The relevance of sustainable management practices to competitiveness in manufacturing companies

Abstract

This study was conducted with the purpose of investigating the influence, on corporate competitiveness, of strategic management practices based on socio-environmental responsibility. We also sought to understand the interrelationships between the management practices relating to strategy, socio-environmental innovation and sustainable supply chain. We analyzed the aspects of competitive performance with respect to: profitability, cost, revenue, market share and image. The methodology applied was quantitative analysis, in a e-Survey, where, in o129 manufacturing industries. The results indicated a large number of significant correlations between many of the management practices studied and competitive performance, especially in terms of image. As for the practices, the ones that stood out were the initiatives to implement actions that integrate sustainable practices (e.g. inclusion of sustainability criteria in the development of new products and processes); and external relations (incorporation of socio-environmental criteria in the selection of suppliers and capital investment). As a limitation, this research was developed to cover the strategic KPI´s of a corporate competitive performance, and the future research should contemplate the tactical and operational perspectives. Just a few quantitative research’s are done with this propose, and in Brazil, it is quite insignificant, what means that this research is original. The results can be applied to stimulate the enterprises to improve their socio environmental sustainability management practices. Also, this research reinforces some of the SGDs recommended by UN for 2030 agenda which should improve company’s attractiveness for financial market and for people and planet.