This master thesis is divided into three major parts: The first part of my thesis offers the theoretical background on which is based theempirical research I have conducted as part of this thesis. Therefore, this section consists, for a major fraction, in a review of Dutton and her colleagues’ work. The section begins with an overview of the literature on issue selling to top management followed by a review of the cognitive categorization theory. Using these two major theoretical sources as well as other relevant findings from the academic literature, I then suggest a general model linking organizational context, top management’s interpretation and emotional response to
environmental sustainability issues and the subsequent organizational response to those issues. The theoretical background and my individual extension to the existing literature will be the basis for the second part of my work. The second part of my thesis consists in an empirical research based mostly on Dutton and her colleagues’ framework that I have extended to the specific issue of environmental sustainability. The goal of this research was to identify the elements of the
organizational context playing an important role in the prediction of top management’s interpretation of environmental sustainability issues. The research involved two consecutive
studies. The first study (Study 1) consisted in few semi-structured and repertory grids interviews to distinguish what elements from the organizational context might help to
foresee how top management would interpret an environmental sustainability issue. Hypotheses on how the organizational context could help to predict top management’s categorization outcome were then designed according to the results. The second study (Study 2) consisted in a short online questionnaire sent to a large poll of top managers in order to verify the hypotheses elicited by study 1 on how (and which) contextual elements
predict top management’s interpretation of green issues. The third part of my thesis represents a general conclusion on my final year thesis. It includes my research question, a general overview of the different theories I used to answer it, the different findings and the limitations of my empirical research.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I: A View of the Literature
- Chapter 1: Selling Issues to Top Management: A Review of the Literature
- Theoretical Background of Dutton & Ashford (1993)'s framework
- Dutton & Ashford (1993)'s framework
- Conclusion Chapter 1
- Chapter 2: Categorizing Strategic Environmental Issues
- Review of the Literature on Cognitive Categorization Theory
- Categorizing Environmental Issues: From Labeling to Organizational Actions
- Conclusion Chapter 2
- Chapter 3: Top management's Interpretation and Response to Environmental Sustainability Issues: Creation of a General Model
- The Model - Explanation & Justification
- Implications of the Model for Issue-Selling
- Conclusion
- Part II: Empirical Research
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Study 1
- Goal of Study 1
- Method
- Discussion
- Chapter 2: Study 2
- Goal of Study 2
- Method
- Discussion
- Understanding the cognitive processes involved in selling environmental issues to top management.
- Analyzing the role of organizational context in shaping top management's interpretation of environmental sustainability issues.
- Developing a framework for predicting top management's categorization of environmental issues as opportunities or threats.
- Examining the relationship between organizational context and top management's emotional response to environmental issues.
- Exploring the potential for organizational benefits stemming from a proactive approach to environmental sustainability.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This master thesis aims to identify the key factors from the organizational context that influence top management's perception of environmental sustainability issues as opportunities rather than threats. The research focuses on how to effectively "sell" environmental issues to top management, encouraging them to adopt a proactive and voluntary environmental strategy.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first part of the thesis provides a theoretical foundation for the empirical research. Chapter 1 reviews the literature on selling issues to top management, focusing on the framework proposed by Dutton and Ashford (1993). This framework highlights the importance of framing issues in a way that resonates with top management's values and goals. Chapter 2 examines cognitive categorization theory and its application to environmental issues. It explores how managers categorize environmental issues as opportunities or threats and the implications for organizational action. Chapter 3 proposes a general model linking organizational context, top management's interpretation and emotional response to environmental sustainability issues, and subsequent organizational responses.
The second part of the thesis focuses on empirical research, using Dutton and her colleagues' framework to investigate the specific issue of environmental sustainability. Study 1 utilizes semi-structured interviews and repertory grids to identify potential contextual elements influencing top management's interpretation of environmental sustainability issues. Based on these findings, Study 2 employs an online questionnaire to test hypotheses about how specific contextual elements predict top management's categorization of green issues.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis centers on the themes of environmental sustainability, issue-selling, top management, cognitive categorization, organizational context, and emotional response. The research explores the relationship between managerial perception, organizational strategy, and environmental performance, drawing upon key concepts like Dutton and Ashford's framework and the importance of proactive environmental strategies.
- Quote paper
- Maxime Dessy (Author), 2009, How Can We Create the Right Organizational Context to Sell Environmental Sustainability as a Strategic Issue to Top Management?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/145284
