Sustainability in the Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprise sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2023.10.02Keywords:
sustainability, dimensions of sustainability, sustainable development goals, Taxonomy Decree, small and medium-sized enterprisesAbstract
Sustainable development has become a critical issue today and the role of small and medium-sized enterprises will be increasingly appreciated in this regard in the near future. In this study, the authors deal with the complexity and presence of the economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability through a questionnaire. The questionnaire collects information related to four main areas based on the responses of the top managers of Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises: concept and presence of sustainability pillars; management aspects; funding sources; relevance and presence of sustainable development goals. According to the authors’ results, Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises feel pressure to launch efforts focusing on sustainability. Economic sustainability is of primary importance, but the other two pillars are increasingly coming to the fore. There is a positive relationship between economic success and sustainability, and vice versa, therefore, sustainability efforts have a positive effect on economic results in the long term.
Downloads
References
'2013/34 EU Rendelet (2013). Directive 2013/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings, amending Directive 2006/43/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directives 78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC Text with EEA relevance. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32013L0034&qid=1677142292767&from=EN
'2020/852 EU Rendelet (2020). Az Európai Parlament és a Tanács (EU) 2020/852 rendelete (2020. június 18.) a fenntartható befektetések előmozdítását célzó keret létrehozásáról, valamint az (EU) 2019/2088 rendelet módosításáról. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/HU/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32020R0852&from=EN
'2021/2178 EU Rendelet (2021). A Bizottság (EU) 2021/2178 felhatalmazáson alapuló rendelete (2021. július 6.) az (EU) 2020/852 európai parlamenti és tanácsi rendeletnek a 2013/34/EU irányelv 19a. vagy 29a. cikkének hatálya alá tartozó vállalkozások által a környezeti szempontból fenntartható gazdasági tevékenységekre vonatkozóan közzéteendő információk tartalmának és megjelenítésének meghatározása, valamint az e közzétételi kötelezettségnek való megfelelés módszertanának meghatározása révén történő kiegészítéséről. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/HU/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R2178&from=DE
'2022/2464 EU Rendelet (2022). Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/ EC and Directive 2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX-:32022L2464&from=EN
Acciarini, C., Borelli, F., Capo, F., Cappa, F., & Sarrocco, C. (2021). Can digitalization favour the emergence of innovative and sustainable business models? A qualitative exploration in the automotive sector. Journal of Strategy and Management, 145(3), 335-352. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSMA-02-2021-0033
Akadiri, P. O., & Fadiya, O. O. (2013). Empirical analysis of the determinants of environmentally sustainable practices in the UK construction industry. Construction Innovation, 13(4), 352-373. https://doi.org/10.1108/CI-05-2012-0025
Azcárate, F., Carraso, F., & Fernández, M. (2011). The role of integrated indicators in exhibiting business contribution to sustainable development: A survey of sustainability reporting initiatives. Revista de Contabilidad – Spanish Accounting Review, 14(Extraordinario), 213-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1138-4891(11)70033-4
Bake, M. (2002). The Marketing Book. Butterworth-Heinemann. Bebbington, J., & Unerman, J. (2018). Achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals: an enabling role of accounting research. Accounting, Auditing, and Accountability, 31(1), 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-05-2017-2929
Böhringer, C., & Jochem, P. E. P. (2007). Measuring the immeasurable – A survey of sustainability indices. Ecological Economics, 63, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2007.03.008
Burawat, P. (2019). The relationships among transformational leadership, sustainable leadership, lean manufacturing and sustainability performance in Thai SMEs manufacturing industry. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 36(6), 1014-1036. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-09-2017-0178
Chikán, A., Czakó, E., Losonci, D., & Kiss-Dobronyi, B. (szerk.) (2019). A 4. ipari forradalom küszöbén. Gyorsjelentés a 2019. évi kérdőíves felmérés eredményeiről. Versenyképesség Kutató Központ, Budapest. https://unipub.lib.uni-corvinus.hu/4328/1/Gyorsjelentes_2019_Versenykepesseg.pdf
Claro, P. B. O., & Esteves, N. R. (2021). Sustainability-oriented strategy and Sustainable Development Goals. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 39(4), 613-630. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-08-2020-0365
Csutora, M., Harangozo, G., & Szigeti, C. (2022). Factors behind the consumer acceptance of sustainable business models in pandemic times. Sustainability, 14, 9450. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159450
Dick-Forde, E. G., Oftedal, E. M., & Bertella, G. M. (2020). Fiction or reality? Hotel leaders’ perception on climate action and sustainable business models. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Theme, 12(3), 245-260. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-02-2020-0012
Diófási-Kovács, O. (2020). Logisztika 4.0: Digitalizációs projektek hatása a fenntarthatósági teljesítményre. Vezetéstudomány, 51(6), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2020.06.03
Ederer, F. (2008). Értékorientált vállalatirányítás. Raabe Tanácsadó és Kiadó Kft.
Edőcsény, K. I., & Harangozó, G. (2021). Fenntartható üzleti gyakorlatok a divatiparban: A hazai mikro-, kis- és közepes vállalkozások példáján keresztül. Vezetéstudomány, 52(6), 2–17. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2021.06.01
ENSZ Fenntartható fejlődési célok (2023). https://www.ajbh.hu/-/ensz-fenntarthato-fejlodesi-celok-sustainable-development-goal-sdg-
Erin, O. A., Bamigboye, O. A., & Oyewo, B. (2022). Sustainable development goals (SDG) reporting: an analysis of disclosure. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economics, 12(5), 761-789. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-02-2020-0037
European Environmental Agency (2020). The role of environmental taxation in support of sustainability transitions. https://eionet.kormany.hu/download/e/14/e2000/the-role-of-environmental-taxation.pdf
Gast, J., Gundolf, K., & Cesinger, B. (2017). Doing business in a green way: A systematic review of the literature entrepreneurship ecological sustainability and future research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 147, 44-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.01.065
González, P. R. (2009). The empirical analysis of the determinants for environmental technological change: A research agenda. Ecological Economics, 68(3), 861- 878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.07.004 GRI (2018). Sustainability Reporting Initiative, Global Reporting Initiative. https://www.globalreporting.org/information/about-gri/Pages/default.aspx
Gupta, S., Dangayach, G. S., & Singh, A. K. (2018). Implementation of sustainable manufacturing practices in Indian manufacturing companies. Benchmarking? An International Journal, 25(7), 2441-2459. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-12-2016-0186 IIRC (2022). https://www.integratedreporting.org/
ISO (2022). https://isotc.iso.org/livelink/livelink?func=ll&objId=20719433&objAction=browse&viewType=1
ISO. (2023). ISO/CASCO Committee on conformity assessment. https://www.iso.org/committee/54998.html?t=KomURwikWDLiuB1P1c7SjLMLEAgXOA7emZHKGWyn8f3KQUTU3m287NxnpA3DIuxm&view=documents#section-isodocuments-top
Johnston, P., Everard, M., Santillo D., & Karl-Henrik, R. (2007). Reclaiming the definition of sustainability. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 14(1), 60-66. https://doi.org/10.1065/espr2007.01.375
Kelley, K., Todd, M., Hopfer, H., & Centinari, M. (2022). Identifying wine consumers interested in environmentally sustainable production practices. International Journal of Wine Business Research, 34(1), 86-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-01-2021-0003
Kennedy, B. (2019). A 21st century appreciation for: quality, excellence and complex human adaptive systems. The TQM Journal, 32(1), 2-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-06-2019-0169
Klenert, D., Mattauch, L., Combet, E., Edenhofer, O., Hepburn, C ., R afaty, R ., & S tern, N . ( 2018). M aking carbon pricing work for citizens. Nature Climate Change, 8, 669-677. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0201-2
KPMG (2020). The time has come: the KPMG survey of sustainability reporting. https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2020/11/the-time-has-come.pdf
Laszló, C., & Cooperrider, D. L. (2010). Creating sustainable value: a strength-based whole system approach. In Thatchenkery, T., Cooperrider, D. L., & Avital, M. (ed.), Positive Design and Appreciative Construction: From Sustainable Development to Sustainable Value (Advances in Appreciative Inquiry, Vol. 3) (pp. 17-33). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1475-9152(2010)0000003006
Lordkipanidze, M., Brezet, H., & Backman, M. (2005). The entrepreneurship factor in sustainable tourism development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 13(8), 787-798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.02.043
Miklian, J., & Barkemeyer, R. (2020). Business, peacebuilding, violent conflict and sustainable development in Myanmar: presenting evidence from a new survey dataset. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 16(4), 600-617. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-11-2020-0428
Nagy, M. A., Tasner, D., & Kovács, Z. (2021). Ipar 4.0 a gazdaságtudományokban – A nemzetközi és hazai szakirodalom bibliometriai elemzése. Vezetéstudomány, 52(4), 63–79. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2021.04.06
Ónodi, A., & Répácki, R. (2022). A menedzsment szerepe az innovatív vállalatok sikerében. Vezetéstudomány, 53(10), 2-14. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2022.10.01
PwC (2018). SDG reporting challenge: from promise to reality: does business really care about SDGs? www.pwc.com/sdgreportingchallenge
Rigby, D., & Tager, S. (2008). Learning the advantages of sustainable growth. Strategy & Leadership, 36(4), 24-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878570810888740
Ropret, M., Aristovnik, A., & Ravselj, D. (2018). The perception of administrative barriers and their implications for SMEs’ performance: Evidence from Slovenia. Zagreb International Review of Economics & Business, 21(SSCI), 55-68. https://doi.org/10.2478/zireb-2018-0024
Sampaio, P., Savaria, P., & Monteiro, A. (2012). A comparison and usage overview of business excellence models. The TQM Journal, 24(2), 181-200. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542731211215125
Schaltegger, S., & Wagner, M. (2011). Sustainable entrepreneurship and sustainability innovation: Categories and interactions. Business Strategy and the Environment, 20, 222-237. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.682
Schaltegger, S., Hansen G. E., & Lüdeke-Freund, F. (2016). Business models for Sustainability: Origins, Present Research, and Future Avenues. Organization & Environment, 29(1), 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026615599806
Scheyvens, R., Banks, G., & Hughes, E. (2016). The private sector and the SDGs: the need to move beyond ’business as ususal’. Sustainable Development, 24(6), 371-382. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1623
SDG Compass (2023). SDG_Compass_Guide_Hungarian. https://sdgcompass.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/SDG_Compass_Guide_Hungarian.pdf
Singla, A., Ahuja, I. S., & Sethi, A. S. (2019). An examination of effectiveness of technology push strategies for achieving sustainable development in manufacturing industries. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 10(1), 73-101. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-10-2017-0048
Tang, D. Y., & Zhang, J. (2020). Do shareholders benefit from green bonds? Journal of Corporate Finance, 61, 101427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2018.12.001
Topple, C., Donovan, J. D., Maslli, E. K., & Borgert, T. (2017). Corporate sustainability assessments: MNE engagement with sustainable development and the SDGs. Transnational Corporations, 24(3), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.18356/2ae5911c-en
Vörösmarty, Gy., & Dobos, I. (2020). A vállalatméret hatása a zöldbeszerzési gyakorlatra. Statisztikai Szemle, 98(4), 301-323. https://doi.org/10.20311/stat2020.4.hu0301
Zilahy, G. (2016). Sustainable business models – what do management theories say? Vezetéstudomány, 47(10), 62-72. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2016.10.06
Yamane, T., & Kaneko, S. (2022). The sustainable development goals as new business norms: A survey experiment on stakeholder preferences. Ecological Economics, 191, 107236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107236
Yang, C.C., Ou, S.L., & Hsu, L.C. (2019). A hybrid multi- criteria decision-making model for evaluating companies’ green credit rating. Sustainability, 11(6), 1506. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061506
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors assign copyright to Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review. Authors are responsible for permission to reproduce copyright material from other sources.