Corporate sustainability crisis: Theoretical framework and stakeholder‐oriented typology

Abstract

Abstract Research on corporate crises has yielded numerous, partly overlapping crisis concepts from the corporate perspective without adequately addressing the stakeholder perspective and sustainability and corporate social responsibility characteristics. This conceptual paper aims to develop a stakeholder‐oriented typology of corporate sustainability crises. For this purpose, conceptual gaps and requirements are identified, and a theoretical framework is developed from which stakeholder‐related typology criteria are derived. The typology developed differentiates between eight crisis types that are interrelated and can also develop dynamically over time. By including and delimiting various crises concepts within a uniform framework, this paper contributes to the further development of knowledge in this still underdeveloped research field. As a result, insights into the early identification and further development of crises can be gained, which is especially important for crisis managers. In addition, public policymakers and actors of nonstate governance are supported in assessing the prerequisites and potentials of companies and stakeholders as actors of nonstate governance in dealing with various types of corporate sustainability crises, thereby contributing to achieving sustainability goals.