Dissertation Title: SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS PRACTICES: DETERMINING FACTORS AND IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE 

• Author: Kristi DASHI

• Institution: University of Tirana,  Faculty of Economics, Department of Finance

• Field of study: Finance

• Publication date: 13.03.2026

• The dissertation is published in Albanian.

© Copyright: Kristi DASHI

Published by the University of Tirana
Based on legal acts, regulations and policies of the UT

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abstract

The need for a development model that combines financial profitability with environmental and social responsibility has led to the concept of sustainability being included as a key element in modern business management. Finance has become a multidisciplinary field, where economic objectives are intertwined with environmental and social objectives, reflecting a new approach to value, risk and long-term sustainability. In this context, the private sector is increasingly recognizing the importance of integrating sustainability principles into business and investment strategies, as a way to ensure competitive advantage, reputation and financial benefits.

The study provides a comprehensive picture of sustainability at the business level, by examining the drivers of the adoption of sustainability practices, the level of commitment of Albanian companies to sustainability, and the potential impacts on performance. The process of analyzing the data collected through a structured questionnaire included exploratory factor analysis to identify the structure of the data, confirmatory factor analysis to assess the validity of the measurement constructs, and structural equation modeling to test the relationships between the constructs.

The study findings provide a valuable theoretical and practical contribution, promoting the inclusion of sustainable business practices in companies' financial policies and decisions.

 

Field:

(Finance)

 

Keywords:

(Sustainability, Sustainable business practices, Sustainability drivers, Financial performance, Non-financial performance)

 

Extended

The need for a development model that combines financial profitability with environmental and social responsibility has led to the inclusion of sustainability as a key element in modern business management. Finance has evolved into a multidisciplinary field where economic objectives are aligned with environmental and social goals, reflecting a new approach to value creation, risk, and long-term resilience. In this context, the private sector has recognized the importance of integrating sustainability principles into business and investment strategies as a means to enhance competitive advantage, reputation, and financial performance.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of corporate sustainability by examining the drivers behind the adoption of sustainable practices, the level of engagement among Albanian companies, and the potential impacts on their performance. The data, collected through a structured questionnaire administered to large enterprises operating across different sectors of the Albanian economy, were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to identify the underlying data structure, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to assess construct validity, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the relationships among theoretical constructs.

The findings offer valuable theoretical and practical contribution by encouraging the integration of sustainable practices into the financial policies and decision-making processes of companies.

 

Field of study:

(Finance)

 

keywords:

(Sustainability, Sustainable business practices, Sustainability drivers, Financial performance, Non-financial performance)