Charting the path to a sustainable, competitive and green industry in an era of rapid change: proposing a research agenda

• Published in: Cogent business & management Vol. 11; no. 1
• Main Authors: Wallo, Andreas, Martin, Jason, Elg, Mattias, Harlin, Ulrika, Gremyr, Ida, Bozic, Nina, Skagert, Katrin, Williamsson, Anna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024
• Subjects: Adult Education and Lifelong Learning; Business, Management and Accounting; competence supply management; Delphi study; Education; Education–Social Sciences; green transition; Industrial transformation; Pablo Ruiz, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain; social sustainability; Sustainable Development; Industrial transformation; Delphi study; competence supply management; social sustainability; green transition; Organizational Psychology; Work &amp
• ISSN: 2331-1975; 2331-1975
• DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2024.2344189

Global labor market shifts have spurred the need for innovations and adaptations in workplace norms. This evolution demands a workforce with technical and soft skills to meet sustainability and industry advancements. The paper aims to elucidate the complex challenges related to the ambition to develop a socially sustainable, competitive, and green industry subjected to an accelerating pace of change. It outlines the findings of a Delphi study conducted in Sweden, which integrated workshops, interviews, and surveys with experts from various sectors to identify 14 key challenges. These challenges were synthesized into five themes: innovative competence supply management practices, resilient organizations and production systems, analytics for improvement and learning, socially sustainable work, and green transformation practices. The study provides a set of propositions within these themes, offering a strategic roadmap for future research to foster the growth of industries that are socially responsible, competitive, and committed to environmental sustainability. A practical implication of the study is the recognition of the larger competence ecosystem of which industrial companies are a part. This community must work together to create the knowledge needed to manage the shift to a green, sustainable, and digital working life.