Leadership for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability in Strategic Management

This article discusses the role of leadership in supporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in strategic management. It explores the concept of CSR and sustainability, the impact of leadership roles on sustainability, strategic management initiatives of a leader, and sustainability issues in strategic management in the 21st century.

Running head: CSR AND SUSTAINABILITY
CSR AND SUSTAINABILITY
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Topic: Leadership for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability issues in
Strategic Management in the 21st century
1. Introduction
The different leadership skills of individuals in an organization help in supporting the
sustenance as per the environmental considerations. Corporate sustainability in an organization is
dependent on the three paradigms relating to economic, social and environmental (Metcalf and
Benn 2013). Organizations and leaders design the operations and processes in the venture in
order to balance the three paradigms effectively. The leaders and their skills play an efficient role
in maintaining the sustainability of the organizations. However, in the 21st century the leaders are
facing different strategic management issues, which have restricted their role in attaining the
sustenance of the business. The discussion will aim at undertaking literature review in order to
identify the concept of CSR and sustainability. On the other hand, the research will also aim at
understanding the different strategic issues that are encountered by the leaders while continuing
the sustenance of the organizations in the 21st century.
2. Concept of CSR and Sustainability in an organization
Sustainability plays a major role in upholding the existence of an organization in a
competitive market structure while retaining the brand reputation through loyalty of the
customers towards the offerings. Klettner, Clarke and Boersma (2014) stated that the
sustainability of the organizations are mainly characterized by the brand awareness that is
created by the same while operating in diverse global markets. On the other hand, Kurucz et al.
(2017) stated that the sustenance of the organizations are dependent on the profitability of the
business while operating in diverse competitive market scenarios. The enhanced rate of CSR

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activities in organizations helps the same in upholding the sustenance. Moreover, Wolfgramm,
Flynn-Coleman and Conroy (2015) stated that the different activities that are undertaken by the
organizations depends on the triple- bottom line approach of economic, social and environmental
sustenance. The economic sustainability or profitability of organizations helps the same in
facilitating the smooth functioning of the processes. On the other hand, Baumgartner (2014)
stated that the social and environmental sustainability is undertaken by the organization in order
to address the needs of the people and the environment in which the business operates.
3. Impact of leadership roles on sustainability
The leaders play an effective role in guiding the processes of a business in accordance to
the sustainability needs of the same. The key leadership skills contribute to the design of the
processes that are undertaken by the project managers in an organization. Metcalf and Benn
(2013) stated that the decisions that are undertaken by the leaders helps an organization in
guiding the activities towards achieving the goal of sustenance. Moreover, Adams, Thornton
and Sepehri (2012) opined that the vision of the leaders help in improving the processes that are
undertaken by businesses while adhering to sustainability.
The long term vision of a leader helps an organization in managing the resources and
undertake the operations for achieving the common goal of sustenance. In this relation, Paraschiv
et al. (2012) opined that the suitable application of strategic planning and management helps a
leader in contributing to the organizational sustenance. Therefore, the leaders in an organization
play a major role in driving the actions and processes towards the common goal of sustainability.
On the other hand, Lourenço et al. (2014) stated that the decision making skills of a leader helps
in influencing the overall operations of the business. In this relation, the different changes that

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are undertaken by the organization in the processes are dependent on the leader’s decisions.
Therefore, the different changes in the design that are undertaken by the management contribute
to the sustainability of business.
4. Strategic management initiatives of a leader
The strategic management initiatives are undertaken by the leaders based on plans that
are framed by the same while assessing the position of the business to forge subtle modifications
for sustenance. Cheng, Green and Ko (2014) stated that the different strategies that are
implemented by the leaders help the same in upholding the sustenance of the business.
Moreover, Loorbach and Wijsman (2013) stated that the leaders play an efficient role in
identifying the potential personnel while distributing responsibilities, which helps in the efficient
functioning of the workforce. On the other hand, Baumgartner (2014) stated that the long term
vision of the leaders and the imposition of specific strategies helps the same in supporting the
uninterrupted functioning of the processes. In this relation, the allocation of the right job role to
the potential staff members helps a leader in facilitating the quality of the output, which
contributes to the competitive edge.
Greenwood and Holt (2014) stated that the leaders undertake communication with the
stakeholders and the different relevant personnel in order to maintain the efficiency of the
operations as per the needs of the business. Communication with the stakeholders helps an
organization in facilitating the smooth functioning of the systems in accordance to the
sustainability needs of the same. On the other hand, Stoughton and Ludema (2012) stated that
the better communicability of the leader helps in inducing the collaborative functioning of the
workforce. However, Fernando (2012) stated that the above all strategies, the staffing strategy of

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a management helps the same in upholding the efficiency of the sustenance while operating on
diverse markets.
Recruitment and selection of new and improved talents has helped organizations in
managing innovativeness for ensuring the sustenance. Technological innovations play a major
role in aligning the organizational operations with the sustenance needs of the same. In this
relation the different changes that are undertaken by the organizations are dependent on the
decisions and the long term vision of the leaders. Penzenstadler et al. (2014) stated in a research
that the strategic management of an organization includes the different activities relating to the
assessment of the organizational need, creating alternative strategies and selecting a single
strategy for bringing forth transformations in the business processes. Therefore, the
implementation of strategic management helps the leaders in an organization in maintaining the
efficiency of the process design as per the concerns faced by the organization. Beckmann,
Hielscher and Pies (2014) noted that innovativeness provides an organization with a competitive
edge in the operating markets. Thereby the competitive edge of the organization helps the same
in achieving the objective of sustainability.
Strategic management operations of a leader aim at achieving the bottom line approach
which contributes to the sustainability of the business operation. Wagner and Svensson (2014)
stated that the strategies that are framed by the leaders helps an organization in developing the
resources and capabilities in order to meet the challenges that are posed by the external and
internal environment. On the other hand, Loorbach and Wijsman (2013) noted that the
micromanagement, which is part of strategic management, helps a leader in identifying the
different issues in the process design which helps in maintaining the efficiency of the operations.
Therefore, the managerial decision making after the assessment of the different aspects in the

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organization helps the leaders in maintaining the efficiency of the operations in accordance to the
needs of the venture.
5. Sustainability issues in strategic management in 21st century
The major sustainability issues that are encountered by organizations in the 21st century
are dependent on the changing needs of the employees, technological advancements, volatile
markets situations and the switching preferences of the customers. Metcalf and Benn (2013)
stated that the diverse environmental factors has created barriers against the sustainable
functioning of the systems in accordance to the needs of the business. Wolfgramm, Flynn-
Coleman and Conroy (2015) stated that technological innovations has helped in the growth and
expansion of the businesses. However, Baumgartner (2014) noted that technology
implementation in a company requires huge capital investments which might affect the
capabilities of the venture in undertaking uninterrupted functioning. The challenges related to
financial and infrastructural growth restricted the capabilities of a venture while implementing
the evolving technologies. The lack of suitable technological innovations in an organization
might affect the competitive edge and sustenance of the same.
The volatile market structure, which has resulted to fluctuations in the economies, has
restricted the operations of businesses related to expansion and foreign investments
(Baumgartner 2014). Fernando (2012) stated that lack of suitable growth and expansion of
businesses affect the capabilities of the same in retaining the sustenance in highly competitive
markets. The organizations undertake an assessment of the market situation before undertaking
foreign investments or making a market entry. In this relation, Wagner and Svensson (2014)
stated that the lack of suitable assessment of the market situation pose an important challenge to

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the sustainability of businesses. On the other hand, Stoughton and Ludema (2012) noted that the
presence of immense competition in the markets has affected the capabilities of organizations in
maintaining the competitive edge of the same. The evolving technologies have helped
organization in maintaining a steady growth of performance. However, the financial
competencies that are faced by a diverse range of firms has restricted the capabilities of the same
in implementing a suitable technological framework.
The changing need of employees plays a major role in maintaining the efficiency of the
different operations that are planned by businesses. Loorbach and Wijsman (2013) stated that
the changing need of the employees related to health and safety, suitable remuneration, dignity of
work and the work- life balance has posed a serious threat to the smooth functioning of the
business operations. Motivational factors for the employees are the major considerations that are
undertaken by businesses in order to maintain the efficiency of the operations in accordance to
the needs of the firm. Greenwood and Holt (2014) stated that the changing needs of the
employees and the organization’s failure to fulfill the same results to a growth in the staff
turnover rates. The increased rate staff turnovers in an organization affect the capabilities of the
same in undertaking uninterrupted functioning of the processes. Adams, Thornton and Sepehri
(2012) stated that the interruptions in the business process and lack of staff motivation might
affect the innovative capabilities of an organization. Therefore, organizations in the 21st century
must take steps to keep the workforce motivated through fulfilling the need and expectations of
the same, which would contribute to the sustenance of the venture.
Cheng, Green and Ko (2014) stated that the switching taste and preferences of the
customers has reduced the life of the products. The continuous switching tastes and preferences
of the customers have affected the organizational capability of redesigning their offerings. On the

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other hand, Metcalf and Benn (2013) stated that the strategic managers in an organization
undertakes strategic innovative techniques which helps an organization in retaining the brand
value among the target group of customers. The frequent innovations that are undertaken by the
organizations have enhanced the rate of competition in the markets. Fernando (2012) stated that
the sustenance of the business operations are dependent on the retention f the loyal customers
through continuous development in the offerings. However, Klettner, Clarke and Boersma
(2014) stated that the R&D operations of a business requires huge amount of capital investments
which acts as a resistive force for the modifications. Therefore, the lack of suitable R&D
operations might affect the organizational capabilities of gaining sustenance through retention of
the loyal customers. The development of diverse range of technologies has enhanced the
expectation of the customers. On the other hand, the incapability of an organization in adhering
to the needs of the customers might affect the sustainability of the same.
6. Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion it might be stated that the leaders in an organization
plays a major role in maintaining the efficiency of the operations and sustenance of the venture.
The decision making capabilities of the leaders and the long term vision helps an organization in
achieving sustenance in a highly competitive market. The literature analysis also focused on the
strategic management initiatives that are invested by the leaders while maintaining the efficiency
of the business operations. However, the research also delineated the issues and challenges that
are encountered by organizations in the 21st century and the manner in which it affected the
sustenance of the same.

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