"Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies."
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

As evidenced by this Post article, Colin is passionate about the future and making sure the next generation enjoys the same comforts of today. This begins with a paradigm shift. Business has widely accepted the Triple Bottom Line of Economic, Environmental, and Social performance, as well as the general idea that they must satisfy stakeholders outside of shareholders and investors. Still, the traditional view of sustainable development is flawed. This suggests that humans can operate outside of the natural environment, that society can progress, the economy can grow, and the two can interact without impacting the natural environment.

Leopold's 1949 Land Ethic posited that the planet is more than property with economic value. Earth is THE FUNDAMENTAL STAKEHOLDER. With this in mind, Colin's view of sustainable development has all human stakeholders interacting within the natural environment. These human stakeholder groups have three categories: 1) Business, which includes managers, employees, shareholders, investors, suppliers, partners, distributors, manufacturers, etc., 2) Society, which includes consumers, citizens, special interest groups, local communities, NGOs, non-profit organizations, etc., and 3) Policy-makers, which includes government officials, regulators, politicians, community leaders, other public organizations, etc.

Using this view, the environment is a part of every human interaction. Colin believes this is the starting point of the sustainability discussion. We operate within the natural environment and therefore every action we take is both affected by it and has a lasting impact on it.  In 2017, Colin was honored to receive the University-wide Sustainability Research and Advocacy Award, and even more excited that five trees were planted in his honor.

His sustainability and supply chain management research largely looks at how human stakeholders interact with the natural environment. His goal is to show firms that they can do well by doing good, hopefully making sustainability the cost of doing business and, therefore, commonplace.

Traditional View of Sustainable Development

Colin's View of Sustainable Development

2018 National Hurricane Conference

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2017 CSCMP Conference

Marketing & Supply Chain Strategy Publications

1. Gleim, Mark R., Heath McCullough, Colin B. Gabler, Linda Ferrell, and O.C. Ferrell (2025), "Examining the customer experience in the metaverse retail revolution," Journal of Business Research, 186, 115045.
2. Agnihotri, Raj and Colin B. Gabler, "Pursuing Competitive Advantages in the Interactive Digital Marketplace and Resource-Advantage (R-A) Theory of Competition: A Research Agenda," Journal of Marketing Management, 40 (13-14), 1155-1173.
3. Padgett, Daniel, Christopher Hopkins, and Colin B. Gabler (2024), "Turning Commitment into Performance through Buyer Dependence: A Dual Pathway Approach," European Journal of Marketing, 58 (4), 869-899.
4. Morgan, Tyler R., Colin B. Gabler, and Pamela Manhart (2023), "Supply Chain Transparency: Theoretical Perspectives for Future Research," International Journal of Logistics Management, 34 (5), 1422-1445.
5. Gabler, Colin B., V. Myles Landers, Raj Agnihotri, and Tyler R. Morgan (2023), "Environmental Orientation on the Frontline: A Boundary-Spanning Perspective for Supply Chain Management," Journal of Business Logistics, 44 (3), 369-386.
6. Adams, Frank A., Colin B. Gabler, and V. Myles Landers (2021), "The Hierarchical Resource Nature of Green Logistics Competency," Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 36 (8), 1474-1485.
7. Gabler, Colin B. Landers, V. Myles, and R. Glenn Richey (2020), "Benefits and Challenges of Developing an Eco-Social Orientation: Implications for Marketing Practice," European Journal of Marketing, 55 (4), 1155-1176.
8. Gabler, Colin B., Nikolaos Panagopoulos, Pavlos A. Vlachos, and Adam Rapp (2017), "Developing an Environmentally Sustainable Business Plan: An International B2B Case Study," Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental Management, 24 (4), 261-272.
9. Gabler, Colin B., R. Glenn Richey, and Geoffrey Stewart (2017), "Disaster Resilience through Public-Private Short-Term Collaboration," Journal of Business Logistics, 38 (2), 130-144.
10. Gabler, Colin B., R. Glenn Richey, and Adam Rapp (2015), “Developing an Eco-Capability through Environmental Orientation and Innovation,” Industrial Marketing Management, 45, 151-161.
11. Adams, Frank G., R. Glenn Richey, Chad W. Autry, Tyler R. Morgan and Colin B. Gabler (2014), “Supply Chain Collaboration, Integration, and Relational Technology: How Complex Operant Resources Increase Performance Outcomes,” Journal of Business Logistics, 35 (4), 299-317.
12. Gabler, Colin B., Raj Agnihotri and Christopher R. Moberg (2014), “Collaborative Communication and its Impact on Value Creation through Sales and Logistics: A Theoretical Approach,” Journal of Marketing Channels, 21 (4), 242-253. Special Issue on Sales and Negotiations within Marketing Channels.
13. Richey, R. Glenn, Carolyn Sara (Casey) Findley, Stephanie T. Gillison and Colin B. Gabler (2014), “The Effects of Environmental Focus and Program Timing on Green Marketing Performance and the Moderating Role of Resource Commitment,” Industrial Marketing Management, 43 (7), 1246-1257.
14. Gabler, Colin B., Frank G. Adams and Tyler R. Morgan (2013), “Crisis Management and Philanthropic Motives: A Multiple-Theory Driven View of Research Opportunities,” International Journal of Transitions & Innovation Systems, 13 (1), 70-84.
15. Genchev, Stefan E., R. Glenn Richey and Colin B. Gabler (2011), “Evaluating reverse logistics programs: A suggested process formalization,” International Journal of Logistics Management, 22 (2), 242-263.