How can scientists and engineers contribute to organisational sustainability reform?
ISSN: 1747-1117
Article publication date: 10 January 2020
Issue publication date: 10 January 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how research and development (R&D) scientists and engineers can contribute to sustainability initiatives in their organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a critical case study methodology, focussed on a large Vietnamese company in which business leaders sought to engage R&D scientists and engineers in sustainability initiatives focussed on eco-innovation and eco-efficiency. Bourdieu’s theoretical lens of habitus, capitals and field facilitates a relational analysis of the findings.
Findings
While R&D scientists and engineers adapted well to early changes aligned with eco-innovation, they struggled to engage with sustainability initiatives in the case firm. This study explains adaptions and constraints as scientists and engineers’ professional habitus and capitals, and their broader organisational field.
Practical implications
This paper provides insight into how organisations might integrate professional acculturation and appropriate facilitators to promote the additional contribution of scientists and engineers to sustainability initiatives in the context of an organisation.
Social implications
Although eco-innovation and eco-efficiency are only potential dimensions of comprehensive organisational sustainability reform, this research provides insight into how engaging scientists and engineers with a broader social sustainability agenda might be advanced.
Originality/value
The study addresses calls for empirical insights into ways that scientists and engineers can commit to organisational sustainability practices based on the configurations of habitus, capital and organisational field.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Retraction notice: The publishers of Social Responsibility Journal wish to retract the article “How can scientists and engineers contribute to organisational sustainability reform?” by Thinh Gia Hoang, Cuong Van Hoang, Nam Hai Vu, Giang Tinh Ngo Nguyen and Thanh Thi Huong Nguyen, which appeared in volume 16, issue 6, 2020.
It has come to our attention that a proportion of this article is based upon the following earlier article:
Egan, M. and Tweedie, D. (2018), “A “green” accountant is difficult to find: Can accountants contribute to sustainability management initiatives?”, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 1749-1773, https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-03-2017-2891.
The Social Responsibility Journal submission guidelines make it clear that articles must be original and must not infringe any existing copyright. The publishers of the journal sincerely apologize to the readers and original authors.
Citation
Gia Hoang, T., Hoang, C.V., Vu, N.H., Nguyen, G.T.N. and Nguyen, T.T.H. (2020), "How can scientists and engineers contribute to organisational sustainability reform?", Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 16 No. 6, pp. 827-841. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-10-2019-0360
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited