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A circular economy (CE) addresses the shift in economic systems from an unsustainable linear approach to a sustainable circular approach through start-ups and entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE). A single level of focus on CE research limits an understanding of the mechanisms fostering a transition towards CE. We conduct a systematic review of the macro–meso–micro interconnections between start-ups and EE in CE using bibliometric and content analyses to scope the literature without time boundaries. This exercise led to 90 articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. We contribute to literature on entrepreneurship and CE by building an integrative multi-level framework linked to the just and safe planetary boundaries by bridging macro-level explanations (public policies, regulations and infrastructure) and the meso-level (circular supply chains and circular ecosystems) and micro-level (circular start-ups and circular business models). The framework highlights social and environmental sustainability challenges, and just and safe close-loop production patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still unclear how the natural environment influences the firm's performance. It is needed to understand how business activities that strongly depend on natural resources, as it is agriculture, manage their scarcity and uncertainty. Based on a sample of 150 small agricultural businesses, hierarchical regression was used to analyze how entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental sustainability orientation (ESO) can shape the influence of natural resources on environmental performance (EP) and financial performance (FP). Supported by the Natural Resource‐Dependence Theory (NRDT), our study found that natural resources availability is determinant for FP. At the same time, EP depends on Land but not on water and climatic conditions. The results also support the resource‐based view (RBV), since EO and ESO are mediators in the association between natural resources and FP, representing powerful internal responses to agricultural businesses face the natural environment constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) emerged as an alternative model to the linear system to foster sustainable development. Entrepreneurship represents a key factor in capturing new circular business opportunities. Research on circular entrepreneurship remains at an early phase and is correspondingly somewhat dispersed. Thus, the research objective here is to bring entrepreneurship into the focus of discussions on CE through a systematic literature review. In the absence of any systematic review on this theme, this work aims to map the relevant research and identify the themes discussed in the literature straddling entrepreneurship and the CE currently dispersed across the existing literature. Based on a sample of 102 articles collected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, this approach identified four thematic groups: growing circular SMEs, born circular firms and start‐ups, social entrepreneurship in CE, and support ecosystem for circular entrepreneurship. A greater emphasis on the study of growing circular SMEs to the detriment of other groups is observed. Also, research in the field is mainly focused on European countries. We then propose a future research agenda and a conceptual model for the entrepreneurial process in CE as a point of departure for further developing and deepening the literature on circular entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study determines how environmental management control system (MCS) packages influence ecological sustainability and sustainable performance through the mediating role of environmental strategies. Furthermore, this applies organizational capabilities as moderating variables between environmental strategies, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance in a sample of 373 construction firms. Design/methodology/approach: The authors apply quantitative questionnaire data from construction firm representatives (from project, sales and construction managers and contract managers, executive directors and engineers) to structural equation modeling and SmartPLS for our analysis. Findings: The results demonstrate that recourse to environmental MCS packages significantly influence ecological sustainability, sustainable performance and environmental strategies. Additionally, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities significantly influence ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Moreover, environmental strategies mediate between environmental MCS packages, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Organizational capabilities significantly moderate the relationship between ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Practical implications: This research highlights the issue of how the management of construction organizations deploy environmental MCS packages, organizational capabilities and business strategies to measure ecological sustainability and improve their sustainable performance. This study fills a gap in the literature and facilitates the management of construction organizations in strengthening their internal resources in terms of environmental MCS packages, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities able to help improve their ecological sustainability and sustainable performance. Originality/value: There are few studies building theoretical frameworks for incorporating environmental MCS packages, organizational capabilities, environmental strategies, ecological sustainability and sustainable performance into a single study. Although the influence of various types of intangible resources on ecological sustainability and sustainable performance receive considerable examination in the literature, there is a dearth of attention paid to understanding the role of environmental MCS packages, environmental strategies and organizational capabilities in determining the ecological sustainability and sustainable performance of construction organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that the resources and capabilities of agricultural entrepreneurs play on both environmental performance (EP) and financial performance (FP) is still unclear. This study analyzes how small farms enhance EP and FP in an inland Portuguese region through the relationship between dynamic capabilities (DCs), entrepreneurial orientation (EO), and environmental sustainability commitment (ESC). Based on a sample of 160 fresh fruit farms and applying a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM), our study concludes that EO and ESC influence EP and FP positively. Hence, farms can achieve competitive advantage through mitigating their profound impacts on the environment as proposed by the natural resource‐based view (NRBV). Farms are also improving DCs, but farmers respond to the higher environmental requirements of agricultural markets primarily through research and development (R&D) capabilities and not through marketing capabilities. Having as theoretical supports the NRBV and the DCs, our study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which entrepreneurs enhance EP and FP in sectors with high environmental impacts such as agriculture. The findings suggest that entrepreneurship training projects may enable farmers to approach food security as a market opportunity and not only as rules they must follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable banking is an issue that has been growing in importance around the world since the 2008 global crisis. Because the banking system is a major economic and financial intermediary, it has a significant impact on diverse stakeholders. In this context, understanding the determinants of long-term survival of the banking industry appears to be important to ensuring sustainable banking. Based on a constructivist stance, this study sought to identify sustainability strategies in the banking industry through a combination of fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) and the system dynamics (SD) approach. The main goal is to develop an easily understood model of sustainable banking to help decision makers analyze the dynamics of the cause-and-effect relationships between determinants of sustainable banking and project long-term scenarios. The insights obtained were derived from two group sessions with a panel of decision makers who deal with banking processes on a daily basis and were validated by the Director of the technical unit for sustainability of Millennium BCP, one of the largest banking corporations in Portugal. Static and dynamic analyses were also carried out, the results of which support the study's main conclusions and reinforce the relevance of the proposed dual methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By introducing digital technologies, Industry 4.0 may be transforming the traditional systems of the manufacturing industries, which are often blamed for high environmental degradation and social inequalities. Due to their power, size, and scope, manufacturing multinational enterprises (MNEs) are considered by other organizations as best practice references. If there is already evidence that digitalization favours environmental sustainability, social sustainability still needs to be explored. This study aims to analyze the contribution of the implementation of digital technologies in promoting environmental and social sustainability in European manufacturing MNEs using the Resource-Based View (RBV). A research model was formulated comprising five digital technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Robotics, Big Data Analytics, and Blockchain) and sustainable environmental and social practices. To test the model, the Partial Least Squares method was applied to a sample of 764 European manufacturing MNEs. The results show that European MNEs still have a low implementation of digital technologies in their business models. Digital technologies positively contribute to achieving these companies' environmental and social sustainability. However, the contributions of implementing each digital technology to environmental and social sustainability are not equal, allowing investment prioritization by manufacturing MNEs according to the strategically defined return. This study contributes to the evolution of RBV considering digital technology as a strategic resource. It focuses on assessing the contribution of five digital technologies to achieving environmental and social sustainability and demonstrates the importance of the digital transition towards greener manufacturing production in environmental and social terms. It also suggests practices managers and policymakers can implement to accelerate digitalization and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research on sustainability in family businesses is still in its early stage. • Over 80% of publications on this topic were generated in the last 5 years. • Prior research has focused capital, strategy, social responsibility, and succession • A high potential for future research on sustainability in family businesses. Sustainability is a relevant and established topic in the family business literature. However, family business scholars lack a comprehensive understanding about the different streams of research and the potential new areas for exploration on this topic. This limitation is a significant hinderance to the advancement of both theory and practice in the area. In this study, we provide an overview of the past, present, and future of research in the field of sustainability in family business. We use a systematic review of the literature by combining different bibliometric techniques. In the process, we provide a mapping of various themes alluding to sustainability in family businesses for a better understanding of the growth of the literature related to the topic, as well as its evolution. Our findings indicate that the extant literature on this topic falls into four different clusters: family business capital, family business strategy, family business social responsibility, and family business succession. We provide a research agenda for future studies after examining each research cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation systems can play a decisive part in the globally coordinated efforts towards creating a sustainable future. However, the research that bridges national innovation systems and sustainability is scant. This study seeks to contribute to bridging this gap by exploring the relationships between national innovation systems and environmental sustainability at the country level. The multiple regression analysis shows that developed national innovation systems can enhance environmental sustainability at the country level, which should be accompanied by a transition towards sustainable consumption behavior and business practices. This study suggests that developing national innovation systems to foster environmental sustainability should encompass systemic changes that nurture and mold the multiple national innovation systems' factors and enable (environmentally) sustainable outputs. Implications of the findings for policy, theory, and management are discussed before concluding with the study's limitations and suggestions for future research. • This study explores the relationships between NIS and environmental sustainability. • The impact of NIS on environmental sustainability at the country level is twofold. • NIS can play a decisive role towards an environmentally sustainable future. • Environmentally sustainable consumption behavior and business practices are needed. • Systemic changes that foster NIS′ environmentally sustainable outputs are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]