Title: Eco-environmental mutualism as an alternative to eco-efficiency in systemic models

Authors: Luciano Munck; Bárbara Galleli

Addresses: Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina – PR, CEP: 86055-900, Brasil ' Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Prof. Almeida Prado, No. 1280, Butantã, São Paulo – SP, CEP: 05508-070, Brasil

Abstract: Seeking improved understanding of systemic and integrative models focused on organisational sustainable management, this article proposes a revision of the 'eco-efficiency' concept. This concept has essentially been ideologically reductionist when dealing with sustainability, and primarily concentrates on technical and procedural elements. In this context, based upon the conceptual analysis technique, we developed the 'eco-environmental mutualism' concept. This proposal is not just a semantic refinement, but rather practical-conceptual. Eco-environmental mutualism premises stress the need for mutual cooperation in activities that require collective action and extensive benefits, which makes it more aligned and compatible with sustainability principles in an organisational context.

Keywords: eco-environmental mutualism; eco-efficiency; sustainable management; organisational sustainability; systemic models; integrative models; conceptual analysis; sustainability principles; sustainable development; mutual cooperation; collective action.

DOI: 10.1504/LAJMSD.2014.067386

Latin American Journal of Management for Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.1 No.4, pp.290 - 306

Received: 24 May 2013
Accepted: 18 Jul 2013
Published online: 14 Feb 2015 *

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