Public defence: Why has the sustainability break-through been lagging, and how could it be accelerated, and gain profitable business growth?

Environmentally sustainable and economically profitable business growth and strategic competitive advantage can be achieved via commercial and contract management as a leadership strategy instrument.

The imperative to foster sustainable development is widely acknowledged, yet the progress has been lagging. While companies thrive to reach their sustainability targets, their leadership has to meet their monetary business goals. Could commercial and contract management be used in an expanded and enhanced manner, to accelerate the desired development?

Commercial and contract management is a strategic leadership instrument, that helps companies to reach both their sustainability and profitable growth targets, says Suvi Hirvonen-Ere in her doctoral dissertation.

Commercial and contract management is a holistic management approach to gain better business outcomes from the commercial, legal, contractual and project management points of view. These are achieved via corporate governance, policies, processes, best practices and AI and software based Contract Lifecycle Management support systems.

The company is as sustainable as its supply chain

The impact of greening supply chains can be immense. Commercial and contract management provides companies a systemic and coherent governance structure to drive toward this end.

Sustainable business has a twofold meaning. First, it refers to environmental sustainability. Second, it refers to economically and chronologically sustainable and profitable business growth.

While the expanded and enhanced utilization of commercial and contract management outside its core goals have already started, it has not yet reached its full potential. There is still room for growth. However, companies seem enthusiastic about this possibility. It is expected to gain a more solid foothold in the future. 

The PhD contributes via several managerial implications to the business practice, that business leadership can immediately start applying in their everyday business life. The study concludes that commercial and contract management is a leadership strategy instrument to help the company to achieve both environmentally and economically sustainable business. The approach includes immense potential for research, public sector and business world.

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Suvi Hirvonen-Ere is an internationally recognized executive with over two decades of experience in leadership roles in global corporations, and in advisory board roles. She received the Academic Project Management Award by the International Project Management Association/Project Professionals for best lecturing and teaching in 2022. The same year, the leading global organization in the field, World Commerce and Contracting, awarded her with the Honorary Fellowship/WorldCC Fellow nomination, the highest accolade of the association.

The public defense can be followed on 12 September 2024 at 12.00 at Dipoli, Auditorium Lumituuli (Otakaari 24) or online via ZOOM: https://aalto.zoom.us/j/61486127731

Doctoral researcher: Suvi Hirvonen-Ere
Opponent: Professor Gyula Vastag, Szechenyi University
Custos: Professor Markku Kuula, Aalto University School of Business

Contact information:
Suvi Hirvonen-Ere 
suvi.hirvonen-ere@aalto.fi
mobile: +358 40 5043554