Strategic Management: Sustainable Approach Analysis and Case Study

This research project delves into the sustainable approach within strategic management, offering a comprehensive analysis of its core concepts. The report begins with an introduction to strategic management and then focuses on the sustainable approach, defining it as a system-based methodology for the growth and development of natural resources. It traces the historical roots of sustainability, originating from sustainable forest management and evolving into a broader framework encompassing economic, social, and environmental considerations. The report highlights the benefits of the sustainable approach, such as improved risk management, enhanced efficiency, and the ability to identify long-term goals, while also acknowledging its limitations, including its complexity and time-consuming nature. It provides real-world examples, such as Ford and Starbucks, illustrating how organizations are implementing sustainable practices. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of skilled planning, communication, and accountability in successfully integrating the sustainable approach into organizational strategy. The assignment is available on Desklib, a platform providing study resources.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Sustainable approach.......................................................................................................................3
History of sustainable approach...................................................................................................3
Benefits of sustainable approach.................................................................................................4
Limitation of sustainable approach..............................................................................................4
An organisation as an example....................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Research project is prepared to develop the understanding regarding the project and
achieve the objectives of the project. The report highlights the alternative theoretical approach of
strategic management. It explain the various benefits and limitation associate with the various
alternatives to take effective and efficient decision regarding the strategic management approach.
It highlights the different approach with their history, suggested benefits and limitation in regard
to the corporate body. It also explains the issues with the example of different organizations.
TASK
Strategic management approach
It is the process of identifying and describing the different strategies used by the
managers and top level management to achieve better performance of the company and gain the
competitive advantages. It helps to deal with the future problems and take effective decision to
mitigate their impact on company and its employees performance (Noe and et.al., 2017).
Strategic management approach refers to examine and analyse the cross functions of business
before implementing the approach. There are different kinds of strategic management approach
such as sustainable approach, hierarchical approach, industry leadership, incremental and
interactive approach, dynamic capabilities, stakeholder approach, resource based view,
sequential approach and agency theory.
Sustainable approach
It is an system approach for the growth and development of natural resources. It
developed to manage the produced, natural and social capital for the welfare and benefits for the
current and future generation (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne, 2018). It refers to develop the long
term sustainable strategic plan for the growth of the company and their employees.
History of sustainable approach
The root of sustainability is arise from the sustainable forest management which were
developed during 17th and 18th century in Europe. Various authors and scientist argued that
sustainability of the organization or nation is the duty of every citizens. The commencement of
sustainability or sustainable approach is differ from one place to another place. After the world
war 2, United State starts to develop the system which are based on two pillars which are
economic and social development to protect the human rights (Van Staveren, 2018). After that
different submit are organized in different nations to consider the sustainability of the

environment, economy and organization. Then different company start to apply the sustainable
approach of strategic management for the sustainability of the company and protect the natural
resources for the current and future generation.
Benefits of sustainable approach
 It helps to identify the goal and issue to determine the area where company feel most
pressure and develop or raise the awareness among the employees to make the business
more sustainable in the market (Mousa, 2015).
 It helps to manage the risk in better manner with improving efficiency, growth, potential
of revenue and the other opportunities of the company.
 Sustainable approach helps to determine the long term and short term ambitions, goals to
achieve the vision and mission of the company by considering the future generation
requirement.
 It helps to identify the risk associate with the company growth by measuring the gap in
the expectation and actual performance. It also helps to address the gap in delivery
process (Raut and et.al., 2018).
 It helps to support the sustainability vision of the organization by proper planning
strategy and maintaining effective control on employees by regulating their activities to
achieve the sustainability of company.
Limitation of sustainable approach
 Sustainable approach is a complex process because some activities of organization are
mandatory to perform their task but in indirect way they affect the environment. So apply
sustainable approach in each and every place of company activities is quite impossible
(Renuka and et.al., 2018). For example a mine industry has to extract the material from
land which damage natural resources but to extract the material it is necessary to extract
land.
 It is a time consuming process because managers has to spend huge time to prepare plan
according to the sustainable requirement and considering natural resources, environment
and the requirement of future generation (A Strategic Approach to Sustainable Business
Practice, 2019). For example : managers have to overlook the day to day issues of the
company which affect their daily performance and ability to perform their task with the
same efficiency and effectiveness.

 Sustainable approach requires highly skilled employees and manager to consider all the
points which affect the sustainability of company. Sustainable approach helps to
determine the long term mission and vision with high level of integrity which require
expert knowledge who prepare the sustainable report and helps to maintain the
sustainability of the company (Cornille and et.al., 2017). It require skilful planning to
monitor and control the activities of employees and regulate their performance in proper
time interval.
 The sustainable approach is difficult to implement ion the organization because it require
clear communication, full attention and effective participation with full accountability
and responsibility. It requires the accountability and attention of not only the leader but
also the managers and employees regarding the decisions.
An organisation as an example
Different organization adopt the sustainable approach in their company to protect the
natural environment. Ford, Starbucks, Alcoa, Pepsi Co, general electric etc. apply the sustainable
approach to their company for the sustainability in the market.
Starbucks held meeting with the shareholders in 2013 to describe the efforts of company
to engage the local suppliers and communities where they operate their business in the market
and accelerate the investment in the sustainable farming and prepare the goal of ethically
sourcing by 100% in 2015 in regard to their coffee beans (Best practices in sustainability: Ford,
Starbucks and more, 2019).
The famous Brown – Forman company also explain in their 10- k filling with the security
and exchange commission that the major distributor of their company use the ingredients which
are water intensive and climate sensitive. The different organization follow the sustainable
approach to produce the product which are less harmful to the environment. Unilever also focus
on protecting the natural resources such as water and start campaign with the various corporate
social responsibility activities.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Cornille, A., and et.al., 2017. A perspective approach to sustainable routes for non-isocyanate
polyurethanes. European Polymer Journal. 87. pp.535-552.
Ginter, P.M., Duncan, W.J. and Swayne, L.E., 2018. The strategic management of health care
organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
Mousa, A., 2015. A Business approach for transformation to sustainable construction: an
implementation on a developing country. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 101.
pp.9-19.
Noe, R.A., and et.al., 2017. Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage.
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Raut, R., and et.al., 2018. An ISM approach for the barrier analysis in implementing sustainable
practices: the Indian oil and gas sector. Benchmarking: An International Journal. 25(4).
pp.1245-1271.
Renuka, N., and et.al., 2018. Combined effect of exogenous phytohormones on biomass and
lipid production in Acutodesmus obliquus under nitrogen limitation. Energy conversion
and management. 168. pp.522-528.
Van Staveren, M., 2018. Uncertainty and ground conditions: a risk management approach. CRC
Press.
Online
A Strategic Approach to Sustainable Business Practice. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_the-sustainable-business-case-book/s05-06-a-strategic-
approach-to-sustai.html>
Best practices in sustainability: Ford, Starbucks and more. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/blog/best-practices-sustainability-us-
corporations-ceres>