An Environmental Measure of Japan's Economic Development:

The Ecological Footprint (5)

Literature Review
Paul Parker is a Professor and Director of the University of Waterloo’s Economic Development
Program. He has over two decades of experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of
research and community economic development projects. Today, Japan is home to the world’s
third largest economy, despite a series of economic setbacks in the 1990s. The Japanese
economy is powered by the production of motor vehicles, electronics, industrial tools, steel and
other metals. The country also has a modest agricultural sector, growing mostly rice, and sugar
beets, along with some fruits and vegetables. Japan is also known for its fishing and beef
industries. Japan is a nation comprised of four main islands and thousands of smaller islands
located off the northern Pacific Coast of Asia. While Japan has become a cleaner and
environmentally more responsible nation in recent decades, the country’s business, agricultural
and industrial activities still contribute to a broad range of environmental issues. Japan had faced
a serious air pollution starting in the latter half of the 20th century, but aggressive government
policies have led to Japanese cities being designated as having some of the cleanest urban air in
the world by the World Health Organization. In a 2010 report, the OECD Noted that Japan has
made significant environmental progress through a series of aggressive policies. The OECD said
particular progress was made with respect to air emissions, water usage and municipal waste
generation. The report also noted that Japan has made a conscious move from a strictly
ecological model of sustainable development to a more encompassing approach that identifies
the connections between ecological protection, economic growth and social values.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Parker, P.(1998) ‘An Environmental
Measure of Japan's Economic Development: The Ecological Footprint’, Geographische
Zeitschrift, 86. Jahrg., H. 2 (1998), pp. 106-119.
 Sustainability as a Driver for Corporate Economic Success
Consequences for the Development of Sustainability
Management Control (7)

Literature Review
Stefan Schaltegger is a Full Professor of Sustainability Management and the Head of the Centre
for Sustainability Management (CSM) at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany. His
research deals with corporate sustainability management with a special focus on performance
measurement, management methods, strategic management and the business cases for
sustainability. Today, the private sector’s contributions come from developing and using
environmentally better, eco-efficient, ways to produce and provide products and services and by
creating wealth and employment respectful of changing expectations of corporate responsibility
and behavior. The existence of a business case for sustainability is, however, mostly seen as an
ad hoc measure, a supplement to the core business, or simply a coincidence. As a contrast, this
paper argues that business model innovations may be required to support a systematic, ongoing
creation of business cases for sustainability. A framework for business model innovation is
proposed as a means to strategically create business cases on a regular basis as an inherent,
deeply integrated element of business activities. Sustainable development is a metaphor for
opportunity and progress as well as a reminder of obligations and uncertainty. It requires a step-
change improvement in performance. Sustainable development offers an organizing framework
based on opportunity and respect for human values. Innovation is about using change to better
meet human needs and values. The connection seems obvious although it is hard to realize in the
absence of clear market signals and a common language, especially since innovation can come
unexpectedly “out of left field” and have uncertain consequences. Increasingly, the World
Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) believes that this can be achieved by
addressing innovative opportunities that reflect changing social expectations and support a
transition to greater sustainability.
Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Schaltegger, S.(2011) ‘Sustainability as a
Driver for Corporate Economic Success Consequences for the Development of Sustainability
Management Control’, Society and economy, Vol. 33, No. 1(2011), pp.15–28.