A multifocal framework for developing intentionally sustainable organizations

Abstract

This paper briefly reviews recent interesting work in the field of sustainable organizations research, encompassing domains such as institutional theory, resource-based view, stakeholder theory, framing, and paradox theory. Drawing on these it develops a Multifocal framework for developing Intentionally Sustainable Organizations (ISO), which, inter alia, incorporates and applies new concepts such as balanced bifocal stakeholder management and paradox approach to organization design to this field. It makes the case that the Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, is an ISO and presents evidence that it manifests all aspects of the theorizing in this paper.