Rogat+-+Memo+4+-+working+title,+key+words

Michelle Rogat Memo 4 - Thesis - Working Title and Keywords

Working Title: "Resistance and Pathways to Sustainability in Business: A Hospitality Industry Case Study"

Keywords: local, regional, sustainability, competitive, economy, community, culture, resource management, efficiency, development, stakeholders, networking, top-down, bottom-up, middle-out, institutional pressures, greening golf courses, greening country clubs, capitalism, decision making processes, green business solutions, business-as-usual, change resistance, environmental consulting, network, studying up, misconceptions


 * Topical Area || Data Sets || Social Theoretical Questions || Research Questions || Why Now? || How Prepared/What do I bring to the study? || Bias || Fields of Work || Funding ||  ||
 * -barriers and pathways to taking a business/institution more sustainable

-why is there resistance to becoming more sustainable, what does that stem from?

-research would include the actual ways to make a golf course and country club more sustainable by analyzing resource and energy use among other things

-looking at how a sense of community plays a role, the club with the surrounding cities and the members themselves as a community || -interviews with members, board house committee, department heads, management, and employees at the country club

-interviews with the audubon international and their experiences certifying country clubs and golf courses

-interviews with green golf courses and country clubs

-ask for advice from professionals that do green energy auditing and green solutions for businesses, ask him where he gets the most resistance from companies to go along with their advice

-case studies of other golf courses, country clubs, and restaurants that have tried becoming more sustainable

-take a status report of current resource management

-by asking members if they would want to and could contribute to the process somehow network through them and interview the companies they suggest, ask their advice

-ask employees and members for suggestions and what they'd like to improve || -local and regional vs global

-how becoming more sustainable effects the people in the community and the community's economy

-how fueling a movement like a shift toward sustainability can be achieved by involving the community by educating them on the issue, getting the people to realize why they should care

-how can sustainability be profitable

-why is there resistance to becoming more sustainable and where does it stem from? is it different at all levels?

-how does capitalism undermine sustainability initiatives?

-what role does the elite have in shaping society's practice of sustainability

- || -go to grounds, controller, general manager, events and restaurant manager, board committee and ask them what they feel about possibly moving practices towards sustainability

-what are your thoughts on climate change and do you feel on an individual level or as the business a sense of responsibility to try to reduce ecological footprints?

-do you feel it's possible to be profitable while using more sustainable practices?

-for audubon, ask them at which point clubs and golf courses draw a sort of line in their efforts to follow your advice? do you know what interests them in certification in the first place?

-what is the potential in saving in energy and in material use (how much less of everything do they waste?)

-what is the potential in money savings?

-how could this whole process improve the club's image? are the members interested in that at all?

-what is the decision making process like in the club? what is the chain of power/influence? and does an environmental conscience ever influence the decision-making process? what does influence it?

-ask prospective members if a sustainability initiative would influence their decision to join in any way || -I have a somewhat influential position within the club, and I feel like giving back and showing my appreciation in some way, and I would like to positively impact the club in some way during my stay with the club, I feel I'm in the perfect position

-country clubs, and the Troy Club included, have a reputation for being old-school, and not in a good way, but more outdated. Outdated, racist, sexist, entitled .... The newer generations are starting to take over and try to reshape the country club image, this could help with that.

-this research could help other institutions realize the hurdles that stand before them and help them navigate through them towards establishing sustainable practices, that is needed in today's society, not enough is being done, momentum needs to increase! || -I work at the club, in the office as an Admin Assistant and as a server, and this gives me insight and leverage to how the club is run and to the info I would need for the research.

-I am a Sustainability Studies major with a minor in Economics (?, that or I'm dualing in Econ, haven't figured it out yet...), and that obviously comes with a certain mindset and environmental discourse

-I have some experience doing mixed methods research and enjoyed it, would like to continue doing it

-as for contacts I would consider every member and even their network of contacts as an asset when it comes to this research because I believe they'd want to help to improve their club || -based on my background, clearly I have a bias towards sustainability, making it work, and why it should

-working at the club can be an asset and a disadvantage because I will already have some judgments and preconceived notions on what works well and what wouldn't. I will try to keep this in mind and be as open-minded as possible

-my current relationships with my coworkers could influence how they respond to my questions and they might not be as honest or forthcoming about their thoughts and feelings || -Science and Technology Studies, more specifically Sustainability, some Sociology and Behavior...

-Country Club

-Environmental Professionals and Organizations

-Hospitality Businesses || -the club itself and it's members

-NSF Research Grants

-RPI since I'm a student and they are members at the country club

-Rensselaer County Economic Development

-Albany Center for Economic Growth ||  ||