Strategic Business Environment Sustainability - Assignment Example

Reflective Writing on Strategic Business Environment Sustainability Table of Contents Introduction 3 3 Feelings 4 Evaluation 6 Analysis 6General Conclusion 7 7 Specific Conclusion 8 References 10 Introduction The assignment is based on the notion of strategic business environment sustainability which I have experienced and learnt during my course. In this essay, I would reveal about the problem of environmental sustainability and role of business organisations to preserve it. The objective of the assignment is to demonstrate my experience on sustainable development. I have included the perspectives of different authors about sustainable development and also put my individual feelings about the subject after reviewing different viewpoints. In the assignment, I have made a brief examination about the actual picture regarding the consequence of present industrial activities on environment degradation and also made value judgements about preserving ecology. Description Before embarking upon this assignment, I had limited understanding about the term ‘sustainability’. However, after attending the lecture classes, I have realised that there are several aspects about sustainability, regarding which I was completely unaware. I had narrow perspective about sustainable development. I had a thought that sustainable development provides people and organisations the capability to support the environment in such a way so that they can end their reliance on sustaining profitability. However, sustainability, in broad perspective restricts the description to social aspects and partially financial aspects. Traditionally, I did not acknowledge sustainability as a serious problem. The assignment has provided me the knowledge about how significant is the issue of environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, in order to uphold environmental sustainability in business, a change is required in operational procedures. The term ‘sustainable development’ has been described from different perspectives. In general, it can be stated that sustainable development is a procedure through which we can ensure a sustainable future. Sustainable development is vital for all because it comprises social and economic along with environmental components which can protect the environment for the sake of entire human race (Natural Resources Canada, 2010). Gladwin & et. al., (1995) described that sustainable development is the procedure of accomplishing improvement in a comprehensive, associated, reasonable, judicious and protected way. Sustainability has also been defined as acting within the balance of natural environment and utilising natural resources at such a rate in which they can recover within minimal time. From business perspective, sustainability denotes fulfilling present organisational requirements, social wellbeing without sacrificing the capability to create worth and satisfy the requirements of stakeholders. Thus, considering different perspectives of sustainability, I can describe it as the concept of balancing the natural resources on the basis of recuperate rate. On the basis of the understanding of core scientific theories, I have come to learn that human race is the only species in the world which presently lives unsustainably. From the study of Borland & Paliwoda (2011), I have learnt that there are six major drivers of international unsustainability which are extreme population growth, excessive power consumption, constant destruction of natural environment and resources, massive establishment of human organisations, ineffective human thinking and a lack of idea regarding sustainability. Feelings Internally I feel that our individual attitudes towards the natural environment have caused the tragedy about unsustainability of human race. I believe that in present days, humans are acting greedily for fulfilling their personal interests without caring about the consequences or implications of their actions on the entire planet. If every person acts according to their self-welfare, without recognising the big outcome, it will definitely have a negative impact on the society and the world as a whole. A lack of planning and foresight amid people, government and organisations internationally is leading towards tragic consequences which will threaten the future generation (Thatchenkery & et. al., 2010). In a nutshell, it can be said that the ecosystem can manage certain level of human interference due to several activities such as industrialisation or farming, but after that certain limit the ecosystem can no longer sustain human interference. From this limit, ecosystem starts to degrade and destroy. Due to constant pursue of self-interests, humans have crossed this limit where ecosystem can no longer support humans’ anti-environmental activities. Considering the increasing global environmental problems, I feel that human beings are reaching towards a population explosion at an international extent. We are exploiting the natural resources in unsustainable way and simultaneously polluting the entire natural environment. Thus, through our own illogical actions, we are abating the ability of environment to restore it-self (Winter & Koger, 2004). We have permitted ourselves for living luxurious lifestyle which has resulted in creating despair about the future of human race along with other species of the world. I believe that the responsibility of ensuring a sustainable future lies on us, particularly the business organisations. Obviously, the governmental policies along with the consumption structure of people must shift towards ascertaining sustainability in order to gain success. Then again, business organisations have large roles to play for guiding people towards following sustainable behaviours (Hart, 1996). Our activities will determine the type of world our future generation will enjoy. Balancing the environment and the economy is vital for our survival and we need to perform in order to accomplish this balance. Evaluation This assignment has provided me a good experience about how sustainability can be accomplished. Since, humans are dominant species in the world, only they can make effective decisions regarding how to interact with each other and work for maintaining environmental sustainability. The success of environmental sustainability relies on the accurateness of psychological procedure we will apply for making effective choices. Elkington (1997) stated that an organisation can only be termed as sustainable if it supports the economic, social and environmental advantages. Analysis Nowadays, the biggest danger to sustainability is the world’s renewable resources since they are over consumed. The use of natural resources (such as water and tree) is being pressed beyond the limits. Today, only few organisations have implemented sustainability seriously into business strategies. Therefore, from my personal experiences, I can tell that accomplishing sustainability requires organisations to judge about their contribution in the degradation of ecology. In this way, organisations can develop strategies by concentrating on sustainability. Strategies such as pollution prevention, waste reduction and the application of clean technology among others can make an organisation to move towards sustainable development. However, there is a requirement for providing guidance about those activities (Stead & et. al., 2004). During the course of the assignment, I have found that there are two types of macro business strategies which can be implemented by organisations as a part of sustainable practices namely transitional strategies and transformational strategies. Transitional strategies are recognised by four activities which are commonly known as 4R’s (reduce, recycle, reuse and regulate). Businesses which use transitional strategies attempt to minimise the negative consequence of commercial activities on the natural environment. On the other hand, transformational strategies are subject to the removal of waste from being inserted in the natural environment. Businesses which apply these strategies continually recycle the raw materials. Thus, through the study, I have learnt that transitional strategies are only temporary solutions to the problems faced by natural environment. These strategies are only used for delaying the procedure of environmental destruction. Hence, I believe that organisations must follow transformational strategies in order to sustain the ecosystem. Prevention of pollution and utilisation of clean & eco-friendly technologies are a few of the transformational strategies that can assist an organisation towards obtaining sustainable development (Haynes & et. al., 2012). It is a fact that nature acts in favour of environment where industry acts against environment. Thus, unless we learn to utilise the nature’s system in our favour, we cannot bring sustainable development. Therefore, in order to save our future, we need to perform in favour of environment, for instance, effectively deal with the waste, develop communities with such materials that can be recycled and utilise minimum level of energy and natural resources (Peattie & Belz, 2009). General Conclusion By undertaking this assignment, it has helped me in a lot of ways for understanding the reality in which we are living and the possible outcomes we can experience if we do not change our way of life. Previously, I had inadequate knowledge about the comprehensiveness of this subject. However, completing this assignment has assisted me to learn that sustainability has great significance for securing the future of the world and thus, people and organisations must make strategic decisions on the basis of environment sustainability. The assignment has generated several questions in my mind such as how can the consumable products and the entire business system become sustainable? How can we satisfy the growing requirements of natural resources and energy without hampering the environment? How the upcoming problems of environment destruction can be prevented without compromising the economic progress? Thus, when businesses and industries address these issues while undertaking any commercial decisions, it can generate real advantages and opportunities for people. Organisations which deeply respect the environment can only bring about sustainable development (Korhonen, 2001). Specific Conclusion From the study, I have come to the conclusion that in order to accomplish sustainability, first we need to reduce the excessive growth of population which can eventually help to minimise the level of consumption as well as pollution. Furthermore, we also require changing the system of creating and acquiring wealth. In order to ensure sustainability, varied pertinent technologies must be developed in such a way so that they can manage the population explosion or growth and consequently do not hamper the nature. Considering the importance of sustainable business practices, I will attempt to change the approach of working. I will follow more positive methods of operating business which can support the future of humanity. The assignment provided me an idea that in order to change the approach of working there is a requirement for changing the preferences of people towards selecting products or services. People must be educated in such a way so that their selection of products and services becomes in favour of sustainability. In this context, it can be stated that in spite of being marketers of products or services, organisations can act as educators to convince people to act in a sustainable way while making respective decisions. References Borland, H. & Paliwoda, S., 2011. Marketing Responsibility in an Era of Economic and Climatic Challenge. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 49-62. Elkington, J., 1997. Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Capstone. Gladwin, T. J. & et. al., 1995. Shifting Paradigms for Sustainable Development: Implications for Management Theory and Research. Academy of Management Review, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 874-907. Hart, S. L., 1996. Beyond Greening: Strategies for a Sustainable World. Harvard Business Review, pp. 67-76. Haynes, K. & et. al., 2012. Corporate Social Responsibility: A Research Handbook. Routledge. Korhonen, J., 2001. Four Ecosystem Principles for an Industrial Ecosystem. Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 9, pp. 253-259. Natural Resources Canada, 2010. Sustainable Development Strategy 2006: Discussion Paper for Consultation. Sustainable Development. [Online] Available at: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sustainable-development/consultation-documents/2312 [Accessed March 07, 2013]. Peattie, K. & Belz, F. M., 2009. Sustainability Marketing: A Global Perspective. Wiley and Sons. Stead, W. E. & et. al., 2004. Sustainable Strategic Management. M. E. Sharpe. Thatchenkery, T. & et. al., 2010. Positive Design 1and Appreciative Construction: From Sustainable Development to Sustainable Value. Advances in Appreciative Inquiry, Vol. 3, pp. 1-14. Winter, D. D. N. & Koger, S. M., 2004. The Psychology of Environmental Problems. Routledge. Read More