Science in support of systematic leadership towards sustainabilityShow others and affiliations
2017 (English)In: Journal of Cleaner Production, ISSN 0959-6526, E-ISSN 1879-1786, Vol. 140, p. 1-9Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The un-sustainable course of our societies is the greatest threat humanity has ever confronted. The biophysical systems upon which we are totally dependent have not been challenged by human activities at the global scale before and our impacts upon those planetary systems, as well as upon our social systems, cannot be adequately addressed by ad hoc solutions. Science and leadership will be required to address this threat and transform our current societies into sustainable societies. This Special Volume presents an evolving, yet increasingly cohesive, science-based perspective on leadership towards sustainability. Examples of crucial, overall questions addressed by authors of articles in this Special Volume are: How can science help to clarify sustainability as a foundational platform for success for society's core institutions (e.g. business, governance and education), and how can this platform inform envisioning, planning, monitoring, communication and decision making to accelerate the needed transitions? The conceptual framing of sustainable development in this Special Volume is based upon the logic that it is only if we can define sustainability in a scientifically solid way, as a frame for any vision, that we can analyze current situations in relation to such sustainable visions, and design strategies to close the gap to such visions. In moving from current situations towards possible sustainable futures, specific support in the form of leadership concepts, methods, tools, and requirements are also essential, i.e. given clarity around what needs to be achieved, effective leadership then requires knowing how to achieve it. Both the what and the how questions are addressed in this Special Volume. The research described provides a foundation for moving from ad hoc activities to systemic, systematic and strategic transitions towards sustainability. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2017. Vol. 140, p. 1-9
Keywords [en]
Leadership, Strategy, Sustainability, Sustainable development, Sustainable innovation, Sustainable societies, Transitions towards sustainability, Decision making, Planning, Societies and institutions, Biophysical systems, Current situation, Design strategies, Human activities, Planetary system, Sustainable society
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:bth-13483DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.09.085ISI: 000388775100001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84994571365OAI: oai:DiVA.org:bth-13483DiVA, id: diva2:1049422
Part of project
Model Driven Development and Decision Support – MD3S, Knowledge Foundation2016-11-242016-11-232021-01-07Bibliographically approved