Is value statement an effective informal control for stimulating pro-environmental behaviors?

Abstract

This study aimed to examine when and how a pro-environmental value statement is effective at stimulating pro-environmental behavior. Specifically, it examines whether the effect of pro-environmental value statements on pro-environmental behavior depends on participation in goal setting and whether that effect is explained by goal commitment. Few recent empirical studies examine the behavioral effects of value statements, despite the potential of this informal control to stimulate appropriate behaviors. Also scarce are studies on management control examining the effects of different types of control on pro-environmental behavior. Pro-environmental behaviors are important in the business environment as they promote a reduction in pollutants and contribute to the effective design of environmental management systems and to environmental performance. Thus, it is important to identify how management control mechanisms can promote or inhibit this type of behavior. The contribution to the management control literature is to show in which context and through which process value statements can be an effective informal control. In addition, the practical implication is that decentralized organizations can benefit from the use of value statements as a control mechanism, providing they enable participation in goal setting. Participants were recruited via the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform and they had to decide about compliance with an environmental agreement in an experimental study. I manipulate the presence of a pro-environmental value statement and the participation in setting the profit goal. Research findings indicate that a pro-environmental value statement reduces commitment to the profit goal and thus increases environmental compliance, but only when the goal-setting is participative. When the goal-setting is imposed, a pro-environmental value statement does not affect commitment and environmental compliance. The main contribution is to indicate that decentralized organizations can stimulate appropriate behaviors by communicating prioritized values through a value statement when participation in goal setting is allowed.

Performance measurement systems, environmental satisfaction, and green work engagement,

“…corporate social responsibility and proactive sustainability strategies). Finally, the company's mission statement or its strategy can direct the way in which the MCS are used and how this affects individuals' environmental behaviors (Aguiar, 2020), which could be considered in new studies.…”

“…Forms of management for the environmental context may be a relevant antecedent of green work engagement (Aboramadan, forthcoming). MCS such as the pro-environmental values statement can lead individuals to carry out actions that foster environmental sustainability (Aguiar, 2020). Employees who perceive green organizational policies and guidelines that support the execution of environmental tasks tend to engage more in green work, aiming to reduce possible negative ecological impacts and acting in a socially responsible way (Bhutto et al, 2021).…”

“…Second, MCS studies and environmental results have prioritized organizational variables, such as sustainable or environmental performance (Heggen & Sridharan, 2021;Henri & Journeault, 2010;Rehman et al, 2021;Wijethilake, 2017). Efforts directed toward MCS to foster environmental and green behaviors in employees are more limited, as observed in the studies of Rötzel et al (2019), which analyze environmental MCS as an antecedent of individual managerial performance in relation to environmental results, and of Aguiar (2020), who explores the pro-environmental values statement (informal control) as an antecedent of individuals' proenvironmental behavior. However, evidence of MCS with satisfaction and engagement in the environmental and green context is more limited.…”

“…Within the theoretical context, there are three main implications. The first derives from exploring the role of MCS in individual sustainable behaviors (Aguiar, 2020;Rötzel et al, 2019) instead of organizational ones (Heggen & Sridharan, 2021;Henri & Journeault, 2010;Rehman et al, 2021;Wijethilake, 2017), thus aggregating evidence on MCS use to direct employees' sustainable environmental behaviors. Second, it contributes by exploring MCS interdependence exclusively in sustainable contexts (Heggen & Sridharan, 2021), as opposed to innovation and performance results (Henri, 2006;Henri & Wouters, 2020;Kreutzer et al, 2016;Müller-Stewens et al, 2020;Ylinen & Gullkvist, 2014).…”

Sistema de mensuração de desempenho, satisfação ambiental e engajamento no trabalho verde,

“…Segundo, estudos de SCG e resultados ambientais têm priorizado variáveis organizacionais, como o desempenho sustentável ou ambiental (Heggen & Sridharan, 2021;Henri & Journeault, 2010;Rehman et al, 2021;Wijethilake, 2017). Esforços direcionados aos SCG para fomentar comportamentos ambientais e verdes nos funcionários são mais limitados, como observado nos estudos de Rötzel et al (2019), que analisam o SCG ambiental como antecedente do desempenho gerencial individual em relação aos resultados ambientais, e de Aguiar (2020), que explora a declaração de valores pró-ambiental (controle informal) como antecedente do comportamento próambiental dos indivíduos. No entanto, evidências de SCG com satisfação e engajamento no contexto ambiental e verde são mais limitadas.…”