Corporate Sustainability

The agency-based institutional approach emphasizes the role of actors capable of influencing structures according to their own interests. Similarly the literature on regulation proposes the existence of four regulatory strategies based on the relative participation of social agents representing the public and private sectors. However institutional and regulatory elements - concepts norms and laws - are still inconsistent and conflicting when it comes to regulating organizational sustainability. This results in disparities in the process of institutionalizing sustainable development as well as uncertainties regarding the legitimate behaviour expected of organizations. In this context this dissertation aimed to identify the ideal (most legitimate) regulatory strategy for controlling and directing sustainable development and also the influence of socio-cultural characteristics on individual beliefs that support this legitimacy. Since the selection of regulatory mechanisms is a state responsibility the study questioned members of the Legislative Branch in cities with different profiles.