The Difficulty of Climate Change Adaptation in Manufacturing Firms: Developing an Action-Theoretical Perspective on the Causality of Adaptive Inaction
| Autor: | Ulrike Meinel, Ralf Schüle |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
action theory
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences Supply chain media_common.quotation_subject Geography Planning and Development lcsh:TJ807-830 lcsh:Renewable energy sources Rationality adaptation Management Monitoring Policy and Law 01 natural sciences Microeconomics climate change manufacturing firms strategic management 0502 economics and business Economics Action theory (philosophy) Set (psychology) lcsh:Environmental sciences 0105 earth and related environmental sciences media_common lcsh:GE1-350 Renewable Energy Sustainability and the Environment lcsh:Environmental effects of industries and plants 05 social sciences Bounded rationality lcsh:TD194-195 Action (philosophy) ddc:300 Strategic management Psychological resilience 050203 business & management |
| Zdroj: | Sustainability; Volume 10; Issue 2; Pages: 569 Sustainability, Vol 10, Iss 2, p 569 (2018) |
| ISSN: | 2071-1050 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/su10020569 |
| Popis: | Climate change induces various risks for supply chains of manufacturing firms. However, surveys have suggested that only a minority of firms conducts strategic adaptations, which we define as anticipatory and target-oriented action with the purpose of increasing resilience to climate change. While several barrier-centered studies have investigated the causality of non-adaptation in industry, the examined barriers are often not problem-specific. Furthermore, it has been shown that even in cases when managers perceive no barriers to adaptation at all, strategic adaptations may still not be conducted. On this background, the present analysis focuses on the logic of adaptive inaction, which we conceive, in particular, as inaction with regard to strategic adaptations. Adopting an action-theoretical perspective, the study examines (a) which aspects may shape the rationality of adaptive inaction among managers, (b) which more condensed challenges of conducting strategic adaptations emerge for managers, and (c) how the theoretical propositions can be tested. For this purpose, the study employs an exploratory approach. Thus, hypotheses on such aspects are explored, which may shape the rationality of adaptive inaction among managers. Subsequently, predictions are inferred from the theoretical propositions, which allow testing their empirical relevance. Methodologically, the hypotheses are explored by reexamining existing explanatory approaches from literature based on a set of pretheoretical assumptions, which include notions of bounded rationality. As a result, the study proposes 13 aspects which may constrain managers in conducting adaptations in such a way, which serves the economic utility of the firm. By condensing these aspects, 4 major challenges for managers are suggested: the challenges of (a) conducting long-term adaptations, of (b) conducting adaptations at an early point in time, of (c) conducting adaptations despite uncertain effects of the measures, and of (d) conducting adaptations despite cross-tier dependencies in supply chains. Finally, the study shows how the propositions can be tested and outlines a research agenda based on the developed theoretical suggestions. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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