Business strategy and environmental concerns

Environmental and social concerns have been rising continuously over the past decades and with them their importance for businesses and economies. Today, factors such as increasing resource risks, stricter regulatory environments as well as growing expectations in terms of sustainable product and service offerings or a socially and environmentally responsible conduct put companies in front of unprecedented challenges. At the same time, these challenges also hold unparalleled opportunities: by integrating sustainability considerations in their business strategies, companies may manage resource risks, comply with regulatory requirements and appeal to the expectations of their environmentally and socially conscious stakeholders. All of the latter may give rise to important competitive advantages, among other, by means of new growth opportunities, reputation gains or improved operational performance. Against this background, this thesis analyzes the strategic implications of social and environmental challenges and clarifies how companies may capture their business opportunities by integrating sustainability considerations in their operations. In particular: Chapter 1 addresses the topic of resource scarcity and analyzes its implications for the commercialization of process technology by means of licensing agreements; Chapter 2 focuses on firms' incentives for supporting the transition to a Circular Economy via the choice of their business model; Chapter 3 discusses final good producers' incentives and their ability to improve the social performance of their supply chains.