NURTURING ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE? : The Impact of Strategic Sustainable Development on the Adaptive Capacity of Organizations

Abstract: This research explores how strategic sustainable development (SSD) using theFramework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) might influence the resilience oforganizations, using the lens of adaptive capacity (AC). The topic was addressed by researchinghow practices informed by the FSSD are experienced in relation to fostering organizations’ AC.Data was gathered through interviews and a focus group with FSSD practitioners and interviewswith sustainability champions applying the FSSD inside organizations. The findings show thatthe FSSD has the potential to foster AC in organizations, although it isn’t designed for it.Especially the systems perspective and backcasting from principles, which are core to theFSSD, proofed helpful. However, the data shows that there are conditions to foster AC throughSSD. Important is a long-term, iterative use of the FSSD, as well as the human-centered aspectsof facilitation and leadership. The existing culture of organizations showed to be critical as well.There are further implications that render the FSSD’s potential as an organizationaldevelopment tool. An opportunity lies in understanding organizations from a social systemsperspective and in using the complexity science behind it to stress this viewpoint in practice,both strengthening resilience and the sustainability practice.