A systems engineering approach to business sustainability: a business sustainability framework and evaluation tool

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sustainability is recognised as one of the primary challenges of modern businesses.The importance for, and pressure on businesses to incorporate aspectsof sustainability into all business processes, that result in delivery of productsand/or services, in terms of social equity, economic efficiency, and environmentalperformance, have increased over the last decades.Consequently, a number of business sustainability frameworks and approacheswere developed to support businesses in incorporating these three elementsof sustainability into business processes. However, these frameworks presentchallenges on how elements of sustainability could be incorporated into businessprocesses. These challenges are: (i) the notion that these frameworksconsider the business as a whole, and not as a number of sub-components; (ii)all dimensions of sustainability are not uniformly considered; (iii) measuringthe three dimensions of sustainability is not similar across the business components;and (iv) businesses adapt their business processes to a recommendedframework that considers sustainability at an aggregated level.The aim of this research is to contribute towards the body of knowledge of businesssustainability through the development of a business sustainability frameworkthat effectively facilitates a sustainable business vision through sharedvalue. Such a business sustainability framework should address the challengespresented by existing business sustainability frameworks and approaches. Thefollowing objectives that, when addressed collectively, support the attainmentof the above-stated aim are:Initially, a systematic review of literature pertaining to existing measures ofsustainability, and sustainable business frameworks that are aimed to improvebusiness sustainability through shared value are discussed.Using the systems engineering approach to address the challenges of sustainablebusiness development, it allows for unpacking the business environmentinto business components and measure sustainability performances at these business components which ultimately aim to achieve their full potential interms of sustainability.The overarching methodology which is guided by Jabareen's conceptual frameworkmethodology proposes a qualitative systems engineering approach tobusiness sustainability. Conceptual frameworks are products of qualitativeprocesses, or set of concepts, that describe an event, object or process. Therefore,the conceptual framework approach enables the use of existing literaturewhere the literature has certain relationships, features and concepts with oneanother and therefore the discussion of interrelations within concepts createsthe applicability of Jabareen's approach.The Business Sustainability Framework is developed using the partnership ofthe systems engineering approach and the conceptual framework methodology.This high-level conceptualisation of the Business Sustainability Framework illustratesthe four quadrants, that are subsequently translated into three stageswithin the developed Business Sustainability Evaluation Tool. The BusinessSustainability Evaluation Tool aims to contribute to business sustainabilityto serve as a mechanism to measure business sustainability within a businessenvironment.In conclusion, a case study application will be conducted to gain more in-depthand practical insight of how an international private hospital group considersbusiness sustainability. Additionally, this research makes a contribution to thebusiness sustainability field of research by providing a di erent view towardsthe contribution of business sustainability within businesses.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University