Oral Presentations and Performances: Session III
Project Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Hiltrud Arens
Faculty Mentor’s Department
German
Abstract / Artist's Statement
A
As a business student focused on the intersection of sustainability and business, there is an urgency in understanding the varying motivations of sustainability in multinational corporations, as their decisions have large ripple effects. This project evaluates and compares the corporate practices of Germany and the United States. These countries have contrasting structures for addressing climate change, social responsibility, and ethical governance. This project examines how cultural values shape the way companies pursue environmental and social responsibility.
The research compares Germany and the United States using a cross-cultural analysis framework, including Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory and Michele Gelfand's cultural framework. These frameworks provide analytical foundations for understanding how national values influence business behavior and governance systems.
The central argument of the research is that culture impacts not only whether a company pursues sustainability but also how it does so. American companies tend to treat sustainability as a strategic objective driven by the open market and investor pressure. On the other hand, German companies view sustainability as a legal requirement and as mandatory based on European Union regulations. This results in a wide variation in sustainability performance across firms.
Recognizing that each country perceives the influence of sustainability differently, policymakers and business leaders need to identify which approaches are applicable in their countries and across borders.
Category
Humanities
Corporate Culture and Climate: How National Values Shape Sustainability Strategy in Germany and the United States
UC 329
A
As a business student focused on the intersection of sustainability and business, there is an urgency in understanding the varying motivations of sustainability in multinational corporations, as their decisions have large ripple effects. This project evaluates and compares the corporate practices of Germany and the United States. These countries have contrasting structures for addressing climate change, social responsibility, and ethical governance. This project examines how cultural values shape the way companies pursue environmental and social responsibility.
The research compares Germany and the United States using a cross-cultural analysis framework, including Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory and Michele Gelfand's cultural framework. These frameworks provide analytical foundations for understanding how national values influence business behavior and governance systems.
The central argument of the research is that culture impacts not only whether a company pursues sustainability but also how it does so. American companies tend to treat sustainability as a strategic objective driven by the open market and investor pressure. On the other hand, German companies view sustainability as a legal requirement and as mandatory based on European Union regulations. This results in a wide variation in sustainability performance across firms.
Recognizing that each country perceives the influence of sustainability differently, policymakers and business leaders need to identify which approaches are applicable in their countries and across borders.