Organizing for sustainability: processes and managerial practices

As sustainability becomes a strategic imperative for businesses, organizations of all sizes face growing pressure to align their structures, practices, and strategies with environmental and social goals. This thesis investigates how different types of firms—particularly SMEs and large corporations—organize for sustainability. Based on a systematic literature review of 106 peer-reviewed journal articles published since 2015, the study synthesizes insights from key organizational theories, including the Resource-Based View, Institutional Theory, and Contingency Theory. The analysis highlights differences and commonalities in sustainability practices across firm sizes, focusing on areas such as leadership, organizational change, CSR, and HRM. The findings offer a comprehensive overview of how theoretical perspectives translate into real-world organizational approaches to sustainable development and provide direction for future research and managerial practice.