When we talked about how to formulate the strategy and meeting/defining our target groups of various kinds and key relations of different nature in the OAM venture, a model was developed that is of generic use for all sustainopreneurial ventures. This model is presented here, and it is coming with two dimensions, Sustainability Committment and Purchasing Influence. Comments and discussion around this model is welcomed, since it is suggested to be a departure for further research in Sustainable Business Strategy Development and Sustainopreneurial Action Orientation.
Sustainability Committment
Sustainability Committment is defined as how strong committment of having a development of the society being sustainable. The hundred percent committed has almost to make a total exit, with the uncompromised attitude as the society looks today, and have to isolate from the rest of the society creating a totally sustainable sub-sphere in the now existing socio-economic system. There is a big risk of an introvert secterism occuring, and loosing communication to the rest of the society, why we are having the line drawn there - for the greater good we believe that we have to reach the broader audience, and bridge in between "the alternativists" and "the mainstream", in order to create an increase in Sustainability Committment. It also takes the shape of being somewhat self-sacrifying when it comes to business practices, where e. g. working with fair trade, there could be too much of a volunteering spirit, to work for free, while serving the coffee farmer down in the South with this indirect aid help turning to direct, the "charity" attitude.
Self sacrifice and sacrificing others - neither one is sustainable. It is believed that those working in the North with marketing of the traded products also have to lead a sustainable life, and it is a fact that you have to place food on the table for yourself as well. So - consistently, if you do not think of yourself at the same time as your global neighbour thousands mile away who should think of you? Self-respect and respect for your fellow wo/man is mutual prerequisites. In this spirit, having a good pay for making a good work we define as important, where the sustainability at all levels - ecologically, economically and socially - is important. And if you make your living out of the sustainable business work, then you can focus hundred percent on this, and do not have to find other ways to make a living in order to keep this "volunteer" work. This is a problem coming from all volunteer working, by the way, where idealistic NGO's suffer problem of "recruitment" working for the "cause".
On the other hand, those on the other extreme is not aimed for either, whatever being the case both in "NGO" of the dark value kind (racist and nazist organizations as an example), or those retailing chains that explicitly avoids sustanable products and practices with short-term profit maximising with all possible means available as the main attitude. The "raw capitalism" attitude, where profit goes before people and planet.
Different categories of relations. With the balance kept, and if the intention is in the right direction, then we define the most broad category found - the OAM customer base, as seen in the example, and with the most narrow definition of the one's having strongest influence of the OAM venture, meaning members, board and management, with a spectrum in between, e. g. organizational clients for services, sponsors and partners.
Purchasing Influence
Coming to the other important dimension - level of influence of the demand, purchase and consuming decisions. Aiming those having a strong influence of these purchasing processes in order to turn consumption to be more sustainable is also important. These are found both in private households and professional businesses and organizations. These could be manifested informally with a value based purchasing in the private household, or even formally found in the environmental and social accounting management systems certified according to international standards in companies and corporations.
With these two dimensions the model is as presented.
Further research needed - and demand for sustainability as well
One important question to research futher is to find actual indicators on how intense the Sustainable Committment level is distributed along the population, thus the question mark found at around the 60 percent, the "mainstream" point. This is just an assumption that it is having this look, with a slightly biased normal distribution. The trend is believed to be increasing, though, where opinion polls is both indicating an increasing awareness of fair trade labelling here in Sweden, and more people turning to this label when purchasing products, as just having one indicator.
Without demand for sustainability, there will be no sustainable society. And operating as a sustainable business with these sustainability considerations in your relationship strategy is in itself influencing the sustainability committment in society to bring these questions to a surface and making it explicit in your relationship buildup and maintenance work. This making the interaction with society as equally important as the action in your sustainable business, thus creating a positive feedback loop.
As a sustainable business you also inform and spread knowledge by being and acting around end-consumers, and with this knowledge spread, an awareness is increasing, which in its turn is assumed to increase this Sustainability Committment and intensifying the numbers having Sustainability Intentions. This means that with increasing number of Sustainable Businesses established, there is increased demand for Sustainable Products and Services - and all Sustainable Businesses helps each other, besides the planet and people.
If you want to improve the world - educate your customer of the importance of making sustainable choices with respect for people and planet.
If you want to improve your profitability - motivate your customer of the importance of making the choice of your sustainable offering; using the respect for people and planet as added value to the quality of the traditional dimensions, and then making her/him return to you the next time as well :).
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