Managerial conceptions of climate change: An interpretative approach

We present findings of what managers understand climate change to be for their organization, and how they enact this understanding in practice. Thirty interviews were conducted with managers in the energy and transportation industries. Five qualitatively different conceptions of climate change were found: (1) climate change as an operational issue, (2) climate change as an opportunity for innovation, (3) climate change as an emerging problem, (4) climate change as a systemic threat and (5) a holistic understanding of climate change. Implications for theory and managerial decision-making are discussed