For the critical social theory of the Frankfurt School, man's mastery of nature has always been double-edged, an ideology which often extended to the domination of men. Marcuse has argued for a new science and technology which would avoid this repressive double mastery; but another member of the school, Jiirgen Habermas, rejected his proposal and others as mysticism. 1 Are we then precluded from conceiving liberation in terms of a nonrepressive mastery of nature, "a mastery guided by human needs that have been formulated by associated individuals in an atmosphere of rationality, freedom and autonomy?" 2 The increasing evidence of the ecological problems attendant to advanced technology's 'successes' also • demands the development of a nonrepressive standpoint toward our natural habitat. But must that standpoint be romantic? Or is it a necessity of survival as well as of liberation? What would it mean in the context of critical theory's attack on historical objectivism and positivism and rejection of the irrational immediacy and activism of the new left? No mere repetition of old socialist saws can suffice here.Critical theory can no longer presuppose an economics of abundance, as it once did. 3 For some classic problems have reappeared: inflation, starvation, blatant imperialism, resource exploitation, and even the threat of depression. The economy has lurched from the promise of abundance to the old fact of scarcity, even in the new industrial systems.Once again material need, economic justice and political selfdetermination may dominate the struggle for liberation. The late shift of attention to cultural forms of liberation may have to readjust itself not only to an old focus on economics, but also to a new focus on nature.Habermas' critique of the extension of technological rationality into the social world seems abstract and remote. Of course, critical theory is not meant to be a strategy manual. So my concern is to preserve critical theory's contribution while directing it to issues now relevant to the majority of people on this planet: those outside the advanced industrial centres. We can not think of returning to a pre-industrial economy. Yet, a more ecological conception of man's relation to nature must be developed, one which would not legitimate the continued exploitation of poor countries by the rich industrial states.
STANCEA n m enriironiiicntnl perforirinnce niodcl is developed, explained and sribseq~iently npplied to a strrdy of the Cnnadinn recycled pnper indristry. The strntegic position of the industry is explored ns it takes the progressioe steps needed to iiiiprove its enz~ironriicntal perforiiiance and coiiipetitive ndvantage in response to this rising regirlntory ngcnda. Three polinj options fncing the Cnnndinn p i i l p and pnper indiistry nre examined: the stntiis quo, process teclinology innovntion and product dmelopmcnt. The strategic position of the industry is also cxaiiiined rising iiiensiircriient of stance, attitude, gowrnriienf response, values, planning horizon and environiiientd intcgrntion. The sir~p~ier-consrri?ler relationship, cnpita/-tcchno/ogy and locational factors arc also rised to frirtlzer discuss the links betuieen coiiipetitive advantnge and environniental perfbrinance. From this discussion, conclrrsions nre drarun on coiiipefilioe environiiientalisiii: ethics and profit ore coinpatibk; nmusprint mills iirirst iniprove their locntional, technology and ninrkef actions; the indirstry iiirist pronctirdy scck out environiircntnl iiinrket and stnkelioldcr opportirnities and; further rtinnagciiient rescorch is needed to dciironstrnte the links betrc~cen cnz~ironiiientnl perfbriiiance, innozJation and coriipetit ivencss.
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