Sustainability as a value: experience from a German entrepreneur starting up a company in Colombia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17981/econcuc.44.2.2023.Org.5

Keywords:

Sustainability, Organizational value, Entrepreneurship, Top management theory, Sustainable business

Abstract

Sustainability has become an imperative value in business management, promoted as a necessary element in the context of global competitiveness and a strategy in new businesses development. In small and medium-sized enterprises, starting up a sustainable business is aligned to personal and cultural experiences of the entrepreneur, which permeate overall decision-making process. This article shows a case study of a bottled juice company started up in Colombia by young German entrepreneurs, seen from a theoretical perspective supported by the Upper echelon’s theory, as a way to analyses the influence of personal values in the implementation of sustainability as a business core. The case study is of a qualitative and exploratory nature and was carried out through a semi-structured interview with company Prost SAS founder.  As a result, it was evidenced that the founders to the company transmit indeed the conceptions or personal values. However, there are external factors that can question the value of sustainability as something positive in the development of the business, or even can jeopardize the long-term viability of small businesses.  In conclusion, sustainability is a value that corresponds to the vision or intention of the company leader, however, the company implementation processes can be affected by external factors.

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Author Biographies

Yamile Andrea Montenegro, Universidad El Bosque

is an Associate Professor of the International Business Program at Universidad El Bosque (Colombia). Doctor of Law -University of Vienna (Austria). Master in Globalization, International Trade and Emerging Markets- Universidad de Barcelona (Spain), Lawyer Universidad de la Sabana (Colombia). Her research interests focus on international business law, international business, business internationalization, international economic law.

Oscar Hernán Vargas Villamizar, Universidad El Bosque

is an Associate Professor of the International Business Program at Universidad El Bosque (Colombia). Master of Science in Business and Economics- Lund University (Sweden). Master’s in industrial engineering -Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), Industrial Engineer – Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia). His research interests focus on Organizational management, international business, higher education

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Published

2023-06-17

How to Cite

Montenegro, Y. A., & Vargas Villamizar, O. H. (2023). Sustainability as a value: experience from a German entrepreneur starting up a company in Colombia. ECONÓMICAS CUC, 44(2). https://doi.org/10.17981/econcuc.44.2.2023.Org.5

Issue

Vol. 44 No. 2 (2023): January – June, 2023

Section

Articles: Administration, Organization and Methods

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Copyright (c) 2023 Yamile Andrea Montenegro, Oscar Hernán Vargas Villamizar

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