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New Challenges for Sustainable Organizations in Light of Agenda 2030 for Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 38718

Special Issue Editors

Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Via Marengo, 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: renewable energy; investment analysis; project financing; public–private partnership; Islamic finance; agricultural economics; circular economy; corporate social responsibility; productivity analysis; organizational models; digital innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei, 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: economic statistics; spatial statistics; spatial econometrics; business statistics; analysis of economic-financial data of companies; analysis of professional needs
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei, 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: supply chain; eco-efficiency; technical performance; food and beverage; logistics; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei, 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: forecasting; econometrics; economic growth; regional economics; big data
Department of Economics, Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
Interests: consumer behavior; social innovation; ethical consumer; open innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Economics, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo, Via delle Scienze, Ed. 13, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: systemic thinking; management; marketing; viable systems; cybernetics; systemic approaches to marketing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Special Issue is to explore new findings and approaches associated with sustainable culture in light of Agenda 2030 for sustainability, thus extending and developing previous academic and managerial knowledge. We encourage submissions investigating—but not limited to—the development and application of innovative and sustainable territorial and organizational models both in profit and nonprofit organizations. We also welcome articles that address ethical, legal, technical, territorial, and organizational aspects to support sustainability both inside and outside the organization. We will favor studies that are novel and applicable, capture best practices, and reflect the state-of-the-art. Papers selected for this Special Issue will be subject to peer review, with the goal of a rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

Prof. Donato Morea
Prof. Andrea Mazzitelli
Prof. Elisa Gebennini
Prof. Maria Simona Andreano
Prof. Gianpaolo Basile
Prof. Gandolfo Dominici
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Organizational systems
  • Organizational and business ecosystems
  • Information and communication technology for organizations
  • Smart cities
  • Energy policy
  • Political governance
  • interactions governance
  • Knowledge management
  • Stakeholders management
  • Business sustainability
  • Sustainable environment
  • Corporate social responsibility
  • Destination management
  • Marketing and communication
  • Public administration
  • Healthcare

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 171 KiB  
Editorial
New Challenges for Sustainable Organizations in Light of Agenda 2030 for Sustainability
by Donato Morea, Elisa Gebennini, Andrea Mazzitelli, Maria Simona Andreano, Gianpaolo Basile and Gandolfo Dominici
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13041717 - 05 Feb 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1584
Abstract
Sustainability is one of humanity’s most daunting issues at present [...] Full article

Research

Jump to: Editorial

17 pages, 1738 KiB  
Article
Economic Convergence in EU NUTS 3 Regions: A Spatial Econometric Perspective
by Paolo Postiglione, Alfredo Cartone and Domenica Panzera
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176717 - 19 Aug 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3809
Abstract
The topic of economic convergence is still crucial in the European Union (EU) as promoting regional growth and the reduction of disparities remains a key objective. In this paper we investigate development and economic growth across EU regions. Particular attention is given to [...] Read more.
The topic of economic convergence is still crucial in the European Union (EU) as promoting regional growth and the reduction of disparities remains a key objective. In this paper we investigate development and economic growth across EU regions. Particular attention is given to σ-convergence and β-convergence. These analyses are carried out for regional units corresponding to the third level of the NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) classification. Focusing on a refined geographical scale could offer a detailed picture of the regional growth dynamics within the EU. Additionally, we use a spatial augmented version of the conditional β-convergence model to take into account the spatial interdependencies among regions. Findings shed light on the impact of spatial interaction effects and on the need of territorial policies to achieve convergence in the EU. This aspect highlights how coordinating the regional development policies between regions is pivotal to achieve economic, as well as social and political stability within the EU. Full article
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29 pages, 2523 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Climate between Working Excellence and Organizational Innovation: What Comes First?
by Isabella Bonacci, Andrea Mazzitelli and Donato Morea
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3340; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083340 - 20 Apr 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3190
Abstract
This research introduces a new concept of organizational climate, seen as a "mediator", namely a factor liable to produce positive effects on both individual performances and on work processes and relations, thereby creating a favorable relationship between work excellence and organizational innovation. Health [...] Read more.
This research introduces a new concept of organizational climate, seen as a "mediator", namely a factor liable to produce positive effects on both individual performances and on work processes and relations, thereby creating a favorable relationship between work excellence and organizational innovation. Health systems have been called to promote sustainability, as actors who work for the health and well-being of their patients. Starting from these considerations, this work shows the main results of a longitudinal study conducted in the pediatric department of a large hospital in southern Italy, for a period of three years (May 2014–May 2017). The reference survey was very broad because in the first step of the research a general questionnaire was adopted which included various aspects. Subsequently, the analysis of the influence of the “climate” factor was carried out according to a 3-dimensional scheme: structural, interpersonal/relational and individual. The focus was therefore set—especially in the second survey—on those indicators responding to the objective of the research and that were consistent with the epistemological choice made. The main scope was to verify the conditions according to which the organizational climate can emerge as a novel factor capable of siding with and orienting innovative patient-centered policies of human resources management. Full article
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13 pages, 3620 KiB  
Article
Community-Based Cooperatives: A New Business Model for the Development of Italian Inner Areas
by Luigi Mastronardi and Luca Romagnoli
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 2082; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12052082 - 08 Mar 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3446
Abstract
Italian municipalities distant from main service supply hubs are defined by the Development Ministry as “inner areas”. A new business model, called community-based cooperatives, has recently developed in these areas. The name itself highlights the strong link between these firms and the local [...] Read more.
Italian municipalities distant from main service supply hubs are defined by the Development Ministry as “inner areas”. A new business model, called community-based cooperatives, has recently developed in these areas. The name itself highlights the strong link between these firms and the local population. Their essential features are the pursuit of general interest and the creation of partnerships. This research explores the potential contribution of these enterprises to the growth of Italian inner areas. The data come from a direct survey, and the methodology includes text analysis techniques and correspondence analysis to create useful concept maps that define the paths that community-based cooperatives can take to regenerate their territories. The results highlight the critical issues of inner areas and the needs of their communities, together with the potential fields of business for the establishment of a community-based cooperative. In conclusion, these new firms may lead to real and enduring benefits to local communities. They could also contribute to demographic decline inversion by introducing new practices that reduce inequalities, enhance social, natural, and artificial capital, and boost the sustainable development process. Full article
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18 pages, 1531 KiB  
Article
The Spatial Dimension of Income Inequality: An Analysis at Municipal Level
by Luigi Mastronardi and Aurora Cavallo
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1622; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12041622 - 21 Feb 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3549
Abstract
This paper focuses on the analysis on income inequality in Italy at the municipal level of the areas defined by the National Strategy for Inner Areas. We discuss an analysis of the economic and spatial dynamics of the phenomenon through the construction of [...] Read more.
This paper focuses on the analysis on income inequality in Italy at the municipal level of the areas defined by the National Strategy for Inner Areas. We discuss an analysis of the economic and spatial dynamics of the phenomenon through the construction of the Gini’s coefficient and the estimation of the regression model for the evaluation of the determinants of inequality. We highlight the influence of the spatial dimension on income inequality in Italy. Inequality appears to be greater in densely populated urban centers with a strong incidence of tertiary activities and young population. Conversely, in the inner areas, the distribution of income is more balanced due probably to the weakness of the social and economic structure that determines low levels of income and job opportunities mainly in the agricultural sector. Full article
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14 pages, 904 KiB  
Article
Visitor-Sensing: Involving the Crowd in Cultural Heritage Organizations
by Francesco Cappa, Federica Rosso and Antonio Capaldo
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1445; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12041445 - 15 Feb 2020
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4511
Abstract
As organizations are increasingly involving individuals across their boundaries in the generation of new knowledge, crowd involvement can also be beneficial to cultural heritage organizations. We argue that in an “Open Innovation in Science” approach, visitors can contribute to generate new scientific knowledge [...] Read more.
As organizations are increasingly involving individuals across their boundaries in the generation of new knowledge, crowd involvement can also be beneficial to cultural heritage organizations. We argue that in an “Open Innovation in Science” approach, visitors can contribute to generate new scientific knowledge concerning their behavior and preferences, by which museum managers can re-design the cultural offerings of their institutions in ways that generate major economic and social impacts. Accordingly, we advance visitor-sensing as a novel framework in which museum managers leverage digital technologies to collect visitors’ ideas, preferences, and feedback in order to improve path design and the organization of artwork in exhibitions, and to shape a more satisfying museum experience for visitors. We contend that visitor-sensing has the potential to yield higher numbers of visitors, with positive impacts in terms of increased revenues and increased literacy of the general public, thus benefiting the economic and social sustainability of cultural organizations towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the Agenda 2030. Full article
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22 pages, 1918 KiB  
Article
Rural Identity, Authenticity, and Sustainability in Italian Inner Areas
by Gianpaolo Basile and Aurora Cavallo
Sustainability 2020, 12(3), 1272; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12031272 - 10 Feb 2020
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 6482
Abstract
This paper focuses on the sustainable development conditions in Italian Inner Areas. Italy’s Inner Areas are rural depopulated areas characterized by their distance from the main service centers of education, health, and mobility, according to the classification proposed by the National Strategy for [...] Read more.
This paper focuses on the sustainable development conditions in Italian Inner Areas. Italy’s Inner Areas are rural depopulated areas characterized by their distance from the main service centers of education, health, and mobility, according to the classification proposed by the National Strategy for Inner Areas in 2012. The inner and marginal areas are recently getting the interest of the market place and agricultural economics, as well as the attention of the regional and cohesion policies of national governments and the European Union. These places provide an intriguing perspective for a broader reflection on European peripheral areas and their development trajectories. The aim of this contribution is to interpret the determinants of the relationships between rural identity and perceptive components of authenticity, in order to understand the mechanisms by which they are positively reflected in socio-economic and environmental use, influencing in turn, the level of sustainability of territorial development. We found a specific role of the rural identity in the catalyzed phenomena of interaction between citizens/community and visitors/stakeholders, through the authenticity effect, identifying them as the basis of the spontaneous, bottom-up emersion of a symbolic platform, which characterizes the identification of a place brand and of the creation of the perception/destination of the inner territories’ characteristics. Finally, the paper discusses an Italian Inner Areas project promoted by the common engagement of local institutions and social and economic actors. Full article
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17 pages, 714 KiB  
Article
Entrepreneurial Drivers for the Development of the Circular Business Model: The Role of Academic Spin-Off
by Stefano Poponi, Gabriella Arcese, Enrico Maria Mosconi and Michelangelo Arezzo di Trifiletti
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 423; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12010423 - 06 Jan 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4489
Abstract
Circular Economy represents today a new economic paradigm based on the environment and on the recovery of material. The pursuit of this change can be implemented through different policies with a top-down or bottom-up approach. Following the latter approach Spin-Offs, typically defined as [...] Read more.
Circular Economy represents today a new economic paradigm based on the environment and on the recovery of material. The pursuit of this change can be implemented through different policies with a top-down or bottom-up approach. Following the latter approach Spin-Offs, typically defined as “Science Based” companies, represent an alternative tool to promote technology transfer. In other words, they represent a bridge between the research and the production system. This part of the study is part of a larger and more complex project whose objective is to verify whether the development of research Spin-Offs and in particular academics, operating in the environment sector, or more generally sustainable, facilitate the transition from the classic model of linear economics to the innovative model of circular economics. The aim of the paper is to investigate how spin off enterprises can be a driver for the development of a Circular Business Model and to facilitate the transition from the classical model of linear economy to the new model of Circular Economy. At the methodological level, a multiple compared analysis was made between a sample of firms located in Lazio Region- Italy, that operates in the area of green economy Smart Specialization Strategy (S3). The analysis shows a rapid succession of variables that lead to the identification of four scenarios, deriving from the interconnection of the outcome: “closed loop”, “open loop” and the presence or absence of Circular Economy practices. The result confirms that the Academic Spin-Offs can be a driver of Circular economy, as long as that fall within the IV scenario, characterized by the interconnection of an open loop system that works in a circular approach. The “High valorization of waste” represents the discriminant in this scenario, which allows to activate a cascade system in a multi-stakeholder perspective. Full article
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21 pages, 1706 KiB  
Article
Administrative Reforms in the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Case of Blockchain Use
by Seunghwan Myeong and Yuseok Jung
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3971; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11143971 - 22 Jul 2019
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6135
Abstract
The increasing interest in blockchain since the end of 2017 has induced many attempts to apply it to public sector administration. Blockchains have been shown to improve the levels of economic efficiency, security and decentralization in administration. This exploratory study examines the determinants [...] Read more.
The increasing interest in blockchain since the end of 2017 has induced many attempts to apply it to public sector administration. Blockchains have been shown to improve the levels of economic efficiency, security and decentralization in administration. This exploratory study examines the determinants of blockchain administration and their priorities through an analytic-hierarchy process (AHP) analysis. The priority ranking of internal factors was security, economic efficiency, and decentralization. The introduction of blockchains in the evolution of the current e-government to the future of convergent governments will be generalized through trial, error, and learning processes. As experienced both in the knowledge and information society and in the e-government development process, reforming government administration is not solely a technical problem. The study results suggest that future blockchain administration in the public sector be used in the field of e-voting to encourage citizen participation in the process of agenda-setting, to enhance the level of security and transparency of taxation, and to increase the level of equity. Blockchain technology can also be used to improve efficiency in the provision of individually oriented social welfare services. Its adoption via administrative reform may reduce the level of corruption in personnel management, recruitment, and procurement in public sector organizations. Full article
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