Green Management Matters Regardless

Abstract

Today, it is undeniable that a new enthusiasm exists for green management, not only among managers but among business school students, though this enthusiasm is just starting to be tapped in a more formal way in curriculum, instructional materials, and faculty careers and advancement. Green management matters for many reasons, but fundamentally it matters because people expect managers to use resources wisely and responsibly; protect the environment; minimize the amounts of air, water, energy, minerals, and other materials found in the final goods people consume; recycle and reuse these goods to the extent possible rather than drawing on nature to replenish them; respect nature's calm, tranquility, and beauty; and eliminate toxins that harm people in the workplace and communities. From a moral or normative perspective the obligation for green management is absolute, and whether it “pays” to be green is only partly relevant.