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Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective
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Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2021) | Viewed by 67494

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Małgorzata Karpinska-Krakowiak

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Guest Editor
Department of International Marketing and Retailing Faculty of International and Political Studies University of Lodz, Narutowicza 59a 90-131 Lodz, Poland
Prof. Dr. Lukasz Skowron

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Management, Lublin University of Technology, 20618 Lublin, Poland
Interests: customer satisfaction; customer loyalty; sustain development; eco products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the era of climate change, the issue of sustainable development is becoming crucial as never before. The problems of degradation of our planet’s natural resources, and the resulting climate and environmental changes are not just global; we are beginning to experience its dramatic effects on a local scale as well, directly and with increasing strength and frequency.

Today, those issues should be perceived as an important and multifaceted area of scientific exploration and socioeconomic initiatives, indicating the need for well thought-out, coordinated and broad, far-reaching, pro-environmental actions to be taken by businesses, state institutions, and scientific circles. It should be remembered that the idea of sustainable development involves various aspects of human existence and activity. It affects different spheres of social life, e.g., human behavior, interpersonal and group relations, and adopted consumer behavior patterns and rules; lifestyles and culture, e.g., habits and morals, standards of conduct, attitude towards the environment, legal order; business and economy, for example, policies towards climate and energy issues, environment protection principles; and finally, it impacts various aspects of management and finances, including new norms and procedures, costs of implemented changes, and profits or losses resulting from introducing sustainable development principles.

On one hand, the very complexity and multifaceted nature of sustainable development issues make them an extremely interesting area of scientific research and studies; on the other, though, sustainable development presents an enormous challenge for practitioners and decision-makers involved in social and economic processes. The common challenge is seeking answers to the following question: what systemic mechanisms and individual solutions should be created in order to stimulate human activity towards ecological, economic, and social order?

In this issue of the Sustainability journal, the authors want to demonstrate how the issue of sustainable development combines various scientific trends and disciplines. In an attempt to search for the answers to the most pressing questions relating to sustainable development, the authors present and discuss the multifaceted and multidimensional nature of sustainable development issues as well as explain how it is understood and accepted by various circles. In the long run, such knowledge may facilitate better adaptation of already-applied solutions to many different points of view and areas of maximizing the results of introduced changes. It is the challenge that meets the expectations of both present and future generations.

Prof. Małgorzata Karpinska-Krakowiak
Prof. Dr. Lukasz Skowron
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.

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4173 KiB  
Article
Managing a Circular Food System in Sustainable Urban Farming. Experimental Research at the Turku University Campus (Finland)
by Leena Erälinna and Barbara Szymoniuk
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6231; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13116231 - 1 Jun 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5286
Abstract
People around the world pay increasingly more attention to health, social, environmental, and ethical issues. As a consequence, they seek value in food that is fresh, less processed, and sustainably sourced. The article presents an experimental project supporting the implementation of a circular [...] Read more.
People around the world pay increasingly more attention to health, social, environmental, and ethical issues. As a consequence, they seek value in food that is fresh, less processed, and sustainably sourced. The article presents an experimental project supporting the implementation of a circular food system in the city of Turku, Finland. The outcome of the project is a globally replicable concept of managing a local circular food system in sustainable urban farming. The project had two objectives: (1) to reduce food waste in restaurants in the Turku University Campus; (2) to support local recycling of nutrients by composting food waste generated in the pilot restaurant and reuse the nutrients in the process of urban farming. The presented concept is based on the results of two experimental studies. It ties in with UN and EU sustainable development strategies and policies, e.g., Sustainable Development Goals (2, 11, and 12), the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the concepts of Circular Economy and Sustainable Cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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16 pages, 2089 KiB  
Article
Collective or Individual? What Types of Tourism Reduce Economic Inequality in Peripheral Regions?
by Andrzej Tucki and Korneliusz Pylak
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4898; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13094898 - 27 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2147
Abstract
Regional inequalities are a major concern for governments and policymakers. There is no doubt that tourism impacts the reduction of inequalities, but this impact is not entirely clear. We consider this ambiguity to be related to both the level of study and type [...] Read more.
Regional inequalities are a major concern for governments and policymakers. There is no doubt that tourism impacts the reduction of inequalities, but this impact is not entirely clear. We consider this ambiguity to be related to both the level of study and type of accommodation. In the present study, we examine the inequality level measured by the Gini coefficient in 108 municipalities of the peripheral region of northeastern Poland from 2009 to 2018. We employ a directional spillover index to measure the impact of two accommodation types on tax incomes per capita. The empirical results indicate that collective accommodation-based tourism only reduced inequality during the financial crisis, while individual accommodation-based tourism started to reduce inequality from 2014, when Russian sanctions hit local agriculture and businesses. These results indicate that the role of accommodation types is time-varying and evident in measuring economic distress during and after shocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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16 pages, 602 KiB  
Article
Overview of Farmers’ Perceptions of Current Status and Constraints to Soybean Production in Ratanakiri Province of Cambodia
by Raby Nget, Edna A. Aguilar, Pompe C. Sta. Cruz, Consorcia E. Reaño, Pearl B. Sanchez, Manuel R. Reyes and P. V. Vara Prasad
Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4433; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084433 - 15 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3647
Abstract
A study was undertaken in Koun Mom district of Ratanakiri province in Cambodia to analyze the perceptions of the current status and constraints to soybean production and identify solutions to improve production and the management practices. Primary data were collected by personal interviews [...] Read more.
A study was undertaken in Koun Mom district of Ratanakiri province in Cambodia to analyze the perceptions of the current status and constraints to soybean production and identify solutions to improve production and the management practices. Primary data were collected by personal interviews at field level of 130 producers. Most respondents were in the medium age category, Grade 4 education, with an average land holding of 2.96 ha and annual income of KHR 6,195,548 Riels (about 1548 USD). In terms of economic and production constraints, the high cost of fertilizers, severe insect and disease infestation, were identified as most important. Association with independent characteristics and scientific orientation were not significant, but education, land holding, annual income, socioeconomic status, and risk preference were significantly associated with constraints to soybean production. Within the context of sustainable agricultural production practices, it is suggested to improve high-yielding genotypes, ensure timely availability of high-quality seeds, and identify appropriate crop management practices (planting dates, planting density, nutrient and water management practices) and find ways to efficiently and effectively disseminate information to farmers to enhance soybean production in the region. In addition, extension agents and other agencies should provide soybean farmers marketing information, establish viable links between farmers and relevant stakeholders and private sector to improve access to inputs and modern technologies while the local and state governments should establish rural markets with good market infrastructure to enable farmers have high returns from soybean production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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16 pages, 2301 KiB  
Article
Teaching Spatial Planning Using Elements of Design Thinking as an Example of Heuristic in Urban Planning
by Rafał Blazy and Mariusz Łysień
Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4225; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084225 - 10 Apr 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2645
Abstract
In modern urban analysis, line–nodal connections are often used as a model, diagram or matrix for describing space and its accompanying phenomena. In practice, the search for relationships in space is often nothing but the designation of lines reflecting their physical and nonphysical [...] Read more.
In modern urban analysis, line–nodal connections are often used as a model, diagram or matrix for describing space and its accompanying phenomena. In practice, the search for relationships in space is often nothing but the designation of lines reflecting their physical and nonphysical association by their geometry. Recording the spatial issues of a city constituting a very complex structure on the surface of paper, or on a computer monitor, is an extremely difficult conceptual task. At the heart of Design Thinking is a deep understanding of the relationship between different elements. It can therefore be concluded that heuristics are the basis for understanding the Design Thinking method. An attempt was made to check whether the Design Thinking method can restore the optimal balance between modern tools used to develop course projects, and the need to search for the best solution constituting the idea of the project. The article presents the results of two-year research on the use of the Design Thinking method in academic teaching of subjects related to the subject of spatial planning. Thanks to the use of the Design Thinking method in teaching spatial planning, it is often possible to discover design possibilities and proposals that surprise students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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15 pages, 769 KiB  
Article
Binary Linear Programming as a Tool of Cost Optimization for a Water Supply Operator
by Przemysław Kowalik and Magdalena Rzemieniak
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13063470 - 21 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3150
Abstract
The problem of scheduling pumps is widely discussed in the literature in the context of improving energy efficiency, production costs, emissions, and reliability. In some studies, the authors analyze the available case studies and compare the results; others present their own computational methods. [...] Read more.
The problem of scheduling pumps is widely discussed in the literature in the context of improving energy efficiency, production costs, emissions, and reliability. In some studies, the authors analyze the available case studies and compare the results; others present their own computational methods. In the paper, a problem of pump scheduling in regular everyday operations of a water supply operator is considered. The issues of water production optimization and energy savings are part of the topic of sustainable development. The objective of the article is the minimization of the cost of electric power used by the pumps supplying water. It is achieved thanks to the variability of both the demand for water and the price of electric power during the day combined with the possibility of storing water. The formulation of an existing electric power cost optimization problem as a binary linear programming problem was improved. An essential extension of the above mathematical model, which enables more flexible management of the pump system, was also proposed. An example containing real-world input data was successfully solved using Microsoft Excel with a free OpenSolver add-in. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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14 pages, 7018 KiB  
Article
Behavior of Online Prosumers in Organic Product Market as Determinant of Sustainable Consumption
by Magdalena Maciaszczyk and Maria Kocot
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1157; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13031157 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3125
Abstract
The article focuses on the specificity of the behavior of modern prosumers in the market for organic products as a determinant of sustainable consumption. The strengthening of the pro-consumer relationship is made possible thanks to ongoing technological changes, especially the development of the [...] Read more.
The article focuses on the specificity of the behavior of modern prosumers in the market for organic products as a determinant of sustainable consumption. The strengthening of the pro-consumer relationship is made possible thanks to ongoing technological changes, especially the development of the Internet. It is thanks to our online activities and the opinions of other Internet users that pro-consumer decisions concerning online purchases are shaped. The article presents the results of empirical studies conducted in 2020 on a sample of 664 respondents using a questionnaire, while the survey results were developed using SPSS Statistics. Findings of research showed the willingness of consumers for prosumption and kind of behaviors that were most often among the research group. In the course of research proceedings, it was possible to define factors that dispose declarative prosumers for the purchase of organic products. Conducted analyses also allowed for building the model of the influence of individual characteristics of respondents on the index of prosumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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24 pages, 733 KiB  
Article
Employer Branding in the Context of the Company’s Sustainable Development Strategy from the Perspective of Gender Diversity of Generation Z
by Magdalena Rzemieniak and Monika Wawer
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 828; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020828 - 15 Jan 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 11373
Abstract
Applying the principles of sustainable development is an element of building the image of an organisation as an employer. The opinions of young people commencing their professional career in this regard may prove important for companies. The aim of this article is to [...] Read more.
Applying the principles of sustainable development is an element of building the image of an organisation as an employer. The opinions of young people commencing their professional career in this regard may prove important for companies. The aim of this article is to identify a dependence between generation Z’s opinions on employer branding measures based on sustainable development taken by companies and the respondents’ gender. The article presents the results of primary research conducted on a sample of 291 students of higher education institutions in Poland. The methods include questionnaire surveys and statistical data processing. The results of the research suggest that sustainable development measures undertaken by employers increase the candidates’ motivation to apply for a job in the organisation. The analysis demonstrated that generation Z’s opinions on sustainable development activities carried out by employers and on the significance of employer branding are dependent on the respondents’ gender. The main conclusion is that women are more ecologically oriented than men, and following a sustainable development strategy is more important for them. Companies building employer branding should consider the adoption of various factors identified in the article, such as the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), especially when their workforce is gender-diverse. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
14 pages, 738 KiB  
Article
Corporate Social Responsibility in the Opinion of Polish and Foreign Students in Management Program of Lublin University of Technology
by Barbara Mazur and Anna Walczyna
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 333; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010333 - 31 Dec 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3240
Abstract
The emergence of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept resulted in the introduction of the subject to the curricula of management faculties at many universities worldwide. Business schools and management departments educate future decision-makers of the national and global economy. Therefore, in order [...] Read more.
The emergence of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept resulted in the introduction of the subject to the curricula of management faculties at many universities worldwide. Business schools and management departments educate future decision-makers of the national and global economy. Therefore, in order to be able to anticipate future development trends in the area of CSR, surveys of students’ opinions on the responsibilities of business toward society are conducted. This study aimed to answer the question about the way in which students prioritize particular dimensions of CSR. In particular, it focuses on whether the respondents consider the economic dimension to be fundamental, given their different socio-cultural contexts. An additional aim of the research is to verify A. Carroll’s original CSR model, as expressed in terms of the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic dimensions. The research included two groups of students at the Faculty of Management of the Lublin University of Technology—Polish and foreign. The results obtained in both study groups differ from A. Carroll’s original CSR model system. They also differ from each other. In the group of Polish students, the bottom and top dimensions of the pyramid are economic and legal, and in the group of foreign students, they are philanthropic and legal, accordingly. The shapes of the two pyramids are also different, which may be caused by different socio-cultural contexts and specific social needs. The adopted model turned out to be useful for studying the CSR structure expressed in the form of a four-element pyramid. It also allowed the weighting of the perceived importance by the respondents of each individual dimension of CSR. This study helps to predict future corporate social responsibility activities and trends in business. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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20 pages, 1539 KiB  
Article
The Role of Marketing in Shaping the Development of the Market of Organic Farming Products in Poland
by Magdalena Sobocińska, Krystyna Mazurek-Łopacińska, Stanisław Skowron, Andrzej Graczyk and Karol Kociszewski
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 130; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010130 - 25 Dec 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3240
Abstract
The natural environment is one of the areas of sustainable development. The implementation of the goals of sustainable development is associated with the creation of conditions supporting ecological behaviours as well as the greening of consumption. It cannot be ignored that the implementation [...] Read more.
The natural environment is one of the areas of sustainable development. The implementation of the goals of sustainable development is associated with the creation of conditions supporting ecological behaviours as well as the greening of consumption. It cannot be ignored that the implementation of behavioural marketing concepts contributed to the development of excessive consumerism, whereas the use of marketing innovations by enterprises with high strategic potential and dominant market position often translated into shortening product life cycles. In this context, there arises a research question concerning the role that marketing has to perform nowadays, and the challenges to its concept, resulting from sustainable development. The paper is based on literature studies and the results of an empirical research that was performed on a sample of 140 entities shaping the offer of organic farming products in Poland. The study included both organic farming entities and entities dealing with the distribution of organic farming products in Poland. The goal of the paper is to show the role of marketing as a multi-paradigmatic concept in shaping the development of the market of organic farming products in Poland. The analysis of the research results aimed at identifying the reasons for introducing organic farming products by distributors into their offer, as well as showing the nature of the relationships between producers and distributors of organic farming products in Poland. The analysis of the research results shows that the relationships between producers and distributors of organic farming products in Poland are perceived by both parties as long-term and based on trust. Special attention is also paid to the hierarchy of factors stimulating the development of sales of organic farming products in Poland. Identification of stimulants for the development of the market of organic farming products indicates the great importance of marketing in this area because the main factors of development of this market are of marketing nature or are inherently related to marketing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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23 pages, 285 KiB  
Article
SME Managers’ Perceptions of Sustainable Marketing Mix in Different Socioeconomic Conditions—A Comparative Analysis of Sri Lanka and Poland
by Magdalena Kowalska
Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10659; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122410659 - 20 Dec 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3936
Abstract
Current changes in the business environment mean that the pursuit of economic development—without accounting for social welfare and environmental constraints—is replaced by the concept of sustainable development. Enterprises, in order to meet market requirements, adopt sustainable marketing as part of their strategy to [...] Read more.
Current changes in the business environment mean that the pursuit of economic development—without accounting for social welfare and environmental constraints—is replaced by the concept of sustainable development. Enterprises, in order to meet market requirements, adopt sustainable marketing as part of their strategy to provide long-term benefits in the social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The article aims to assess the differences in the use of marketing mix tools (5P) according to the concept of sustainable development in countries with different socioeconomic conditions. The empirical study was based on 262 questionnaires conducted among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in two different countries, i.e., 150 companies operating in Poland (as an example of a developed country) and 112 in Sri Lanka (as an example of a developing country). The obtained results show that there are statistically significant differences between the analyzed markets in terms of implementing sustainable marketing tools. The results allow us to conclude that the sustainable marketing mix activities are significantly more important for SEM managers in Sri Lanka than in Poland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
16 pages, 2760 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Municipal Waste Generation in Poland Using Neural Network Modeling
by Monika Kulisz and Justyna Kujawska
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10088; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122310088 - 3 Dec 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2904
Abstract
Planning is a crucial component of short- and long-term municipal waste management. Establishing the relationships between the factors that determine the amount of waste generated by municipalities and forecasting the waste management needs plays a fundamental role in the development of effective planning [...] Read more.
Planning is a crucial component of short- and long-term municipal waste management. Establishing the relationships between the factors that determine the amount of waste generated by municipalities and forecasting the waste management needs plays a fundamental role in the development of effective planning strategies and implementation of sustainable development. Artificial Neural Network employed for verifying the forecasts pertaining to the amount of rainfall in Poland were presented in the studies. The proposed models included selected explanatory indices in order to reflect the impact of social, demographic and economic factors on the amount of generated waste. Mean squared error (MSE) and regression value (R) are used as indices of efficiency of the developed models. The ANN models exhibited high accuracy of forecasts at high R values (R = 0.914, R = 0.989) and low MSE values. Derived from the socioeconomic data for 2003–2019, the model predicts that the future waste generation in 2024 will increase by 2%. The results indicate that the employed ANN models are effective in predicting the amount of waste and can be considered a cost-effective approach to planning integrated waste management systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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21 pages, 1284 KiB  
Article
Bridging Sustainable Human Resource Management and Corporate Sustainability
by Barbara Mazur and Anna Walczyna
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8987; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218987 - 29 Oct 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 6687
Abstract
The rise of the Sustainable Development (SD) concept contributed to the increasing interest in practices encompassing the Sustainable Human Resource Management (Sustainable HRM) and the results of these practices. This article relates to the area of Human Resource Management and activities undertaken by [...] Read more.
The rise of the Sustainable Development (SD) concept contributed to the increasing interest in practices encompassing the Sustainable Human Resource Management (Sustainable HRM) and the results of these practices. This article relates to the area of Human Resource Management and activities undertaken by HR departments to implement the principles of sustainable development in the enterprise. In particular, it refers to the concept of Sustainable HRM, recognized by many researchers as a new paradigm in the area of HRM. Although an intensely-studied subject, there is a clear gap in research regarding Sustainable HRM in Polish companies. Additionally, there is a lack of research contribution on the Podlasie region—ecologically and ethnically the most diverse region in the country. While sustainability in environmental terms is evident in the region, the article focuses on sustainability implementation in the business sector. The article helps to close the research gap. Its aim is to examine the two-fold role of HR departments in: Implementing activities in the area of Sustainable HRM, and introducing the principles of sustainability to corporate strategies. It was assumed that such activities contribute to corporate sustainability. In order to verify the role of HR departments, a new, comprehensive research model, based on the work of De Prins, was built. The model relates to the double-task of HR departments in organizations. The added value of the article stems from the research model proposal, which can be applied without geographical limitations and to numerous organization types. The paper introduces one of the applications of the model—a regional one. The model was tested in a questionnaire survey conducted among employees of enterprises operating in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, which is unique in terms of environment, culture, and economy in Poland. The respondents were participants of MBA studies at one of the universities of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The results of the study fully confirmed the hypothesis adopted in the study regarding the performance of activities by HR departments in the psychological and social areas of Sustainable HRM. The third aspect of the study, regarding the ecological area, was not clearly confirmed in the study. It was found that this may result from the restrictive law regulating the issue of the impact of enterprises on the natural environment. The results of the study allowed for the verification of the main hypothesis assumed in the research model, thus confirming its truthfulness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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20 pages, 18824 KiB  
Article
Polish Consumers’ Response to Social Media Eco-Marketing Techniques
by Agnieszka Bojanowska and Monika Kulisz
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8925; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218925 - 27 Oct 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3838
Abstract
This study attempts to verify whether green-marketing efforts of companies are recognised by the Polish customer in social media—a vital marketing communication channel. For businesses, this awareness carries important implications for the effectiveness and profitability of the eco-marketing campaigns. This study employed survey [...] Read more.
This study attempts to verify whether green-marketing efforts of companies are recognised by the Polish customer in social media—a vital marketing communication channel. For businesses, this awareness carries important implications for the effectiveness and profitability of the eco-marketing campaigns. This study employed survey methodology, which was coupled with participant observation of online ecology-centred communities. It is shown that the economic aspect of green marketing is valued by customers and they are quite observant with respect to such expressions of eco-marketing as eco-organic product packaging or production in the spirit of zero-waste technology. The results indicate that eco-marketing activities should be predominantly targeted at women because they are more likely to take note of the message. The statistical part of the study utilises the Chi-square (χ2) test (significance level α = 0.05) and the gamma distribution. Eco-marketing activities appear to attract notice in social media, but not yet as much as presumably desired. Gender is shown to correlate with respect to questions regarding the noticeability of zero-waste activities and pro-ecological activities in social media. Women display higher awareness of “zero-waste” and pro-ecological social media campaigns. In the aggregate, those who perceive “zero waste” as a lifestyle include women, who are more observant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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17 pages, 1036 KiB  
Article
The Impact of a Time Gap on the Process of Building a Sustainable Relationship between Employee and Customer Satisfaction
by Lukasz Skowron, Marcin Gąsior and Monika Sak-Skowron
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7446; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187446 - 10 Sep 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2519
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to describe the relationships between changes in employee indices (motivation and satisfaction) and customer indices (satisfaction and loyalty) in a single- and multi-term perspective. The article presents the results of primary research conducted in two industries (banking [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper is to describe the relationships between changes in employee indices (motivation and satisfaction) and customer indices (satisfaction and loyalty) in a single- and multi-term perspective. The article presents the results of primary research conducted in two industries (banking services and shopping centers) during three annual reference periods. The authors used the PLS-SEM method in the analytical process. The results of the research suggest that there is a strong relationship between changes in the areas of employee and customer satisfaction in the studied sectors, with a one-year time shift, which the authors called the “time gap”. In addition, it turned out that the strength of influence of the employee’s motivation level on customers is clearly lower than the strength of influence of the employee satisfaction. The occurrence of a “time gap” between employee and customer processes suggests that any changes introduced in the area of customer service as well as broadly understood human resource management policy need some time to become sustainable—to be noticed by the market and coded in the minds of the recipients of the offer as the new and currently applicable standard. The article makes a successful attempt at a long-term analysis of the relationship between employees and customers, assuming a time delay between both phenomena. As a result of the conducted research, it was possible to operationalize the discussed relationship in terms of strength and direction as well as the time shift. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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21 pages, 1336 KiB  
Article
Social Values in Stimulating Organic Production Involvement in Farming—The Case of Poland
by Karol Kociszewski, Andrzej Graczyk, Krystyna Mazurek-Łopacinska and Magdalena Sobocińska
Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 5945; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12155945 - 23 Jul 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2498
Abstract
The main research problem discussed in this paper involves evaluation of the motives of agricultural producers for pursuing and developing organic production. The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate the role of social values in stimulating decisions of involvement in [...] Read more.
The main research problem discussed in this paper involves evaluation of the motives of agricultural producers for pursuing and developing organic production. The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate the role of social values in stimulating decisions of involvement in organic production. Analytical observations were conducted on the basis of responses to surveys on a nation-representative sample in Poland (350 conventional farms and 70 organic farms in 2011; 260 conventional farms and 65 organic farms in 2019). Analyses were conducted in relation to the potential and perspectives for development of organic farming. They were focused on identifying the original motives for such decisions (incentives and disincentives). This allowed for effective evaluation of both the trend and the pace of the studied processes. The development potential of organic farming in Poland was estimated at 5–15% of the total number of farms. The most important factors encouraging farmers to take up production are associated with social values (care for the natural environment and family health). A significant chance for the development of organic production is the expected demand growth, which is also related to social values: the increasing environmental awareness and environmental change of consumption patterns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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Article
“I Will Start Saving Natural Resources, Only When You Show Me the Planet as a Person in Danger”: The Effects of Message Framing and Anthropomorphism on Pro-Environmental Behaviors that are Viewed as Effortful
by Malgorzata Karpinska-Krakowiak, Lukasz Skowron and Lachezar Ivanov
Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5524; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12145524 - 8 Jul 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4865
Abstract
Little is known on how to encourage effortful (rather than effortless) conservation behaviors, and prior research investigated only single (rather than multiple) message appeals in terms of their persuasive power in promoting pro-environmental intentions. The current study uses a framework from evolutionary psychology [...] Read more.
Little is known on how to encourage effortful (rather than effortless) conservation behaviors, and prior research investigated only single (rather than multiple) message appeals in terms of their persuasive power in promoting pro-environmental intentions. The current study uses a framework from evolutionary psychology to propose and test a blend of message appeals that is most likely to drive green behaviors perceived as effortful. An experiment with a 2 (yes versus no anthropomorphic cue) × 2 (negative versus positive message frame) between-subjects design was run, and effort was included as a measured factor. The findings reveal that negatively framed messages are most effective in prompting effortful (but not effortless) pro-environmental intentions only when they are coupled with anthropomorphic cues (no differences between loss and gain messages were found when no anthropomorphism was used). These effects were replicated across two types of behaviors: water conservation and waste reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development from the Management and Social Science Perspective)
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