Sources of information for Organizations and the Natural Environment Research

With the growing power of Big Data analytical tools, new opportunities to analyze relationships related to sustainability and CSR appears. However, to correctly apply these new generations of quantitative methodologies we need accurately measures of the concepts we want to analyze. One of the big challenges in sustainability studies is how to define and measure the concept. Many authors argue that organizational ‘accounts of sustainability’ (mainly in the form of corporate environmental and social reports) have little if anything to do with sustainability (Gray, 2006; Gray and Milne, 2004; Milne et al., 2008, 2009). Measuring CSR practices are possibly more feasible, although, as in the case of sustainability, have the important challenges as its multidimensionality.

We aim to help O&NE scholars navigate these problems during their research projects providing a number of reliable and rich tools and sources of data and discussing the pros and cons of big data and other novel techniques.

The PDW will be divided in three parts. For the first part, we have invited a number of experts on each database that will shortly describe its strengths and limitations. Then, we will debate the ability of these databases to properly measure O&NE associated concepts (temporality, environmental proactivity scales, multidimensionality, etc.) and potential solutions for the problems found. Finally, we will discuss the potential of Big Data to contribute to the progress of O&NE research. We will also identify the most usable tools techniques to take advantage of this resource.

Organisers:

  • Natalia Ortiz-de-Mandojana (nortiz@ugr.es). University of  Granada.
  • Miguel Pérez-Valls (mivalls@ual.es). University of Almería.

Increasing your research impact through social media

While peer reviewed journals and teaching remain fundamental components of attaining impact from your research, a growing number of other avenues are emerging which can increase the exposure of your work. Importantly, these social media platforms provide an opportunity to bridge the often argued gap between academia, policy, practice and the public.

The session will cover LinkedIn, Researchgate, Twitter, personal websites and more, showing how you can use each to achieve your desired research impact. Run as an interactive session, you will be given the opportunity to register for at least one social media platform and be given guidance on how to use a number of platforms to ensure you leave with the capabilities required to increase your research impact immediately.

Organiser:

  • Cristyn Meath (c.meath@business.uq.edu.au). The University of Queensland

Sustainable Growth & Sustainable Supply Chain Sandpit

The last decade has seen alternative trajectories of sustainable growth emerging within sustainable development literature, most noticeable de-growth, green growth and inclusive growth. Besides, the importance of UN sustainable development agenda is gaining attention through the SDGs, which opens the debate on how current theory and research responds to SDGs in sustainable supply chain management literature. This offers diverse perspectives such as the drivers for SDGs, the ways of interpreting and engage with them, and the methodological approaches to developing the studies.

This PDW will explore overlaps and tensions within these two main perspectives. On the one hand, the 3 growth trajectories, discussing to what extent they can be reconciled into a critical Green and Inclusive Growth perspective and further explore opportunities for ONE scholars to collaborate in the development of a research agenda and funding projects. On the other hand, discussing the importance of SDGs in supply chain management research and exploring new conceptual and methodological avenues for investigation

The PDW aims to identify topic areas for management scholarship in the alternative trajectories. It will take the shape of a research sandpit.

Sandpits are intensive discussion forums where freethinking is encouraged, and no ideas, comments or potential solutions are discounted. Researchers at all career stages are invited to attend. At the sandpit, attendees can either join in the discussion or pitch a project idea. The discussion format will support researchers in gaining crucial feedback on their ideas, building links to collaborators for joint papers and identifying funding streams for collaborative projects. Sandpits are being tested as a way to enable the research community to support its researchers with the difficult task of developing strong funding bids or high-quality papers from initial thoughts and ideas. The event is open for researchers to pitch fledgling research ideas at an early stage in order to take on board comments and feedback at the start of a research process in the spirit of co-production.

Discussants:

  • Diego A. Vazquez-Brust, University of Postmouth
  • Frances Bowen, Queen Mary University of London
  • Joseph Sarkis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Minna Halme,Aalto University Business School
  • Jorge Tarifa Fernandez, University of Almeria
  • Belen Payán-Sánchez, University of Almería

Sustainability in Management Education (SiME) – Impacts and Outcomes of Integration

This 2018 Professional Development Workshop (PDW) aims to advance in the research and understanding of Sustainability in Management Education (SiME) along five dimensions of inquiry: 1) Incorporating stakeholder sustainability needs and value into sustainability education and practice, 2) Sustainability education and practice through time and space, 3) Sustainability education and practice methods and processes, 4) comparing traditional/professionalization views vs. radical/transformation sustainability education perspectives, and 5) Leading and inspiring sustainability education and practice innovation and societal change.  In particular, we focus on the question of measuring the impact of integrating sustainability in management education. To this end, we have designed this PDW with an on-going research, collaboration, and development framework in mind, and are inviting the GRONEN community to join us on this journey.  Welcoming researchers, teachers, and practitioners to join this discussion, we will integrate new conversations, and take part of a promising networking, research and cross-collaborativeplatform. We plan to facilitate new knowledge and developments in SiME, a high quality learning and interactive experience, and propose an on-going evaluation framework for SiME integration.  ​

co-chairs:

  • Jorge A. Arevalo, Ph.D., William Paterson University
  • Shelley F. Mitchell, Ph.D., Hult International Business School

Distinguished Guest Speaker:

  • Gordon Rands

Discussants: 

  • Ivan Montiel – Baruch College (CUNY)
  • Raquel Antolin Lopez – University of Almeria
  • Peter Gallo – Creighton University
  • Javier Delgado Ceballos – University of Granada

Publishing O&NE papers in top-tier journals

One of the goals of this GRONEN edition is to increase quality and impact of O&NE research as a means to inform academics and practitioners about how to address urgent environmental problems.
This workshop will be structured as a round table in which scholars experienced in dealing with the ups and downs of top-journal publication process will provide their advice and expertise. Based on the well-known AMJ papers series “How to publish in AMJ”, participants will unveil what they know about several key issues, including: how to set the “hook” in the introduction, hypothesis justification, theory elaboration, research design, or crafting a compelling methods and results section.
The goal of the PDW is to help to progress quality in our field and help scholars to address questions such as: What issues related to the natural environment may become mainstream topics? How can we better contribute to new, emerging theoretical approaches? How can we reach greater levels of theoretical rigor in O&NE research?

Discussants:

  • Mike Russo. University of Oregon
  • Luis Diestre. IE Business School
  • Mª José Montes-Sancho. Carlos III University
  • Alfred Marcus. University of Minnesota
  • Frances Bowen, Queen Mary University of London
  • Sanjay Sharma. University of Vermont