Developing sustainable leadership strategies to increase corporate revenue

Developing Sustainable Leadership Strategies to Increase Corporate Revenue by Linda Goulet Crosby MBA, Western Michigan University, 1996 BBA, Western Michigan University, 1983 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University July 2016 Abstract The business environment is in constant flux where stakeholders encourage organizational leaders to consider sustainable business tactics alongside corporate profits. While most business leaders recognize the importance of including sustainability into corporate goals, evidence suggested that only 10% have sustainable action plans in place. Using the honeybee leadership model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of thisThe business environment is in constant flux where stakeholders encourage organizational leaders to consider sustainable business tactics alongside corporate profits. While most business leaders recognize the importance of including sustainability into corporate goals, evidence suggested that only 10% have sustainable action plans in place. Using the honeybee leadership model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the sustainable leadership strategies that business leaders from smalland mediumsized companies integrated to increase corporate revenue. These companies were B Corp certified which ensures a third party endorsement of sustainable practices. The data were collected through face-to-face, semistructured interviews from 4 B Corp business leaders of these sustainable businesses in West Michigan, B Corp sustainability ratings, and literature review documents. These four businesses represented 44% of the B Corp organizations in Michigan. Transcript evaluation, member checking, and methodological triangulation ensured reliability and strengthened the credibility of the data collected. From the data analysis, four themes emerged: (a) enabling culture, (b) stakeholder inclusion, (c) staff engagement, and (d) social responsibility. These study findings suggest that area smalland medium-sized companies seeking to implement sustainable business adopt these tactics to increase corporate revenue. Implications for social change include the advancement of community health through improved air and water quality, as leaders understand how their contributions fit within the greater community. Developing Sustainable Leadership Strategies to Increase Corporate Revenue by Linda Goulet Crosby MBA, Western Michigan University, 1996 BBA, Western Michigan University, 1986 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University July 2016 Dedication I would like to dedicate this study to my 97 year old grandmother Catherine Edith Tomczak. From my earliest recollections as a child, Grandma Katie has been an inspiration and persistent influence in my life. Grandma your boundless energy and positive attitude have been a guiding force to my completing this study. Thank you for being such an amazing role model in my life. Acknowledgments I am so grateful to my committee members Dr. Lynn Szostek, Dr. David Moody, and Dr. Steve Rousssas for helping me reach this amazing accomplishment. I appreciate the support, suggestions, and encouragement you all provided throughout the process. It has been an honor to work with you. Dr. Lynn, you provided great guidance to me at the beginning of this journey during my first residency all the way through my final 9000 course. Besides providing assistance throughout the process, you have been a cheerleader on my sidelines, and I have appreciated it so much. Thank you! Also, I am thankful for the countless DU colleagues who provided insights and assistance throughout my five years at Walden. Finally, I am thankful for my family for supporting me as I spent countless weekends and family time writing and revising. I appreciate your patience and understanding, Emma, Oliver, and Tom.