions. The final factor solution generated a satisfactory 17-factor solution and explained 83% of the variance, indicating satisfactory convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity, as well as reliability of each dimension. Research implications: The study proposes a BS framework and concludes that the measurement metrics of the BS framework, which were developed and tested, are valid and reliable. Suggestions for applications, research limitations, and further research are provided. The BS framework may be used by companies to assess and monitor their sustainable business practices in the marketplace and society. The framework provides managerial structure and guidance in terms of the dimensions to be taken into consideration and also the items for measuring each of the dimensions of the BS framework in the market and society. The study is not without its limitations and further work is needed to verify the validity and reliability of the empirical findings of the BS framework across contexts and over time. As it stands, the investigation provides a foundation for further research, offering opportunities for updates, amendments, and refinements. Originality/value/contribution: A principal contribution of this study is the empirically developed and tested BS framework. It is based on the elements of the TBL approach, consisting of dimensions and measurement items. The BS framework and its hierarchical layers provide a structured contribution that assesses and monitors the managerial implementation of sustainable business practices and sustainable business models. Furthermore, the structural properties of the BS framework, in relation to contextual variables, provide additional research opportunities for the future.

Framing stakeholder considerations and business sustainability efforts: a construct, its dimensions and items

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: to determine the extent to which companies’™ efforts of sustainable business practices consider stakeholders within their organisations, business networks, the marketplace and society, and to develop and test a stakeholder construct in the context of companies’™ business sustainability efforts within their business networks, the marketplace and society by identifying underlying dimensions and items. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed-method approach was used. First, qualitative research involving a case study approach was followed so as to describe how companies in different industries in Norway implement and manage sustainable business practices. This was followed by a quantitative research phase to empirically measure and test a stakeholder construct in the context of business sustainability efforts, which is reported here. Findings – The results report both an initial factor solution as well as a refined factor solution. The factor analyses confirmed f...

Validating a framework of stakeholders in connection to business sustainability efforts in supply chains

Purpose The purpose of this study is two-fold: to determine the extent to which companies’ efforts aimed at sustainable business practices consider stakeholders in their organisations and business networks, the marketplace and society; and to validate or refute a stakeholder framework of business sustainability efforts within focal companies, the marketplace, society and business networks. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a questionnaire survey targeting large companies across industries and sectors in Spain. The sample consisted of 231 companies generating a useable response rate of 38.5 per cent. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on a cross-industry sample to test a five-dimensional framework. Findings This study reports on the validation of initial and refined factor solutions. The factor analysis confirmed five stakeholder dimensions related to business sustainability efforts of organisations, their business networks, marketplace and society. The validated results indicate satisfactory convergent, discriminant and nomological validity and reliability through time and across contexts. Research limitations/implications The stakeholder framework in connection with business sustainability efforts in supply chains consisting of five factors was validated: the focal company, downstream stakeholders, societal stakeholders, market stakeholders and upstream stakeholders. Suggestion for further research is provided. Practical implications The validated framework of stakeholders allows an insight into the environment in which stakeholders operate and how they influence the focal company. Originality/value The manuscript contributes to the validation of a stakeholder framework of business sustainability efforts within focal companies, their business networks, the marketplace and society. The measurement properties provide support for acceptable validity and reliability across contexts and through time.

Customers Service Experience in Hospitals: A Dip and SOS Construct of Negative Encounters

In order to keep a competitive advantage and to fullfill the needs of customers, service companies must offer favorable customer experiences and services. A service experience may be seen as a service process that creates customers’ cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses, resulting in a mental mark, a memory (Johnston and Clark, 2001). If the service experience is negative, the customers’ perceived justice influences complaint behaviors (Schoefer and Diamantopoulos, 2008), as well as their emotions and loyalty towards the firm (DeWitt et al., 2008).

Constituents of buyers’ satisfaction in Puerto Rican business relationships

The objective of this study is to examine how relational, transactional and resource-dependence relationship dimensions influence buyers’ non-economic satisfaction in Puerto Rican buyer-supplier relationships. The initial sampling frame comprises the 500 largest companies in Puerto Rico based upon revenue across multiple industries. Key informants on the buyer side were interviewed, using a mailed questionnaire. The response rate was 11%. A three step regression approach was conducted to analyse the results. The results indicate a high explanatory power of the tested dimensions affecting buyers’ satisfaction. The analysis yields support to the argument that trust, cooperation, continuity and formalisation relate positively, and opportunism negatively, to buyers’ non-economic satisfaction in Puerto Rican business relationships. This study of the constituents of buyers’ satisfaction makes a contribution to theory since it proposes important relationship dimensions and measurement instrument for the benefit of other researchers and practitioners in the field.

Developing a theory of focal company business sustainability efforts in connection with supply chain stakeholders

The purpose of this paper is to test the structural properties of a stakeholder research model of focal company business sustainability and the associated consideration of upstream, downstream, market and societal stakeholders.,Based on two industrial business samples in Norway and Spain, partial least squares– structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied to empirically test a research model consisting of five stakeholder constructs.,The model was tested in Norway and validated in Spain. An analysis of the path coefficients and levels of significance shows that all relationships in the research model were significant and meaningful.,This paper develops a model that explains and predicts company considerations of other stakeholders in the business sustainability efforts within supply chains (both upstream and downstream) and also beyond in the market and society.,The results of this study can guide companies in structuring, planning and implementing business sustainability in their supply chains, the marketplace and the society. It can also provide a foundation for monitoring and follow-up assessment of corporate decision-making.,This study contributes to supply chain management (SCM) and stakeholder theory to establish a framework for business sustainability with respect to company stakeholders in supply chains.

Validating the influence of stakeholders and sources when implementing business sustainability practices

The objective of this paper is to assess the role of stakeholders and sources that are present in organisations, as well as their marketplace, business networks and society at large, in situations where organisations implement sustainable business practices. A questionnaire was developed, based upon qualitative research conducted and amongst executives of Norwegian organisations who have implemented business sustainability practices. A total of 110 useable responses was collected. The results indicate that the majority of organisations have implemented comprehensive sustainable business practices to a large extent. The study also indicates consistency, as well as differences across stakeholders, namely that economic, social and environmental aspects are taken into consideration in organisational efforts at sustainable business practices. The work furthermore provides empirical substantiation of a two-dimensional framework of sources in business networks and a five-dimensional framework of stakeholders in the marketplace and society.

Stakeholder Considerations in Business Sustainability Efforts

The research objective of this study is to develop and test a stakeholder construct in the context of companies’ business sustainability efforts within their business networks, the marketplace and the society by identifying underlying dimensions and items. A mixed-method approach was used. Firstly, qualitative research involving a case study approach was followed so as to describe how companies in different industries in Norway implement and manage sustainable business practices. This was followed by a quantitative research phase to empirically measure and test a stakeholder construct in the context of business sustainability efforts, which is reported here. The results report both an initial factor solution as well as a refined factor solution. The factor analyses confirmed five stakeholder dimensions related to business sustainability in a cross-industry sample of organisations, their business networks, marketplace and society. These include (1) the focal company, (2) downstream stakeholders, (3) societal stakeholders, (4) market stakeholders and (5) upstream stakeholders. The results indicate satisfactory convergent, discriminant and nomological validity, as well as reliability of each dimension. The study provides a stakeholder construct in the context of business sustainability efforts in focal companies and their business networks, the marketplace and the society, based upon five common dimensions. The multidimensional framework may be used in both qualitative and quantitative research in the future. It may also be used to assess stakeholders’ business sustainability efforts. The study provides a general stakeholder construct in the context of business sustainability efforts in business networks, the marketplace and the society. The proposed framework can be incorporated in further studies and could be used to assess the general status of stakeholders’ sustainability efforts in their networks, the marketplace and the society.

Developing a Business Sustainability Framework Based Upon the Triple Bottom Line Approach

The research objective is to develop and test a business sustainability framework (BS-framework) consisting of economic, social, and environmental dimensions and items. This study follows a quantitative research process based upon the results of a 5-year qualitative research process. Companies employing more than 100 employees were identified to take part in this study. A sample of 261 Norwegian companies was selected, achieving a response rate of 40.6 %. An exploratory factor analysis generated a 17-factor solution out of 20 dimensions originally identified from the 5-year qualitative research process indicating satisfactory convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity, as well as reliability of each dimension. The study proposes a BS-framework, and it concludes that the measurement metrics of the BS-framework developed and tested are valid and reliable. Suggestions for applications, research limitations, and further research are provided. The BS-framework is a second-order construct that companies may use to assess and monitor their sustainable business practices in the marketplace and society. It provides managerial structure and guidance in terms of the dimensions to be taken into consideration and also the items to measure each one of the dimensions of the BS-framework in the market and society. A principal contribution of this research is the empirically developed and tested BS-framework (a second-order construct), uniquely consisting of economic, social, and environmental dimensions and items. The BS-framework is furthermore based upon a first-order construct of the triple bottom line approach.

Negative emotions in Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish hospitals: A multinational assessment of service settings

Purpose – This paper aims to assess negative emotions in Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish service settings in the hospital industry. The paper also attempts to validate previous findings in existing theory and previous studies across three national samples and describes the similarities and differences in negative emotions between Mexican, Puerto Rican and Spanish service settings. Design/methodology/approach – The current study comprised Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Spaniards who experienced a service failure (i.e. critical incident) in hospital settings within the past year. A descriptive research design was followed, and a self-administered questionnaire was applied to gather the data from respondents. Findings – The three-dimensional construct of negative emotions commonly identified in existing theory and previous studies of negative emotions turned out to be four in the current multinational study. Research limitations/implications – The four-dimensional construct of negative emotions thus revealed ...