Title: Applied sustainability in services and operations in higher learning institutions: a case study

Authors: Asli Yagmur Akbulut-Bailey, Samir T. IsHak, Jaideep Motwani

Addresses: Department of Management, Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA. ' Department of Management, Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA. ' Department of Management, Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, USA

Abstract: In the recent years, sustainability has become a slogan for raising social, economic and environmental awareness. Higher education institutions play an important role in promoting sustainable development principles and practices. In addition to educating students on sustainability topics, these institutions should take on a leadership role in incorporating sustainable practices into their services and operations and in transforming their local and regional communities into more sustainable communities. Grand Valley State University (GVSU) has been very successful in the implementation of sustainability principles. Among many recognitions and awards, the university has received national recognition for Sustainability Innovation in 2008 and 2009. In this paper, we discuss how GVSU successfully integrated sustainability principles into its services and operations. We hope that the initiatives discussed herein provide insights for universities that are in the process of incorporating sustainability practices into their operations.

Keywords: campus operations; universities; higher education; sustainable development; applied sustainability; environmental awareness; social awareness; economic awareness; leadership; sustainable practices; regional communities; sustainable communities; local communities; Grand Valley State University; Michigan; United States; USA; sustainability innovation; educational services; educational operations; business innovation; R&D; research and development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2011.038777

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2011 Vol.5 No.2, pp.127 - 141

Published online: 07 Mar 2015 *

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