Innovation and Sustainability in Navigating Global Challenges

Institution

Location

Date(s)

Innovation and Sustainability in Navigating Global Challenges

Special Symposium of Academy of International Business Sustainability SIG

Shenzhen, China, May 24-25, 2025

Theme

Intensified geopolitical tensions between major economies, deteriorating natural environments, stagnated international communications and businesses, together with the disruption caused by newly emerged technologies have put great challenges to the prosperity and survival of firms. In order to navigate such challenges, firms on the one hand need to develop intrinsic capabilities such as technological innovation, organizational innovation, dynamic capabilities and organizational resilience. On the other hand, they need to create positive natural, social and institutional environments by building and maintaining good relationships with various business and non-business stakeholders. 

More specifically, firms are increasingly compelled to address the dual imperatives of sustainability and innovation in response to mounting pressures from regulators, customers, employees, and other stakeholders. These demands include decarbonization, circular resource use, and minimizing environmental footprints. Despite these calls for action, the majority of materials used in production remain virgin and unrecycled, with significant waste ending up in landfills, exacerbating the climate crisis. Simultaneously, global challenges such as financial crises, trade tensions, Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have disrupted global value chains (GVCs), underscoring the importance of innovation in business operations.

Sustainability and circular economy principles offer viable solutions to the current "take-make-dispose" production paradigm. These approaches emphasize reusing, repairing, and recycling resources and products, along with extending responsibility for product lifecycles through take-back schemes. While these strategies align with environmental goals, integrating them with innovation often generates tensions. 

Business, Innovation, and Sustainability scholars are increasingly interested in these intersections, investigating how firms can simultaneously achieve sustainability and innovation. However, traditional analytical frameworks often fail to capture the complexity of these dual objectives, overlooking the tensions, paradoxes, and trade-offs that arise. For instance, social embeddedness might create organizational inertia that deters technological as well as organizational innovations. In a global context, while sustainability often emphasizes local environmental priorities, these can clash with global operational efficiencies and resilience objectives, creating new layers of complexity for firms.

To address these challenges, scholarship must integrate insights from sustainability, innovation, circularity, industrial ecology, and green production. This interdisciplinary approach can deepen our understanding of the global, systemic nature of innovation and its role in resolving tensions between environmental and resilience strategies. Researchers must explore how technological, institutional, and organizational changes reshape firm strategies, organizational design, and performance.

It is in this context that we call for participation in this symposium. Among other topics, we would like to engage in in-depth, cross-disciplinary discussion on the following:

• MNEs face challenges in balancing sustainability with innovation, questioning how to pursue both goals, adopt viable strategies, and integrate sustainability into global value chains while addressing innovation demands.
• Innovation and sustainability can conflict or complement each other. Strategies like R&D in value chains may increase carbon footprints, undermining sustainability. However, local production and take-back programs can align both goals by reducing disruptions and reliance on virgin resources. The challenge is identifying strategies that optimize both objectives simultaneously.
• Digital innovation drives sustainability by optimizing resources, reducing waste, and enhancing transparency. Technologies like AI and IoT enable circular economy models and stakeholder collaboration. However, challenges such as energy demands, ethical data use, and equitable access must be addressed to maximize its impact.
• Technological innovation advances sustainability by improving efficiency, reducing resource use, and enabling cleaner production methods. Innovations like renewable energy, green manufacturing, and waste-reducing technologies support sustainable development. However, challenges such as high implementation costs, technological disparities, and unintended environmental impacts must be managed for effective adoption.
• Product and process innovation supports sustainability by designing eco-friendly products and optimizing production methods to reduce impact on the environment. Innovations like biodegradable materials and energy-efficient processes align with sustainable goals. However, integrating these innovations raises the question of how to balance costs, scalability, and environmental impact. 
• Stakeholders increasingly pressure MNEs to achieve sustainability and innovation, with institutions, customers, and employees driving demand for sustainable practices. This raises questions about the roles of regulations, companies, and individual actors, as well as the influence of NGOs, trade unions, and industry associations in shaping strategies to reduce negative impacts and enhance innovation and performance.

Keynote Speakers

Geoffrey Jones, Isidor Straus Professor at Havard Business School, Executive Advisor of AIB Sustainability SIG, Elected Fellow of the Academy of International Business (AIB), Co-Editor in Chief of Business History Review. 

Jane Lu, Senior Editor of the Journal of World Business, Consulting Editor of the Journal of International Business Studies, Elected Fellow of the Academy of International Business (AIB), AIB Vice President (Administration). 

Allan Bird, Professor at the Goa Institute of Management, Reviewing Editor of Journal of International Business Studies, Elected Fellow of the Academy of International Business (AIB), Member of AIB Sustainability SIG. 

Shasha Zhao, Associate Professor of International Business and Innovation, Co-Founder and Co-President of Sustainability SIG, Co-Director of Centre for Social Innovation Management at University of Surrey, Guest Editor of Global Strategy Journal (). 

Host

Sun Yat-sen University Business School (School of Entrepreneurship), Shenzhen, China

Research Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Finance, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China

Chair

Guangzhong Li, Professor, Dean of Business School (School of Entrepreneurship), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China

Bing Liu, Professor, Head of the Department of Business Administration, Business School (School of Entrepreneurship), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China

Zhenzhen Xie, Professor, Department of Business Administration, Business School (School of Entrepreneurship), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China 

Shasha Zhao, Associate Professor at Surrey University, UK, Visiting Professor of Shandong University, China

Participation

Scholars interested in presenting at the conference should send an extended abstract (maximum 5 pages) to Mr. Jin, Dengke (email: ISNGC_AIB2025@gmail.com) no later than April 1st. Decisions on paper acceptance will be sent out by Apr 10th. For papers selected for presentation, we will provide (1) paper-focused quality discussion and constructive feedback during the symposium, (2) free registration for the presenting authors, and (3) up to three nights of accommodation for invited speakers. Non-presenting authors, scholars and students without an accepted paper are also very welcome to attend the symposium. Please email Mr. Jin, Dengke (ISNGC_AIB2025@gmail.com) for registration details.

Program

May 23 evening: opening dinner (speakers and authors)

May 24 morning: opening remarks & keynotes

May 24 afternoon: paper sessions 

May 25 morning: expert panels 

May 25 afternoon: paper sessions & closing remarks

May 25 evening: closing dinner (speakers and authors)

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a coastal city in South China, the homebase of many world-class innovative companies such as Huawei, DJI, BYD and Tencent. It is located on the eastern bank of the Pearl River, neighboring Hong Kong. Shenzhen has been a touchstone for China's reform and opening-up policy. From 1979 to 2021, Shenzhen has skyrocketed from a tiny border town with a population of more than 30,000 to a metropolis with a population of more than 17 million. It has become a prosperous, chic, innovative, harmonious and beautiful city and established many firsts in the history of world industrialization, urbanization and modernization. Shenzhen is a link between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and a transport hub for coastal southern China. The city leads in high-tech development, financial services, foreign trade, shipping and creative and cultural industries.

Venue

Business School (School of Entrepreneurship), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China. 

Address: No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, P.R.China

Recommended hotels

SYSU Academic Villa, Shenzhen Campus, Sun Yat-sen University (Inside campus)

ï¿¥450 RMB/King’s bed room/Night

Address: No.66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, P.R.China

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Lavande Hotel Shenzhen Guangming Science City Zhongshan University Metro Station (To the south gate of the campus)

ï¿¥388 RMB/King’s bed room/Night

Address: No.171, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, P.R.China

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EVEN Hotels Shenzhen Guangming Cloud Park and Holiday Inn Express Shenzhen Guangming Cloud Valley (2 km from the campus)

ï¿¥450 RMB/King’s bed room/Night

Address: Block B-1 (5-16 Floor), No.98 Zhenyuan Road Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000 Mainland China

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‌Grand Mercure Shenzhen Guangming (7 km from the campus)

ï¿¥550 RMB/King’s bed room/Night

Address: Building 1A, Jianfa Yuefu Square, intersection of Guangming Avenue and Guanguang Road Guangming District, SHENZHEN, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

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