Creating New Roles for a Sustainable Economy: Digitalization, Green Enterprises and Organizational Challenges

Commitment to sustainability and social responsibility goals will require the creation of new roles and entrepreneurial approaches. This contributed volume addresses the emerging roles of businesses, markets, approaches, and practices for a sustainable economy and asks the following questions: What new roles are existing businesses adopting in their practices in social responsibility and sustainability? How does the integration of sustainability and corporate social responsibility strategies and practices change the ways in which organizations operate? What types of markets are emerging for sustainable businesses? What is the role of social enterprises and non-profit organizations in shaping new roles and markets for a sustainable economy?
The volume is divided in three thematic sections. The first explores digitalization, green businesses and sustainable. The second considers the new roles for sustainability and their importance for SMEs and social entrepreneurship. Finally, the book ends with a reflection on the key organizational challenges for sustainable development, including how these might be addressed by academics and practitioners. This book will be relevant to students and scholars of organisation studies, corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship and digital business. Relevant to the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it will be of broader interest to anyone with an interest in sustainable development and the future of work.

Anna Sörensson is an Assistant Professor and Researcher at the Department of Economics, Geography, Law and Tourism at Mid Sweden University, Sweden. She has published articles and book chapters mainly within the field of marketing, tourism and sustainability. Her research interest is broad, and includes nature-based businesses, sustainable development and education.

Maria Bogren is an Associate Professor in Organization and Leadership at NORD University, Steinkjer, Norway, and Assistant Professor in Business Administration at Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden. She has published articles and book chapters mainly within the field of entrepreneurship, and lately also within marketing and sustainability. Her research interest includes women´s entrepreneurship, lifestyle entrepreneurs, social capital, networking and SMEs.

Georgiana Grigore is an Associate Professor in Marketing at University of Leicester, School of Business, UK. She is also chair of an annual international conference in ’Social Responsibility, Ethics and Sustainable Business’, which she co-founded in 2012. Her major area of research is in marketing and corporate responsibility concepts and practices, including changes that result from digital media. She has published widely in books and journals.

Alin Stancu is Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations in the Department of Marketing at The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. His main areas of research include: customer care, consumer experience, corporate responsibility and public relations. He is the co-founder of The International Conference on Social Responsibility, Ethics and Sustainable Business.

Anders Lundström is Professor Emeritus at Mid Sweden University, Sweden, and was one of the creators and Managing Director of the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF) and founder of the Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research in 1996. He has been president of ICSB (International Council of Small Business) and is now managing director of the Foundation of Innovative Policy Research (PREG).