Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction and Context: The State of the World

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Stewarding Sustainability Transformations

  • 1114 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter introduces the 17 Sustainable Development Goals for the United Nations Agenda 2030 “Transforming Our World” as the background for exploring the notion of stewardship of sustainability transformations. It describes the world’s sustainability challenges, which range from climate change to ecosystem decline and from energy insecurity to water scarcity, as systemic in nature. The chapter subsequently suggests that the interdependence of the challenges requires a new approach to implementing the Agenda 2030. It emphasizes that a systems view of life could potentially incorporate shifts in perspective from the parts to the whole, from silo thinking to networked collective action, and from fixation on economic growth rates to revisiting the purpose of measurements. This leads to a chapter overview that summarizes the flow of the books argument toward an emerging theory and practice of sustainability transformations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Source: Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. Accessed on 17th July 2017: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org

  2. 2.

    The author of this publication follows Avelino et al. (2014) in the understanding that the concept of transformation needs to be distinguished from the concept of “transition.” “A transition is defined as radical change that follows a particular nonlinear path, typically over a period of one to two generations. Such societal transition can be considered a type of societal transformation. However, not all societal transformations necessarily follow such a transition path. As such, societal transformation as a concept is broader than the concept of societal transitions” (Avelino et al. 2014, p. 18).

References

  • Ackoff, R. L. (1998). A systemic view of transformational leadership. Systematic Practice and Action Research, 11(1), 23–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, C. (2004). The nature of order. An essay on the art of building and the nature of the universe: Book IV – The Luminous Ground. Berkeley, CA: The Center for Environmental Structure.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, K. E., Stelzner, S. P., & Wielkiewicz, R. W. (1999). The ecology of leadership: Adapting to the challenges of a changing world. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 5(2), 62–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/107179199900500207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, A. B. (2015). Inequality: What can be done. London: Harvard University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, J., & Bartunek, J. (2003). Theories and practices of organization development. In W. Borman, D. Ilgen, & R. Klimoski (Eds.), Handbook of psychology, Vol. 12: Industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 309–332). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Avelino, F., Wittmayer, J. M., O’Riordan, T., Haxeltine, A., Weaver, P., Kemp, R., Loorbach, D., & Rotmans, J. (2014). Gamechangers and transformative social innovation. The case of the economic crisis and tranformative social innovation. TRANSIT Working Paper, TRANSIT: EU SSH.2013.3.2-1 Grant agreement no: 613169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bäckstrand, K. (2006). Multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development: Rethinking legitimacy, accountability and effectiveness. European Environment, 16(5), 290–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai, X., van der Leeuw, S., O’Brien, K., Berkhout, F., Biermann, F., Brondizio, E. S., & Revkin, A. (2016). Plausible and desirable futures in the Anthropocene: A new research agenda. Global Environmental Change, 39, 351–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbour, I. G. (1999). Neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and human nature: Theological and philosophical reflections. Zygon, 34(3), 361–398. https://doi.org/10.1111/0591-2385.00222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beinhocker, E. D. (2007). The origin of wealth: Evolution, complexity, and the radical remaking of economics. London: Random House Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, M., & Linsky, M. (2016). Leading change through adaptive design, Stanford Social Innovation review, Retrieved from https://ssir.org/articles/entry/leading_change_through_adaptive_design

  • Berry, T. (1988). The dream of the Earth. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biesta, G. J., & Mirón, L. F. (2002). The new discourses on educational leadership: An introduction. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 21(2), 101–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, R., Bennett, S. R. G., Thomas, S. M., & Beddington, J. R. (2011). Climate change: Migration as adaptation. Nature, 478(7370), 447–449.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bøås, M., & McNeill, D. (Eds.). (2004). Global institutions and development: Framing the world? London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowles, S., & Gintis, H. (2011). A cooperative species: Human reciprocity and its evolution. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. R. (2011). World on edge: How to prevent environmental and economic collapse. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, D. (2015). Navigating complexity in international development: Facilitating sustainable change at scale. Rugby: Practical Action.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Burns, H., Diamond-Vaught, H., & Bauman, C. (2015). Leadership for sustainability: Theoretical foundations and pedagogical practices that foster change. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 9(1), 131–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss, D. M., & Craik, K. H. (1983). Contemporary worldviews: Personal and policy implications. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 13(3), 280–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camacho, L. (2015). Sustainable development goals: Kinds, connections and expectations. Journal of Global Ethics, 11(1), 18–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449626.2015.1010097.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Capra, F. (1982). The turning point: Science, society and the rising culture. New York: Bantam Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capra, F., & Luisi, P. L. (2014). The system’s view of life: A unifying vision. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, T. Y., Dooley, K. J., & Rungtusanatham, M. (2001). Supply networks and complex adaptive systems: Control versus emergence. Journal of Operations Management, 19(3), 351–366. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-6963(00)00068-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collier, J., & Esteban, R. (2000). Systemic leadership: Ethical and effective. Leadership, & Organization Development Journal, 21(4), 207–215. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730010335454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Constanza, R., & Kubiszewski, I. (Eds.). (2014). Creating a sustainable and desirable future: Insights from 45 global thought leaders. New York: World Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson, T. (2012). The epistemic fault line in corporate governance. Academy of Management Review, 37(2), 256–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dooley, K. J. (1997). A complex adaptive systems model of organization change. Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, 1(1), 69–97. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022375910940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferdig, M. A. (2007). Sustainability leadership: Co-creating a sustainable future. Journal of Change Management, 7(1), 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/14697010701233809.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finidori, H. (2015). Purplsoc Conference 2015 Plast (Pattern Languages for Systemic Transformation): A fourth generation pattern language, Free Knowledge Institute, Retrieved from http://www.purplsoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/45_PLAST_A-Fourth-Generation-Pattern-Language.pdf

  • Finidori, H. (2016). Patterns that connect: Potential of pattern/languages for sustainable futures – Model Report: Systems Thinking, Modeling and Simulation News. Retrieved from https://model.report/s/mjmowj/patterns_that_connect_potential_of_pattern_languages_for_sustainable_futures_-_finidori

  • Folke, C., Hahn, T., Olsson, P., & Norberg, J. (2005). Adaptive governance of social–ecological systems. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 30, 441–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frey, B. S., & Stutzer, A. (2002). Happiness and economics: How the economy and institutions affect wellbeing. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, T. L., Vessey, W. B., Schuelke, M. J., Ruark, G. A., & Mumford, M. D. (2009). A framework for understanding collective leadership: The selective utilization of leader and team expertise within networks. The Leadership Quarterly, 20(6), 933–958.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, J., Fetzer, I., & Cornell, S. (2016). Modelling for planetary boundaries: a network analysis of representations of complex human-environmental interactions in integrated global models. In EGU general assembly conference abstracts. Vol. 18, p. 18394–18349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullerton, J. (2015). Regenerative capitalism: How universal principles and patterns will shape our new economy. Capital Institute: Future of Finance Publication [online publication]. Retrieved from http://capitalinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-Regenerative-Capitalism-4-20-15-final.pdf

  • Future Earth. (2013). Future Earth initial design: Report of the transition team. Paris: International Council for Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Future Earth. (2014). Strategic research agenda 2014. Priorities for a global sustainability research strategy. Paris: International Council for Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. (2009). Relational being: Beyond self and community. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gergen, K. J. (2015). From mirroring to world-making: Research as future forming. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 45(3), 287–310. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtsb.12075.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godfray, H. C. J., Beddington, J. R., Crute, J. I., Haddad, L., Lawrence, D., Muir, J. F., & Toulmin, C. (2010). Food security: The challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science, 327(5967), 812–818.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goepel, M. (2016). The great mindshift. How a new economic paradigm and sustainability transformations go hand in hand. New York: Springer International Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, L. C., & Moseley, W. G. (2005). A geographical perspective on poverty–environment interactions. The Geographical Journal, 171(1), 9–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenleaf, R. K. (1998). The power of servant leadership. San Francisco: Berret-Koehler Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gronn, P. (2002). Distributed leadership as unit of analysis. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(4), 423–451.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hajiran, H. (2006). Toward a quality of life theory: Net domestic product of happiness. Social Indicators Research, 75, 31–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanleybrown, F., Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2012). Channeling change: Making collective impact work. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 9(1), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hausschildt, J., & Kirchmann, E. (2001). Teamwork for innovation: The troika of promoters. R&D Management, 31(1), 44–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hay, I. (Ed.). (2013). Geographies of the super-rich. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • HayGroup. (2014). Leadership 2030: Building the New Leader. Retrieved from http://www.haygroup.com/downloads/MicroSites/L2030/Hay_Group_Leadership_2030%20w hitepaper_2014.pdf

  • Hayward, R., Lee, J., Keeble, J., McNamara, R., Hall, C., Cruse, S., …, & Robinson, E. (2013). The UN global compact-Accenture CEO study on sustainability. UN Global Compact Reports, 5(3), 1–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hotes, R. W. (2011). Organization development in the 21st century: an organizational behavior, organization development and process consultation guide. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse Inc, Bloomington Publisher.

    Google Scholar 

  • Innes, J. E., & Booher, D. E. (1999). Consensus building and complex adaptive systems: A framework for evaluating collaborative planning. Journal of the American Planning Association, 65(4), 412–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isaacs, W. (1999). Dialogue and the art of thinking together: A pioneering approach to communicating in business and in life. New York: Currency Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaworski, J. (1996). Synchronicity: The inner path of leadership. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 9(1), 36–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaul, I. (2013). Global public goods: a concept for framing the post-2015 agenda? (Discussion Paper). Retrieved from German Development Institute website: http://www.die-gdi.de/CMS-Homepage/openwebcms3.nsf/%28ynDK_contentByKey%29/ANES-959D4N/$FILE/DP%202.2013.pdf

  • Korten, D. C. (2015). Change the story, change the future: A living economy for a living earth. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • KPMG International, De Boer, Y., & van Bergen, B. (2012). Expect the unexpected: Building business value in a changing world. Amsterdam: KPMG International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kritz, M. (1987). International migration policies: Conceptual problems. International Migration Review, 21(4), 947–964.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuenkel, P. (2008). Mind and heart: Mapping your personal journey towards leadership for sustainability. Potsdam: Collective Leadership Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuenkel, P. (2015). Navigating change in complex multi-actor settings: A practice approach to better collaboration. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 58, 119–137.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuenkel, P. (2016). The art of leading collectively: How we can co-create a sustainable, socially just future. Claremont, NH: Chelsea Green.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuenkel, P., & Schaefer, K. (2013). Shifting the way we co-create: How we can turn the challenges of sustainability into opportunities, Collective Leadership Studies No 1. Potsdam: The Collective Leadership Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Blanc, D. (2015). Towards integration at last? The sustainable development goals as a network of targets. Sustainable Development, 23(3), 176–187. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leach, M., Scoones, I., & Stirling, A. (2010). Dynamic sustainabilities: Technology, environment, social justice (pathways to sustainability). Washington, DC: Earthscan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, B. B., Uhl-Bien, M., Marion, R., Seers, A., Orton, J. D., & Schreiber, C. (2007). Complexity leadership theory: An interactive perspective on leading in complex adaptive systems. In E. J. K. Hazy, J. A. Goldstein, & B. B. Lichtenstein (Eds.), Complex systems leadership theory: New perspectives from complexity science and organizational effectiveness (pp. 129–144). Mansfield, MA: ISCE Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liening, A. (2013). The breakdown of the traditional mechanistic worldview, the development of complexity sciences and the pretence of knowledge in economics. Modern Economy, 4, 305–319. https://doi.org/10.4236/me.2013.44034.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovins, H. A. (2012). The way out: Kick-starting capitalism to save our economic ass. In H. Lovins & B. Cohen (Eds.), The way out: Kick-starting capitalism to save our economic ass. New York: Hill and Wang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Low, K. C. P. (2011). Confucius, the value of benevolence and what’s in it for humanity? (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. ID 1960366). Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1960366

  • Maak, T., & Pless, N. M. (2009). Business leaders as citizens of the world. Advancing humanism on a global scale. Journal of Business Ethics, 88(3), 537–550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0122-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marion, R., & Uhl-Bien, M. (2001). Leadership in complex organizations. The Leadership Quarterly, 12(4), 389–418. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1048-9843(01)00092-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maturana, H. R., & Varela, F. J. (1987). The tree of knowledge: Roots of human understanding. London: New Science Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, D. (1994). Envisioning a sustainable world. In R. Constanza, O. Segura, & J. Martinez-Alier (Eds.), Getting down to Earth: Practical applications of ecological economics (pp. 117–126). Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, D. (1999). Leverage points: Places to intervene into a system. Hartland, VT: Sustainability Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, D., Meadows, D., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. (1972). The limits to growth: A report for the Club of Rome’s project on the predicament of mankind. London: Earth Island Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows, D., Randers, J., & Meadows, D. (2004). Limits to growth: the 30-year update. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nucci, L. P., & Narvaez, D. (Eds.). (2008). Handbook of moral and character education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, D., & Yballe, L. (2007). Maslow revisited: Constructing a road map of human nature. Journal of Management Education, 31(6), 738–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2015). System innovation. Synthesis report. Retrieved from 30, June 2017 https://www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/sites/default/files/general/SYSTEMINNOVATION_FINALREPORT.pdf

  • Ospina, S., Foldy, W., Hadidy, E. I., Dodge, J., Hofmann-Pinilla, A., & Su, C. (2012). Social change leadership as relational leadership. In M. Uhl-Bien & S. Ospina (Eds.), Advancing relational leadership research: A dialogue among perspectives, Leadership Horizons Series. Greenwich, CT: Information Age.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patscheke, S., Barmettler, A., Herman, L., Overdyke, S., & Pfitzer, M. (2014). Shaping global partnerships for a post 2015 world. Stanford Social Innovation Review. Stanford, CA: Stanford University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pattberg, P., & Widerberg, O. (2014). Transnational multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development. Building blocks for success. IVM Report, R-14/31. Amsterdam: Institute for Environmental Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pattberg, P., Biermann, F., Chan, S., & Mert, A. (Eds.). (2012). Public-private partnerships for sustainable development. Emergence, influence and legitimacy. Cheltenham, Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peltoniemi, M., & Vuori, E. (2005). Business ecosystem as the new approach to complex adaptive business environments. In M. Seppä, M. Hannula, A. M. Järvelin, J. Kujala, M. Ruohonen, & T. Tiainen (Eds.), Frontiers of e-Business Research 2004, Conference proceedings of eBRF (Vol. 2004, pp. 267–281). Tampere: Tampere University of Technology and University of Tampere.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirson, M. (2012). Social entrepreneurs as the paragons of shared value creation? A critical perspective. Social Enterprise Journal, 8(1), 31–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pirson, M., & Lawrence, P. (2015). Economistic and humanistic narratives of leadership in the age of globality: Toward a renewed Darwinian theory of leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(2), 383–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pór, G. (2008). Collective intelligence and collective leadership: twin paths to beyond chaos. A PrimaVera working paper, Universiteit van Amsterdam, All Sprouts Content. Retrieved from http://sprouts.aisnet.org/8-2/

  • Probst, G. J. B., & Bassi, A. (2014). Tackling complexity: A systemic approach for decision makers. Sheffield: Green Leaf Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rockström, J., Steffen, W., Noone, K., Persson, Å., Chapin, F. S., III, Lambin, E., & Foley, J. (2009). Planetary boundaries: Exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and Society, 14(2), 32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rotmans, J., & Loorbach, D. (2010). Towards a better understanding of transitions and their governance: A systemic and reflexive approach. In J. Grin, J. Rotmans, & J. Schot (Eds.), Transitions to sustainable development: New directions in the study of long term transformative change (pp. 105–222). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahtouris, E., & Lovelock, J. E. (2000). Earthdance: Living systems in evolution. San Jose, CA: iUniverse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharmer, O., & Kaufer, K. (2013). Leading from the emerging future: From ego-system to ecosystem economies. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senge, P., Hamilton, H., & Kania, J. (2015). The dawn of system leadership (Vol. 13, pp. 27–33). Stanford Social Innovation Review.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, D. (2015). Propensities and dispositions. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 58, 41–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, D. J., & Boone, M. E. (2007). A leader’s framework for decision making. Harvard Business Review, 85(11), 68–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stacey, R. D. (1995). The science of complexity: An alternative perspective for strategic change processes. Strategic Management Journal, 16(6), 477–495. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250160606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steffen, W., Rockström, J., Richardson, K., Lenton, T. M., Folke, C., Liverman, D., Summerhayes, C. P., Barnosky, A. D., Cornell, S. E., Crucifix, M., Donges, J. F., Fetzer, I., Lade, S. J., Scheffer, M., Winkelmann, R., & Schellnhuber, H. J. (2018). Trajectories of the earth system in the anthropocene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(33), 8252–8259. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1810141115.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Svensson, G., & Wood, G. (2006). Sustainable components of leadership effectiveness in organizational performance. Journal of Management Development, 25(6), 522–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timmer, D., Creech, H., & Buckler, C. (2008). Supporting the next generation of sustainability leadership. International Institute for Sustainable Development: Winnipeg. Retrieved from: www.iisd.org/pdf/2008/support_next_gen_leaders.pdf

  • TWI2050 – The World in 2050. (2018). Transformations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Report prepared by The World in 2050 initiative. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria. www.twi2050.org

  • United Nations. (2014a). A new global partnership: Eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development. New York: United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/sg/management/pdf/HLP_P2015_Report.pdf. Accessed June 23, 2017.

  • United Nations. (2014b). The road to dignity by 2030: Ending poverty, transforming all lives and protecting the planet. New York: United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/reports/SG_Synthesis_Report_Road_to_Dignity_by_2030.pdf. Accessed June 23, 2017.

  • Van Tulder, R., & Pfisterer, S. (2013). Creating partnership space: Exploring the right fit for sustainable development partnerships. In M. M. Seitanidi & A. Crane (Eds.), Social partnerships and responsible business. A research handbook. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varela, F. J. (1999). Ethical know-how: Action, wisdom, and cognition. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, S. (2003). Global action networks. Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 3(12), 27–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, S. (2011). Global action networks: Creating our future together. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, S., Waddock, S., Cornell, S., Dentoni, D., McLachlan, M., & Meszoely, G. (2015). Large systems change: An emerging field of transformation and transitions. The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 58, 5–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, S. (2016a). Change for the audacious: A doers’ guide to large systems change for a flourishing future. Boston, MA: Networking Action.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddell, S. (2016b). Societal change systems: A framework to address wicked problems. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 52(4), 422–449. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886316666374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S. (2005). Hollow men and women at the helm: Hollow accounting ethics? Issues in Accounting Education, 20(2), 145–150. https://doi.org/10.2308/iace.2005.20.2.145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S. A., & Graves, S. B. (1997). The corporate social performance-financial performance link. Strategic Management Journal, 18(4), 303–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S., Meszoely, G. M., Waddell, S., & Dentoni, D. (2015). The complexity of wicked problems in large scale change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(6), 993–1012. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-08-2014-0146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber, A. (2013). Enlivenment. Towards a fundamental shift in the concepts of nature, culture and politics. Berlin: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, A. (2016). Biology of wonder: Aliveness, feeling and the metamorphosis of science. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheatley, M. J., & Kellner-Rogers, M. (1996). A simpler way. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheatley, M. (1999). Leadership and the new science, discovering order in a chaotic world. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson, A., & Eidinow, E. (2008). Evolving practices in environmental scenarios: A new scenario typology. Environmental Research Letters, 3(4), 045017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Full Member of the Club of Rome, Collective Leadership Institute, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

    Petra Kuenkel

Authors
  1. Petra Kuenkel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kuenkel, P. (2019). Introduction and Context: The State of the World. In: Stewarding Sustainability Transformations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03691-1_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation