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Stakeholders and Environmental Management Systems: A Synergistic Influence on Environmental Imbalance
Abstract
This article analyzes the combined effects of stakeholder pressure and the implementation of environmental management systems on organizations’ environmental behaviors. Beyond their individual effects, the implementation of an environmental management system should enhance the effect of stakeholder pressure on environmental imbalance, defined as the divergence between what the organization does and what it should do. Information collected from 3748 industrial plants in seven countries provides empirical evidence that supports the study propositions. Therefore, this study contributes to both the debate about the effectiveness of environmental management systems and the effort to explain the complex relationship between organizations and their stakeholders in environmental matters.
... De forma complementar, os selos e certificações ambientais, como FSC 2 e ISO 14001 3 , proliferaram no mundo como tentativa das empresas de reduzir os impactos negativos de suas operações sobre o meio ambiente (RONDINELLI; VASTAG, 2000; GONZÁLEZ-BENITO, et al., 2011;MARTÍN-DE CASTRO et al., 2015). Essas práticas ambientais podem resultar em impactos sobre o valor das empresas, indo também ao encontro de questões específicas demandadas por seus diversos stakeholders (RONDINELLI; VASTAG, 2000). ...
... Conexões entre stakeholders e gestão ambiental já foram evidenciadas em pesquisas anteriores (DARNALL et al., 2010;GONZÁLEZ-BENITO et al., 2011;RODRIGUE et al., 2013;MARTÍN-DE CASTRO et al., 2015;VILCHEZ et al., 2016). Contudo, não foram encontradas abordagens investigativas que considerem campos mais específicos da governança corporativa, conjuntamente ao estudo sobre rotulagem ecológica, deixando uma lacuna para novas proposições e análises. ...
... Nesse cenário, emerge a figura do stakeholder, representada pelas diferentes partes que possuem interesses nas empresas e que afetam ou podem ser afetados por elas (ROSSETTI; ANDRADE, 2010). São os atores com interesses em relação à organização e que são essenciais para a existência do negócio (DONALDSON; PRESTON, 1995). Dessa maneira, os stakeholders podem englobar acionistas, executivos, funcionários, fornecedores, credores, consumidores, governo, comunidade local e demais partes interessadas, centralizando importantes discussões teórico conceituais no campo da governança corporativa. ...
... Therefore, our problem question is: Are GSCM practices influencing the environmental performance of companies located in Brazil? It is also expected that some variables may exert some kind of influence on the proposed relationship, for example, the size of the company [27,28], the company having ISO certifications [29,30], and the time of foundation of the company [31]. ...
... In addition, we hope to point out the most relevant GSCM practices that influence EP and identify whether the size of the company [27,28,77], the company having ISO certifications [29,30], and the time of foundation of the company [31] can influence this relationship. The control variables in Figure 1 demonstrate our framework. ...
Our work is one of the rare studies that sought to verify the relationship between green supply chain management practices and environmental performance in companies in an emerging Latin American market. We surveyed in the specialized literature on environmental management and green supply chain management (GSCM) for practices were most cited and can influence this relationship. From this review, an e-survey was constructed and answered by 79 environmental or supply chain/logistics managers from the surveyed sample. The results indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between the adoption of green supply chain management practices and the environmental performance of the companies. We found that GSCM practices: environmental management with total quality (GSCM4), cooperation with suppliers to achieve environmental management objectives (GSCM7), and cross-functional cooperation for environmental improvements (GSCM3), in this order. These are the main GSCM practices that influence the environmental performance in the surveyed companies. Thus, our study adds relevant information to the specialized literature and for the decision-making of managers, professionals, and government working in this area of study.
... Environmental management systems (EMSs) like ISO14001 and Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) have become one of the most used strategies to face environmental issues. Dedication to prevention of environmental damages and environmental innovation (Khan et al., 2022), both in terms of environmental (Daddi et al., 2018) and competitive performance (Feng et al., 2016), are two of the main reasons of adopting an EMS Vashishth et al., 2021). ...
... In short, according to our approach and internalised EMS is capable to achieve an effective and credible external communication, thus achieving reputational benefits. Stakeholders have almost always been studied considering their pressures on organisations for adopting an EMS (Shahzad et al., 2020), to fulfil legal compliance (González-Benito et al., 2011), or to prompt circular economy (Kristensen et al., 2021) and innovation (He et al., 2018). Some studies divided stakeholders considering their level of influence (primary or secondary) or their belonging within an organisation ( (2012) claimed that certification could be only a smokescreen for stakeholders. ...
The internalisation of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) is raising interest among scholars. Authors have identified it as the reason of controversial results in literature about the relation between EMS and environmental performance. Often, certified companies without an internalised system are labelled to have symbolic behaviour in environmental management. However, the literature lacks of studies aimed to identify other justifications that could influence the performance of certified companies, also in absence of an internalised EMS. This study wants to analyse the role of the environmental manager satisfaction in the internalisation of EMS and in achieving environmental performance. The paper uses data from a survey of 438 EMAS registered organisations. The results show that the managers' satisfaction positively influence the environmental reputation and competitiveness also without considering the mediating role of internalisation. The paper opens new research avenues on the understanding of the real importance of EMS internalisation and on the need to further investigate the relation between EMS and performance.
... Our study extends this research by providing an empirical insight into this association. Further, in examining this relationship we examine the comprehensiveness of the EMS, focusing on the extent of use of specific environmental management practices, as opposed to the majority of previous studies which have focused on the adoption of an EMS on a "Yes" or "No" basis (Tung et al., 2014a;Zhu et al., 2013;Gonzalez-Benito et al., 2011;Johnstone, 2007;Melnyk et al., 2003). We also contribute to the literature by examining environmental management accounting using a relatively new environmental management accounting tool, environmental activity management (EAM) which was first referred to by Phan et al. (2018), and consists of three levels, environmental activity analysis (EAA) which focuses on the identification of the activities involved with producing goods and providing services that have an environmental impact, environmental activity cost analysis (EACA) which goes further to focus on the costs associated with such activities and the drivers of such costs and environmental activity based costing (EABC) which focuses on the environmental costs involved in producing goods and providing services for the purpose of allocating such costs to products. ...
... Extent of use of environmental management systems. While previous studies have focused on whether EMSs are used or not (Tung et al., 2014a;Zhu et al., 2013;Gonzalez-Benito et al., 2011;Johnstone, 2007;Melnyk et al., 2003) this study assesses the use of EMS in respect to the extent of use of nine EMS attributes (Appendix 2) required for ISO 14001 certification, using a scale of "1 = not all" to "5 = to a great extent." Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (Appendix 2) found that all nine items loaded on the one dimension with a good model fit (CMIN/DF = 1.889; ...
Purpose
This study uses the survey method to examine the associations between the three levels of environmental activity management (EAM) (environmental activity analysis, environmental activity cost analysis and environmental activity based costing) with environmental management systems (EMSs), and assesses the effectiveness of these EAM practices and EMSs by examining their associations with both environmental and financial performance. While this study is unable to assert causality, the findings provide an important insight into the need to integrate EMSs and EMA practices, specifically EAM. In addition, the findings provide an initial insight into the relationship between the extent of use of these practices and organisational performance (environmental and financial).
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected using a mail survey of 659 manufacturing organisations identified from the Onesource on-line database. A total of 140 completed questionnaires were returned (21.2%), 72 (10.9%) following the initial mail-out, and a further 68 (10.3%) from the follow-up mail-out.
Findings
In respect to the association between EAM and EMSs, this study provides empirical evidence to support the integration of EAM practices with the use of EMSs, suggesting the relationships between the two is bi-directional. In respect to the association between EMSs with environmental and financial performance, while the extent of use of EMSs is not associated with financial performance, there is strong evidence supporting the positive association between EMSs with environmental performance. Further, while there are minimal results regarding the direct association between the three EAM practices and environmental performance, a cyclical relationship between EAM and financial performance is identified.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by providing an empirical insight into the relationship between the extent of adoption of EMSs and the use of EMA. The focus on the relationship between EMSs and EMA is pertinent owing to the sparse research on EMA practices and the “importance of using such [EAM] practices and integrating them within the organisation rather than using them on an ad hoc basis” (Phan et al. , 2018, p. 657). This study also contributes to the literature by examining the effectiveness of both practices in respect to their association with environmental and financial performance.
... From our point of view, past studies have approached stakeholder pressure influences on environmental management from (1) a homogeneous groups approach (Ramanathan, Poomkaew, & Nath, 2014;Sarkis, Gonzalez-Torre, & Adenso-Diaz, 2010), (2) in favor of one industrial sector (Nurlaila, 2017;Yusof et al., 2016); and (3) mainly in the context of the developed West (Betts et al., 2015;González-Benito, Lannelongue, & Queiruga, 2011;Guerci et al., 2015;Reyes-Rodríguez, Ulhøi, & Madsen, 2014), developing East (AuYong & Chin, 2019) with few in middle East (Awan, Kraslawski, & Huiskonen, 2017) and very few on Africa. In addition, findings by Madsen and Ulhøi (2014), Hadj (2020), as well as Tang and Tang (2017) on the stakeholder role in advocating for environmental management practices adoption, focused on small and medium-sized enterprises. ...
... Indeed, sensitive environmental industries with a high pollution tendency are more responsive to stakeholder pressure than their counterparts. This observation agrees with findings by González-Benito et al. (2011) which noted that firms with higher pollution rank and are bigmeasured by the number of employees-portray environmental pro-activeness in response to wide corporate publicity. In addition, the significance of a sustainability department in response to environmental demands from the stakeholder pressures can be understood in terms of: an explicit definition of environmental policy, defined environmental responsibilities, a long-term environmental plan, and transparent environmental objectives. ...
Stakeholder pressure is among the pathways through which firms are being prodded to adopt environmental management practices. Owing to research paucity from the context of developing countries and overall inconclusiveness, this research investigates whether mimetic, normative, and coercive pressures (which encompass stakeholder pressure) sway firms into adopting resource management and energy efficiency. An analysis of data from 852 firms in Kenya using a simple probit model, suggests that all the three types of stakeholder pressure positively influenced corporate resource management and energy efficiency. This augments our postulations on both stakeholder and neo-institutional theories. Based on these findings, it is plausible to view stakeholders as critical ‘tools’ that can foster corporate sustainability initiatives in developing countries.
... Strategic management theory suggest that the overall success of business environmental performance depends largely on the organisation's ability to manage its stakeholders (González-Benito et al., 2011:1622. The proponents of stakeholder theory argues that stakeholder's pressure is a powerful source that forces the mining companies to improve their environmental impact and thus increases compliance obligations (Castka and Prajogo, 2013:245;Todaro et al, 2019:9). ...
... Although effective stakeholder management is linked to improved environmental performance (Castka and Prajogo, 2013:250;González-Benito et al., 2011:1629 To enhance external stakeholder relations, SAHRC (2016:2) recommends that the mining companies should consult the municipalities throughout the license application process to enable them to provide a sustainable land use system. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (2000) argues that regulatory framework on which business operates has to be unambiguous in order to continual improve its environmental performance (OECD, 2000:68). ...
The debate on whether ISO 14001:2015-based EMS is a performance tool or conformance tool is continuing within the scholarly literature (Nukpezah 2010:17). For example Roht-Arriaza (1995:506) argues that the EMS is a mere compliance tool and the EMS performance measures is only as good as the legislative framework or standard on which it is based. This reasoning is supported by Nukpezah (2010:17) who states that the EMS is based on the national framework on the country on which it is adopted and operated. The newly revised ISO 14001:2015 standard has established absolute requirements for environmental performance (ISO, 2015:14) as well as the section 24(Q) of NEMA which set compliance for environmental authorization (South Africa, 2014:59). It is safe to say that EMS has transitioned from a mere compliance to a more dynamic tool that encompasses both compliance and performance (Lama, 2012:68).
... 2. Literature review 2.1 Stakeholder theory and sustainable human resources management In the context of sustainability, the relevance of the stakeholder theory has been highlighted for its capacity to reveal the importance of pressure from stakeholders to the implementation of environmental practices (Darnall et al., 2010;Ferr on Vilchez et al., 2017;Gonz alez-Benito et al., 2011). The stakeholder approach to human resources has also gained relevance in recent research on so-called sustainable HRM (Mariappanadar, 2003;Ehnert, 2009;Schuler and Jackson, 2014;Ehnert et al., 2016;J€ arlstr€ om et al., 2018;Westerman et al., 2020). ...
... Therefore, managers should be able to promote human values, understand what actions are taken by the organization within the scope of OS and integrate with employees, encouraging the generation of ideas and their participation in co-creating OS. The leader's business knowledge is highlighted here as one of the significant pressures for implementing sustainable practices in companies (Darnall et al., 2010;Ferr on Vilchez et al., 2017;Gonz alez-Benito et al., 2011). There are some initiatives, but the trade union interviewee claims that "data exists on work-related diseases derived from the exploitation of employees. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze sustainable human resources management (HRM) in the Brazilian banking industry and to propose an integrative framework of HRM practices toward sustainability, linking stakeholders to HR systems.
Design/methodology/approach
Supported by the stakeholder theory, the research design follows a triangulation of multiple data sources, covering 85% of the national banking industry: (1) annual Global Reporting Initiative sustainability reports, (2) employment tribunal decisions and (3) in-depth interviews with top managers of the Banking Trade Union and the Brazilian Federation of Banks, a trade association.
Findings
The analysis reveals various engagement levels across the sustainable HRM dimensions: justice and equality, transparent HR practices, profitability and employee well-being. However, current practices in all dimensions fall largely behind sustainable standards. An integrative framework of HRM practices is also proposed.
Originality/value
The study provides the first integrative framework of sustainable HRM practices in the literature.
... Maintaining an effective environmental management system in an organization demands the incorporation of environmental management strategies into strategic goals of the organization (Ren et al., 2018;Lozano, 2013;González-Benito et al., 2011). According to González-Benito et al. (2011), the processes of environmental management allow organizations to synchronize and regulate their environmental initiatives. ...
... Maintaining an effective environmental management system in an organization demands the incorporation of environmental management strategies into strategic goals of the organization (Ren et al., 2018;Lozano, 2013;González-Benito et al., 2011). According to González-Benito et al. (2011), the processes of environmental management allow organizations to synchronize and regulate their environmental initiatives. Hence, the effectiveness of an organization's environmental processes results in achieving anticipated environmental management objectives (Sarkis et al., 2011). ...
Purpose: This paper proposes a new typological environmentally sustainable human resources management evaluation framework for aiding green candidate selection process for environmental management of local government agencies in developing economies. Design/methodology: Presenting the narrative of developing economies local government context, this paper conducted an extensive review of relevant existing literature on Green Human Resources Management (GHRM) and green recruitment and selection. Findings: Drawing on Siyambalapitiya et al. (2018) and the Resource-Based Theory (RBT), our paper proposes and discusses an evaluation framework for guiding organizations’ green candidate selection process. The framework comprises of seven (7) stages which begins with “training recruiters on green candidate assessment” to “making selection decision and inducting selected candidate” on organization’s environmental management policies and practices, and its green values. Research implications: Application of the proposed framework has implications for enhancing organizations’ efficiency, reducing cost, eliminating environment waste, as well as fostering green culture among employees. This paper also extends the strand of RBT by explaining how organizations could assess and select job applicants with significant intangible capability such as environmental management skills, knowledge and values to foster its competitive urge and sustainability. Originality/value: This paper makes two main contributes to the GHRM literature: i) proposes a new typological environmentally sustainable human resources management evaluation framework; and ii) focuses the framework on developing economies and local government organisations context, something that is currently non-existent.
... Because separate environmental management systems are primarily rooted in external standards for these types of systems, e.g. ISO 14001 (González-Benito et al., 2011), separate environmental MCSs might "remain peripheral or in parallel" (Gond et al., 2012, p. 220). This stream of literature raises doubts about whether regular MCSs can sufficiently affect environmental managerial performance. ...
... Thus, they can be interpreted as a special form of MCS since they share a common purpose (Buhr and Gray, 2012) but remain separate from regular MCSs. Environmental management systems are largely based on external standards, such as the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) or ISO 14001 (González-Benito et al., 2011), and thus focus solely on controlling environmental objectives. However, environmental managerial action takes place in a wider business context in which managerial performance is determined by and evaluated against not only environmental objectives but also other business objectives (Sundin and Brown, 2017). ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the role of environmental management control systems as mechanisms to translate environmental strategy into environmental managerial performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on survey data from 218 firms, the authors test a structural equation model.
Findings
The results show that environmental management control systems mediate the relationship between environmental strategy and environmental managerial performance. Moreover, the level of integration between regular and environmental management control systems significantly impacts the relationship between environmental management control systems and environmental managerial performance. Therefore, environmental management control systems are important mechanisms to translate environmental strategy into managerial performance, and a high level of integration can reinforce this role.
Research limitations/implications
The typical shortcomings of survey-based research apply to this study.
Originality/value
While previous research focuses primarily on environmental performance at the organizational level, this study addresses individual managerial performance with regard to environmental outcomes. In addition, the authors investigate how the level of integration between regular and environmental management control systems influences the relationship between environmental strategy and environmental managerial performance as well as the mediating role of environmental management control systems.
... Ao mesmo tempo, a presença dos stakeholders e sua influência sobre as corporações também tem sido tema de interesse entre pesquisadores e empresários, especialmente a partir do final do século passado (Steurer, Langer, Konrad, & Martinuzzi, 2005). Essa influência se destaca especialmente quando diversos trabalhos acadêmicos passam a estudar a atuação dos stakeholders frente à implementação de práticas ambientais (Darnall et al., 2010;Ferrón Vilchez et al., 2017;González-Benito, Lannelongue, & Queiruga, 2011;Porter & Linde, 1995;Rodrigue et al., 2013). Ainda no final do século XX, Porter e Linde (1995), já assinalavam a implementação de Sistemas de Gestão Ambiental como resposta das empresas às pressões dos stakeholders. ...
... A decisão pela gestão sustentável, como mencionado anteriormente, possui relação estreita com o grupo formado pelas parte interessadas no negócio. Estudos apontam a influência dos stakeholders no âmbito das práticas sustentáveis corporativas (Darnall et al., 2010;Ferrón Vilchez et al., 2017;González-Benito et al., 2011;Porter & Linde, 1995;Rodrigue et al., 2013). Adicionalmente, a Teoria dos Stakeholders reforça essa relação, uma vez que representa uma das abordagens teóricas mais utilizadas nos estudos que tratam de sustentabilidade, gestão ambiental e social (Hörisch et al., 2014) Já bastante difundida, a definição de stakeholder remonta da década de 60, quando surgiu em um documento interno do Instituto de Pesquisa de Stanford (EUA), com o objetivo de contrapor a ideia de que os acionistas são o único grupo corporativo que precisa ser considerado na gestão empresarial (Parmar et al., 2010). ...
A adoção da gestão sustentável tem aumentado nos últimos anos, seja como reposta das organizações às demandas regulatórias, pressões sociais ou ainda como decisão proativa dos gestores. Contudo, ainda figura no ambiente corporativo ideais atreladas ao trade-off entre as esferas ambiental, social e econômica, no que tange à implementação de práticas sustentáveis. Assim, a fim de minimizar esse trade-off, o presente estudo objetiva compreender a relação entre a gestão sustentável e o valor para os stakeholders, por meio de revisão sistemática de literatura e enfoque teórico conceitual baseado na Teoria dos Stakeholders. A análise das 34 publicações que formam a amostra final revela que as pesquisas sobre a temática são recentes, priorizam abordagens envolvendo stakeholders internos (tratados diretamente no estudo ou de maneira conjunta aos stakeholders externos), destacam principalmente acionistas, consumidores e funcionários e tratam as práticas sustentáveis de maneira estratégica. Não foram encontrados artigos com foco principal na análise da gestão sustentável e seu valor para os stakeholders. A maior parte dos trabalhos relaciona-se indiretamente com o tema proposto. Resultados indicam ainda diversas possibilidades de agenda futura, como investigação que trate diretamente da gestão sustentável e seu impacto sobre os stakeholders em termos de valor, além de estudos que considerem o contexto latino americano, assim como stakeholders externos, ainda pouco explorados.
... Avançando um pouco mais na literatura, pode-se evidenciar que três variáveis podem interferir neste relacionamento e, portanto, necessitam ser controladas: (a) tamanho da empresa (SURROCA et al., 2010;LÓPEZ-GAMERO et al., 2010;MURILLO-LUNA et al., 2011;JABBOUR et al., 2014), (b) a certificação ISO14001 LANNELONGUE;QUEIRUGA, 2011;JABBOUR et al., 2014) Acredita-se, portanto, que a adoção prévia de princípios de gestão da qualidade pode proporcionar práticas de gestão ambiental mais proativas. Dentre essas práticas merecem destaque as propostas por González-Benito e González-Benito (2006). ...
... Avançando um pouco mais na literatura, pode-se evidenciar que três variáveis podem interferir neste relacionamento e, portanto, necessitam ser controladas: (a) tamanho da empresa (SURROCA et al., 2010;LÓPEZ-GAMERO et al., 2010;MURILLO-LUNA et al., 2011;JABBOUR et al., 2014), (b) a certificação ISO14001 LANNELONGUE;QUEIRUGA, 2011;JABBOUR et al., 2014) Acredita-se, portanto, que a adoção prévia de princípios de gestão da qualidade pode proporcionar práticas de gestão ambiental mais proativas. Dentre essas práticas merecem destaque as propostas por González-Benito e González-Benito (2006). ...
RECENT DISCUSSIONS IN THE LITERATURE SUPPORT THE QUALITY
MANAGEMENT INFLUENCES THE LEVEL AND MATURITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, HOWEVER, IN RESEARCHES DATABASES ISI WEB OF
SCIENCE, SCOPUS AND SCIELO IS THERE A NEED FOR RESEARCHH TO PORTRAY
THE QUANTITATIVE WAY THIS REALITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
COMPANIES LOCATED IN BRAZIL. THUS, THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO EXPLORE
THIS GAP: QUALITY MANAGEMENT TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE ADOPTION
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES IN COMPANIES LOCATED IN BRAZIL? TO THIS
END, WE CARRIED OUT A LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE TOPICS MENTIONED
AND, BASED ON THIS; WE CONSTRUCTED A QUESTIONNAIRE USED DURING THE
EMPIRICAL PHASE OF THE RESEARCH. AN E-SURVEY WITH SELFADMINISTERED
104 COMPANIES INSTALLED IN BRAZIL. THE RESULTS
DEMONSTRATED THAT, IN FACT, QUALITY MANAGEMENT POSITIVELY
INFLUENCE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. FURTHERMORE, IT
WAS FOUND THAT THE SIZE AND THE ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION OF THE
COMPANIES IS SIGNIFICANT VARIABLE WHEN CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. TO DATE, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS IS THE FIRST
STUDY THAT SHOWS A SURVEY TO TEST THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITY
MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN
COMPANIES INSTALLED IN BRAZIL
... Another theory that is intently linked to and correlated with EMS is the strategic management theory (SMT), which states that an establishment's success is fully reliant on its stakeholders' management through satisfying their needs. This theory is typically connected with EMS in firms because the application of an EMS can boost the organization's affiliation with its stakeholders and let it gain benefits through enhanced reputation and image amongst its many stakeholders (González-Benito et al., 2011) . ...
Small and Medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) are crucial to Dubai's economy and contribute to around 45% of its GDP. These enterprises account for 51% of the workforce and are classified into micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. However, SMEs may have negative environmental impacts, as they are responsible for around 60% of carbon dioxide emissions and 70% of pollution. There is limited empirical research on how SMEs use environmental management systems (EMS) and the challenges they face in different economies. The literature lacks studies outlining the implementation strategies of EMS in SMEs in places of significant importance such as Dubai, the UAE, and the rest of the GCC region. This study aims to assess the prevailing status of EMS adoption among some selected SMEs in Dubai, differentiating between those with and without formal EMS implementation while identifying a multitude of obstacles associated with their integration. A cross-sectional quantitative study has been conducted on a sample of SMEs through a survey that was designed to differentiate between the first group of SMEs with an environmental management system and SMEs that have not formally implemented an environmental management system. The study showed that although some SMEs were successful in EMS implementation, there were noticeable discrepancies among those SMEs in relation to handling the implementation of different aspects of EMS. On the other hand, for those SMEs that did not perform the EMS the study found that the smaller and the younger the company the more tendency to ignore the implementation of the SMEs. These categories of SMEs September, 2023 need more governmental support which can be in the form of increasing the accessibility to knowledge in relation to EMS, proper regulations without creating a financial overburden to those SMEs.
... So, proposition 6 examines the direct effect of socioeconomic constructs on organizational environmental behaviour. Organizational environmental behaviour can be measured based on the use of natural energy, waste management (solid and liquid); air pollution management; aesthetic impact; the impact of contamination on the ground; and other environmental risks [35]. So, the proposed theoretical framework ontology explains the role of socio-economic constructs in business organisations' performance and environmental behaviour, especially SMEs. ...
One of the significant impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak was the need for physical distancing. Physical distancing causes changes in the order of human life within a relatively short amount of time. Physical distancing also directly causes various socio-economic problems, especially for small-medium enterprise (SME) businesses. The background of this research is the absence of a theoretical framework related to the socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak based on previous quantitative research publications. This research aims to develop a theoretical framework on the socio-economic constructs for response to a Covid-19. This research uses the literature review method. The research publication data used for the literature review comes from the Scopus database until May 1, 2020, with restrictions to only quantitative research publication documents. The publication of quantitative research as research data is only derived from the business subject and uses quantitative data processing tools based on structural equation modelling (SEM) variance and covariance. From the research results, a theoretical framework was developed on the role of socio-economic moderation on the effect of internal resources on organizational performance and the role of socio-economics as an antecedent of environmental behaviour. The proposed theoretical framework has the potential to be empirically tested in a future-related socio-economic response to a Covid-19 outbreak.
... By instilling these voluntary initiatives as regulations, the construction industry will strive towards total green construction (Tan et al., 2011). Many construction companies have a strategic plan to be at the forefront of innovation for public relations, this is by introducing new greener and more efficient construction methods or processes (González-Benito et al., 2011). ...
Most interpretations of sustainability in construction stem from the definition of sustainable development, which is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the future generation's needs. Various research and sustainability studies within the construction industry focus on finding economical, social, and environmental balance. Construction professionals, such as Quantity Surveyors, begin their learning journey by studying in colleges and progressing to higher education. As the construction industry evolves through modern techniques, higher education institutions must also follow suit.
These modern techniques have arisen due to the shift of ethos towards sustainability. Without the higher education institutions including this new knowledge in their curriculum, future professionals will not be equipped with the correct skills. Few research have been conducted in relation to students' views on sustainability. Although such research is at a minute level, thus the converse side of the argument is how professional Quantity Surveyors view these topics on sustainability and whether they implement them in their daily duties. Hence, the research explores the differences in understanding between practicing and academic Quantity Surveyors on sustainable development in their various professional duties.
The research was conducted using questionnaires that was distributed using survey monkey. The results were analysed through Spearman and ANOVA statistical tests to check their correlations. The study found a difference in the knowledge acquired by practicing and academic Quantity Surveyors. This finding conveys the importance of sustainability knowledge and how it is fundamental in achieving the UN sustainable goals and using such knowledge in practice.
... By instilling these voluntary initiatives as regulations, the construction industry will strive towards total green construction (Tan et al., 2011). Many construction companies have a strategic plan to be at the forefront of innovation for public relations, this is by introducing new greener and more efficient construction methods or processes (González-Benito et al., 2011). ...
Most interpretations of sustainability in construction stem from the definition of sustainable development, which is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the future generation’s needs. Various research and sustainability studies within the construction industry focus on finding economical, social, and environmental balance. Construction professionals, such as Quantity Surveyors, begin their learning journey by studying in colleges and progressing to higher education. As the construction industry evolves through modern techniques, higher education institutions must also follow suit.
These modern techniques have arisen due to the shift of ethos towards sustainability. Without the higher education institutions including this new knowledge in their curriculum, future professionals will not be equipped with the correct skills. Few research have been conducted in relation to students’ views on sustainability. Although such research is at a minute level, thus the converse side of the argument is how professional Quantity Surveyors view these topics on sustainability and whether they implement them in their daily duties. Hence, the research explores the differences in understanding between practicing and academic Quantity Surveyors on sustainable development in their various professional duties.
The research was conducted using questionnaires that was distributed using survey monkey. The results were analysed through Spearman and ANOVA statistical tests to check their correlations. The study found a difference in the knowledge acquired by practicing and academic Quantity Surveyors. This finding conveys the importance of sustainability knowledge and how it is fundamental in achieving the UN sustainable goals and using such knowledge in practice.
... O interesse pelo estudo da evolução das certificações SGA com base na ISO 14001 prospera no meio acadêmico, por exemplo: as motivações, benefícios e dificuldades para adoção de um SGA (OLIVEIRA et al., 2010;PSOMAS et al., 2011); avaliação de dois SGAs baseados nos padrões do Sistema Europeu de Eco-Gestão e ISO 14001 (FREIMANN; WALTHER, 2002;NEUGEBAUER, 2012); adoção de SGAs por pequenas empresas (HILLARY, 2004;ZORPAS, 2010;CAMPOS, 2012); análise dos efeitos dos strakeholders sobre implementação de um SGA (GONZÁLEZ-BENITO et al., 2011). ...
This article aims to analyze the characteristics of Santa Catarina companies certified by the NBR ISO 14001 based on a survey. The questionnaire was structured with open and closed questions and was sent to all companies certified in the State of Santa Catarina, it was answered via web site, and we achieved a return of 65.22% of responses. As main results, we find that firms with certified environmental management system are classified as medium to large and have over ten years experience. The companies aim to maintain certification due to several benefits such as: i) recognition in the market segment, ii) the basis for growth, iii) awareness of employees, managers and customers; iv) improving market image, v) reduction raw materials, water and energy; vi) reducing the risk of accidents and therefore legal sanctions. However, there are barriers such as: i) the lack of resources, ii) commitment of employees; iii) change in the relevant environmental legislation v) high cost of certification. the challenge is to overcome these barriers, and seek the motivations in implementing an environmental management system.
... The increasing concern for environment protection and decreasing pollution, the growing social demands (Xuan-Quynh et al., 2014) or companies' interest in gaining competitive advantages (Nishitani et al., 2012) have determined the firms to adopt sustainable and environmentally responsible behaviours and to adopt ecofriendly technologies (Gonzalez-Benito et al., 2011). However, adopting this kind of technologies brings little benefit in the absence of an adequate environmental management system (EMS). ...
Environmental Management Initiatives (EMI), as part of the sustainability management movement, have become an integrated part of the organisational management practices and of the current research. Since the implementation of Environmental Management System (EMS), there have been many studies analysing this relationship with the environmental performance. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also gained a great importance for the organisations’ performance, including their performance in the environmental area. However, previous studies analysed the direct link between those variables and environmental performance, while the mediating effect of those variables has not been tested yet because using a mediator in the relationship between two variables is a rather new approach in the research area used in the behavioural sciences area. This research analyses the role of EMI in defining the Environmental Performance (EP) of hotel industry, given the strong relationship between those two variables and the importance of the tourism sector for the economic development, both in the developed, but especially in the developing countries. It also investigates the CSR authenticity as mediator between EMI and EP link. Data was collected through a questionnaire of managers of the hotels in Pakistan. Correlation, Structural Equation Model and linear regressions were applied for testing the hypotheses and for checking the viability of the model. Findings revealed that EMI and CSR authenticity are important and significant determinants of EP in the hotel industry. Findings show that CSR authenticity acts as a mediator for the EMI and EP link. The stakeholder pressures and customers’ environmental awareness have forced the hotel industry to implement environmental standards and this shift of focus is more important in the hotel industry. The current research demonstrates that efforts of EMI is a prerequisite for enhancing CSR authenticity in the environmental area, and this, in its turn, contributes to the increase of the EP of hotel and tourism sector in a developing country. Given the lack of large financial resources of the developing countries, this model is an important outcome for the tourism industry that helps hotels to become green, to attract more clients and to gain competitive advantages.
... So, proposition 6 examines the direct effect of socioeconomic constructs on organizational environmental behaviour. Organizational environmental behaviour can be measured based on the use of natural energy, waste management (solid and liquid); air pollution management; aesthetic impact; the impact of contamination on the ground; and other environmental risks [35]. So, the proposed theoretical framework ontology explains the role of socio-economic constructs in business organisations' performance and environmental behaviour, especially SMEs. ...
One of the significant impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak was the need for physical distancing. Physical distancing causes changes in the order of human life within a relatively short amount of time. Physical distancing also directly causes various socioeconomic problems, especially for small-medium enterprise (SME) businesses. The background of this research is the absence of a theoretical framework related to the socioeconomic impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak based on previous quantitative research publications. This research aims to develop a theoretical framework on the socioeconomic constructs for response to a Covid-19. This research uses the literature review method. The research publication data used for the literature review comes from the Scopus database until May 1, 2020, with restrictions to only quantitative research publication documents. The publication of quantitative research as research data is only derived from the business subject and uses quantitative data processing tools based on structural equation modelling (SEM) variance and covariance. From the research results, a theoretical framework was developed on the role of socioeconomic moderation on the effect of internal resources on organizational performance and the role of socio-economics as an antecedent of environmental behaviour. The proposed theoretical framework has the potential to be empirically tested in a future-related socioeconomic response to a Covid-19 outbreak.
... Although the concept of EMS internalisation has been extensively discussed, its effects on organisational reputation is a matter of debate. Some studies have identified a positive relationship between EMS internalisation and an organisation's environmental reputation (Chowdhury et al., 2018;Eng Ann et al., 2006), while others find that EMS is only a smokescreen (Gonz alez-Benito et al., 2011;Lannelongue & Gonz alez-Benito, 2012). We address this debate in our second hypothesis: ...
The capability to manage the supply chain is a key issue in general management as well as green management. The topic has been widely discussed in the literature, however only few studies focused on how this capability could influence the effectiveness of certified Environmental Management Systems. To bridge this gap, we administered a survey with more than 400 EU EMAS‐registered companies in order to investigate the relation between green supply chain management capability and some key organisational performance such as environmental management system internalisation, environmental reputation, eco‐innovation and market competitiveness. The results show a positive influence of green supply chain management capability on performance through the mediating role of the internalisation of environmental management system and directly on market competitiveness. The study opens the floor on further academic debates on green supply chain management capability in environmental management systems and it identifies possible managerial and policy implications.
... This is presented in Supplementary Material (SM) 1 with their roles as prescribed by the law. The recognition of stakeholders is very important in managing their participation and engagement in various waste management activities [15][16]. ...
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management has become one of the most pressing environmental concerns of the Philippines at present. Several measures have been implemented to circumvent this issue, including waste management policies stipulated in the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001. However, the implementation of these policies even at the barangay level has always been a challenge. Hence, this study assessed the compliance of selected barangays in Cebu City, Philippines, specifically to the integrated solid waste management plan based on the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle). A descriptive quantitative method was utilized in this study. There were 1523 residents and 30 Barangay Environment Officials identified as respondents based on Slovin’s sampling method at a 95% confidence level. The results revealed that there is less extent of compliance in almost all of the SWM policies such as segregation, composting, recycling, incentives, and public information. There is a moderate extent of compliance in terms of collection and transport of solid waste and enforcement of penalties and fines. However, there is non-compliance in terms of facilities for final disposal. Furthermore, the results suggested that effective measures for recycling and composting should be undertaken to encourage higher participation among residents of the barangay. The presence of effective, functional, and marketable materials resource facilities and convenient drop-off locations for recyclable materials ensure final sorting according to its type for composting and recycling.
... (González-Benito et al., 2011). http://www.tarj.in . ...
As a service industry, the tourism sector is particularly interesting as the focus of an
investigation on environmental management practices for two main reasons. First, this sector has an increasing economic importance. Second, the tourist industry shows an increasingly higher environmental concern (Hunter, 1997). This paper investigates the Green Practices (GPs) among different categories of star hotels (three star to five star deluxe only) in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which includes both Hyderabad and Secunderabad of India. It aims to identify the level of stakeholders on GPs participation and whether GPs contribute to overall hotel performance. To achieve these objectives, stakeholder theory is selected as the theoretical basis to explicate the proposed hypothesis i.e. whether all stakeholders (government, activists, industry association, competitors, customers and top management) positively influence the green practices and whether hotels with GPs are able to drive towards better financial and non-financial performance. Data collection is carried out from 51 star hotels in the GHMC through questionnaire. A test on the hypothesis using the hierarchical regression supported the fact that stakeholder influence in the participation of GPs among GHMC star hotels are only at a moderate stage. This means that more than half of star hotels do not have written environmental policy and very few are certified to ISO-40001. It also means that except top management, activists, other stakeholders do not influence or
influence in minimal in implementing green practices in star hotels.
... Researchers have also been studying the impact of improved sustainability practices on companies' technical and financial performance. Some of them have focused on stakeholder concerns related to sustainability [3][4][5][6], some of them have focused on specific issues [7,8] while some others have attempted to perform more detailed studies based on multi-criteria metrics reported by the industry [9][10][11][12]. Vintro et al. examined the extent of sustainability adoption by mining companies in the Catalonia, Spain region [13]. ...
Sustainability for the mining companies is a critical requirement for their ongoing operations. Regulations and licenses generally depend on the companies’ sustainability practices, forcing them to focus on environmental impact and social welfare. While the mining industry has historically been associated with poor working conditions and their unsustainable practices, closer review of the industry suggests that the last few decades have seen improved performance and heightened focus on doing the right thing for the environment and the society. This research is focused on reviewing the sustainability strategy and initiatives of Alcoa and Rio Tinto, two Fortune-500 mining companies. It was found that these companies had started focusing on sustainability a few decades ago, but developed a holistic sustainability strategy as part of their core business only over the last few years. While there are many controversies still facing the companies, particularly around environmental pollution, their continued focus on sustainability will be beneficial for their employees as well as the communities they operate in.
... In a similar vein, a study of the French agri-food sector discusses the important role of human resources in the adoption of these environmental standards [29]. Other authors have identified the pressure exerted by power groups or stakeholders as a driver [24,[45][46][47][48][49]. ...
Over time, sustainability has gained a greater presence in companies and with consumers around the world, although it can be said that there is still some confusion in its conceptualization and in the identification of the driving factors. A part of the literature considers that environmental management systems (EMS) such as ISO 14001 are facilitating factors that allow organizational remodeling towards more sustainable production. For a better understanding, this paper presents a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews to analyze the perceptions that managers, employees, and quality managers have about the concept of sustainability and, given that environmental management systems are considered as motivational factors, it also analyzes the perceptions they have about the motivations, barriers, and expected benefits of their adoption in the olive food industry in southern Spain. It is possible to point out the existence of some confusion about the concept of sustainability, and that both regulatory and market factors such as image and reputation improvement, differentiation, and sales increases, especially in exports, are considered to be motivational for their implementation. This work contributes to the literature on sustainability and environmental management systems in sectors of activity with high environmental involvement, such as the agri-food industry.
... This means that companies are in an implied social contract with their stakeholders, where the views and opinions of their most important and powerful stakeholders will prevail and affect behaviour (Haddock-Fraser & Tourelle, 2010). However, not all stakeholders exert influence in the same way, and which direction the company moves in depends on which group stakeholders are influencing it and the sector of economic activity in which they operate (Herremans et al., 2016;González-Benito et al., 2011;Sweeney & Coughlan, 2008;Hess, 2007). In addition, the main motivational factors for engaging and developing relationships with stakeholders include accessing conventional capital markets, being accepted in social investment markets, meeting political or social expectations and requiring organizational learning (Herremans et al., 2016;Hitt et al., 2012). ...
This cross-disciplinary business book develops insight into the management of businesses operating in various economic sectors that take a proactive approach to the triple dimension of sustainability (economic, social and environmental), positioning itself as a key reference for both academics and practitioners in the wide area of business management.
The concept of sustainability is today at the heart of international policies and debate, and plays a key role in deep changes to the organizational models of companies operating in a wide range of sectors of economic activity. In particular, this book aims to gain a deeper understanding of how stakeholder engagement can contribute to value co-creation both in the company and along the supply chain, and what distinguishes the differing involvement of stakeholders, in particular between public involvement and stakeholder participation. Each chapter of this book presents different modalities of stakeholder involvement and develops the concept of value co-creation from organizational and marketing perspectives.
This book is recommended reading for those interested in the fields of stakeholder engagement and theory, sustainability, business studies, and sustainable development.
... This means that companies are in an implied social contract with their stakeholders, where the views and opinions of their most important and powerful stakeholders will prevail and affect behaviour (Haddock-Fraser & Tourelle, 2010). However, not all stakeholders exert influence in the same way, and which direction the company moves in depends on which group stakeholders are influencing it and the sector of economic activity in which they operate (Herremans et al., 2016;González-Benito et al., 2011;Sweeney & Coughlan, 2008;Hess, 2007). In addition, the main motivational factors for engaging and developing relationships with stakeholders include accessing conventional capital markets, being accepted in social investment markets, meeting political or social expectations and requiring organizational learning (Herremans et al., 2016;Hitt et al., 2012). ...
... The pressure of stakeholders and the implementation of the environmental management system have a great impact on environmental behavior. In addition to the impact on individuals, the implementation of the environmental management system also enhances the impact of stakeholders on the environmental balance (Gonz alez-Benito et al., 2011). (iii) Factors influencing the willingness to improve the environment. ...
Stakeholder participation is crucial in solving environmental problems, especially in rural areas. This research investigates multi-stakeholders environmental awareness and preferences for best management practices (BMPs) in water conservation zones of north China for tackling non-point source pollution issue. A sample of 287 stakeholders involving 62 environmental officials, 18 volunteers, 73 left-behind villagers, and 130 migrant workers were interviewed. New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Scale and Principal component analysis were used to evaluate stakeholder's environmental awareness, preference for BMPs and factors influencing awareness and preference. Results show that engineering BMPs generally have a higher acceptance than management BMPs which can guide proper farming practices to reduce the likelihood of contamination from the source. Among the management measures, the preference for nutrient management was higher than that of tillage management. Considerable preference heterogeneity exists among different stakeholder groups in terms of BMPs in the case study area. Overall, environmental officials and volunteers are more supportive for implementing BMPs than left-behind farmers and migrant workers. In terms of implementation, environmental officials and volunteers tend to pay more attention to both the environmental benefit and economic benefit, while left-behind farmers and migrant workers focus more on economic benefit. To gain more economic benefit, people in areas with low economic levels are more willing to accept these measures to improve the status quo of living environment and income. Principal component analysis shows that demographics (23.6%), environmental awareness (15%), policies (13.6%) and economic (12.8%) can influence stakeholders' preference for BMPs. The cumulative contribution of the four factors accounts for 65%. The results suggest that decision makers need to coordinate multi-interest among the stakeholders and emphasize stakeholder consultation to meet local stakeholders' needs. We provide implications to policy-makers for revising existing or introducing adequate incentives to motivate local stakeholders and increase their support for implementing BMPs, instead of using enforcement.
... Additionally, the size of the companies [14], the industrial sectors [8] and other business variables [15] must also take into account. Hence, changes in local and international environmental legislation [16] and supply chain dynamics [17] constitute significant barriers of the implementation of EMS. Finally, the difficulty of quantifying the economic benefit of the EMS could become a real obstacle in adopting these voluntary standards [18]. ...
... Another recent study carried out by Teixeira et al. [85] with firms from Brazil evidenced a positive and relevant linkage between QM practices and EM. They suggested that firm size and ISO certification also have a significant and positive effect on EM practices, as reported in the previous literature (e.g., [11,[85][86][87][88][89]). ...
This article presents a conceptual and empirical review of the literature related to the link between the different perspectives, models, and tools associated with Quality Management and Environmental Management. Several academic works identified in the literature that aimed to establish conceptual similarities between QM and EM are reviewed and discussed. In general, terms, the scholarly literature suggests that the main quality practices and programs associated with the Quality Management paradigm—such as ISO 9001 and Total Quality Management—facilitate the adoption of environmental practices associated with corporate Environmental Management. However, there is evidence of certain limitations driven by different biases, whether or not they are recognized in the reviewed publications. The concentration on some avenues of research focused on very detailed aspects of the linkage between QM and EM is discussed. Conversely, lines that have been overlooked and are in need for more research were also identified. The implications for scholars, such as suggestions for further research, are included as a contribution of the article.
... Concerning the most relevant difficulties to adopt EMS, from an internal perspective, the costs of its implementation and of using cleaner technologies, are usually stated in the literature [5]. From an external perspective, the more relevant difficulties mentioned are obstacles in different local and international environmental legislation [5] and integration through the overall supply chain [6]. The two systems were recently revised and this work performs an analysis of both systems identifying the main changes in each of them and addressing key aspects that can show the differences between them, which can be valuable information for organizations that want to implement an EMS and improve its environmental performance. ...
Traditional approaches to protect environment usually rely on a legal framework that enforces measures and behaviors on organizations. However, to achieve sustainability it is necessary to apply other tools that need a stronger commitment from the organizations in the three pillars of sustainable development. The implementation of an Environmental Management System, being a voluntary instrument, can play an important role in the environmental pillar because it has a structured approach to manage environmental aspects of organizations. The new revisions of the two most important standards maintain the previous pattern. EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) incorporates the requirements of ISO 14001:2015 while maintaining important additional requirements such as the Environmental Statement and the employee involvement. The new revision of ISO 14001 by emphasizing organizational environmental performance can be a significant opportunity to increase sustainability given the fact that this international standard is more widely implemented than EMAS.
... The cases depended on two Brazilian organizations engaged with organisational innovation for environmental power (Matos and Silvestre, 2012). Benito et al. (2011) used the information from the organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD) survey. This exploration uncovered 13 stakeholder pressures including public authorities, corporate headquarters, household consumers, commercial buyers, and environment groups or organization. ...
The concept of green business is generated from the emerging of environmental pressures that mainly focused on eliminating negative environmental impacts throughout companies' activities. This purpose of this paper is to review and provide understanding on the stakeholder pressures based on stakeholder theory in driving organization to implement any environmental management practices such as green supply chain management and green innovation. This paper concludes by suggesting the stakeholder theory can be as an underlying theory in supporting the connection between the implementation of an environmental management practices and organizational performance.
... (a) Certified company: following other authors(De Sena Portugal Días & Heras- Saizarbitoria, 2013;González-Benito, Lannelongue & Queiruga, 2011), this variable was considered as independent, being assigned the value 1 ...
This volume explores organizational legitimacy in business, featuring examples from a variety of industries around the world. Synthesizing the most current theoretical insights and best practices, the contributing authors examine the ways in which organizational legitimacy can be understood, its perceived influence on the market, and the relationship between organizational legitimacy and overall organizational success. The authors draw from different methodological perspectives to develop a holistic approach to organizational legitimacy that transcends the traditional concepts of corporate reputation, business ethics or corporate social responsibility. Historically, efforts to understand how organizations acquire, manage and use legitimacy have applied insights from institutional theory, resource dependence theory, organizational ecology and stakeholder theory, but the field has remained fragmented, despite the profound implications of achieving legitimacy for ensuring organizational stability, survival and sustainability through access to capital, resources and business opportunities, as well as problem solving, performance measurement and stakeholder support. Presenting case studies of successful initiatives, the book addresses: How organizational legitimacy is defined and measured. How organizations achieve legitimacy and how they acquire resources. How different stakeholders (e.g., consumers, investors, employees) make legitimacy judgments and resource allocation decisions. Whether audiences in the same socio-cultural context arrive at shared legitimacy judgments with regard to a focal organization. © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018. All Rights Reserved.
... On the other hand, the simple legislation compliance for many organizations is just a first step to a sustainable development [4], being oriented towards finding solutions for the prevention, protection and reduction of environmental pollution [5]. Therefore, the benefits of voluntary environmental management instruments are welcomed, compared to the penalties and remedies achievement [6]. ...
In EU states solving environmental problems is an important condition in promoting sustainable development. A first step in determining the future strategic priorities of environmental inventory is available at local level, identifying the needs of the sector and possible courses of action and intervention measures. The main aim in this paper is to update and supplement information regarding then organisations which have implemented an efficient environmental management system, as well promoting the importance of such a system. Also, the progresses, opportunities as well as problems and challenges regarding environment and life have been addressed. Solutions were developed to improve environmental quality in Romanian organizations by voluntarily implementing environmental management system, as well as highlighting the benefits that organizations can gain from implementing such a system. The multiple advantages brought to organizations have been highlighted by implementing an efficient environmental management system with an interest in environmental protection.
... Advancing a little in the literature can show that three variables can interfere in this relationship and therefore need to be controlled: (a) size of the company (Surroca, Tribó, & Waddock, 2010;López-Gamero, Molina-Azorín, & Claver-Cortes, 2009;Murillo-Luna, Garcés-Ayerbe, & Rivera-Torres, 2011;Jabbour et al., 2014); (b) the company having ISO 14001 González-Benito, Lannelongue, & Queiruga, 2011); and (c) the time of existence of the company (Lee, 2008). There is significant support for the idea that these variables are important in the environmental debate; the intention is not to be conclusive about which variables could most influence the environmental practices/strategies; so, we select those that received the main attention of the researchers and that were considered in more documents. ...
Recent discussions in the specialized literature support that quality management influences the level and maturity of environmental management practices, however, in searches performed in the ISI Web of Science and Scopus databases it was verified that there is a need for research to portray this reality quantitatively, especially when it comes to companies located in Brazil. Thus, this research aims to explore this gap: does quality management positively influence the adoption of environmental practices in companies located in Brazil? Therefore, a conceptual grounding on the aforementioned issues was carried out and, based on this, the questionnaire used for the empirical phase of the research was constructed, being a self-administered e-survey with 104 companies of all sizes and sectors located in Brazil. The results demonstrated that in fact, quality management positively influences environmental management practices. In addition, it was verified that the size of the companies and ISO 14001 certification are significant to control environmental management practices. To date, it is believed that this is the first study that shows a survey to test the relationship between quality management and environmental management practices in companies in Brazil.
... För att hantera sådana risker och driva ett mer strukturerat miljö-och hållbarhetsarbete har flera arbetssätt nått marknaden, av dessa kan ISO 14001 (2015) eller EU:s motsvarande standard, EMAS (2009) betraktas som de mest accepterade från ledningshåll (Maletič, Podpečan, & Maletič, 2015;González-Benito, Lannelongue, & Queiruga, 2011). Ett annat, mer vidspridit generiskt angreppsätt för att arbeta mer omfattande med helheten av miljö-och hållbarhet är det naturliga steget (The Natural ...
Food waste is a problem that permeates the whole food supply chain. It causes economic loss, negative effects on the climate and depletion of finite resources. The scale of required change necessary to counteract the negative effects is huge. In Sweden's schools food waste loss is a matter of a costly wastage, both from an environmental perspective, but also with regard to municipalities' limited resources. Due to this, there is a big demand for waste loss reducing measures. Something that can help mitigate the extent of the food waste problem is behavioral change. Unfortunately, we cannot expect change to occur on one’s own. We need tools that can nudge us in the right direction.
This thesis is a theoretical base that explores and describes how nudging, a tool for sustainable behaviors, can be a part of the solution to the food waste problem in school canteens. Recommendations for design and implementation of such change strategies are presented, with a special focus on planned interventions (nudges) and practical application. The goal is that the study will contribute to the application of behavioral insights in the environmental field. The foundation of the thesis consists of two earlier studies, a literature study, aimed at examining nudging as a tool for sustainable societal development, and a pilot study, aimed at examining students' behavior in canteens, and how they deal with leftovers. The first study found a number of practical shortcomings if nudging (the tool) is to be used successfully, long-term and more extensively in environmental work. The pilot study found irrationally made decisions among students.
In order to answer how nudging can be part of the solution to the food waste problem in schools, the thesis applied the strategic framework for sustainable development. According to the strategic framework for sustainable development nudges employs as a catalyzing action while nudging is a tangible tool for strategic behavior change management. In the thesis nudging and nudges are presented as two separate parts of the behavior change management process, this also illustrates how each part can be part of the solution to the problem, because it clarifies the scope of the notions and their role in resolving the issue. Based on knowledge gained from the pilot study, the thesis draws conclusions that there is a theoretical potential to use nudging to encourage sustainable development in school canteens and reduce food waste, especially when students are about to leave the canteen, but also in the serving situation and during everyday school hours. Identified areas to focus on when applying nudges were mainly evaluation and feedback, smart anchors, order, normative messages, commitment, reminders, fewer options, strategic planning, loss disclosure and less social proof.
In addition to this, the thesis finally gave suggestions for working with nudging from an above- or below perspective (by integrating assessment questions in the decision-making process) to adjust the application of interventions.
... Certification of environmental management systems has come to be regarded not only as a marketing tool in an increasingly competitive marketplace (Giménez et al., 2003;Rocha, 2006), but also as an opportunity for organizations to introduce management systems that generate significant cost advantages in the medium or long run, to adopt new methods and signal their environmental concerns to stakeholders (Gonzáles-Benito et al., 2011). Organizations have been implementing these systems, as shown by the rapid worldwide growth in the number of certified organizations in recent years (ISO, 2014a). ...
Against a background of growing concern with environmental issues, resource consumption and waste production in the construction sector, this article presents the results of a study on the implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) certification in Portuguese construction companies. It reports on how construction companies perceive motives, difficulties, benefits and effectiveness of implementing EMS certification. A questionnaire served as the basis for data collection. It was sent to all certified construction companies listed in the IPAC (Portuguese Accreditation Institute). Results show that reasons for companies to use environmental certification go beyond legislated environmental requirements. Although some differences can be noted between large and small companies, certification is regarded as a process in which the benefits outweigh the costs, particularly in relation to increased recycling of raw materials. There are significant difficulties in the availability of human and financial resources, mainly in smaller companies. The main factors to ensure effectiveness of environmental certification are the commitment and support of top management, the establishment of clear environmental objectives consistent with environmental policy, training, time availability and raising awareness among all employees.
Erste Schritte zur Implementierung eines Nachhaltigkeitsmanagements im Unternehmen:
Dieser kompakte Band geht auf zentrale Prinzipien und Konzepte ein, die Unternehmen helfen, ein Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement aufzubauen und weiterzuentwickeln. Darüber hinaus bietet er einen Überblick über die verschiedenen Ansätze und Instrumente des Nachhaltigkeitsmanagements, damit Unternehmen ihre Aktivitäten analysieren, bewerten und verbessern können, um ökologische und soziale Auswirkungen zu reduzieren und langfristige Wertschöpfung zu ermöglichen.
Diese grundlegende Einführung richtet sich an die Führungskräfte in den Unternehmen, die sich mit Fragen des Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitsmanagements beschäftigen. Zunächst werden die relevanten normativen und regulativen Anforderungen an das unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement vorgestellt, bevor konkret erste Schritte zur Implementierung eines Nachhaltigkeitsmanagements entwickelt werden. Die beiden letzten Kapitel stellen ein geeignetes Steuerungssystem sowie die Grundlagen der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation eines Unternehmens vor.
Literature review suggests that environmental strategic alignment and the environmental management accounting practices’ adoption are influenced not only by institutional pressure (coercive, mimetic and normative), but also by the organization’s characteristics. The aim of this paper is twofold: (a) to analyse, from a theoretical point of view, the implications of considering the environmental variables into the companies’ strategy, management and accounting information systems; (b) to develop a case study in order to understand the strategies, practices, management tools and environmental/sustainability disclosure adopted by a large Portuguese group, operating in an environmental sensitive industry, and the role performed by its accounting information system. Environmental issues have been incorporated into the group’s strategy and management practices as result of external pressures, from legislative and stakeholders demands. This proactive strategy was materialized by (a) an organizational restructuring, including an environmental/sustainability; (b) the changes in the production process, introducing clean technologies and a circular economy approach; and (c) the environmental management systems’ implementation and certification in all industrial centres. The information generated by the accounting information system reflects the relevance of environmental variables for the group, as for the cost accounting and in the financial accounting. However, the status quo of environmental management accounting (EMA) development is unsatisfactory, perhaps as result of the lack of common guidelines to implement EMA in a business context.KeywordsEnvironmental strategyEnvironmental management accounting (EMA)accounting Information systemCase studyEnvironmental management practicesInstitutional pressures
A green campus refers to university with an environmental perspective that prioritizes efforts to protect, manage, and preserve the environmental sustainability in higher education (Wimala et al., 2016). This article aims to analyze the feasibility and readiness of UIN Malang management towards a university that is oriented towards environmental well-being in the perspective of ISO 14001. By carrying out a qualitative approach, this study employs top management/leaders, lecturers, employees, students, and relevant documents at UIN Malang as data sources collected through a semi-structured interview and content analysis. The results showed that, to achieve a green campus, the management system of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang still unable to meet criteria of a good environmental management system from the perspective of ISO 14001:2015 as there are some basic requirements that have not been fulfilled by the university. To implement ISO 14001-based environmental management system, UIN Malang must create a roadmap that includes a consistent and sustainable management cycle of Plan-Do-Check-Action.
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between green innovation (GI) and financial performance (FP) in emerging markets multinationals from Latin America (Multilatinas). Aligned with the natural resource‐based view and institutional theory, and using moderated and hierarchical linear regression analyses with panel data from 86 listed firms during the period 2013–2017, we find that implementing effective GIs is not associated with greater FP. The paper also analyses the moderating effect of Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001) and research and development (R&D) investment on the relationship between GI and FP. We find that Multilatinas' implementation of ISO 14001 does not affect the way they adopt GI and thus does not enhance their levels of FP, but a positive moderating effect is generated as companies increase their level of R&D investment. The paper expands knowledge of the way GI affects Multilatinas' FP, and these findings have policy implications for managers, policy makers, government and other institutions.
The voluntary implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) according to Eco‐Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a proactive and comprehensive management initiative aiming to improve corporate environmental performance. EMS implementation and connected communication activities are seen as a possibility to strengthen stakeholder relationships. However, EMS development and implementation consumes significant time and financial resources. Therefore, in this empirical study with hospital managers, it is questioned if and to what extent hospital managers perceive stakeholders valuing the implementation of an EMS according to EMAS. The results show that only internal stakeholder pressure from owners and the management board exists. Other stakeholders know little and care less about EMAS, suggesting that they have other priorities and do not see a necessity for hospitals to engage in environmental management efforts. This low stakeholder interest reduces the value of EMAS registration for hospitals and limits future environmental management efforts. This could hinder sustainable development within the healthcare sector.
This research paper is a study on the automobile industry in India. The importance of the study
is very high since India has been on a stupendous growth trajectory in the last decade in terms of
production, domestic sales and export. For the study of that the researcher has taken production,
domestic sales and export data for five years from 2013-14 to 2017-18 with secondary data. The
study has been analysed in terms of Compound Annual Growth Rate and Trend Analysis. The
growth rates for future have been estimated based on the analysis for next two years from 2018-
19 to 2019-20 by using least square method. The study shows that the overall growth is positive
even though there are some fluctuations from linearity.
Growing populations, expanding urban areas, declining resources and lack of management are responsible for the growth of settlements with dark narrow streets, which are collectively called "Slums‟. The definition of term „Slum” is given by various organizations at international, national and state level; describe the slum condition very clearly in that particular area. In India, many states have their own definition for slum and slum types. In Punjab state, while following its state definition, municipalities have identified slums type poorly built structures which need up gradation. But, at national level, to improve the housing structures, avail facilities and development of such areas, many policies are made and implemented by following national definition (Census of India or National Sample Survey Organization) of slums. The main focus of the study is to understand the subject of identification of different type of slums while preparing the policies at national and state level. This review study is a theoretical perspective on the concern of state versus national identification of slums and scenario of policy implementation in Class I cities of Punjab.
Purpose
Based on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective and agency theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine how the introduction of the 2006 Corporate Governance (CG) Guidelines and family governance affected the level of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting of non-financial companies in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use multivariate regression to analyse 2,637 firm-level annual observations, from 1996 to 2011 annual reports of Bangladeshi publicly listed non-financial-sector companies, to investigate how firm-level CG quality affects CSR disclosure in family and non-family firms.
Findings
CG quality significantly increases the level of CSR disclosure and this relationship is stronger prior to the new CG Guidelines. Family firms’ CSR reporting levels are significantly lower than non-family firms’, and this effect is stronger after the change in the CG Guidelines. CEO duality, the presence of an audit committee and profitability improve family-firm CSR reporting in Bangladesh, while non-family CSR disclosures are positively associated with board size and firm competition. Board independence is not related to CSR disclosure.
Originality/value
The authors provide evidence of the benefit of the CG Guidelines’ introduction on company CSR disclosure in an emerging economy and the importance of specific governance mechanisms that differentiate family and non-family-firm CSR disclosures in Bangladesh using a SEW framework.
Circular Economy (CE) focuses on the (re)design of processes and products aiming to minimize negative environmental impact. In the management field very few contributions deal with the topic of CE as a model that firms can implement from a business model perspective. The aim of the present study is to describe, by using a case study in olive oil industry, how firms in practice adapt their business model towards CE paradigm and the influence of personal drivers and stakeholders in this adaptation. The findings reveal that CE is for the firm an important paradigm not only to pursue environmental sustainability but above all to pursue economic sustainability.
The subject of our research is the environmental management practices (EMPs) adopted by small and medium-sized hotel enterprises (SMHEs) to foster the development of sustainable business models. The aim is to analyse operational, communication and organizational practices and to explore whether or not the availability of public incentives encourages SMHEs to adopt EMPs, and, if it does, how. We use a framework based on a multi-dimensional approach according to the classification proposed by González-Benito and González-Benito (2006) and we add a supplementary variable (access to subsidies) to capture the importance of the public actor. The research was carried out in Trentino, a traditional tourist destination in the Italian Alpine Arc. We received 351 completed online questionnaires, of which 247 were considered valid. The data were analysed using Principle Component Analysis (PCA) applied to a polychoric correlation matrix. The PCA evidences three relevant latent dimensions which summarized more than 72% of the sample variance. The results demonstrate that the SMHEs adopted three different sets of EMPs, and that the role of public actor is crucial for financing the most expensive operational activities. The research narrows the knowledge gap with regard to a) the types of EMPs adopted by the SMHEs, b) the methods used to achieve this implementation. The research validates the inclusion of the supplementary variable within the framework, and thus the original nature of our study.
Legitimacy and reputation are intangible assets of growing importance for the survival of organizations, so it is very important to develop strategies that improve these assets. In addition, the implementation of management systems based on ISO standards has had a strong development worldwide since their emergence. The main objective of this research is to analyse whether the adherence to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and the implementation of an integrated management system (IMS) of both standards can have a positive effect on the legitimacy and reputation of organizations. On the other hand, a complementary objective is to contrast the influence of these intangible assets on their financial performance. For this purpose, the companies of the IBEX-35 stock index were selected, using structural modelling with PLS through SmartPLS software. The results obtained show that the certification in these ISO standards has a positive influence on the legitimacy and reputation of the organizations that implement them; on the other hand, the establishment of an IMS for both standards has a positive effect on the legitimacy of companies, but it does not have this effect on their reputation. There is also a positive relationship of the two intangible assets on the financial performance of organizations.
to promote new ideas on education about standardization
O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar o desempenho ambiental de companhias listadas no ISE no período de 2011 a 2013. Para tanto, foi necessário mensurar desempenho ambiental, o qual foi viabilizado com base no questionário ISE. Das 40 empresas que, em média, compõem o ISE anualmente, esse estudo contou com doze, as quais comporam a amostra geral da pesquisa. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente e os resultados apontam que o nível do DA das empresas pesquisadas tem apresentado uma tendência crescente, podendo ser explicado pela Teoria do Stakeholder. Essa investigação também sinaliza como importante a associação entre a atividade desenvolvida pelas empresas e seu comportamento com relação ao meio ambiente. O fato das empresas possuírem certificações de caráter socioambiental não influi consideravelmente no seu desempenho ambiental. Porém, ao analisar o porte, chega-se a resultados interessantes que apontam que a maioria das empresas de menor porte melhoraram seu desempenho ambiental ao contrário das de maior porte. Diante desses achados entende-se que essa pesquisa contribui para academia, as corporações e a sociedade em geral, pois fornece evidências empíricas do potencial da teoria do stakeholder em explicar a realidade brasileira no que tange a aspectos de RSC.
The objective of the study was to examine the influence of environmental commitment (general commitment and cost–benefit-based commitment) on the take-up of environmental management initiatives including Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) and Environmental Activity Management (EAM). A survey was distributed to 659 financial controllers and similarly titled employees in Australian manufacturing organisations. While general commitment was not found to be significantly associated with the take-up of both EMSs and EAM, cost–benefit-based commitment was identified as a significant factor affecting the take-up of EMSs and all three levels of EAM (environmental activity analysis, environmental activity cost analysis, and environmental activity-based costing). The findings provide practitioners with insights in respect to how they can endeavour to promote the take-up of environmental management initiatives via enhancing environmental commitment
This chapter emphasizes the overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR); the practices and disclosure of CSR; CSR and human values; CSR in mining operations; CSR in sports tourism industry; CSR in emerging economies; and the perspectives of CSR in the digital age. A strategic approach to CSR is crucial to a company's success. CSR can bring various benefits in terms of risk management, cost savings, access to capital, customer relationships, human resource management, and innovation capacity. CSR encourages more social and environmental responsibility from the corporate sector at a time when the crisis has damaged consumer confidence and the levels of trust in business. Socially responsible companies can improve their brand reputation, attract more customers, and increase stakeholder engagement. The chapter argues that promoting CSR has the potential to enhance organizational performance and reach strategic goals in the digital age.
Little empirical work has been done on the effect of stakeholder management on corporate performance. In this study, we contributed to stakeholder theory development by (1) deriving two distinct stakeholder management models from extant research, (2) testing the descriptive accuracy of these models, and (3) including important variables from the strategy literature in the tested models. The results provide supports for a strategic stakeholder management model but no support for an intrinsic stakeholder commitment model. Implications of these findings for management practice and future research are discussed.
In a sample of 105 firms in Spain, a relationship was found between strategic proactivity and approaches to the natural environment. The firms with the most proactive business strategies ("prospectors") employed both traditional corrective and modern preventive natural environmental approaches. Firm size had a major impact on the amount of training relating to the natural environment in the sample firms and on their corrective approaches but made no difference to their preventive approaches.
Do firms committed to stewardship of the natural environment differ from less environmentally committed firms in their perceptions of the relative importance of different stakeholders in influencing their environmental practices? Using cluster analysis on six responses to questions describing a firm's practices, we classified 400 firms into four environmental profiles: reactive, defensive, accommodative, and proactive. Results indicate that firms with more proactive profiles do differ from less environmentally committed firms in their perceptions of the relative importance of different stakeholders.
Self-reports figure prominently in organizational and management research, but there are several problems associated with their use. This article identifies six categories of self-reports and discusses such problems as common method variance, the consistency motif, and social desirability. Statistical and post hoc remedies and some procedural methods for dealing with artifactual bias are presented and evaluated. Recommendations for future research are also offered.
An increasing number of corporations around the world are certifying their environmental management systems by ISO 14000 series standards. Advocates of ISO 14001 claim substantial operational, managerial, and competitive benefits for corporations that adopt the international guidelines. Critics contend that ISO 14001 does not ensure either legal compliance or continued performance improvements. They claim that at plants or facilities already complying with environmental regulations, ISO 14001 certification may merely be an image-building or public relations effort.Theoretically, ISO 14001 could serve as a comprehensive framework for significantly improving performance in a firm with minimal environmental management capacity (in a sense, a `panacea') or as a set of common sense guidelines for enhancing performance in a firm with regulatory compliant practices. Some firms may, indeed, simply use ISO 14001 as a `label' for image-building. The following Case Study of an operationally efficient and regulatory-compliant aluminum plant that certified its environmental management system under ISO 14001 guidelines in 1996 identifies the impacts three years later. Drawing on the literature of program evaluation, and using archival material, interviews with managers, and a concept mapping exercise, four sets of impacts were found of certifying the plant's environmental management system by ISO 14001 standards. They included improvements in (1) employee awareness, (2) operational efficiency, (3) managerial awareness, and (4) operational effectiveness.Many of the world's largest multinational corporations have certified their environmental management systems (EMS) under ISO 14000 standards during the past few years, and many other companies are in the process of doing so. ISO 14000, the International Organization for Standardization's guidelines for environmental management systems, has become the international benchmark by which corporations can voluntarily develop and assess their environmental practices. The ISO 14000 standards, approved in 1996, describe the components and characteristics of an effective system for managing a corporation's environmental impacts (Tibor and Feldman, 1996). They offer a format for developing an environmental policy, identifying environmental aspects, defining objectives and targets, implementing a program to attain a company's goals, monitoring and measuring effectiveness, correcting deficiencies and problems, and reviewing management systems to promote continuous improvement.Some firms are using ISO 14000 guidelines to develop new environmental management systems, or adapting their environmental practices to the international standard, without formally certifying them. Other corporations, government agencies, and environmental interest groups are skeptical about the real impacts of ISO 14000 certification, and either ignore the guidelines or question their effectiveness in improving environmental performance (Krut, R. and Gleckman, H. 1998). But an increasing number of corporations are, through external registrars, formally certifying their EMSs based on ISO 14000 standards or the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).Despite the growing interest in voluntary environmental management standards for industry, little empirical information exists and few in-depth case studies have been done on the effects of adopting an ISO 14000-certified EMS. Why and how do companies adopt voluntary EMSs? What impacts does ISO 14000 certification have on a plant or facility? How does certification affect the operations and management of a manufacturing plant? Is certification merely a formality, or does it change the way management and employees conceive of and deal with the environmental impacts of their operations? Are there significant benefits to companies that have certified their quality management systems under ISO 9002 of also certifying their environmental management systems under ISO 14001?In this article we assess the impacts of ISO 14000 certification through an in-depth case study of a plant that began preparing in 1995, more than a year before the international standards were officially approved. The analysis focuses on the Alumax aluminum ingot production facility, called Mt Holly, in South Carolina. Alcoa purchased the plant in 1998. This study traces the history of the ISO 14001-certification process at Alumax — which already had strong environmental practices in place and had earlier certified its quality management system under ISO 9002 — and analyzes its impacts. The case study demonstrates how the certification of a manufacturing facility affects both its operations and management processes. Data were derived from archival sources, from plant site visits, from interviews with key personnel involved in the development of Mt Holly's EMS, and from a concept-mapping exercise involving 15 of the plant's managers and pollution prevention team members. The researchers also interviewed environmental, health, and safety (EHS) managers at other Alcoa facilities and drew heavily on the program evaluation literature in applying the concept mapping exercise.
This article presents the results of a study conducted in two phases within a single industry context. The first phase involved comparative case studies to ground the applicability of the resource-based view of the firm within the domain of environmental responsiveness. The second phase involved testing the relationships observed during the case studies through a mail survey. It was found that strategies of proactive responsiveness to the uncertainties inherent at the interface between the business and ecological issues were associated with the emergence of unique organizational capabilities. These capabilities, in turn, were seen to have implications for firm competitiveness. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Drawing on the resource-based view of the firm, we posited that environmental performance and economic performance are positively linked and that industry growth moderates the relationship, with the returns to environmental performance higher in high-growth industries. We tested these hypotheses with an analysis of 243 firms over two years, using independently developed environmental ratings. Results indicate that "it pays to be green" and that this relationship strengthens with industry growth. We conclude by highlighting the study's academic and managerial implications, making special reference to the social issues in management literature. We wish to express our appreciation to the Franklin Research and Development Corporation for allowing us to use their proprietary database and to Roger Chope and Steven Matsunaga for assistance with methodological issues. We also thank Thomas Dean, Neil Fargher, David Levy, John Mahon, Alan Meyer, Peter Mills, Richard Mowday, and the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments.
A distinction is drawn between the degree of relationship between two variables X and Y and the form of the relationship between the same variables. The correlation coefficient rxy is the index of degree of relationship, while the regression coefficient Byx is the index of the form of relationship. If both the form and degree are constant across values of some third variable Z, the X − Y relationship is constant or unconditional with regard to Z. If the degree of relationship varies with values of Z, Z is said to “moderate the degree” of the X − Y relationship. If the form of relationship varies with values of Z, Z is said to “moderate the form” of the relationship. The separate statistical tests which are required to test for each type of moderator variable are outlined. Hierarchical multiple regression is the appropriate method to test for different forms of relationship, but not for different degrees of relationship. The differing substantive implications and interpretation of the two types of moderated relationships are discussed. Finally, the effects of unreliability of measures on the power of tests to detect differing forms and degrees of relationships are outlined and demonstrated.
Purpose
– In an economic environment characterized in recent years by globalization and the integration of economic processes, standardization in management systems has had a high growth. In this context, there has been a remarkable increase in certain standards, or norms, issued by international organizations. Among these standards, two main groups stand out, both issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO): one for quality management systems – the family of ISO 9000 standards – and the other for environmental management systems – the ISO 14000 standards. This paper aims to analyze the world wide diffusion process of these two standards, using data provided by the ISO itself.
Design/methodology/approach
– The methodology proposed is developed in four separate phases. The first two analyze the diffusion model over time with a model based on the logistic curve proposed by Franceschini et al. The next two phases analyze whether the diffusion process has proceeded in a relatively homogeneous way in the different sectors of activity. In order to do that, the use of indices of concentration and instability has been carried out.
Findings
– The conclusion is that the diffusion of both standards is very similar – in general and in terms of the different sectors. This result coincides with certain hypotheses formulated in the theoretical literature.
Originality/value
– This is the first paper where it can be demonstrated that, world‐wide, both the ISO 14000 and the ISO 9000 standards have followed very similar patterns of diffusion in their expansion.
This study investigated 3 broad classes of individual-differences variables (job-search motives, competencies, and constraints) as predictors of job-search intensity among 292 unemployed job seekers. Also assessed was the relationship between job-search intensity and reemployment success in a longitudinal context. Results show significant relationships between the predictors employment commitment, financial hardship, job-search self-efficacy, and motivation control and the outcome job-search intensity. Support was not found for a relationship between perceived job-search constraints and job-search intensity. Motivation control was highlighted as the only lagged predictor of job-search intensity over time for those who were continuously unemployed. Job-search intensity predicted Time 2 reemployment status for the sample as a whole, but not reemployment quality for those who found jobs over the study's duration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A survey is a potentially powerful assessment, monitoring, and evaluation tool available to organizational scientists. To be effective, however, individuals must complete the survey and in the inevitable case of nonresponse, we must understand if our results exhibit bias. In this article, the nonresponse bias impact assessment strategy (N-BIAS) is proposed. The N-BIAS approach is a series of techniques that when used in combination, provide evidence about a study's susceptibility to bias and its external validity. The N-BIAS techniques stem from a review of extant research and theory. To inform future revisions of the N-BIAS approach, a future research agenda for advancing the study of survey response and nonresponse is provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
We examined how managers' perceptions of different types of stakeholder influences in the Canadian forestry industry affect the types of sustainability practices that their firms adopt. Both influences involving withholding of resources by social and ecological stakeholders and those involving directed usage of resources from economic stakeholders were found to drive such practices. We found that the industry and its stakeholders have moved beyond a focus on early stages of sustainability performance such as pollution control and eco-efficiency. However, more advanced practices, such as those involving the redefinition of business and industrial ecosystems where firms locate in a region so that they can exchange and utilize wastes generated by other firms, are in their infancy. Stakeholders and firms in the industry are focused on the intermediate sustainability phases involving recirculation of materials and redesign of processes including sustainable harvesting of lumber. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Although the concept of moderator variables has been used extensively in marketing-related studies, much confusion persists as to how they are defined and identified. To alleviate this confusion, the authors present a typology of moderator variables with a framework for identifying their presence and type. Simulated data are used to illustrate and validate the proposed framework.
Using Japanese facility-level data from an OECD survey, we estimate the effects of implementation of ISO14001 and publication of environmental reports on the facilities' environmental performance. While most previous studies focused on an index of emissions toxicity, this study examines three areas of impacts, none of which have been explored in the literature: natural resource use, solid waste generation, and wastewater effluent. The study is also unique in that the effectiveness of ISO14001 is considered in relation to environmental regulations. Our findings are summarized as follows. First, both ISO14001 and report publication help reduce all three impacts; the former appears more effective in all areas except wastewater. Second, environmental regulations do not weaken the effect of ISO14001. Third, assistance programs offered by local governments--a voluntary approach--promote facilities' adoption of ISO14001. These findings suggest that governments can use command-and-control and voluntary approaches concurrently.
Executive overview: Multinational firms and their global supply chains are facing increasing pressures for environmental responsibility from non-governmental actors. Reasons for these increasing pressures include concerns about the ability of national governments to regulate firms' environmental conduct in the global economy and the increasing influence of non-governmental organizations theft are extending their reach into supply chains. International voluntary environmental initiatives (VEIs) are emerging as an important tool for corporate environmental self-regulation in the global economy. In the past decade, the number of national and international VEIs has grown from a handful to hundreds. Although these initiatives are not mandated by government regulations, firms can decide to adopt them and adhere to their requirements. This article analyzes reasons for the emergence of international VEIs, explains the importance of this trend for business, and develops a strategic framework to help firms manage their involvement in VEIs. A firm's capabilities to address each particular environmental issue and the strategic importance of each issue are key factors to consider in selecting a strategy. We develop a roadmap for business decision-makers and conclude with a discussion of the impact of international VEIs on the role of government regulations in the global economy.
We examine the connection between the internal heterogeneity of stakeholder groups and the resource dependence dynamics characterizing their relationships with firms. Empirically, we test how this heterogeneity is related to environmental performance and document a positive relationship between community stakeholder pressures and environmental performance at the plant level. Our results suggest that varying stakeholder characteristics and the dependencies associated with them are related to varying levels of environmental performance. Further, managers recognize that their organizations' dependence on stakeholders is not uniform and take this dependence into account when shaping policies toward the natural environment.
Although the concept of moderator variables has been used extensively in marketing-related studies, much confusion persists as to how they are defined and identified. To alleviate this confusion, the authors present a typology of moderator variables with a framework for identifying their presence and type. Simulated data are used to illustrate and validate the proposed framework.
Executive Oyerview Corporofions in North America, Europe. lapan. and in mqst newly industrializing notions are embracing environmental protection crs port of their internofjonal competitive strategies. For many firms, the shift to proactive environmental monogement is driven by pressures from governments, customers, employees, and competitors. Boih consumers and investors are beginning lo see more clearly the relofionship between business performance ond environmenfol quality. The,trend toward proactive environmentof management is being ucceleroted by public pressures on governments almost everywhere to assure a cleaner environmenf. Government regulations have become more s[ringeni, legal liabilities for environmental damage have become rnrxe burdensome. and customers hove become more demanding. Bul more importantly. there is growing evidence that firms that adopt proactive environmental monogemenl strategies become more efficient land competitive. ln many countries, the public has become more vocal in demanding responsible environmenlol performance os incomes rise and education spreads. Calls for responsible corporate behavior ore coming from investors. insurers. environmental interest groups. financial institutions.
In this article, we respond to calls by previous researchers to clarify the function of decentralized institutions by analyzing the strategic motives of individual actors. We investigated an important type of decentralized institution, certified management standards, and theorized that firms use these institutions to reduce problems that might arise with exchange partners that lack information or fear opportunism. We tested this theory using the pattern of certification with the ISO 14001 management standard.
We conducted a qualitative study of the motivations and contextual factors that induce corporate ecological responsiveness. Analytic induction applied to data collected from 53 firms in the United Kingdom and Japan revealed three motivations: competitiveness, legitimation, and ecological responsibility. These motivations were influenced by three contextual conditions: field cohesion, issue salience, and individual concern. In this article, we also identify the conditions that likely lead to high corporate ecological responsiveness.
The stakeholder theory has been advanced and justified in the man- agement literature on the basis of its descriptive accuracy, instrumen- tal power, and normative validity. These three aspects of the theory, although interrelated, are quite distinct; they involve different types of evidence and argument and have different implications. In this article, we examine these three aspects of the theory and critique and integrate important contributions to the literature related to each. We conclude that the three aspects of stakeholder theory are mutually supportive and that the normative base of the theory-which includes the modern theory of property rights-is fundamental. If the unity of the corporate body is real, then there is reality and not simply legal fiction in the proposition that the man- agers of the unit are fiduciaries for it and not merely for its individual members, that they are . . . trustees for an institu- tion (with multiple constituents) rather than attorneys for the stockholders.
To test a managerial cognition model of organizational adaptation to technological change, we examine strategic responses to the introduction of electronic filing of individual income-tax returns by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Based on data from over four hundred tax-return preparation businesses in the United States, we analyzed the effects of issue interpretation on two dimensions of response strategy - the target (intra-organizational versus inter-organizational) and the magnitude (level of commitment). Results of structural equation analyses support the usefulness of a managerial cognition approach for explaining different response patterns to institutional initiatives for technological change. Our findings indicate that three dimensions of issue interpretation - urgency, understandability and manageability - shape the level of commitment devoted to actions designed to resolve the issue. Our results also support the sequential nature of response consideration with respect to target, namely that intra-organizational strategies were considered before inter-organizational strategies.
Taking agency theory and stakeholder theory as points of departure, this article proposes a paradigm that helps explain the following: (1) certain aspects of a firm's strategic behaviour; (2) the structure of management-stakeholder contracts; (3) the form taken by the institutional structures that monitor and enforce contracts between managers and other stakeholders; and (4) the evolutionary process that shapes both management-stakeholder contracts and the institutional structures that police those contracts.
An emerging subfield of strategic management is that dealing with the natural environment as it affects corporate strategy. To analyze this we organize the literature on environmental regulations and corporate strategy into a new managerial framework. Next we develop a resource-based view of the interaction between firm-level competitiveness and environmental regulations, including the conditions for the use of green capabilities. Finally, we analyze the green capabilities of multinational enterprises within a standard international business model, using firm-specific advantages (FSAs) and country-specific advantages (CSAs). We then use this FSA/CSA configuration to explore hypotheses on environmental regulations, competitiveness, and corporate strategy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This paper presents a model of how decision-makers interpret stategic issues. The model of strategic issue diagnosis identifies three critical events: activation, assessments of urgency and assessments of feasibility. The relationship of each of these interpretive assessments to the creation of momentum for change allows one to predict if and how organizations will respond to a changed decision environment. The paper further links strategic issue diagnosis to organizational responses by highlighting the systematic effect of two contextual variables—the organization's belief structure and its resources—upon the assessments in diagnosis. In this way, the model of issue diagnosis provides a framework for understanding how and why organizations respond differently to strategic issues.
This article presents conclusions from a 10-year research program, the purpose of which has been to develop a framework and methodology, grounded in the reality of corporate behavior, for analyzing and evaluating corporate social performance. There are three principal sections: (a) a summary of the approaches, models, and methodologies used in conducting more than 70 field studies of corporate social performance from 1983-1993; (b) a discussion of the principal conclusions derived from the data that (1) corporations manage relationships with stakeholder groups rather than with society as a whole, (2) it is important to distinguish between social issues and stakeholder issues, and (3) it is necessary to identify the appropriate level of analysis in order to evaluate CSP; and (c) a discussion of propositions and areas for further research.
Over the last two decades, growing concerns about eroding ecosystem quality have led to a renewed interest in environmentalism. Such concerns have prompted purchasing professionals to reassess their current purchasing strategy. To help purchasing professionals configure an environmentally conscious (green) purchasing strategy, the empirical findings from a survey of US firms with greater environmental risks are reported. Based on the empirical findings, aims to identify variables that either promote or inhibit the successful implementation of green purchasing and to evaluate the effects of green purchasing on the firm’s supplier selection, waste management, packaging, and regulatory compliance.
Research on the effects on firm performance of "best practices" of environmental management, which are supposed to enable firms to simultaneously protect the environment and reduce costs, has so far ignored the roles of existing firm resources and capabilities. Drawing on the resource-based view of the firm, this study analyzes whether complementary assets are required to gain cost advantage from implementing best practices. Results based on survey data from 88 chemical companies indicate that capabilities for process innovation and implementation are complementary assets that moderate the relationship between best practices and cost advantage, a significant factor in determining firm performance.
The EMAS Regulation (Reg 761/01 EC) is an EU scheme for the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) by any organization, implemented by the European Commission since the year 1993. The EMS has been originally proposed both by the European Commission and by ISO as the frontrunner of a series of policy tools that were conceived to enable companies to simultaneously pursue environmental objectives and competitive targets (in a synergetic way). Based on the unique dataset of the EVER project, this paper investigates whether or not an EMS implemented within the EMAS Regulation has an effect on firm performance both from an environmental and a competitive point of view. The econometric analysis shows a positive impact of well-designed environmental management system on environmental performance and, as a consequence, on technical and organizational innovations. Effects on other competitive variable as market performance, resource productivity and intangible asset are not strongly supported
Although the methodological literature is replete with advice regarding the development and validation of multi-item scales based on reflective measures, the issue of index construction using formative measures has received little attention. The authors seek to address this gap by (1) examining the nature of formative indicators, (2) discussing ways in which the quality of formative measures can be assessed, and (3) illustrating the proposed procedures with empirical data. The aim is to enhance researchers' understanding of formative measures and assist them in their index construction efforts.
Management of the natural environment is becoming an increasingly important issue to manufacturing firms, yet their manufacturers are also challenged to implement changes that improve competitiveness. To meet this challenge, a new construct grounded in the resource-based view of the firm and manufacturing strategy has been developed: the environmental technology portfolio. The composition of a plant's portfolio - the pattern of its investment in environmental technologies in manufacturing over time - was found to significantly affect both manufacturing and environmental performance for a sample of manufacturing plants.