With society becoming ever more aware of sustainability and organisations realising their responsibility in these terms, it is necessary to look deeper into organisational strategy and practice.
This essay shall discuss possible organisational approaches to achieving strategic excellence in this fundamental challenge of the current century. It will examine the premises for strategic readiness and organisational self-understanding as well as the effects of close stakeholder management to find that responsiveness, embodied management and dialogue is vital for strategic success. For illustration, the business case of Naturata AG will be consulted.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. A short historic view on the matter
3. Finding the own role in the discourse
4. Sense of self as basis for sustainability
5. “Nudelgespräche” as embodied strategic management practice
6. The success of Naturata is long-term dependability
7. Implications
8. Conclusion and outlook
Objectives and Research Themes
The essay explores how organizations can achieve strategic sustainability excellence through close stakeholder management, organizational self-reflection, and embodied management practices, using Naturata AG as a primary case study.
- The role of strategic readiness and organizational self-understanding in sustainability.
- The impact of stakeholder management on achieving strategic sustainable excellence.
- Application of embodied management practices, specifically through organizational dialogue.
- The relationship between organizational purpose, core values, and sustainable performance.
Excerpt from the Book
“Nudelgespräche” as embodied strategic management practice
Naturata AG¹ was founded in 1976 as a result of the need to expand the organic food industry beyond individual marketing and regional products. Naturata started as a wholesaler and developed to include the own production of organic groceries. With this origin, it was not necessary for the organisation to prepare itself for sustainable business practices, as this was already intrinsically and systematically inherited. However, Naturata has shown a very interesting approach to use this setting to further strengthen the responsible organisational purpose and to lead it into strategic practice.
To identify how well Naturata (2016) is implementing strategy, it is helpful to first look at the vision, mission and values of the organisation, as these determine the goal of strategy. These state that Naturata wants to make use of its market position to promote the preservation and expansion of a healthy togetherness between human and environment. Therefore, together with their growers and trade partners, they want to shape the market and supply their customers with premium natural products while being a fair partner to these multiple stakeholders.
This consists of a long-term partner-like relationship with suppliers, customers and employees to secure a stable environment and an intrinsically motivated, respecting and kind sense of cohesiveness. But how does this translate into strategic action?
When the producer association of Naturata (Naturata itself and its spelt suppliers) is meeting for the so called “Nudelgespräche” – they cook and eat pasta together – the organisation is doing exactly this; it is performing the strategic practice it has build over the last decades. Through the embodied practice of giving contextual-spatial and emotional meaning and relational content to simple business data and arguments, it creates a community with a common goal.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the necessity of critically analyzing organizational sustainability efforts and outlines the focus on strategic readiness and stakeholder management.
2. A short historic view on the matter: Critiques the historical emergence of sustainability as a trend topic and argues for a more holistic approach beyond standardized processes.
3. Finding the own role in the discourse: Discusses the need for organizational self-reflection and alignment with core values using the five-stage model of CSR development.
4. Sense of self as basis for sustainability: Defines the "environment" as an inseparable part of organizational existence and emphasizes responsiveness and mindfulness.
5. “Nudelgespräche” as embodied strategic management practice: Illustrates through the case of Naturata AG how shared, embodied practices foster community and strategic cohesion.
6. The success of Naturata is long-term dependability: Explains how the "Nudelgespräche" ritual reinforces organizational values and creates stability and trust within the association.
7. Implications: Examines the shift towards relationship-based strategies and suggests potential new roles like Business Architects or Design Managers.
8. Conclusion and outlook: Summarizes the importance of first movers and cooperative stakeholder management in transforming organizational responsibility.
Keywords
Sustainability, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Readiness, Naturata AG, Nudelgespräche, Organizational Strategy, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sense-making, Embodied Management, Shared Value, Economy for the Common Good, Sustainability Excellence, Transparency, Long-term Dependability, Organizational Culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this essay?
The essay explores how organizations can achieve strategic excellence in sustainability by fostering deep stakeholder engagement and internal alignment with core organizational values.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The core themes include organizational self-reflection, the move from reactive compliance to proactive purpose, the role of embodied management, and the importance of relationship-based business strategies.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to understand what organizational premises are necessary for "strategic readiness" and how close stakeholder management contributes to achieving high-level sustainability performance.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The work utilizes a combination of theoretical analysis regarding sustainability discourse and a descriptive case study of the organization Naturata AG.
What topics are addressed in the main body?
The main body covers historical perspectives on sustainability, theoretical models for CSR development, the concept of "sense of self," practical applications of stakeholder dialogue, and future implications for management roles.
How would you characterize this work with keywords?
Key terms include Strategic Readiness, Stakeholder Management, Embodied Management, Sustainability Excellence, and Organizational Purpose.
What is the significance of the "Nudelgespräche" in this work?
They serve as a concrete, embodied practice that demonstrates how transparency, shared values, and trust-building rituals can lead to more effective and responsible strategic outcomes.
Why does the author advocate for a move away from standard certificates?
The author argues that standardized certifications often lead to superficial, check-box sustainability, whereas a holistic approach rooted in organizational culture is required for true excellence.
What roles do the author suggest for future management students?
The author identifies "Business Architects" and "Design Managers" as potential new roles for tackling complex sustainability challenges through better structural and human-centric design.
- Quote paper
- Julien Gianoncelli (Author), 2016, Strategic sustainability readiness and responsible stakeholder management, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/341629
