TY - JOUR

T1 - The dilemma of incumbents in sustainability transitions

T2 - A narrative approach

AU - Augenstein, Karoline

AU - Palzkill, Alexandra

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2016/3

Y1 - 2016/3

N2 - In the context of the larger sustainability discourse, “sufficiency” is beginning to emerge as a new value throughout Western societies, and the question asked in this article is: Can we observe and conceptually identify opportunities to link successful business strategies of incumbents to principles of sufficiency? Thus, how feasible is sustainable entrepreneurship for incumbents? In this paper, a conceptual approach is developed combining insights from sociology, transition research, management and sustainable entrepreneurship research with a focus on narratives as a translation mechanism in situations where tensions emerge between corporate narratives and unexpected societal trends, e.g., the emergence of sufficient lifestyles. It will be shown that even though these are still a niche phenomenon, a focus on corporate narratives is an important element in understanding the role of incumbents in transitions to sustainability.

AB - In the context of the larger sustainability discourse, “sufficiency” is beginning to emerge as a new value throughout Western societies, and the question asked in this article is: Can we observe and conceptually identify opportunities to link successful business strategies of incumbents to principles of sufficiency? Thus, how feasible is sustainable entrepreneurship for incumbents? In this paper, a conceptual approach is developed combining insights from sociology, transition research, management and sustainable entrepreneurship research with a focus on narratives as a translation mechanism in situations where tensions emerge between corporate narratives and unexpected societal trends, e.g., the emergence of sufficient lifestyles. It will be shown that even though these are still a niche phenomenon, a focus on corporate narratives is an important element in understanding the role of incumbents in transitions to sustainability.

KW - Corporate narratives

KW - Dilemma management

KW - Incumbents and sufficiency

KW - Sustainability transitions

KW - Transdisciplinary studies

KW - Sustainability Science

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84981557767&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/admsci6010001

DO - 10.3390/admsci6010001

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84981557767

VL - 6

JO - Administrative Sciences

JF - Administrative Sciences

SN - 2076-3387

IS - 1

M1 - 1

ER -