Management and the Sustainability Paradox: Reconnecting the Human Chain

Management and the Sustainability Paradox explores how humans became disconnected from their ecological environment and how this paradox shapes corporate actions and managerial decisions. It argues that natural selection favored short-term solutions, leading to a moral calculus of costs versus benefits in management. The book proposes ethical solutions to the paradox and aims to appeal to an academic and policy maker audience in the sustainability and management fields.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 194 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The book explores the complex relationship between human evolution, management practices, and the pursuit of sustainability. It argues that throughout our evolutionary history, humans have gradually become disconnected from their natural environment, leading to a range of challenges and conflicts. The book begins by examining the innate, natural drives that shape human behavior, including the drive for survival and the desire for long-term genetic propagation. However, the book also highlights the fact that survival often involves overcoming immediate adversities, which can lead to short-term solutions that prioritize immediate gains over longer-range sustainability values.

The moral calculus of costs versus benefits plays a significant role in managerial decisions and choices. Managers often invoke economic and corporate growth to justify virtually any action, regardless of its impact on sustainability. This moral calculus underlying corporate behavior needs to be critically examined and reformed. At the heart of the paradox lies deep moral questions that require careful examination. The book aims to propose ethical solutions to address these challenges and promote a more sustainable and equitable future.

The book explores the complex relationship between human evolution, management practices, and the pursuit of sustainability. It argues that throughout our evolutionary history, humans have gradually become disconnected from their natural environment, leading to a range of challenges and conflicts. The book begins by examining the innate, natural drives that shape human behavior, including the drive for survival and the desire for long-term genetic propagation. However, the book also highlights the fact that survival often involves overcoming immediate adversities, which can lead to short-term solutions that prioritize immediate gains over longer-range sustainability values.

The moral calculus of costs versus benefits plays a significant role in managerial decisions and choices. Managers often invoke economic and corporate growth to justify virtually any action, regardless of its impact on sustainability. This moral calculus underlying corporate behavior needs to be critically examined and reformed. At the heart of the paradox lies deep moral questions that require careful examination. The book aims to propose ethical solutions to address these challenges and promote a more sustainable and equitable future.

In business, we often see a collision between ideas of progress and sustainability, which shapes corporate actions and managerial decisions. Typical corporate views of progress involve the creation of wealth, jobs, innovative products, and social philanthropic projects. On the basis of these progressive actions, they justify their inequitable distribution of surpluses by paying low wages and exploiting ecological resources. It is not difficult to see the antagonistic interplay between technological and social innovation with our values for social and environmental sustainability.

The book explores the complex relationship between human evolution, management practices, and the pursuit of sustainability. It argues that throughout our evolutionary history, humans have gradually become disconnected from their natural environment, leading to a range of challenges and conflicts. The book begins by examining the innate, natural drives that shape human behavior, including the drive for survival and the desire for long-term genetic propagation. However, the book also highlights the fact that survival often involves overcoming immediate adversities, which can lead to short-term solutions that prioritize immediate gains over longer-range sustainability values.

The moral calculus of costs versus benefits plays a significant role in managerial decisions and choices. Managers often invoke economic and corporate growth to justify virtually any action, regardless of its impact on sustainability. This moral calculus underlying corporate behavior needs to be critically examined and reformed. At the heart of the paradox lies deep moral questions that require careful examination. The book aims to propose ethical solutions to address these challenges and promote a more sustainable and equitable future.

In conclusion, Management and the Sustainability Paradox provides a valuable insight into the complex relationship between human evolution, management practices, and the pursuit of sustainability. It highlights the inherent paradox that exists between what some businesses view as a need for progress and a concern for sustainability. By examining the innate, natural drives that shape human behavior and the moral calculus of costs versus benefits, the book proposes ethical solutions to address these challenges and promote a more sustainable and equitable future. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics between management, sustainability, and the human condition.

Weight: 358g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367505615