Green supply chain practice adoption and firm performance: manufacturing SMEs in Uganda

Author(s):  
Sheila Namagembe ◽  
S. Ryan ◽  
Ramaswami Sridharan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between five green practices and firm performance. In addition, this paper investigates the influence of each green practice on environmental performance, economic benefits, and economic costs. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected based on a cross-sectional survey of owner/managers of 200 manufacturing SME firms in Uganda, Africa. SPSS was used to find descriptive means and test relationships between green practices and performance outcomes. Structural equation modelling was used to test for the influence of each practice on performance outcomes. The structural equation modelling results were obtained using the Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling software. Results were compared with similar studies conducted in developing countries. Findings Different green practices affect different performance dimensions in different ways across different industries. For example, eco-design and internal environmental management practices significantly influence environmental performance; green purchasing and internal environmental management practices significantly influence economic benefits; and internal environmental management practices affect economic costs. Overall internal environmental management is the key to positive outcomes across the three performance criteria. The authors show how the results obtained vary from similar studies conducted in developing countries and explain possible reasons for the difference. Research limitations/implications Africa is a rapidly industrialising nation faced with difficult choices between economic growth and increased pollution. Because SMEs represent the majority of manufacturing firms, they are the main polluters. Hence, better understanding of the costs and benefits, both environmental and economic, is important to encourage green practice adoption for the betterment of community health and prosperity. Originality/value Despite numerous studies on the relationships between green practice adoption and performance outcomes, only a few studies include both economic costs and benefits in addition to environmental performance. The study covers five green supply chain practices, whereas most similar studies are limited in the number of practices examined. The African context is unique and important because industrial development and environmental protection goals are in conflict. Similar studies are predominant in an Asian context which is more developed than Africa. The findings and comparisons raise important questions for further research in relation to the roles of national regulations, geographical markets and industry types in furthering green practices in manufacturing.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haris Aslam ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem ◽  
Sami Ullah Bajwa ◽  
Asher Ramish ◽  
Amer Saeed

PurposeDrawing on the “substitute for leadership” theory, this study investigates the mediating role of employee attitude between supervisory support and employee’s organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment. It also explicates the role of environmental management practices, as substitute for supervisory support in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged data (n = 235) were collected from middle- and upper-level management employees working in manufacturing and service sector organisations in Pakistan. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling and regression analysis.FindingsThe findings reveal that supervisory support enhances employee attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviour, which in turn increases employees’ tendency to involve in organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment. However, the formal environmental management practices of the organisation serve as a substitute for the supervisory support because, if such formal practices are followed, the role of supervisory support becomes less significant.Originality/valueThis study is the maiden attempt to apply the “substitute for leadership” theory to the study of organisation citizenship behaviour for the environment. Moreover, it adds to the largely overlooked dimension of the research area concerning the inter-relationships between employees’, supervisory and organisational level antecedents of organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anitha Moosa ◽  
Feng He

PurposeThis paper aims to explore how environmental management practices impact different dimensions of corporate sustainability. It also explores the mediating impact of environmental regulation and reports on the relationship between environmental management practice and corporate sustainability.Design/methodology/approachA brief focus group discussion and a preliminary test were conducted through a focused group meeting with industry experts before data were collected from senior management of 116 registered operations in the hospitality and tourism industry in the Maldives. To analyse the data, a mediation model is proposed and tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsResults showed that environmental management practices have a direct and positive effect on corporate sustainability. Furthermore, environmental regulation and reporting positively mediate the effect of environmental management practices on corporate sustainability. Among the sustainability dimensions, it is important to note that the social sustainability aspect has the highest impact, followed by the economic and environmental aspects of corporate sustainability.Practical implicationsFindings provide empirical evidence in understanding achieving corporate sustainability through environmental management practices. The study is practical for stakeholders and policymakers to follow through with the environmental regulations and be transparent on environmental reporting measures that impact overall sustainability.Originality/valueThis study serves as noteworthy research for stakeholders to evaluate against regulatory and reporting requirements for businesses they invest in the future. It adds value to the literature and attempts to advance environmental management and sustainability research in the context of small island developing states.


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.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 835-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanja Pekovic ◽  
Sylvie Rolland ◽  
Hubert Gatignon

Purpose This study aims to investigates the effect of three customer orientation components – customer information-processing, responsiveness and values and norms – on a firm’s decision to adopt environmental management practices. Consistent with the literature on strategy and industrial marketing, the authors also examine the moderating effect of marketplace characteristics. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a linear model on a sample of 4,324 French firms with ten or more employees. Findings Based on a large-scale survey of firms across industries, the results indicate that customer information-processing and values and norms directly contribute to the adoption of environmental management practices. Furthermore, the effect of customer information-processing is shown to be contingent on market competition. Practical implications The findings have direct practical implications. When managers recognize the importance and usefulness of customer orientation, they understand the need to formulate organizational strategies in terms of environmental management practices that reflect customer expectations. In addition, following the strategic fit approach, customer orientation should fit with the specific market environment to stimulate the adoption of environmental management practices. In other words, the findings are useful for managers, who can assess the specific environmental characteristics they are facing and align these with customer orientation to build competitive advantage. Originality/value The findings indicate that the different dimensions of customer orientation distinctly affect a firm’s decision to adopt environmental management practices. In this sense, the authors argue that they capture different facets of the customer orientation measure, which points to the importance of analyzing the dimensions of customer orientation separately. Furthermore, rather than analyzing aggregate measures of corporate social responsibility, the authors selected environmental orientation as a specific dimension, which has received less attention in the industrial marketing literature. Finally, the main findings mark an important contribution to the literature because they provide deeper insights into the conditions under which customer orientation dimensions drive the adoption of environmental management practices.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Ebenezer Adaku ◽  
Kwasi Amoako-Gyampah ◽  
Disraeli Asante-Darko ◽  
Charles Teye Amoatey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between environmental management practices (EMP) and competitive operational performance with respect to reduced cost, improved quality, improved flexibility and improved delivery as well as overall environmental performance, of firms, using data from a developing country. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a survey approach with responses from 164 informants from different industries and used partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between EMP and competitive operational performance and their overall impact on the environmental performance of firms. Findings The results indicate that EMP by firms have a significant positive effect on firms’ competitive operational performance. Again, firms’ competitive operational performance has a partial positive effect on the overall environmental performance. It was also realized that the EMP initiated by a firm have a direct positive impact on the overall environmental performance of the firm. Research limitations/implications There is the need for organizations to take steps to plan and implement EMP since it is likely to enhance their competitive operational performance as well as their overall environmental performance. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the impact of EMP on competitive operational performance as well as on the overall environmental performance of firms. This is important as firms struggle with balancing investments in those practices against the perceived benefits that might be obtained from the practices. Originality/value The work provides insights and adds to the literature in the area of EMP and firm performance by providing evidence from a developing country environment. This study is among the few that have investigated the impact of EMP on firm performance in developing country environments.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Verónica Paula Ribeiro ◽  
Cristina Aibar-Guzmán ◽  
Beatriz Aibar-Guzman ◽  
Sónia Maria da Silva Monteiro

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop environmental accounting and reporting practices (EARPs) by Portuguese local entities and their determining factors. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a postal survey. In order to measure the degree of development of environmental accounting and reporting practices index was developed, which reflects the extent to which a set of eight EARPs have been implemented by the 69 Portuguese local entities included in the sample. Three variables are considered in this study as possible factors that drive the development of environmental management practices (EMPs) by local entities, namely, size of entity, accounting framework, degree of development of EMPs. Findings – Results indicate the degree of development of EARPs in Portuguese local entities is low. Additionally, accounting regulation and the degree of development of EMPs are explaining factors of the degree of development of environmental accounting practices in Portuguese local entities. Originality/value – This study adds to the international research on environmental accounting in public sector by providing empirical data from a country, Portugal, where empirical evidence is still relatively limited.


2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 830-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayna Simpson ◽  
Robert Sroufe

Purpose – An ongoing challenge for managers is to define and benefit from their firm's environmental management practices. Firms that seek stakeholder recognition of their practices, or face stakeholder pressure for evidence of improvement, increasingly use management standards such as ISO14001. Such standards, however, may encourage firms to use more reportable rather than embedded environmental management practices. Why some firms use environmental management standards to improve practices relative to firms that use them to deflect attention, is an important research question. As paper proposes, stakeholder pressure on firms for improved practices can interact with firms’ expectations of related rewards to influence environmental management outcomes. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The intention was to identify significant differences in stakeholder focus and each firm's environmental management practices, between ISO14001 certified and non-certified firms. The paper explored the propositions with a sample of US manufacturers. The paper used a PLS modeling approach. Findings – The paper identified links between firms with a greater regulative stakeholder focus, to greater use of reportable practices (pollution reduction). Firms with a greater normative stakeholder focus were linked to greater use of embedded practices (policies and pollution prevention). Originality/value – This study is one of the first to assess differences that distinguish between both stakeholder type and choice of environmental management practices. Further, the paper grouped firms’ practices according to their emphasis on either rewards of stakeholder recognition or internal operational benefit. As other studies have identified, firms do not necessarily adopt environmental management standards for their goals of practice improvement. The study contributes to use of stakeholder theories to understand firm level adoption of and benefit from environmental management practices.


2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1091-1112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Amoako Kwarteng

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the driving forces of environmental management practices in mining and manufacturing firms using data from Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Prior exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, based on questionnaire survey data, were used to study the driving forces of environmental management practices in the extractive and manufacturing firms using institutional theory. Findings Environmental management practices by organizations in Ghana are driven by regulatory and the mimetic pressures. Normative pressure has no significant effect on environmental management practices. The authors found no difference between the extractive and the manufacturing sectors as far as the results are concerned. Research limitations/implications The results indicate the importance of regulatory bodies in developing good environmental policies that are implemented and monitored in order to achieve improved environmental performance. Effective implementation of environmental policies is likely to motivate other firms to mimic the actions of implementing organizations. One limitation of this work is the use of data from Ghana. It is important for other researchers to assess these relationships using data from a wider geographical area. Practical implications The results indicate that organizations implement environmental management practices as a result of coercive and mimetic pressures. In practice, it is therefore important for the regulatory bodies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency Ghana, to be very innovative in developing good environmental regulations that are monitored to ensure implementation by all polluting sources. This is because the results indicate that the monitoring of regulations by regulatory bodies seems to be connected to the implementation of these regulations. Such implementation is also expected to be benchmarked by other firms, thereby influencing the “greening” agenda in Africa. Originality/value The study illustrates and provides some insights, and builds on the literature in the area of green supply chain strategies for a developing country’s environment. This is one of the few studies that investigate the driving forces of environmental management implementation using the institutional theory based on data from the African business environment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay Kumar Mithilesh Rai

As per my pilot study conducted on Star Hotels (3-5) to see the degree of Greenness in operation using Environmental Management Practices Indicators for Sustainability & Profitability as well in due course and measuring their impact on guest satisfaction. Based on the findings it was observed that there was a positive impact of innovative green practices, service quality, courtesy, competency and responsiveness (CCR) of staff on guest satisfaction level in the hotel.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongzheng Sun ◽  
Sarminah Samad ◽  
Shafique Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Usman

PurposeCustomers' focus increasingly turns to the green practices of firms. Organizations need to rethink their strategies and position themselves concerning their environmental responsibility. The idea behind this study is to observe the influence of hotel website quality and hotel environmental management initiative (HEMI) on green customer loyalty in the Pakistan hotel industry with the mediating role of green trust (GT) and green satisfaction (GS).Design/methodology/approachThe study is quantitative, and partial least squares structural equation modelling followed to test the proposed hypotheses. A total of 542 questionnaires were used for analysis through SPSS 25.0 and SmartPLS 3.2.9.FindingsThe findings confirm the proposed positive influence of hotel website quality and HEMI on green customer loyalty. Moreover, GT and GS significantly mediate the relationship, further enhancing the relevance of green practices for hotels.Practical implicationsHotel management can get maximum customer loyalty to concentrate on hotel website quality, HEMI, GT and GS.Originality/valueThis study aims to develop a research model to incorporate hotel website quality, HEMI, GT, GS and green customer loyalty by using signalling theory and natural resource-based view theory that prior studies ignored.


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