Description
Innovative solutions how to manage the integration of circularity in the overall business strategy.
The theoretical innovation is to better understand the strategizing process by using the framework of “Strategy-as-Practices (S-as-P)”. more specifically we are exploring the strategy-implementation of circular practices by managers and frontline employees.
The focus of this paper is on practices aimed at circularity that lead to strategy formation and implementation, examined from the S-as-P-approach (van Rheede & Lim, 2020). Strategy formation is viewed as a social activity in which actors make sense of and enact strategies (Jarzabkowski et al., 2022; Weiser et al., 2020; Whittington, 2006) and a more integrated perspective on strategy implementation is taken (Friesl et al., 2021; Jarzabkowski et al., 2022; Kohtamäki et al., 2022). The discussion on strategy-implementation towards sustainability is not new, and has been addressing by several authors (Engert & Baumgartner, 2016; Ortiz-Avram et al., 2018), in this paper we will explicitly look at the implementation of circular strategies. The key elements of the S-as-P are Practices, Practitioners and Praxis. With S-as-P several theoretical frameworks are being used. Our approach is strongly linked to sensemaking in which strategy implementation is very much seen as an evolutionary process that unfolds as an organization is enacting the companies ‘official’ strategy (van Rheede, 2022; Weick, 1995; Weiser et al., 2020),
An explorative multiple case study is used looking at 3 hotels in Amsterdam. 2 luxury properties and a budget property of an mid-scale hotel chain. We started this process by looking specifically at frontline employees and their managements (2 cases) and in the next case we looks more at the role of (middle) managers and supervisors (1 case).
Data is collected via interviews and observations.
A lot of practices can be found that are supporting and expanding the circular strategy. Confusion on the concept of circularity (in relation to sustainability) can be seen, many front line employees (and managers) do not distinguish between circularity and sustainability and do not recognize circular practices. This is partly caused by automation or pre-established procedures that implement a certain practice. Limited initiatives of frontline employees are taking ownership and in some cases the awareness is even limited.
Frontline employees lack the required knowledge or resources and have doubt whether guests are interested in these measures. Difference have been found in departments (i.e. employees) feeling supported by their manager and having own (set) circular targets vs department where this was lacking; This is either assessed as integration or limiting the integration. This hospitality sector is using a high percentage of temporarily workers (and have a high turnover), this is complicating the integration of circular practices even further. This all leads to he inability (by managers, supervisors and employees) to translate the concept of circularity to their own departments and their individual - or team tasks.
Theoretical findings are showcasing typical circularity practices, but also organizational actions and routines, that can be viewed as practices, that influence the strategy implementation. Also the notion of strategy ambiguity will help explain the results. Strategy ambiguity refers to a deliberate approach where organizations intentionally maintain uncertainty and vagueness in their communication. Rather than striving for absolute clarity, they strategically employ ambiguity to achieve integration is problematic due to implementation issues.
