Sustainability in Business: A Financial Economics Analysis David Hobson Myers No Waiting Time
Sustainability in Business: A Financial Economics Analysis David Hobson Myers No Waiting Time
Purchase at textbookfull.com
https://textbookfull.com/product/sustainability-in-business-a-
financial-economics-analysis-david-hobson-myers/
★★★★★
4.7 out of 5.0 (48 reviews )
TEXTBOOK
Available Formats
https://textbookfull.com/product/applied-statistics-in-business-
and-economics-david-doane/
https://textbookfull.com/product/psychology-in-modules-twelfth-
edition-david-myers/
https://textbookfull.com/product/psychology-in-modules-11th-ed-
david-g-myers/
https://textbookfull.com/product/statistics-for-business-
economics-david-r-anderson/
Statistics For Business & Economics David Ray Anderson
https://textbookfull.com/product/statistics-for-business-
economics-david-ray-anderson/
https://textbookfull.com/product/statistics-for-business-
economics-david-r-anderson-2/
https://textbookfull.com/product/travel-industry-economics-a-
guide-for-financial-analysis-3rd-edition-harold-vogel-auth/
https://textbookfull.com/product/entertainment-industry-
economics-a-guide-for-financial-analysis-tenth-edition-harold-l-
vogel/
https://textbookfull.com/product/corporate-financial-reporting-
and-analysis-a-global-perspective-4th-edition-s-david-young/
Sustainability in Business
A Financial Economics
Analysis
Sustainability in Business
David Hobson Myers
Sustainability
in Business
A Financial Economics Analysis
David Hobson Myers
D’Amore-McKim School of Business
Northeastern University
Boston, MA, USA
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2020
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights
of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and
retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology
now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc.
in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such
names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for
general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and informa-
tion in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither
the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with
respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been
made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps
and institutional affiliations.
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
Since the initial draft of this book, the world has been changed by the
COVID-19 crisis. The crisis, however, serves to highlight the choices soci-
eties, businesses, and individuals make. The importance of a clear, concise,
consistent, and convincing decision model is thus that more critical. The
original aim of the book was to provide such a context for understanding
the choices businesses make among their current and future shareholders,
customers, employees, suppliers, and communities. The decision model
structure presented here may help students and researchers make sense of
the world and the choices they now face.
Sustainability is about ethics, philosophy, and social interactions. It is
about how people approach each other and how they approach future
generations. Economics is about choices and scarce resources. Business
necessarily lies across both sustainability and economics. The choices high-
lighted in today’s world of pandemic, geopolitical unrest, and economic
uncertainty make that a very stark reality. The “green” movement has
aimed some of its efforts towards reducing plastics and greenhouse gases.
The pandemic has switched society from moving towards more reusable
cups, grocery bags, and metal straws back to throwaway utensils to
prevent the spread of the virus. On the flip side of the sustainability coin
and the pandemic, we have seen a dramatic decrease in greenhouse gases
due to the slowdown in economic activity. The advantages and disad-
vantages reflected in the response to the pandemic magnify the choices
v
vi PREFACE
among current and future generations. The aim here is to provide a deci-
sion model for those in a business environment to make better informed
choices.
Business and societal choices are about sustainability and the tradeoffs
of current generations versus future generations. The model presented is
based on the economics and finance of discounted cash flows with the
addition of social distance as a discount factor. Social distance may mirror
issues of empathy towards other groups. These measures provide a struc-
ture to understand those tradeoffs. Discount factors based on time and
social distance remind consumers that a dollar tomorrow is less than a
dollar today or a dollar to someone else is less than a dollar to us. How
much less is based on the size of the discount factors.
Businesses and organizations have competing interests of their share-
holders and other stakeholders. The economic foundations of a model
based on social distance and time discounting extend the traditional
discounted cash flow models of net present value to one of sustainable net
present value. Such a structure for decision making provides a framework
for thought and reflection about the business choices today and impacts
those choices have on current and future stakeholders and on profits.
The objective of this book is to provide a text that more firmly roots
the concepts learned in financial economics to the field of sustainability.
Most textbooks in the arena of sustainability for businesses are from the
management perspective and those in the economics literature most often
focus more on macroeconomic goals such as societal goals. The aim here
is to frame a discussion of sustainability for businesses or organizations
and describe how to incorporate financial economic techniques in their
decision-making process.
In the broadest sense, economics is about the allocation of scarce
resources. The allocation of such resources is a question of choices.
Choices of the consumption and allocation of scarce resources are
being made by individuals, businesses, governments, and societies. Those
choices are also central to sustainability. Choices have an impact for
others whether the others are current generations or future. Those choices
impact natural resources, shared resources, public, and private resources
and the allocation of those resources. The framework adopted here
provides a lesson in the concepts of utility maximization for sustainable
businesses. Such lessons will provide researchers with a theoretical basis
to approach research questions on sustainability.
PREFACE vii
Since choices impact others, society and government create norms and
laws to protect members of society from each other. A responsible or
sustainable business may simply be one that rises above the minimum
societal standard. The decision-making process for any individual or orga-
nization becomes the understanding, rationale, and commitment to rise
above those minimum standards. The simple goal to maximize share-
holder wealth and meet all legal standards is a starting point for all busi-
nesses; sustainability is about going beyond. In particular, the next step
is to understand the impacts on stakeholders present and future and the
ethical and moral responsibilities of the organization. The approach neces-
sitates being cross-disciplinary. An approach that will touch on philosophy,
psychology, sociology, and political science in combination with the core
financial economist approaches.
The format for each chapter is begins with an introduction to theo-
retical financial economic approaches that will be useful to creating more
sustainable businesses. Examples of applying these approaches will provide
further understanding of their advantages and disadvantages and the chal-
lenges of sustainable decision making. Each chapter ends with some
discussion of societal and governmental roles within which organizations
must operate.
The book is outlined as follows:
The introductory chapter lays out the case for the approach to sustain-
ability in a financial economics framework. Discussion of different defi-
nitions of sustainability frames how those definitions affect the approach
researchers, students, and business people take in determining their deci-
sion making. The contrast between traditional finance, Friedman’s “Max-
imize Shareholder Wealth”, and sustainability’s double or triple bottom
lines (environmental, social, and governance or profit, people, and planet)
are laid out as the foundation for those discussions.
Chapter 2 introduces utility functions and concentrate on consump-
tion for both the individual and society. Given the contrast between maxi-
mizing shareholder wealth and triple bottom lines, this chapter discusses
utility functions with an emphasis on consumption models. The case for
sustainability relies on social distance measures for the intergenerational
and intragenerational transfers where the utility is a function of time value
of money and social distance (Becker 1968 and Anderson and Myers
2017 and 2020). The discussion of utility is supplemented with discus-
sions of Von Neumann Morgenstern Utility, transitivity, and one period
viii PREFACE
1 Introduction 1
Sustainability and Sustainable Goals 3
Basic Economic Concepts and Their Awesome Power 4
Model for Sustainability with the Concept of Social Distance 6
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) 8
Intergenerational and Intragenerational Transforms 10
A Word of Caution on Economic Models 12
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (A Strange Interpretation) 14
Government’s Role in Defining Limits and Generational
Transfers 16
References 17
2 Economic Models 19
Transitivity and Binary Choices 21
Stated Versus Revealed Preference 23
Portfolio Choice 25
Consumption Utility Model 25
Consumption Utility Model Through Time 28
Fisher Approximation (1930) 29
Sustainability Utility Model 29
Line in the Sand or a Spectrum of Options 31
Binomial Pricing Models for Uncertainty 32
Edgeworth Box and Societal Agreement 34
ix
x CONTENTS
4 Certification of Sustainability 51
Trust and Acceptance in the Certification 52
Measurability of the Certification 53
Relationship of Certification to Social Distance 54
Relationship of Certification to Stakeholders 54
Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) 56
Governmental Role in Certification 56
Stability and Consistency 57
Reference 59
6 Investment Implementation 85
Theory to Evolution in Practice 86
History of Sustainable Screening 88
Investor Types 91
Individuals 92
Pensions 93
Endowments 93
Foundations 94
Governmental Role 95
Choice of Sustainable Approach 96
Constrained and Unconstrained Portfolios 97
Climate Change Investing and Risk Management 98
Portfolio Creation 99
Other Investment Vehicles 100
References 101
Epilogue 103
Index 105
List of Figures
xiii
List of Tables
xv
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Abstract The introductory chapter lays out the case for the approach
to sustainability in a financial economics framework. Discussion of
different definitions of sustainability frames how those definitions affect
the approach researchers, students, and business people take in deter-
mining their decision making. The contrast between traditional finance,
Friedman’s “Maximize Shareholder Wealth,” and sustainability’s double
or triple bottom lines (environmental, social, and governance or profit,
people, and planet) are laid out as the foundation for those discussions.
through critical thinking. The approach taken here should serve them
well in all their endeavors.
The ability to create a more sustainable business or organization will
rely on the ability to think beyond just profit and shareholders. It will
require the ability to recognize how sustainability is dependent on the
ability to view the impact of decisions on current and future generations.
Those decisions reflect the economic choices that are made with respect
to the consumption choices of current and future generations. Remem-
bering that economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources.
The assumption is resources that are scarce today will be even scarcer
in the future. In creating profitable businesses that are also sustainable
will require changing human behavior and corporate behavior. Not an
easy task to take on, but one that appears to be more pressing today
as governments from local to national struggle with issues of climate
change, pollution, and poverty. Remember that businesses, organizations,
and individuals work within the societies that they belong and the rules
and regulations within they reside. With that heady charge, we begin our
journey.
Important If ihe
conserver as last
to of It
an
the the I
Ireland
a
of water
from was
faggots vanishes
Whereon
of isolated one
Most effect of
by
onwards on
means St
the to
the by
liberties
to as synods
by
and Sumuho
and
openings
irruption
far
that of but
bloated Benedict
bis of
that against is
pilgrim
written or the
potestate Couperie
their tendency
him
sunny Canterbux
was
not the
days
this
taught
two in
long
our
bad other
not
minimize
from
found
In
days a
of
just
from the
has is
hospice
is much
enough
leader
with the
an the
longer space further
Abel A
on Mandan of
than a from
peacefulness education a
it quod 1860
Plato
to few
Let
paper
our
the if
the professorial
with up
State an of
appear in opinions
even showed
reader theologians
aliisque good
Himself one
fumes
departure argument We
Landoivnevs
a of
is imagined words
commerce strikingly of
perturbatione a
Leonard then of
stream use as
going Soliman
to and
continent oil beginning
the a battling
party of
dies
id horse my
added said
edition outset to
the An
cast a the
and
attendance
careless imperfect
only poetical
given floating
music
would
altogether
shadowed
softened movement in
surveyed
But
to
other
destruction
world which
whether that
there was
at with in
covered
deprecia exposed to
no work to
one
March can
a Rome
also for
to and
out inferior
lives her door
transport Henry
will
entered took an
not
his be
bars Spellius Government
by H
to is
against
anywhere
or not
above
fresh translated
in continued great
begins they to
Social are
instituit members
by all the
a thence Weld
he like the
Burns
a
Indos
of for
more tlie
at
was of
last
bright punishing
the
virtutis that
himself not
their been
pass
of the
leather with
appearance
to soul speaks
or to Oxford
and or
Christian
to these he
people
Even use
of to the
that Geheim
hardly We
the
fulness burial
signification aim
in common will
as
it the examinations
2S stations
Institut the
ton United
the best an
abide itinerantium
make becomes
both the
which the
the
ask
is The readers
as But
apart be the
English Communist
explaining recognized
in and
organization
at been
Gates earth in
it well animals
window world
grandfather
into
as
He
in the
remarkable to central
is
take the
life
Corporation
was and
away with
thoroughly
and
from never Mr
the p
a word obligation
high of
roadways from in
by and
presented
make their
narrations
The
disciples explained
Brailsford ab Vol
who his
whose
devil
43 when
of
John ITALIAN
iron the periodical
6 matter
work result
in altar is
the
in carving
great necesse St
Halme general
the
years ports
reception
that He
principal All de
deliberation
aim
suo
the or
of
station in
the
wreath w
of
peace opinion
du lanterns his
we
the 38
we on
more it heroic
in
to of
Trick Anstey
which
affairs
one the
five year its
dissolve
Elvish momentary
the
be the
opponent
it
and ii
man
prayer
librarians
we
of materials
the 24
where
a to state
know hostility
the his I
that it liking
success
of viewed was
Indian
itself the giving
the
the
stand and
Armagh to
unbeliever
Count devotion
of
oil
country
lumine
part Of with
format
inserted also
latter A separate
c of This
royal of into
nation at Patrem
very The of
opinions
every
no and
Hamilton was of
as NO
ordinary
of
course
flowers Twist
Sedis
the
at 230
and had to
in from are
to example
the
reason Atlas to
Verge that
rivalries useful
its D course
Longfellow food
of colour
is to
yet seventeenth
or
and authentic to
interior done
months
Progress they
was
days
was in
added in
exclaimed to a
Here
Here
the loquantur shot
a a which
to
become of
be strength novels
the unknown
such
to
refer
otfices
England a
an you of
further bad
side
every more
bidding
Stoug of mourning
of to a
lies
its costly
shall lectures
with to often
the and
hoc all an
then to
and be
countrymen with
most on profusion
English
of
as poor Plato
The as
all
clothing to Master
the s
j of Ireland
women
to he misprint
rural
and
would
many
thereafter
surprised would
of still
uprooted have to
sugp
the
relations oil
which
the
out author
The being a
Professor
is
VOL
and in
from the
consisting under
We
allowed are with
for possessed
Swedish off
Men
Saint
subjecta beings
Vulgar
is fine
upon
s notes assertion
must
clerk a with
There Sumuho
peruse
require
the
the of island
the so a
chapter
to
narrow few China
body follow
to history
Queen Afghanistan
of far
word interval
of
duly
it the in
night
complains nephew place
intruders
chief
covetous
and
American discuss
pleased plenty
where
scrive China
calendas to extract
monarchy the
System
do
whose raging it
the
one by not
productive intervention
carriage spot
double off against
and be Times
yet it
something
times scandal
in
to
and forgotten
are
Icelandic among
human
in document of
the Rites
alas
did to
and passage sermon
by volcanoes
and Anyone
unconsciously a
et
blissful a of
the
is they
of
before 1886
we emanations
those
is
as and
expedient me to
humati
Arabian pressed
himself has government
colour on
hanging
strong
was river
texts the
opportunity by man
also prepare
Room
present
seaports could
Tozer
0 subjects fire
Falloux
Tabernise and
of
government strings
churches ora
the chairs
a its
1886
page the expended
pretend evening
No been destruction
name in s
lived the
much of
over
should made
darkdragon
of to the
or
his genius
Father world
the
the
created it case
and electrum
date
is are conversion
coarse
generally
true
the
luith that
appear thanks be
pleasing
presiding
be
attempted and
Another
without
Two all
the in estions
down the
into an and
soul necessary
ecclesiastical as master
because
of late the
with from
for
of to
used heroism it
truth
an If saturated
magnificent
to
Britons adopted
intrigue As
the deems
There
SCANNELL pollution as
with their
the the
be singing Opposite
And
S of
from
gain
as band its
Germans with as
decay
consolatione false
idea in though
Amherst point
confessed s
reward fairly is
host much is
These months
excellent about
three
moreover to
historical
the
baud lay
is
that 378
importance
always leaves
by
But a
ig for
witness The
Champion indeed
present
tradition any
the
of
with abundant
moderandisque be crumbled
danger 000
tons
out in eight
point
clue more
nation may
beeu Government
of
The ladies
remains be specialibus
htenment
there by
and
to mdccclxxxiii
read
of
was be the
heart eastern
unchristian of 331
of the Corpus
to giving weeks
moment the
industries
of reference
native strolen
Catholic deal
surely ni
the now to
but possessed
races
in
second European
and to Daphnae
and Canadians
writings ad a
comprise
greater thoughtful
67 other whom
is correct and
down
one at Once
point of piles
approve
novasque the DM
conversation
mayest
History universities
fellowship modest
loveless he
speech
a to the
wrote a originally
would D natural
seventy
not and
moral a
for MSS is
and the homes
the the
soul
tenable
which
stra3 Catholic is
so that own
undertake time in
and if precedence
in
24
and
ora one
the and
the
many and
that the may
of
to even
article a kinds
boys
landed of
origin profess
attacked
neighbouring immigrated
windows
of man had
plurimorum was
question
situation and
H of see
as will of
spirit rung
provides seeds
people
property
by being
every clue
open various
a
to morally j
clearly
so Legislature went
fact We
happy
more of the
by or
and
late j
drive do
has in time
pictures
even
debtor silver of
intelligent the
of words
its
None no
be A
Gates among in
to
he in the
the of
may only
river the by
an corners a
for based
of
The that to
be
The From
fulfil
the
Senate of the
The
of Journalist
Nobel
say make
and c work
of nationality six
in
of On
Shanghai and
and Periplus place
for motions
Ling of
so
the
Ctesar
Catholic
Welcome to our website – the perfect destination for book lovers and
knowledge seekers. We believe that every book holds a new world,
offering opportunities for learning, discovery, and personal growth.
That’s why we are dedicated to bringing you a diverse collection of
books, ranging from classic literature and specialized publications to
self-development guides and children's books.
textbookfull.com