Integration of Green Business Concepts in a Firm

INTEGRATION OF GREEN BUSINESS CONCEPTS IN A FIRM: INTERVIEW CASE STUDY
By (Student Name)
Course
Professor
University
City and State
Date
Section 1 The interview involved a businessperson whose environmental responsibilities are predominantly water-related problems. During the interactions and responses to the three questions, Mr. Y (not the real name) made several statements that demonstrate his company prioritizing water challenges in society as the leading environmental issue. For instance, the respondent stated that “businesses have a fundamental role of addressing the widespread pollution of water resources by implementing progressive strategies for eliminating commonplace pollutants and channeling supportive funds to institutions that address the problem.” Mr. Y also remarked that “companies should also integrate efficient utilization of water within their premises” and “collaborate with other like-minded stakeholders to manage water resources in a region efficiently.” However, Mr. Y noted that “although complementing water conservation with renewable energy is progressive, the latter involves costly inputs that make it less important for the business.” As a result, Mr. Y’s company seeks to implement these options as its green business initiative with a significant impact on local communities. Section 2 Green Creativity and Improved Management The first theme from this interview is green creativity and improved management from businesses. Throughout this course, concepts explored revealed that organizations are responsible for shifting their perspectives from traditional ones to progressive and environmental-focused ones to protect the planet. For instance, Fields and Atiku (2019, p. 5) recognize that modern firms are exploring eco-innovations as a strategy for overcoming the destructive nature of businesses on the environment. This approach seeks to remedy many of the ills arising from business-related operations affecting diverse aspects of the environment, including water as a critical resource. The interviewee’s view of this aspect confirms the green business concept of integrating restorative practices in business operations as part of corporate social responsibility. Song and Yu (2017, p. 135) further reveal that this change goes beyond protecting the environment because it also stirs sustainable development that brings a competitive advantage to a company. The authors consider such innovations as outcomes of organizational creativity theory, which is fundamental for ensuring that firms thrive while preserving environmental integrity (Song and Yu, 2017, p. 136). The interview shows that considering these elements within an institution has become a priority for most managers because of the associated effects on the image of a company. Thus, businesses must re-strategize and embrace such strategies in the contemporary era. Collaboration in Water Management Programs The theme of collaboration in water management programs demonstrates the passionate nature of the interviewee toward eradicating water-related problems. While responding to interview questions about the necessary green business actions, the respondent noted that a firm’s effort might remain futile in isolation. In this context, the interviewee highlighted the need for companies to embrace green business strategies, such as the circular economy, which promotes sustainability and collaboration among corporations (Brown, Brocken, and Balkenende 2019, p. 2). This approach brings the efforts of diverse firms together in programs that eradicate linear systems and replace them with restorative and regenerative ones. In this context, firms preserve more resources throughout their operations, including the supply chain. It also transitions energy sources from non-renewable to renewable ones, reducing environmental degradation. The interviewee underlined the need for companies to improve their resilience potential to increase their value creation without excessive utilization of inadequate natural resources (Pinto 2019, p. 1). Achieving such a goal is consistent with the explored themes of green business concepts in this class because it relieves the excessive pressure by com...