Expanding the Repertoire of Paradox Management Strategies in Corporate Sustainability: Normative and Material Dimensions

The paradox perspective on corporate sustainability (CS) has succeeded in expanding the scope of organisational paradox theory beyond the boundaries of the organisation. The perspective makes a normative commitment to recognising the intrinsic value of competing environmental and social concerns irrespective of their ability to further financial or shareholder interests. Moreover, notions of sustainability acknowledge the material biophysical reality of natural systems as existing independently of human perception. However, CS paradox research tends to apply the theoretical models, typology and management prescriptions of conventional organisational paradox theory without considering the ontological and epistemological implications of this expanded theoretical scope for the construction and management of CS paradoxes. This conceptual paper argues that the distinct normative and material dimensions of CS paradoxes disrupt the constructive outcomes of conventionally prescribed management approaches. The paper introduces the normativity–materiality matrix, which organises CS paradoxes according to the combined salience of normativity and materiality, and proposes a differentiated repertoire of paradox management strategies based on the placement of a CS paradox in the matrix.