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The Integrated Network for Social Sustainability (INSS) is a research-coordination network supported by the National Science Foundation that is currently in its third year of activities. Individual and institutional members, representing a wide range of fields and interests, are devoted to addressing social sustainability as an important, understudied issue under the broader rubric of sustainability and sustainable development. The INSS has developed a number of affinity groups and a set of activities to facilitate its development. An annual conference draws members together to review and report on their efforts. At the first conference, a group interested in developing a research agenda formed. This Community Essay shares its members’ perspectives about priorities for future research and education on social sustainability, highlighting efforts for greater inclusion of marginalized populations in research.

Leadership continues to be a pivotal topic for managers, academics, and even documentary filmmakers. From Max Weber’s classic study of ideal types of leadership to the GLOBE study of cultural dimen...

This article considers two main responses in organisations to present-day business turbulence — designing and experimenting (modelling) and practical adaptation (muddling). Joost Muller and Diana Watts look at ‘fashionable’ approaches to solving crises, like TQM and strong centralised leadership. Then they reconsider traditional management recipes under the three ‘S’ — strategy, structure and steering, as well as trendier ideas like chaos theory. But the authors focus less on modelling solutions than on ‘muddling through’ ones, in particular, the role of learning in developing organisations. They note that the ‘learning organisation’ is heavily influenced by the cultural assumptions of the country in question.