Kellogg School of Management
Klaus Weber is an Assistant Professor of Management & Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management. His research uses cultural and sociological approaches to understand the environmental movement, corporate sustainability actions, and globalization. Klaus has studied these issues in the context of biotechnology, alternative agriculture and the food supply chain. At Kellogg, Klaus teaches MBA courses on sustainability, power and influence, and organizational change, as well as doctoral seminars on cultural and textual analysis. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan and joined the Kellogg faculty in 2003.
What does sustainability mean to you?
In my research, I look at sustainability as a “cultural code” – a set of broad, value-infused assumptions, beliefs and distinctions that people use to make sense of the world and to guide their actions. So what sustainability means is constantly changing and often disputed. Currently, the idea of sustainability is often presented as a sort of ideological compromise to emphasize that diverse goals of economic growth, preservation of the natural environment and social equity are interdependent. Personally, I like to think as sustainable of those human actions that don’t damage the evolutionary prospects of the global ecosystem. The question is of course what that means in practice. So I use more practical rules of thumb, like “analyze whole systems, not parts”, “imitate nature, don’t work against it” or “minimize net resource use.”
How does your research/professional work connect to sustainability? How (or why) did you get involved?
I grew up on a farm – one place where the intermingling of human enterprise and nature is very visible – and early in my life got involved in the environmental movement. I’ve been fortunate to study the same issues as a social scientist. As faculty at a Business School, I mainly look at how markets, businesses, and consumers contribute to or get in the way of more sustainable practices. A lot of our ability to become more sustainable as a society hinges on the private sector, so it is an exciting area of research.
What role do you see for universities (broadly) in advancing sustainable practices?
Three roles: Universities are the major source of more fundamental and long-term knowledge about sustainable practices. It is also knowledge that based on scientific research and less influenced by what is fashionable or popular right now, so universities ideally should be a voice of reason. Universities also educate students, not just by passing on facts, but also by providing an environment where sustainability is valued. Lastly, university-based researchers need to engage in policy debates about how best to advance sustainability.
How can the university setting contribute practical, near-term solutions to the urgent and immediate needs for sustainability?
In addition to the three roles mentioned above, universities can and should lead by example and be early implementers of sustainable practices. For example, some universities were early pioneers of recycling programs before recycling became widespread in the private sector. Universities are at once ivory towers and laboratories for innovations that don’t quite make money yet.
What do you see as the key step or steps to achieving sustainability?
It’ll be an endless chain of little steps because no single action will “achieve sustainability” and what it takes will change in the future. So the most important step is to build momentum and institutionalize sustainability ideas. From what we know about socio-cultural change, we have to especially make sure that future generations are more informed and care.
If you could have one sustainability wish come true, what would it be?
It would be to have greater international cooperation and political consensus to solve what is a truly global issue.
What’s your favorite sustainable product?
My bicycle(s).
What is your environmental vice?
I surely have many, and my modest aim is just to better myself as I learn more. One known vice is that I like to travel and also have friends in far-away places. The amount of air travel and driving weighs down on my carbon footprint, and I don’t believe in carbon offsets either.
