Changing Environmental Practice: Understanding and Overcoming the Organizational and Psychological Barriers

ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SUSTAINABILITY MOSAIC: NEW PERSPECTIVES IN RESEARCH ON CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY. Sharma, M. Starik and B. Husted, eds., 2007

Harvard NOM Working Paper No. 05-04; Harvard Business School Working Paper No. 05-043

Ross School of Business Paper No. 923

38 Pages Posted: 7 Feb 2005 Last revised: 10 Jan 2009

See all articles by Andrew John Hoffman

Andrew John Hoffman

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Max H. Bazerman

Harvard Business School - Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, the environmental management literature has grown from a small offshoot of mainstream academic study to become a vibrant field of its own. The contributions of this field lie in the study of corporations and their impact upon the natural world. We are impressed by the large quantity of good ideas that have developed concerning how to improve the environment in ways that are good for business. Yet we also have observed that many executives and organizations have been slow to adopt wise environmental practices. We offer insight from both behavioral decision research and organizational theory to explain the barriers to change, and suggest means of surmounting those barriers. After providing an overview of both the applied and academic areas of environmental management, we identify specific barriers to its implementation and offer direction for diffusing wise environmental management practices at a faster rate.

Suggested Citation

Hoffman, Andrew John and Bazerman, Max H., Changing Environmental Practice: Understanding and Overcoming the Organizational and Psychological Barriers. ORGANIZATIONS AND THE SUSTAINABILITY MOSAIC: NEW PERSPECTIVES IN RESEARCH ON CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY. Sharma, M. Starik and B. Husted, eds., 2007, Harvard NOM Working Paper No. 05-04; Harvard Business School Working Paper No. 05-043, Ross School of Business Paper No. 923, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=663564

Andrew John Hoffman

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )

701 Tappan Street, R4390
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
United States
734.763.9455 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.andrewhoffman.net/

Max H. Bazerman (Contact Author)

Harvard Business School - Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
United States
617-495-6429 (Phone)
617-496-4191 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.people.hbs.edu/mbazerman

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