General instructions:
-Format: essay format will be one essay (Introduction, paragraphs of answer of both questions and Conclusion)
-Referencing: to use the Harvard referencing style for in-text referencing and list of reference at the end as well add links for all references. (you need also use recommended reading provided below as references)
*exclude Wikipedia as references.
Introduction
This assignment has two questions. Student should answer both of them. Both questions require student to access examples of real practice using secondary or primary sources (such as interviews). Answer should cover different sustainability practices of SMEs and relating them to size, business activities and innovations of SMEs. The answer of each question should cover two parts:
First, Theoretical foundations: In this theoretical part, students should critically define and highlight concepts emphasized in the questions. Also, it should provide critical review on factors affecting adoption of environment sustainability practices (attached Chapters). In this part students are expected to use references from the list of recommended reading provided below.
Second, Evidence from real practices: This part should be supported and validated with relevant data collection tool such as interviews or/and secondary data represented in census or published material from trusted sources. Interviews protocol or/ copy from any used secondary source should be provided in the appendix. Link to any website used should be referred to in this part by inserting the URL to support your answer.
Question 1
Analyze the relationship between SMEs’ innovation and environment sustainability practices. Support your answer with examples of real practice. 1250 words
Question 2
Discuss how factors affecting adoption and implementation of environment sustainability practices might differ between large business and SMEs. Support your answer with examples of real practice. 1250 words
(you need use real practices large company and SME company to cover two parts of questions) you find the company from Saudi Arabia country.
List of Recommended Readings
Collins, E., Roper, J., & Lawrence, S. (2010). Sustainability practices: trends in New Zealand businesses. Business Strategy and the Environment, 19(8), 479-494.
Gomes, C. M., Kneipp, J. M., Kruglianskas, I., da Rosa, L. A. B., & Bichueti, R. S. (2015). Management for sustainability: An analysis of the key practices according to the business size. Ecological Indicators, 52, 116-127.
Johnson, M. P. (2015). Sustainability management and small and medium‐sized enterprises: Managers’ awareness and implementation of innovative tools. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 22(5), 271-285.
Biondi, V., Iraldo, F., & Meredith, S. (2002). Achieving sustainability through environmental innovation: the role of SMEs. International Journal of Technology Management, 24(5-6), 612-626.
Bos‐Brouwers, H. E. J. (2010). Corporate sustainability and innovation in SMEs: evidence of themes and activities in practice. Business strategy and the environment, 19(7), 417-435.
Klewitz, J., & Hansen, E. G. (2014). Sustainability-oriented innovation of SMEs: a systematic review. Journal of cleaner production, 65, 57-75.
Masurel, E. (2007). Why SMEs invest in environmental measures: sustainability evidence from small and medium‐sized printing firms. Business Strategy and the Environment, 16(3), 190-201.
Urban, B., & Naidoo, R. (2012). Business sustainability: empirical evidence on operational skills in SMEs in South Africa. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 19(1), 146-163.
Eccles, R. G., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2014). The impact of corporate sustainability on organizational processes and performance. Management Science, 60(11), 2835-2857.
Salzmann, O., Ionescu-Somers, A., & Steger, U. (2005). The business case for corporate sustainability:: literature review and research options. European management journal, 23(1), 27-36.
