OpenLearn Works

Further reading and references

Contents
Further reading 3
References 6
Acknowledgements 7

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Further reading

Further reading
We have assembled a selection of related research articles, the Step-by-step
engagement guide, the Effective communication guide, and a list of useful links, which
can be used to follow-up on issues discussed in this course.

Readings
The readings include a concise summary of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values, which
we reviewed during the course, and research articles by members of the authoring team
that examine particular issues in more detail. (Note: some readings are supplied as ‘pre-
prints’ for journal copyright reasons; this means that they are not typeset and may contain
a few minor typographical errors.)
Schwartz, S. H. (2012) ‘An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values’, Online
Readings in Psychology and Culture, vol. 2, no. 1 [Online]. Available at
https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1116 (Accessed 5 September 2018).

This article presents an overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Human Values. It
discusses the nature of values and spells out the features that are common to all
values and what distinguishes one value from another. The theory identifies ten basic
personal values that are recognised across cultures and explains where they come
from.

Hampton, S. (2018) ‘“It’s the soft stuff that’s hard”: investigating the role played by
low carbon small- and medium-sized enterprise advisors in sustainability
transitions’, Local Economy, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 384–404 [Online]. Available at
https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094218778526.

Significant public funds are invested in low carbon advisors to support small- and
medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions on a regional basis. Little
research has been conducted on their experiences and practices, or their place
within the context of local business support policy. Findings draw on interviews with
19 advisors in the UK as well as the author’s four years’ experience as an
environmentally focused business support practitioner. The paper argues that face-
to-face meetings could be better utilised if ‘softer’ skills were deployed alongside
technical expertise. It discusses the limitations of growth-focused support in the
context of environmental objectives, and calls for a shift in the culture of advice-
giving, supported by social scientifically informed policy.

Schaefer, A., Williams, S. and Blundel, R. K. (2018) ‘Individual Values and SME
Environmental Engagement’, Business & Society (Online First).

We study the values on which managers of small and medium-sized enterprises

(SMEs) draw when constructing their personal and organisational-level engagement
with environmental issues, particularly climate change. Values play an important
mediating role in business environmental engagement, but relatively little research
has been conducted on individual values in smaller organisations. Using the

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Further reading

Schwartz Value System (SVS) [M1] as a framework for a qualitative analysis, we

identify four ‘ideal-types’ of SME managers and provide rich descriptions of the ways
in which values shape their constructions of environmental engagement

Shaw, C. and Corner, A. (2017) ‘Using narrative workshops to socialise the climate
debate: lessons from two case studies – centre-right audiences and the Scottish
public’, Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 31, pp. 273–283.

Climate Outreach work at the interface of research and practice. This paper explains
how Climate Outreach have used a Narrative Workshop methodology to test and
develop narratives around energy transitions and climate policy with a diverse range
of UK citizens. The first case study uses examples from a number of workshops held
with centre-right public audiences to demonstrate how the methodology has been
applied to identify climate change narratives and vocabulary which reflect
conservative values. The second case study illustrates how the methodology was
used to create a template for a national climate change conversation in Scotland.
The paper concludes with a reflection on the strengths and limits of using the
Narrative Workshop methodology to build a broader social consensus on the need
for ambitious climate change policies.

Step-by-step engagement guide

A practical interactive guide that focuses on face-to-face visits with SMEs, either for a site
tour, an energy audit, or a face-to-face meeting. It condenses key insights on values-
based engagement that can be applied ‘before’, ‘during’ and ‘after’ a visit.

● Step-by-step engagement guide

● Step-by-step engagement guide (PDF)

Effective communication guide

Practical, evidence-based advice from communication specialists, Climate Outreach
outline ways of communicating effectively with SMEs and of using appropriate language
and images to reinforce your message.

● Effective communication guide

Useful links
Climate Outreach was set up in 2004, with a mission to help people understand climate
change in their own voice, and has since become Europe’s leading climate
communication organisation. They produce world-leading advice and practical tools for
engagement by combining scientific research methods with years of hands-on
experience. Their services support governments, businesses, NGOs and grass-roots
organisations. They specialise in how to engage hard-to-reach audiences – developing

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Further reading

climate connection programmes with communities such as youth, the centre-right, faith
and migrant groups:

● Climate Outreach website

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References

References
Birley, S. and Westhead, P. (1994) ‘A taxonomy of business start-up reasons and their
impact on firm growth and size’, Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 7–31.
Blundel, R., Monaghan, A., Thomas, C., (2013) ‘SMEs and environmental responsibility: a
policy perspective’, Business Ethics: A European Review, vol. 22, pp. 246–262 [Online].
Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12020 (Accessed 1 March 2019).
Dawson, C., de Meza, D., Henley, A., and Arabsheibani, G. R. (2014) ‘Entrepreneurship:
cause and consequence of financial optimism’, Journal of Economics & Management
Strategy, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 717–742.
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2014) Research to Assess the
Barriers and Drivers to Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises,
London, Department of Energy & Climate Change.
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (2016) Potential of Smart
Technologies in SMEs, London, Department of Energy & Climate Change.
Edelman, L. F., Brush, C. G., Manolova, T. S., Greene, P. G. (2010) ‘Start-up motivations
and growth intentions of minority nascent entrepreneurs’, Journal of Small Business
Management, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 174–196.
Hampton, S. (2018) ‘“It’s the soft stuff that’s hard”: Investigating the role played by low
carbon small-and medium-sized enterprise advisors in sustainability transitions’, Local
Economy, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 384–404.
Hampton, S. (2018) ‘“It’s the soft stuff that’s hard”: investigating the role played by low
carbon small- and medium-sized enterprise advisors in sustainability transitions’, Local
Economy, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 384–404 [Online]. Available at
https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094218778526.
International Energy Agency (IEA) (2015) Policy Pathway – Accelerating Energy
Efficiency in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Paris, International Energy Agency.
Jansson, J., Nilsson, J., Modig, F. and Hed Vall, G. (2017) ‘Commitment to sustainability in
small and medium-sized enterprises: the influence of strategic orientations and
management values’, Business Strategy & the Environment, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 69–83.
Klewitz, J. and Hansen, E. G (2014) ‘Sustainability-oriented innovation of SMEs: a
systematic review’, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 65, no. 15, pp. 57–75.
Low Carbon Hub (LCH) (2018) Case Study: Owen Mumford – Woodstock [Online].
Available at https://www.lowcarbonhub.org/projects/owen-mumford-woodstock (Ac-
cessed 1 March 2019).
Schaefer, A., Williams, S. and Blundel, R. K. (2018) ‘Individual Values and SME
Environmental Engagement’, Business & Society (Online First).
Schaper, M. (Ed.) (2016) Making Ecopreneurs: Developing Sustainable Entrepreneur-
ship, Abingdon, Routledge.
Shaw, C., Hampton, S., Blundel, R. and Fawcett, T. (2019) Effective communication
guide: using values to promote sustainable ways of doing business, Oxford, Climate
Outreach.
Schwartz, S. H. (2012) ‘An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values’, Online
Readings in Psychology and Culture, vol. 2, no. 1 [Online]. Available at
https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1116 (Accessed 5 September 2018).

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References

Acknowledgements
Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources:
Course Image: Rob Deutscher. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
1.1 Introduction: Photograph of business people meeting and shaking hands: Unsplash
1.2 Introductory case: Low Carbon Hub Logo: © Low Carbon Hub 2019
1.2 Introductory case: Solar Panel Roof: © Low Carbon Hub
2.1 Economic arguments: Palm with a plant growing from pile of coins: © marigranula /
123 Royalty Free. Promotional poster from fictional low carbon SME support organisation:
Sam Hampton
Step-by-step engagement guide – Before a visit: Business partners meeting at a cafe:
Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels
Step-by-step engagement guide – During your visit: Business people shaking hands in a
meeting room: Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
Step-by-step engagement guide – After you've left: Business people in a discussion:
Photo by rawpixel on Pexels
Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders. If any have been inadvertently
overlooked the publishers will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements at the first
opportunity.

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