Title: Managing for business sustainability in China: a case study of Shoetown Footwear Co., Ltd.

Authors: Lei Huang; Sharon Moore; Patrick McCarthy

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, 2 Baiyun N Ave, Baiyun, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510420, China ' Social Work Unit, Victoria University, Ballarat Rd, Footscray Vic 3011, Australia ' 1/15 Allambee Avenue, Camberwell Vic 3124, Australia

Abstract: Shoetown Footwear Co., Ltd. is one of Nike's global contract factories and strategic partners. It is part of the Evervan Group which has businesses throughout China, in Indonesia and Korea. Shoetown achieves world-class best practice in sustainable management. The Shoetown case study illuminates a holistic system of sustainability management through a focus on people and community resulting in high-quality thinking through skill development, teamwork and discretionary effort at every organisational level. The management at Shoetown utilise a skilful mix of eastern and western business theories embedded in the Chinese business context. This approach has resulted in sustained commercial success, technical innovation, high-quality environmental management and social sustainability. The paper analyses Shoetown's success, with a particular focus on sustainable management, value-chain management and social leadership and provides an example of a large-scale Chinese business operating as a sustainable business within a global value-chain context.

Keywords: management for sustainability; social sustainability; value chain management; Made in China; sustainable development; business sustainability; case study; footwear industry; sustainable management; social leadership.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2014.062850

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.8 No.2, pp.125 - 145

Published online: 24 Jun 2014 *

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