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Open research questions in Environmental Sustainability in Business

612 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 3,370 Environmental Sustainability in Business papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The intention-behavior gap in sustainable consumption is a persistent problem. Understanding how Gen Z characteristics influence sustainable consumption is a challenge. Identifying the conditions under which the intention-behavior gap narrows or widens is a challenge.

    Gen Z Characteristics and Sustainable Consumption: Bridging the Intention–Behavior Gap · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap between expressed pro-sustainability attitudes and actual purchasing decisions. The lack of understanding of how Gen Z characteristics influence sustainable consumption.

    Gen Z Characteristics and Sustainable Consumption: Bridging the Intention–Behavior Gap · 2026 · DOI

  • the study lacks the proper inclusion of other psychological aspects, - environmental knowledge and green trust are often considered separately rather than as part of an integrated behavioural model, - the absence of empirical integration is especially noticeable in studies conducted in the environment of emerging markets

    An Analytical Study on the Determinants of Green Product Purchase Intention: The Mediating Effect of Environmental Concern in Bangalore District. · 2026 · DOI

  • The extant literature rarely discusses the combined effects of behavioural and cognitive forces with environmental concern as a mediating variable. The specific circumstances within the Bangalore District remain very limited in terms of empirical focus. Much of the prior research lacks the proper inclusion of other psychological aspects, such as environmental knowledge and green trust.

    An Analytical Study on the Determinants of Green Product Purchase Intention: The Mediating Effect of Environmental Concern in Bangalore District. · 2026 · DOI

  • Further study on the relationship between SCP and performance outcomes, - Investigation of the impact of SCP on different industries and companies, - Analysis of the role of stakeholders in influencing SCP proactiveness

    Sustainable Consumption and Production: Reconciling Environmental Responsibility and Economic Performance in Japanese Companies · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of the actual processes and mechanisms through which transformational leadership impacts positively on outcomes. Prior research has not fully explored the impact of environmental transformational leadership on pro-environmental behavior.

    The Impact of Environmental Leadership on Employee Pro‐Environmental Behavior Through Self Identity: Moderating Role of Biospheric Values · 2026 · DOI

  • The empirical evidence on the impact of sustainability committees on water performance is limited and mixed. There is a need for a study that examines the relationship between sustainability committees and water management performance.

    Do Sustainability Committees Matter for Corporate Water Management Performance? Evidence From European Listed Firms · 2026 · DOI

  • Significant barriers remain, such as insufficient awareness, the need sometimes to pay a price premium, and lack of easy access to the information necessary for making informed choices. The need to address company transparency on social and environmental issues from the point of view of all stakeholders, including enterprises themselves. The need to give greater attention to human rights, which have become a significantly more prominent aspect of CSR.

    How Corporate Social Responsibility Drives Sustainable Fashion: The Moderating Role of Social Capital and Eco‐Innovation · 2026 · DOI

  • further acceleration in sustainability reporting and assurance, - convergence of reporting standards, - global non-financial reporting framework, - comprehensive corporate reporting

    From Product Focus to Stakeholder Engagement: Mapping Shifting Priorities in Cosmetics Industry Sustainability Reporting · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies persistent gaps in reporting content and external assurance. There is a need for more strategic and accountable sustainability practices. The study highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting.

    From Product Focus to Stakeholder Engagement: Mapping Shifting Priorities in Cosmetics Industry Sustainability Reporting · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of understanding of the effect of green factory certification on corporate capacity utilization. The need for empirical evidence on the mechanisms through which green factory certification affects corporate capacity utilization. The gap in the literature on the boundary conditions and applicability of the policy effects of green factory certification.

    Can green factory certification enhance corporate capacity utilization? · 2026 · DOI

  • the study utilized a cross-sectional design, - the sample size was limited to 600 young individuals in the Xizang Autonomous Region, - the study did not investigate other potential factors influencing low-carbon consumption behavior

    Social environment, low-carbon cognition and low-carbon consumption behaviors of youth groups: evidence from Xizang, China · 2025 · DOI

  • investigating the relationship between the social environment and low-carbon behaviors among other demographic groups, - examining the impact of other factors on low-carbon consumption behavior, - exploring the effectiveness of interventions aimed at promoting low-carbon consumption behaviors

    Social environment, low-carbon cognition and low-carbon consumption behaviors of youth groups: evidence from Xizang, China · 2025 · DOI

  • The paper identifies challenges in implementing circular economy practices, including technological barriers and gaps in behavioral and social sustainability aspects. It highlights the role of policy frameworks and stakeholder collaboration in addressing these challenges. It also notes the need for digital innovations and inclusive governance to improve the impact of circular economy.

    Circular Economy Transitions in Textile, Apparel, and Fashion: AI-Based Topic Modeling and Sustainable Development Goals Mapping · 2025 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in sector-specific research on sustainable recycling and circular economy strategies. It highlights the limited focus on circular business models and institutional challenges in circular economy adoption. It also notes the limited understanding of circular economy innovations in textile and leather waste valorization.

    Circular Economy Transitions in Textile, Apparel, and Fashion: AI-Based Topic Modeling and Sustainable Development Goals Mapping · 2025 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the relationship between digital transformation and green innovation. Prior work has highlighted the importance of digital transformation as a catalyst for innovation, but its impact on green innovation is underexplored. The study seeks to fill this gap by analyzing the mechanisms by which digital transformation impacts green innovation.

    Unlocking Green Innovation Potential Amidst Digital Transformation Challenges—The Evidence from ESG Transformation in China · 2025 · DOI

  • The limited understanding of the specific impact of health consciousness and environmental awareness on purchase intentions for green-packaged organic foods. The lack of research on the relationship between health consciousness, environmental awareness, and purchase intentions in the context of green consumption.

    Exploring the role of health consciousness and environmental awareness in purchase intentions for green-packaged organic foods: an extended TPB model · 2025 · DOI

  • The study does not mention any specific limitations, but it can be inferred that the sample size and population may be limited - The study only focuses on Generation Z consumers and does not consider other age groups - The study does not provide any information about the generalizability of the results to other contexts or populations

    The impact of environmental accidents on the green apparel purchase behavior of Generation Z · 2024 · DOI

  • The direct impact of GHRM on sustainable performance is not comprehensively understood, - The mechanisms through which GHRM impacts sustainable performance have yet to be fully explored, - The concrete outcomes of GHRM initiatives in terms of organizational sustainability are not well understood.

    Green Human Resource Management as a Catalyst for Sustainable Performance: Unveiling the Role of Green Innovations · 2024 · DOI

  • The study faces the challenge of examining the complex relationship between environmental ethics, green innovation, and sustainable performance. The research must address the issue of how to measure and quantify the impact of environmental ethics on sustainable performance. The study needs to consider the challenge of generalizing the findings to other industries and contexts.

    The Interplay Between Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Performance: Does Organizational Green Culture and Green Innovation Really Matter? · 2024 · DOI

  • Investigating the factors that influence customer green consumption behavior in other countries, - Examining the impact of COVID-19 on green consumption behavior in different contexts, - Studying the role of family influence on green consumption behavior, - Exploring the effects of social influence on green consumption behavior

    Understanding Factors Affecting Consumers’ Conscious Green Purchasing Behavior · 2024 · DOI

  • The lack of standardized approaches for measuring and assessing sustainability impacts. The diversity of evaluation methods for sustainability impacts. The need for digital platforms to collect, analyze, and report sustainability data.

    A Need for Standardized Approaches to Manage Sustainability Strategically · 2024 · DOI

  • Future research could examine these relationships in other industries - Future research could investigate the impact of green talent management on other outcomes, such as employee engagement and retention

    How Green Performance Is Affected by Green Talent Management in Tourism and Hospitality Businesses: A Mediation Model · 2024 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in the literature on tourism and hospitality, human resources management, and organizational behavior. The research gap is related to the lack of empirical examination of the relationships between green talent management, green organizational culture, green organizational citizenship behavior, and green performance.

    How Green Performance Is Affected by Green Talent Management in Tourism and Hospitality Businesses: A Mediation Model · 2024 · DOI

  • Therefore, future research may consider expanding the methodological approach beyond quantitative structural models, for example, by applying qualitative or case-based designs grounded in interpretive or philosophical paradigms.

    Capable or Just Aware? Sustainable Consumption Challenges—A Case of Indonesian Youth · 2026 · DOI

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612 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 3,370 Environmental Sustainability in Business papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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