Transforming Society Through Business Practices for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Developing Countries
This special issue aims to explore how business practices in developing countries can play a transformative role in society and actively contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the SDGs offer a universal framework for addressing pressing global challenges—such as poverty, inequality, education, gender equity, and environmental sustainability—their realization in developing contexts remains underexplored in academic research.
We invite contributions that critically engage with these themes and examine the potential of businesses to act as agents of societal transformation through innovative, inclusive, and sustainable practices. The special issue seeks to uncover both theoretical and practical insights that reflect the diverse institutional, cultural, and socioeconomic realities of the Global South. Submissions are encouraged from across disciplinary boundaries, including but not limited to corporate governance, strategy, finance, business analytics, human resource management, marketing, entrepreneurship, operations, and business law.
From a societal perspective, businesses in the developing countries and emerging markets hold significant potential to drive positive change, especially in areas like clean energy access, gender inclusion, and economic resilience. However, realizing this potential requires a shift from profit-driven to purpose-driven practices. This special issue aims to contribute to that shift by offering scholarly work that is not only reflective and critical but also practical and future-oriented. Through this lens, we hope to inspire a new generation of research that embraces complexity, contextual nuance, and a shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.
List of topic areas
- Reframing sustainability and CSR in developing country contexts
- Sustainable business models for inclusive development
- Critiques of Western-centric sustainability frameworks and new model development
- Indigenous knowledge and its integration into sustainable business practices
- Corporate governance for SDG alignment
- Circular economy practices, green technology, and zero-waste innovations
- Business responses to climate change and biodiversity conservation
- Transformational leadership for sustainability in emerging markets
- Community-led business solutions to local SDG challenges
- AI and big data in service of sustainable business strategies
- Blockchain for supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing
- Business-government collaboration for SDG implementation.
Submissions Information
Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here.
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see here.
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”.
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
Key deadlines
Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 15/01/2026
Closing date for manuscripts submission: 15/04/2026
Guest Editors
Yuka Fujimoto, Sunway University, Malaysia, yukaf@sunway.edu.my
Kian Yeik Koay, Sunway University, Malaysia, kianyeikk@sunway.edu.my
For more details refer here
