Rethinking Sustainability Research to Better Address Real-World Crises

Frank Wijen challenges the limits of academic research on sustainability. He calls for systemic, long-term, and collaborative approaches that go beyond data snapshots to confront the realities of today’s environmental and social crises.

June 26th, 2025

30 minutes

Transcript

Key findings

Most sustainability studies still offer “snapshots, not movies,” missing the long-term dynamics of ecological and social change.
Academic incentives often favor safe, publishable topics over bold, systemic work with real-world impact.
Engaged research, combining scholars and practitioners, bridges academia and society.
Researchers need “blue-ocean thinking” — exploring new, under-researched questions rather than following academic trends.

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Frank Wijen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam.