Sustainable strategic management: an evolutionary perspective

In this paper, we familiarise the readers with some of the important ideas, practices and research that have contributed to the continuing integration of sustainability into the theory and practice of strategic management. In doing so, we present an in depth look at the term, Sustainable Strategic Management (SSM), as it has evolved from a rudimentary idea to a mature framework for managing business organisations in the 21st century. We examine some of the foundation contributions of early management pioneers. We then examine the concept of SSM as it has evolved from its simple competitiveness-advantage roots to its more mature doing-well-by-doing-good corporate strategies of today. Finally, we conclude by presenting an enterprise-strategy-based model of SSM designed to guide organisations as they attempt to integrate SSM at the corporate, competitive and functional strategy levels now and into the future.