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4th International Conference on Business and Sustainability
Portland State University, Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability
Profitable Sufficiency: Business & Planet in Balance

The Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability at the School of Business Administration in Portland State University is pleased to announce its fourth annual International Conference on Business & Sustainability. This year’s conference will be held November 3-5, 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA. The conference will include both practitioner and academic forums.

Modern industries such as food, fashion and technology are being characterized as too fast, too disconnected and ultimately unsustainable. Advocates of this critical viewpoint are employing terms like ‘sufficiency’, ‘slow’ and ‘heirloom design’ to describe alternate approaches to traditional business. But what does it mean to operate a business under a paradigm characterized in these terms? Does an emerging business model of ‘blended value’ offer sufficient and sustainable profits? The 4th Annual International Conference on Business & Sustainability seeks to explore the concept of Profitable Sufficiency. During this two day event leading practitioners, thought-leaders and academics will share their views on how businesses, large and small, can adopt models that reconnect people to place and product to purpose, and provide value creation to employees, communities and the ecosystems they inhabit.

It will begin the evening of Wednesday, November 3rd, with registration and a wine reception followed the next day with speakers that include innovative business leaders and social entrepreneurs in sustainability from national and international organizations, culminating with an evening reception. Friday, November 5th, begins with a keynote breakfast and continues with academic paper presentations, functional area-oriented sustainability teaching workshops and speakers at Portland State University.

Again this year, several panels of instructors with experience teaching sustainability in business schools will provide guidance and materials relevant to their disciplines. These panels will provide educators interested in teaching sustainability with tools and techniques for building sustainability issues into their classes. Academic papers relating to the following topic areas are invited from academia, industry, and non-profit organizations. All disciplinary perspectives, especially multidisciplinary approaches, and research methods are welcome. A wide range of papers will be considered, including but not limited to conceptual, empirical, experimental, and case studies. A partial list of possible topics includes:

EMPLOYEES AND ORGANIZATIONS

1. Employees as change agents and champions
2. Building creativity into sustainability initiatives
3. Leaders and managers in sustainability-inspired organization
4. Transforming organizational cultures in the pursuit of sustainability
5. ‘Making the business case’ in sustainability initiatives
6. Employee volunteerism as a source of morale and loyalty
7. Determining the value of ecological and social pathways to sustainability

OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

1. Designing and implementing sustainability procurement practices
2. Social Sustainability Issues and Operations/SCM
3. Preparing operations and supply chains for carbon regulations
4. Logistics planning in a resource constrained environment
5. Engaging suppliers as partners in corporate responsibility
6. Converting supply chains to sustainability value chains
7. Creating value through product stewardship and take-back
8. Disaster Relief and Aid through NGO supply chains.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BLENDED VALUE BUSINESS

1. Delivering on community investment initiatives
2. Inclusive business as a new model of empowerment
3. Social mission and for-profit: Approaches for maximum value creation?
4. Restructuring institutions to create market access for the poor
5. Risks and rewards for social entrepreneurs
6. Revitalizing local economies through empowering business models
7. What determines ‘appropriate technology’ in social ventures?
8. Constellations of partnerships for effective social venturing

THE VALUE PROPOSITION AND CONSUMERS

1. Contextual influences on sustainability-based purchasing decisions
2. The rise (or fall) of values-based consumerism
3. Creating trust and legitimacy of eco-labels and certification systems
4. Communication strategies for social and/or environmental product and service attributes
5. Sustainability and generation-based segmentation
6. Emerging models of consumer engagement in sustainability
7. Consumers’ perception of local versus global
8. Cross-sector partnerships in sustainability-focused marketing

ACCOUNTING, TRANSPARENCY, AND MEASUREMENT

1. Sustainability reporting and rethinking the assurance function
2. Accounting’s role in valuing sustainability projects
3. Measuring operational activities in non-monetary terms
4. Accounting for the environmental and social impacts of public spending
5. Presentation issues for the triple bottom line
6. Addressing ecosystem service values in organizational reporting
7. Creating measures for social sustainability
8. Certifications and their impact on business value

Information for Contributors – Individuals from academia, business and government are invited to submit research papers, research abstracts, and proposals for workshops, panels, and symposia that contribute to advancing sustainability. We encourage papers that are multidisciplinary in nature.

Authors may submit either 1) a research paper that will undergo a blind review by two referees or 2) a non-refereed research abstract of 300 words maximum. All submissions should be submitted following the detailed instructions provided below. Abstracts of papers accepted and presented will be published in the conference proceedings.

The submission of a research paper or research abstract means that the authors certify that the research is not copyrighted and it has not been accepted for publication in a journal. Further, authors certify their intent for at least one author to register for and attend this meeting to present the paper or abstract.

Educational Panels—There is growing demand for instructors who are skilled at teaching sustainability in Business Schools. We are offering several teaching panels where experienced instructors will provide guidance and advice. Authors are encouraged to submit theoretical or applied works benefiting teaching. Teaching related work may include course design topics such as delivery methods, assignments, cases, or projects. Submissions may be in the form of completed papers, extended abstracts, presentation proposals, or panel discussion proposals. Please do not submit power point slides at this stage.

Submission Deadlines

The submission deadline for refereed research papers is August 16, 2010. Only completed papers or 5-10 page works-in-process will be accepted for review. Papers will be subject to double-blind review. The submission deadline for non-refereed research abstracts and teaching-related works is also August 16, 2010. Please send an electronic copy of the papers, abstracts or teaching-related works to Mellie Pullman at mpullman@pdx.edu.

Notice of acceptance or rejection will be sent out by September 2, 2010. All presenters are expected to register for the conference. In addition, registration is required for the paper or abstract to be included in the proceedings. For further information or questions regarding this conference please go to the conference website at:

Portland

Portland is one of the world’s leading cities in fostering sustainable business and development. The conference will include opportunities to learn from many area and international businesses and other organizations that are integrating purposeful design for sustainability into their operations. In addition, Portland is a beautiful city, with a thriving downtown and diverse, eclectic neighborhoods. Its coffee shops, bookstores, wine bars and brewpubs provide a community feel that entrances the souls of residents and visitors. Its creative culture, innovative companies, and industry leaders provide a business vitality that supports new entrepreneurs and global enterprises.

For further information, please contact:

Mellie Pullman at:

Center for Global Leadership in Sustainability, SBA Room 230 Portland State University
P.O. Box 751
Portland, OR 97207
503.725.4768
mpullman@pdx.edu

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