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During the last decade, the public healthcare sector has had to deal with increased competition, a growing influence of patient associations, and a necessity to deliver health services more efficiently and effectively. Despite recognising the patient participant's role as a critical stakeholder in value creation, there is a limited body of research on the influence and power of patient participants. This article focuses on regional health improvement collaboratives that aim to develop coordinated, multi-stakeholder solutions to their healthcare cost and quality problems. They meet regularly and include health professionals, health insurance providers, and patient participants. In this article, we explore the relationships between these stakeholders and patient participants' interpersonal dimensions regarding empowerment and valuable collaboration. Data were collected through stakeholder observations during meetings of three regional health improvement collaboratives, as well as through semi-structured interviews with the patient participants involved in these cases. Results show that patient participants can be empowered on a personal level. However, this does not imply that patient participants are empowered within the group dynamics. Interpersonal relationships constitute a crucial hidden aspect of building trust. More dialogue and inquiry are needed to examine how patient engagement is enacted and positioned within healthcare collaboratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of marketing for higher education have widely explored the branding activities of specific entities in higher education such as universities and programmes, but they consistently focus on proactive brand management. Proactive strategies are centred around gaining and maintaining a stronger brand. This also implies that reactive strategies are underexplored. Reactive strategies are rather centred around repairing stakeholder trust in contexts where stakeholders criticise the brand. For instance, in the Netherlands, stakeholders have strongly criticised teacher training programmes, by raising fundamental issues concerning their quality and societal relevance. Based on a case study of a specific teacher training programme in the Netherlands, we investigate processes underlying reactive brand management. We identify several micro-level strategies of brand managers such as acknowledgement, normalisation and denial of responsibility. Our assumption is that these kind of strategies can contribute to the continuity of problematic or even highly controversial entities in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain the extent and content of the sustainability disclosure of public and foundation (private but not-for-profit) universities in Turkey. Design/methodology/approach: Subsequent to a systematic literature review of six academic databases and the National Thesis Center, a content analysis using a combination of Global Reporting Initiative and campus assessment tools from previous studies is conducted on stand-alone sustainability reports and websites of a purposive sample of eight universities in Turkey. Findings: Infrequent and unsystematic sustainability practice done through websites seems to be more prevalent than formal reporting through international initiatives. Research and practice diverge by focusing on different sustainability indicators. Sustainability needs to be integrated into teaching and curriculum through university policies and regulations. Foundation universities show greater effort in sustainability reporting than public universities. Research limitations/implications: The research is limited by the availability of mostly self-reported, dispersed and unaudited data by foundation universities in addition to framework-imposed specificities. Furthermore, there is only one public university with a formal sustainability report in the sample. Practical implications: The findings offer suggestions for developing extra sustainability indicators and may assist local policy-makers and researchers in their efforts to improve sustainability reporting by local universities. Originality/value: This comprehensive research effort is one of the few studies from a non-Western country perspective and the only study on Turkey in relation to universities and sustainability reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainability has become an undeniable aspect of corporate dealings this day and age. The advent of Corporate Social Responsibility as a morally sound issue has been caught up by market-oriented, profit-driven motivations for 'greening' the business. Also, new generations of professionals are growing up more environmentally aware than ever and eager to put their beliefs and attitudes into practice. This study explores the role of individual sustainability competences in eco-design building projects of small- and medium sized enterprises in the Netherlands. Building projects of multiple case companies have been investigated, in search of sustainability competences needed to deal with issues and problems during the process. A total number of 39 incidents were analyzed for the role of individual sustainability competences. Individual sustainability competences played a specific role in different phases and characteristic aspects of the building projects: the initial inspiration for eco-design; project development; and the involvement of stakeholders. However, not all individual sustainability competences appeared during the process. The most apparent competences were related to strategic management and action, diversity, interdisciplinarity, and interpersonal aspects. Systems thinking competence and foresighted thinking competence occurred considerably less in the incidents, while normative competence was only mentioned once. Respondents choose to merge normative dimensions of their behavior with the strategic and action-oriented dimensions. These findings confirm earlier theoretical conceptualizations of a virtuous competence for sustainability, and leads to further questions about the specific role and definition of normative competence in business and (higher) education settings. Highlights • Individual sustainability competences in small-and medium sized enterprises. • Importance of strategic action, interdisciplinary and interpersonal approach. • Normative competence not mentioned to be of importance during the process. • Managers prefer strategic- and action oriented dimensions over normative competence. • Study confirms theoretical conceptualization of virtuous sustainability competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This article adds insights in students' attitudes toward sustainability, with specific focus on students in business management/marketing. It builds upon a number of conceptual interpretations and barriers for change in higher education for sustainable development, followed by the concept of sustainability competences and the students' perspectives. A segmentation study is developed in order to frame the variety of student dispositions of sustainability attitudes, based on a survey among 458 students in business management/marketing. Four different segments of students are discovered, according to their attitudes toward sustainability issues: moderate problem solvers; pessimistic non-believers; optimistic realists; and convinced individualists. The results of the segmentation study reveal that a one-fit-for-all approach in acquiring sustainability competences is not feasible. This calls for a diversity in approaches to prepare students in dealing with the complexity and uncertainty of sustainability issues, oriented toward more self-regulated learning, and developing critical and interpretational competences. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • Students show complex, layered and multi-dimensional attitudes to sustainability. • Students tend to like an "a la carte"-mentality to sustainability. • Four segments of students are identified according to sustainability dispositions. • A one-fit-for-all approach to acquire sustainability competences is not feasible. • Critical and interpretational competences are essential in the post-truth era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides critical reflections on higher education for sustainable development (HESD) from a philosophical perspective. A theoretical framework is developed, based on John Dewey’s thoughts on the aim of democracy and the critical role of education herein, and with specific focus on two constructs: ‘initiative and adaptability’ and ‘values and virtues’. This theoretical framework is used to analyze HESD in Flanders, from a historical and socio-political perspective. The Flemish case shows a gradual evolution from a focus on environmental management on campus, followed by a normative interpretation of what HESD should look like, and a more transformative approach in light of citizenship and democratic ideals. The case also shows considerable exchange of information between Flanders and the Netherlands, in which Dutch models and instruments were used in the Flemish context. The philosophical perspective provides a theoretical grounding of the field of HESD, which enables us to further develop the field, with a specific focus on initiative and adaptability on the one hand, and the importance of a virtues perspective on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to provide insights into the relation between professional development (PD) and organisational change processes towards sustainability, with a specific focus on empowerment.Design/methodology/approach The paper builds upon a constructivist approach, combining a literature review, a desk research on key publications and reports and a socio-political analysis to reveal the specific context in Flanders, Belgium. Findings are then connected to earlier insights from research on organisational change for sustainability.Findings The paper provides a number of PD initiatives that focus on sustainability in general and in a single higher education (HE) institution. Framing such initiatives as an organisational change process offers insights on how elements of empowerment are currently incorporated in PD initiatives and how it can strengthen them to lead to the further integration of sustainability competences in HE.Research limitations/implications Limitations are linked with the kind of sources used in the constructivist approach. The analysis only looks at written reports on the topic, albeit it also builds upon the first-hand experiences of educators in the HE institution focused upon in the case.Practical implications There is a need to frame PD initiatives as an organisational change process towards sustainability with specific attention towards empowerment. Without this framing, PD approaches comprise the risk of being left in the margins or being understood as single initiatives without any connection to the bigger picture, i.e. the transition towards sustainability in HE.Social implications Interlinking PD and organisational change provides opportunities to frame the sustainability transition within the university in a wider societal context.Originality/value The paper provides an original contribution to the debate on sustainability competences, as it frames the PD within an organisational context, rather than focusing on the individual role of educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how competences for sustainable development and research interrelate within a context of competence-based higher education. Specific focus is oriented towards strengthening research competences for sustainability.Design/methodology/approach Following a hermeneutic–interpretive methodology, this paper builds upon a critical literature review to demarcate the theoretical framework and an in-depth analysis of a case study exploring the interrelations between both types of competences.Findings The paper discusses current issues in the integration of competences and explores the contribution of research-based methods to acquire competences for sustainable development. The analysis shows that research skills are often mentioned to contribute to this acquisition, though from a general perspective, or from the sidelines of the learning process. A holistic view on how both concepts are linked is missing.Research limitations/implications First, the complex nature of competences and their integration in higher education could lead to difficulties in interpreting and analysing them. Second, the analysis is based on a single-case study, limiting possibilities to generalise the results. Third, this study is not looking at curriculum practices in these fields.Practical implications There is a need to holistically (re-)frame research competences within the concepts of education for sustainable development and, to a wider extent, sustainable development.Social implications Framing research competences within the concept of sustainable development enables a thorough and “conscious”, rather than coincidental, acquisition of competences for sustainable development.Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in the fact that there is little literature about the interrelations between competences for sustainable development and research competences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article builds upon the experiences and results of the application of sustainability assessment instruments in higher education. First, a short overview of existing sustainability assessment tools will be provided, as well as their contribution towards the integration of sustainability in higher education. Second, a reflective case focuses on the use of sustainability assessment for policy development in higher education. This case is based upon the application of the Auditing Instrument for Sustainability in Higher Education in a Belgian higher education institution, focusing on four consecutive assessments in the department of Business Studies (2003, 2004, 2009, 2010). Based on the assessment reports and an evaluation of the assessments, the contribution of sustainability assessment to policy development is reflected upon. The article provides a research-based, reflective study, and focuses on the consecutive application of sustainability assessment tools, the contribution of sustainability assessment to policy development and the contribution of sustainability assessment to connecting a bottom-up approach to a top-down approach. The article results in specific recommendations on the use of sustainability assessment for policy development in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ecological footprint analysis has been used worldwide in a variety of organizations (enterprise, public authorities, non-governmental organizations, (higher) educational institutions) and at different levels (personal level, (parts of) organizations, cities, regions, countries). Universities also calculated their ecological footprints, for various reasons: e.g. to answer the societal appeal to integrate sustainability into their core business, to perform a sustainability assessment of their operations, to use as an educational tool with students, to use for policy development. In general, performing an ecological footprint analysis is a way for higher education to 'practice what they preach', to monitor sustainability performance and raise awareness among the university's community. This article focuses on the calculation of the ecological footprint and discusses the possibilities to use this tool for campus operations, educational purposes and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over the past years, many universities have integrated sustainability into their education, research, outreach, and operations. Within education, competences regarding sustainable development (SD) have been defined, courses on sustainability have been developed, and manuals and methods for teaching SD have been developed and integrated in curricula. The integration of competences for SD in higher education programs can be seen as an important step in achieving sustainability in higher education. Although these competences are defined and described in different models and settings, little information is available on the actual status of the integration of competences for SD in different study programs. In order to find out how and to what extent these competences are already present, the existing competence schemes of study programs within two Belgian universities were analyzed in the fields of business management, office management, and applied information technology. Results of the analysis show that competences for SD related to responsibility and emotional intelligence are widely integrated, while competences for SD dealing with system orientation, future orientation, personal commitment, and action taking are virtually absent. The analysis also shows that many competences for SD could be discovered within the selected study programs, though in an implicit and fragmented way, thus not covering all necessary fields of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This calls for an adjustment of the study programs to clearly and explicitly integrate competences for SD, especially those related to system orientation, future orientation, personal involvement, and action taking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Prior studies predominantly use cross-sectional designs to determine effects of pro-environmental beliefs on green purchasing attitudes, thereby limiting the possibility for causal inferences and examining mediation effects. We overcome these gaps by adopting a two-wave longitudinal design to test a moderated-mediation model that draws on consumer choice theory, positing that the effect of implicit pro-environmental beliefs on green purchasing attitudes is mediated by perceived social value from buying green, while the relationship between pro-environmental beliefs and perceived social value is moderated by perceived inconvenience of buying green. Findings from a sample of Polish youth indicate that green purchasing attitudes resulting from implicit pro-environmental beliefs, partly depend on wider societal factors, i.e., perceived social value and inconvenience. These findings suggest that it is not a desire to do good for society motivates pro-environmental attitudes of the youth, but rather a desire to look good , especially for consumers who perceive high inconveniences of buying green. The attitude of youthful consumers who are less susceptible to social values is directly determined by beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social housing corporations play an important role in society as they provide affordable and good-quality housing for vulnerable citizens. Yet, the sector has to deal with the historical legacy of a high number of old and poorly insulated buildings. While research into the processes that drive or hinder business model innovation in this sector is scarce, this paper draws upon multiple qualitative case studies of social housing in the Netherlands to identify critical success factors for the transition to sustainable business models for new buildings and retrofits. Results show that there are four key attributes for a successful transition process: collaboration (both with supply chain partners as well as other social housing associations); continuous innovation; vision; and the role of the government (including subsidies and fiscal regulations). While economic performance was an important boundary condition, sustainability was not always seen as a strategic organizational objective, a finding that might be explained through considering the legacy of social housing corporations. Furthermore, a number of barriers were identified including the need for customer acceptance, a lack of support from the construction sector and government and macroeconomic factors such as increased construction costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to profile three grocery retail formats (non-discounter, soft discounter, and hard discounter) in the Netherlands using Holbrook's value types. These value types are linked to three consumer behavior outcomes, i.e., Satisfaction, Repurchase intention, and Word-of-Mouth. The impact of the retail formats is evaluated on the importance and performance of the value types, using a questionnaire for each of the retail formats. The relationship between the value types and outcomes is tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Aesthetics, Altruistic value, and Efficiency are positively linked to Satisfaction. In addition, Efficiency is the key driver for Repurchase intention and has a positive impact on Word-of-Mouth. A positive Word-of-Mouth is predicted by Social value and Service excellence. The three examined retail formats show a difference in Holbrook's value types. Overall, the results of the non- and soft discounters differ from the hard discounters. Remarkably, and contrary to previous studies, the soft discounter's scores are the highest meaning that consumers are most critical for this retail format. It seems that consumers expect the best of both worlds at soft discounters: low prices, interesting bargains, easy access, but also appealing store design, and excellent service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the impact of Additive Manufacturing on the responsiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the spare parts supply chain of armed forces during military and humanitarian missions. These spare parts are slow movers, high tech and highly specific. As a consequence their demand is notoriously variable and difficult to forecast. At the same time they are mission critical. A systematic literature review, desk research of different cases, as well as semi-structured interviews with internal and external stakeholders within the Royal Netherlands Army demonstrate that Additive Manufacturing can reduce lead times, waste, energy use, spare parts inventories, as well as improve system readiness and sustainability of armed forces, specifically during military and humanitarian missions abroad. However, challenges must be met in particular related to energy use, local collaboration, (out-)sourcing, security and intellectual properties. This paper connects Additive Manufacturing and the growing importance of sustainability with the need for well-prepared operational armed forces and outlines an agenda for future research regarding mission based supply chains. Image 1 • The quantity, complexity and age of military systems offer opportunities for AM. • AM reduces lead times and responds to mission based supply chain specificities. • AM improves system readiness and sustainability of military/humanitarian missions. • Mission based AM poses challenges to sourcing, security and intellectual properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Best Value Procurement promises innovative solutions, high quality results at a fixed price and stable specifications. However, the evidence for such promises is anecdotal in nature and requires more in-depth investigation. This paper studies the (in)stability of specifications and governance in a sustainability context with focus on an innovative biogas project. Results indicate that throughout the project service definitions were altered, with additional work for the contractor and additional costs for the buyer. We conclude that narrow application of Best Value Procurement principles is not helpful in coping with complexity. However, Best Value Procurement can work as a catalyst for change, galvanizing the different parties to rethink and reevaluate traditional tendering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed loop supply chains can create value by product acquisition, recovery and reselling returned products and parts. Although advanced supply chain optimization models are available, the literature shows that value creation in closed loop supply chains is limited by too many constraints. Strategic success factors may relax these constraints. This study investigates business practices in the closed loop supply chain of four brand owners in capital goods. We find that strategic success factors may relax constraints but they themselves are also constrained, as multiple stakeholders are involved, each having different interests. In all four cases studies, the interaction between success factors and constraints leads to vicious cycles. Breaking these cycles proves to be difficult and requires integral thinking particularly among internal stakeholders of the brand-owners. Further research is needed to differentiate between different types of cycles, e.g. in a taxonomy, and different stakeholder viewpoints, both quantitative and qualitative. • Closed loop supply chain value creation is limited by constraints. • External constraints affect manufacturers' closed loop supply chain processes. • Internal strategic success factors are also constrained and hinder value creation. • Internal constraints are considered most important in closed loop supply chains. • The interaction between success factors and constraints leads to vicious cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reorienting teacher education should be placed at the heart of reorienting education towards sustainable development. This requires that teacher education institutes reorient and redefine their outcome standards as well as redesign their training programs accordingly to incorporate and implement Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Although many efforts have been made to promote ESD in teacher training, little information is available regarding to what extent ESD is integrated in teacher training programs or curricula. This study examines how ESD is incorporated in teacher training programs in terms of learning content, learning outcomes and didactic approach, through analyzing 429 course syllabi offered by the Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE) in Vietnam. HNUE training programs were found to contain some elements of ESD but they lack coherence or systematic inclusion. The results suggest needed strategic changes at organizational (university) and individual (instructor) levels to improve ESD in teacher education. This paper contributes to the discussion on the implementation of a holistic curricular assessment approach for three aspects of ESD (learning content, learning outcomes and didactic approach) and highlights the ongoing need for improving curricular assessment strategies for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last two decades, many higher education institutions have become involved in embedding sustainable development into their academic systems. The research for this paper was built upon discussions on declarations, charters, and other initiatives designed to commit their institutions to education for sustainable development. It analyses if such commitment leads to more sustainable development implementation within the academic institution. The research was performed using a survey, based upon a literature review of 60 peer-reviewed papers. The survey was divided into eight categories: background; institutional framework; campus operations; education; research; outreach and collaboration; on-campus experiences; and assessment and reporting. The survey was answered by 84 respondents from 70 institutions, worldwide. The responses were analysed via descriptive analysis, grounded theory, and inferential statistics. The results revealed that there were many examples of sustainable development implementation throughout the system; however, generally the efforts tended to be compartmentalised. The analyses also highlighted strong linkages between the institution's commitment to sustainability, implementation, and signing a declaration, charter, or initiative. The findings suggested that academic leadership's commitment was a leading cause for signing a declaration, charter, or initiative, and implementing sustainable development. The research team provided recommendations for higher educational leaders, including acknowledge that the higher education institution system is comprised of several inter-related elements; commit to sustainability by integrating it into policies and strategies; show the commitment by signing a declaration, charter, or initiative; establish short-, medium-, and long-term plans for its institutionalisation; and ensure that sustainable development is implemented throughout the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In spite of a number of Sustainable Development (SD) initiatives and an increasing number of universities becoming engaged with SD, most higher education institutions (HEIs) continue to be traditional, and rely upon Newtonian and Cartesian reductionist and mechanistic paradigms. As a result many universities are still lagging behind companies in helping societies become more sustainable. This paper analyses the texts of eleven declarations, charters, and partnerships developed for HEIs, which can be considered to represent university leaders’ intentions to help improve the effectiveness of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The analysis was done against two sets of criteria: (1) the university system, including curricula, research, physical plant operations, outreach and engagement with stakeholders, and assessment and reporting; and (2) the texts’ complexity, number of bullet points, and number of words. The analysis was done continuously; whenever a new element was found in a text it was added to the university system (first criteria set) and applied to the analysis of the other texts. In this way, the system was augmented with the following elements: collaborating with other universities; fostering transdisciplinarity; making SD an integral part of the institutional framework; creating on-campus life experiences; and ‘Educating-the-Educators’. The authors of the paper propose that for universities to become sustainability leaders and change drivers, they must ensure that the needs of present and future generations be better understood and built upon, so that professionals who are well versed in SD can effectively educate students of ‘all ages’ to help make the transition to ‘sustainable societal patterns’. In order to do so, university leaders and staff must be empowered to catalyse and implement new paradigms, and ensure that SD is the ‘Golden Thread’ throughout the entire university system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]