25220: 30-Year ONE Plenary: Revisiting “Carrying Capacity” in Management Research

Monday, July 28, 2025

12:00 - 13:30 CEST (GMT+2)

Location: Bella Center: Hall D- D4-m1

Session Type: Plenary Session
Shareable link: https://cdmcd.co/zEAwnM

Participant(s)

GW

Gail Whiteman

U. of Exeter Business School
SS

Stefan Schaltegger

Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany
KH

Kai N. Hockerts

Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
FW

Franz Wohlgezogen

Faculty of Business and Economics, U. of Melbourne, Australia
NH

Nardia Haigh

U. of Massachusetts, United States
SS

Sara B. Soderstrom

U. of Michigan, United States
ML

Martina K. Linnenluecke

U. of Technology, Sydney, Australia
OB

Oana Branzei

Ivey Business School, CANADA
NS

Natalie Slawinski

U. of Victoria, Canada

This plenary reflects on the foundational concept of carrying capacity, which was central to early research in the Organizations and the Natural Environment (ONE) division. As we mark 30 years of the ONE division, this session revisits the notion of carrying capacity and highlights its relevance to contemporary management research and practice. While many scholars nod towards the concept of planetary boundaries, there is a need for more rigorous and well-executed debate. Key questions to be discussed include: 1) What does carrying capacity mean within the context of corporate sustainability? 2) How can firms better understand and address the ways their actions push ecosystems beyond their carrying capacity? 3) Are there social carrying capacities in addition to natural ones, and how do these interact? This plenary will explore the critical intersection of ecological and social thresholds, providing insights for the future of management research in navigating these limits.

The plenary will be addressed by the the following ONE scholars:
- Gail Whiteman, Professor, University of Exeter
- Stefan Schaltegger, Professor, Leuphana University
- Jean Stead, Professor emerita, East Tennessee State University