Page 145 - Sustaining Accommodation SMES

7 Discussion

assistance, simplified documentation, and flexible implementation path-
ways. This symmetry highlights a clear leverage logic: adoption increases
when enabling conditions directly neutralise dominant constraints.
A broader perspective on these dynamics is provided by the associ-
ation analysis linking sustainability value orientation with behavioural
engagement. While sustainability is widely recognised as an important
guiding principle, this value orientation does not translate uniformly into
observable behaviour. In particular, no association is observed between
sustainability importance and the basic adoption of sustainability prac-
tices. This indicates that awareness and normative commitment alone
are insufficient to drive meaningful engagement, especially where prac-
tices are low-cost, weakly monitored, or externally visible. Adoption at
this level appears to be shaped by minimal compliance expectations or
sectoral norms rather than by deeply internalised values.
In contrast, strong sustainability values are clearly associated with
deeper implementation of sustainability practices and with higher readi-
ness for structured management systems such as iso 21401. Implementa-
tion intensity and readiness require sustained effort, organisational coor-
dination, and acceptance of formalisation. Under these conditions, value
orientation becomes behaviourally relevant, differentiating organisations
that move beyond symbolic engagement towards systematic practice.
This pattern helps explain why high sustainability awareness coexists
with uneven implementation and selective readiness across the sector.
Taken together, these findings carry important implications for sus-
tainability transition strategies. Approaches that prioritise awareness rais-
ing, information campaigns, or normative appeals assume that increased
commitment will naturally translate into behavioural change. The evi-
dence presented here challenges this assumption. Awareness provides di-
rection and legitimacy, but it does not compensate for shortages of staff,
time, financial resources, or procedural clarity. Nor does it overcome ad-
ministrative burden or uncertainty associated with formal standards. As
a result, transition strategies focused primarily on attitudinal change risk
reinforcing sustainability discourse without delivering sustained organi-
sational transformation.
Effective sustainability transitions therefore require a shift in emphasis
from awareness building towards contextual and structural interventions.
Reducing administrative complexity, providing hands-on implementa-
tion support, improving access to financial and technical resources, and
designing standards aligned with organisational realities reshape the de-

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