Consumer Preferences for Sustainability and its Impacts on Strategic Management Processes in the Chemical Industry: An Exploratory Investigation
Location
Culp Room 210
Start Date
4-6-2022 1:00 PM
End Date
4-7-2022 1:15 PM
Faculty Sponsor’s Department
Management & Marketing
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
James Harlan
Additional Sponsors
Dr. Jean Garner Stead
Competition Type
Non-Competitive
Type
Boland Symposium
Project's Category
Management or Commerce Planning or Policy, Management Science
Abstract or Artist's Statement
The ability to create and implement sustainable business operations has become increasingly important for chemical firms to keep up with ever-growing consumer demands for sustainability. This thesis is an exploratory investigation designed to examine the strategic management processes made by top management of three chemical firms operating at different stages in the value chain as they respond to increasing consumer demands for sustainability. The implementation of specific structures and processes were studied to measure the extent these chemical firms have taken for sustainable operations. These indicators include corporate vision, mission, and goals, sustainability structure, product offerings, supply chain management, reporting, and external recognition. The literature supports the hypothesis that as consumer demands for sustainable products have increased, firms in the chemical industry have coevolved and adapted their strategic management processes to this new environment. This study examines the coevolution of increasing consumer demands for sustainability and their impact on organizations’ strategic management processes in firms in the chemical industry. Specifically, the study consists of a sample of three firms operating at different stages of the value chain-DowDuPont, Eastman, and Procter & Gamble, where data was gathered on the variables discussed above for each firm. The results of the case studies are expected to indicate that consumer preferences have pressured chemical firms to implement sustainable processes into their strategic management operations. The study concludes with hypotheses for future research.
Consumer Preferences for Sustainability and its Impacts on Strategic Management Processes in the Chemical Industry: An Exploratory Investigation
Culp Room 210
The ability to create and implement sustainable business operations has become increasingly important for chemical firms to keep up with ever-growing consumer demands for sustainability. This thesis is an exploratory investigation designed to examine the strategic management processes made by top management of three chemical firms operating at different stages in the value chain as they respond to increasing consumer demands for sustainability. The implementation of specific structures and processes were studied to measure the extent these chemical firms have taken for sustainable operations. These indicators include corporate vision, mission, and goals, sustainability structure, product offerings, supply chain management, reporting, and external recognition. The literature supports the hypothesis that as consumer demands for sustainable products have increased, firms in the chemical industry have coevolved and adapted their strategic management processes to this new environment. This study examines the coevolution of increasing consumer demands for sustainability and their impact on organizations’ strategic management processes in firms in the chemical industry. Specifically, the study consists of a sample of three firms operating at different stages of the value chain-DowDuPont, Eastman, and Procter & Gamble, where data was gathered on the variables discussed above for each firm. The results of the case studies are expected to indicate that consumer preferences have pressured chemical firms to implement sustainable processes into their strategic management operations. The study concludes with hypotheses for future research.