Managers are still floundering when they have to decide on the optimal level of feedback frequency; either when they consider themselves as a source of feedback, but also when they shape the feedback environment of their employees, e.g., by allowing more (or less) frequent customer feedback. Furthermore, given that feedback is a time-consuming task, managers might be reluctant to provide feedback frequently, foregoing a potentially powerful lever for increasing employee creativity. Ultimately, clarifying the ambiguities ...

In the contemporary business world, the real competition is not among individual businesses but rather between supply chains. Companies, which are part of efficient supply chains, are considered destined to outperform their competitors being part of inefficient supply chains. Moreover, performance has been a matter of concern for researchers for decades and is the primary aim of any firm’s existence. The definition of performance includes the performance measurement (PM) concept and further supports the notion that ...

This dissertation analyzes supply chain risk management (SCRM) and sustainability performance in the context of circular supply chains (CSCs). The implementation of circular economy (CE) thinking in firms and supply chains has a crucial role in fostering innovative and efficient ways of producing and consuming. However, CE implementation is not a straightforward process, begetting risks and uncertainties that can impact the overall sustainability performance of CSCs. Therefore, managers need to adopt appropriate ...

The thesis at hand analyzes sustainability prerequisites, practices, risk and performance in textile and apparel (T&A) supply chains (SCs). Given the growing awareness of sustainability risks by various stakeholders, T&A firms are required to implement and adapt sustainability practices along their SCs, while at the same time measuring their performance to counteract the (re)emergence of risks. Appropriate management strategies are therefore needed to ensure sustainable transformation in T&A SCs. While the state of ...

This dissertation deals with the institutional environment surrounding the private sector in the various emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) worldwide where most of the global population lives. Its primary purpose is to identify and combine theoretical aspects of new (sociological) institutionalism/neo-institutionalism to better understand the role of institutional environments in shaping business impacts on sustainable development. Institutions shape the behaviour of individuals as well as entire groups ...

This dissertation focuses on exploring how key elements of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), such as additive manufacturing (AM) and quantitative techniques/simulation, instigate the operations of an organisation towards the circular economy (CE). AM represents the technological foundation of future manufacturing which efficiently utilises materials avoiding unnecessary waste. Further, it could positively impact the transition towards CE by addressing issues related to the operations and supply chains while positively influencing ...

The dissertation focuses on understanding the application of the circular economy (CE) concept to the supply chain management (SCM) domain as ‘circular supply chains’ (CSCs) and the role of collaboration in this application. While CE is an emerging approach for sustainable production and consumption, its application in the SCM domain as CSCs could assist in improving the overall sustainable performance. Collaboration with internal and external partners is crucial to achieve this improvement. Hence, with the aim to ...

Previous research has considered entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty and as a chance to foster economic growth. Moreover, specifically start-ups headed by women have played an important role in the economic development and it has been argued that gender-related issues, amongst others, play a significant role for the performance of a country or region. Against this background, this qualitative study explores desires, reluctances and constraints toward entrepreneurial activities of a comparably homogenous group ...

Pressing global societal challenges highlight organisational vulnerability and the need to transform towards more sustainable production and consumption measures. The circular economy concept is considered an alternative to the prevalent linear economic system. It aims to contribute to sustainable development by slowing and closing resource cycles and facilitating cross-sectoral collaboration of multiple stakeholders. Yet, the desired transformation is lagging behind and the current debate focuses primarily on the ...

This doctoral thesis explores capital market sustainability, focusing on the European capital market. The work takes two different angles, either from the investors perspective while subsequently examining if reported ESG activities and an ESG rating's sustainability performance affect a company's valuation or risk.