The circular economy, environmental performance and environmental management systems: the role of absorptive capacity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Marrucci ◽  
Tiberio Daddi ◽  
Fabio Iraldo

Purpose Despite the general interest in the circular economy, organisations have difficulties in implementing circular practices. Developing absorptive capacity (ACAP) may foster circularity among organisations. The paper aims to shed light on relationship between ACAP and organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach To empirically investigate the contribution of ACAP in circular economy implementation, the authors analysed a European sample of more than 800 Eco-Management and Audit Scheme-registered organisations through partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings The analysis demonstrates that ACAP and the underlying organisational activities of a firm significantly facilitate the implementation of a circular economy and the internalisation of an environmental management system (EMS), which consequently improve the overall performance of organisations. The authors found that the diffusion of the circular economy in the organisations’ environment does not affect their commitment to implement a circular economy. Originality/value The study expands the academic literature by framing the concept of the circular economy with ACAP theory, thereby highlighting the contribution of acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation. The results also provide useful insights for practitioners highlighting how organisations with an environmental certification can identify and pursue opportunities deriving from a circular economy. Finally, the research contributes to the debate on the effect of internalising EMSs and how ACAP improves economic performance, environmental performance and reputation.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nursyazwani Mohd Fuzi ◽  
Nurul Fadly Habidin ◽  
Sabrinah Adam ◽  
Sharon Yong Yee Ong

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between environmental cost (EC) on organisational performance (OPM) through an environmental management system (EMS) as the mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach A total of 2,600 manufacturers were identified and consequently selected as the entire study population. Additionally, this study used the structural equation modelling technique to identify the mediator effects of EMS between EC and OPM. Findings The EC and EMS relationship on OPM produced direct and indirect consequences. Hence, it is concluded that manufacturing industry in Malaysia are focused on the OPM when implementing EC and EMS. Originality/value The model would incorporate EC and EMS implementation on OPM in the Malaysian manufacturing industry. This study could also be advantageous to the industry in improving EC, EMS and OPM.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour ◽  
Thiago Pignatti de Freitas ◽  
Davi Fouad Soubihia ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour

Purpose – There are many arguments in the literature on environmental management stating that companies that have a significant environmental performance tend to be more competitive, because environmental management tends to generate positive effects on their operational performance. Despite the fact that such arguments are widely accepted, there is little empirical evidence yet of such a relationship in manufacturing contexts that are rarely studied thus far, such as those of developing countries. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – With the objective of testing the positive relationship between environmental performance and operational performance, this research presents the data of a survey conducted with 75 ISO 9001-certified Brazilian companies. Such data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Findings – The paper discovered that, indeed, environmental management relates in a positive, significant manner and large effect to the operational performance of companies. Originality/value – This is the first exploratory research relating environmental management and operational performance in Brazilian companies with ISO 9001.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12147
Author(s):  
Chin-Hung Tseng ◽  
Kuo-Hsiung Chang ◽  
Ho-Wen Chen

Environmental management studies have proposed that firms can achieve substantial cost advantages over competitors and enhance their competitive positions by implementing an environmental management system (EMS). This study further investigates strategic orientation (customer, competitor, and innovation orientation) and focuses on the effect of strategic orientation on EMSs and eco-innovation; it also examines the mediating role of EMSs in the relationship between strategic orientation and eco-innovation. Furthermore, this study investigates the moderating role of absorptive capacity in the relationship between strategic orientation and EMSs. Reliability and validity analyses of a sample of 142 respondents indicated that the study design was effective, consistent, and reliable. The findings indicate that (1) strategic orientation (competitor and innovation orientation) positively influences EMSs, (2) EMSs positively influence eco-innovation, (3) absorptive capacity-enhancing strategic orientation positively influences EMSs, and (4) EMS intermediary strategic orientation positively influences eco-innovation. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of why some firms exhibit greater proactivity in EMSs than others do.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Pinheiro ◽  
Luis Filipe Lages ◽  
Graça Miranda Silva ◽  
Alvaro Lopes Dias ◽  
Miguel T. Preto

PurposeShifting demand and ever-shorter production cycles pressure manufacturing flexibility. Although the literature has established the positive effect of the firm's absorptive capacity on manufacturing flexibility, the separate role of the innovation competencies of exploitation and exploration in such a relationship is still under-investigated. In this study, the authors examine how these competencies affect manufacturing flexibility.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use survey data from 370 manufacturing firms and analyze them using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB–SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that absorptive capacity has a strong, positive and direct effect on exploitative and exploratory innovation competencies, proactive and responsive market orientations, and manufacturing flexibility. The authors’ findings also demonstrate that the exploitative innovation competencies mediate the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility. Essentially, these exploitative innovation competencies produce a direct positive effect on manufacturing flexibility while simultaneously being a vehicle for absorptive capacity's indirect effects on it. An exploration innovation strategy does not significantly affect manufacturing flexibility.Originality/valueThis study contributes by combining key strategic features of firms with manufacturing flexibility, while providing new empirical evidence of the mediation of the exploitative innovation competencies in the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huseyin Ince ◽  
Salih Zeki Imamoglu ◽  
Hulya Turkcan

PurposeThis paper investigates the impact of absorptive capacity (ACAP) on creativity and the effect of creativity on job performance. Further, the study investigates the moderating role of social media usage on the ACAP–creativity link and the creativity–job performance link. Accordingly, drawing on the ACAP perspective and social exchange theory (SET), the study develops a conceptual model and tests the proposed relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe paper empirically tests the developed model using 512 survey responses from research and development (R&D) employees. Data were factor analyzed, and path estimates were determined using structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results reveal that (1) individual ACAP is positively related to creativity; (2) creativity is positively associated with job performance and (3) social media usage positively moderates the relationship between individual ACAP and creativity.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the ACAP and creativity literature by establishing a comprehensive and empirically grounded framework that enlightens the relationships between ACAP, creativity, job performance and the moderating role of social media usage.


Author(s):  
Ismail Raisal ◽  
Arun Kumar Tarofder ◽  
Aboobucker Ilmudeen

PurposeDeveloping countries’ economic growth very much depend on the successful performance of entrepreneurial-oriented firms. Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is a valuable conjecturer of firm success. This study mainly focuses on analyzing the effect of EO on the firm performance (FP) with the mediating role of absorptive capacity (ACAP).Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypothetical model, we collected 226 valid responses from senior managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The structural equation modeling technique is performed and research hypotheses are validated.FindingsThe findings show that the strong causal relations exit between EO, ACAP and FP. In brief, EO was found to be a predictor of ACAP, and ACAP has a strong positive impact on FP. Moreover, ACAP substantiated to be a mediator between EO and FP.Research limitations/implicationsA notable ramification of this finding is that for SMEs to enhance their performance via EO, the presence of ACAP as a mediator is essential.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can be used as a basis to consider EO to increase firms' level of ACAP and to enhance FP. As a whole, the findings offer pragmatic insights for SMEs and pertinent stakeholders.Originality/valueSo far, little is known about the interrelationship between EO, ACAP and FP. Importantly, the mediating role of ACAP between EO and FP has remained unexplored. This study fills this gap in the existing literature.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 2256-2276 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Muzamil Naqshbandi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an integrated model to examine the relationship between managerial ties and two types of open innovation (OI). It takes into account the mediating role of realized absorptive capacity and explains how a firm’s ability to recognize the value of new information, assimilate it and apply it to commercial ends can facilitate OI. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 259 middle and top managers working across different sectors in the United Arab Emirates. Findings Results obtained using structural equation modeling show that managerial ties facilitate both in-bound and out-bound OI. Results also establish the mediating role of realized absorptive capacity in these relationships. Research limitations/implications Use of cross-sectional data as was done in this study has been criticized for being inappropriate to test causal models. Besides the findings may not be generalizable to different industries/cultures/regions. Practical implications This study suggests that managerial ties act to support OI in firms thus giving the insight that managers should be appreciated to build ties with managers of other firms, universities and government officials. Doing so can help firms achieve better OI outcomes. Firms should arrange means of interaction of their managers with these external knowledge sources such as events and occasions where managers of different firms can interact with each other to foster strong ties among them. Originality/value The above findings contribute theoretically to OI and managerial ties literature while providing insights for practitioners on how to succeed or avoid failure in their OI initiatives. These insights are novel and are new to the OI and managerial ties theory.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Ortega-Gutiérrez ◽  
Ignacio Cepeda-Carrión ◽  
Helena Alves

Purpose This paper aims to study the relationship between the knowledge obtained in social networks by firms together with the firms’ knowledge absorptive capacity and organizational unlearning as influencers of service-dominant (S-D) orientation, as well as the mediating role of absorption capacity and organizational unlearning in this process. Design/methodology/approach The sample amounts to 101 responding companies, obtained from the SABI database. The companies belong to the service sector in Spain and have at least 50 employees and 5 years or more of existence in the market. The model was estimated through partial least squares structural equation modeling with smartPLS software 3.2.6. Findings The results show that the use of social media is very important for firms to acquire knowledge and capabilities that help them to become S-D oriented. In addition, absorptive capacity and unlearning processes are dynamic capabilities necessary to transform the knowledge acquired in social media and to become S-D oriented. Research limitations/implications Companies’ managers draw conclusions that can generate great value, while better meeting the needs and desires of the market, the more knowledge is obtained. In addition, the use of the knowledge generated in this process will reduce the risk of sudden changes in the market. Practical implications The more knowledge is gained using social networks, the better the companies’ managers will be able to draw conclusions that can generate great value, while at the same time better satisfying the needs and desires of the market, and thus create capacities that allow the company to be service-oriented. In addition, the use of these knowledge platforms strengthens the strategic advantage of companies through the promotion of innovation and by relating dynamic capabilities with the orientation toward sustainable development. As mentioned above, a process will be generated that will reduce the risk of sudden changes in the market. Originality/value This is one of the few studies trying to study the antecedents of S-D orientation and the first to study the direct effect of social media use, and the direct and indirect effect of absorptive capacity and organizational unlearning on S-D orientation as dynamic capabilities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 410-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Conceição Noschang da Costa ◽  
Shirlei Miranda Camargo ◽  
Ana Maria Machado Toaldo ◽  
Simone Regina Didonet

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze effects of absorptive capacity (ACAP) on organizational performance. The model looks at the mediating influence of marketing capabilities (innovative capability and new product development capability (NPDC)) and innovation performance (IP). Design/methodology/approach This study takes a quantitative approach by using survey data from 333 Brazilian manufacturer managers involved with strategic marketing processes. Structural equation modeling was used to test the theoretical hypotheses. Findings Results indicate that ACAP does not have a direct impact on organizational performance. The relation is fully mediated by marketing capabilities (innovative capability and NPDC) and IP. Research limitations/implications According to the research findings, managers should put efforts in the ACAP as well as marketing capabilities that will result in better organizational performance. This research is limited to the context of manufacturer firms in Brazil. However, it is suggested that an application of this research can be conducted in different industries and different countries. Originality/value This study contributes to theory and management practice. First, no study has explored all these constructs together. Through the relationship between ACAP and performance, the authors found that marketing capabilities and IP can fully mediate the former proposed relation. The authors’ contribution is the understanding of the role of ACAP influence on performance. Managers should be encouraged to invest in companies’ ACAP as well as marketing capabilities to differentiate themselves from competitors and improve performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1293-1322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tze San Ong ◽  
Hussain Bakhsh Magsi ◽  
Thomas F. Burgess

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of organizational culture (OC) on a firm’s environmental performance (EP) via the mediating variable of environmental management control systems (EMCS). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 314 Pakistani manufacturing firms via the questionnaire survey, and the structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships. Findings The stable and flexible values of OC affect the effectiveness of formal and informal EMCS. Informal EMCS mediates the relationship between flexible values and EP, whereas formal EMCS mediates the stable values and EP. Overall, the data reveal that the integration of environmental culture within an organization’s culture and control systems leads to improve EP. Originality/value The study is one of the first, to the author’s knowledge, that links OC, EMCS, and EP in a developing economy, in this case Pakistan.


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