The implementation of sustainable development behaviors in Italian and Chinese industrial clusters

Problems associated with sustainable development involve many stakeholders, such as communities, firms, managers and administrators, making their solution even more complex. Environmental changes are best brought about by implementing a sustainable culture at all the levels of the management. However, the implementation of a new culture (for example within industrial clusters) first of all requires an understanding of the current set of behaviours, thinking and modes of operation already carried out in such an organisation by all the different stakeholders. In this paper, cognitive maps are proposed as tools to investigate problems and concerns associated with sustainable development within two industrial clusters in Italy and China, which have different positions in terms of the Kyoto Protocol´s prescriptions on reducing emissions. In conclusion, a project to implement a sustainable development education scheme for groups in industrial clusters will be presented.