Environmental behaviour in Chicago automotive repair micro‐enterprises (MEPs)

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between internal and external factors that influence environmental behaviour in traditional service micro-enterprises, focusing on Chicago motor vehicle repair (MVR) firms five years after the Clean Break amnesty program and subsequent inspections of MVR firms. The survey explored the influence of firm and manager characteristics, government intervention, and market and social pressures and opportunities on environmental awareness and action. Environmental action was significantly higher in older firms (more experienced owners) and in auto-refinishing firms practicing spray painting. While awareness levels were mixed for dealerships and franchises (contracted to larger organizations), environmental action was good for six out of the seven firms, which may reflect expectations for higher professional rather than environmental standards. However, environmental awareness and behaviour levels were mixed for trade association members. Owners obtain most environmental information from suppliers and government agencies, but confuse government responsibilities and attribute greater authority to non-environmental agencies. Finally, micro-enterprises avoid voluntary environmental compliance programs and prefer targeted enforcement and insurance requirements that promote a level playing field.

A Review of Interventions to Encourage SMEs to Make Environmental Improvements

“…First, the research suggests that SMEs do not perceive telephone help lines as useful for obtaining assistance with environmental improvement (Mir, 2008;Pimenova and van der Vorst, 2004). Second, advice/support needs to range from general through to highly specialised (Shearlock et al, 2000) to cater for the different environmental knowledge needs of the different SMEs in our typology.…”

“…The owner-managers of these firms focus on survival in very competitive industries (Mir and Feitelson, 2007;Revell and Blackburn, 2007) and are not proactive (in contrast to advantage-driven firms) and instead react to customer demand (Aragon-Correa and Cordon-Pozo, 2005) or regulatory requirements (Mir, 2008). For this reason, they have a low degree of business performance commitment.…”

Impact of gentrification on environmental pressure in service micro‐enterprises

“…While individual fi rms contribute signifi cantly to the cumulative pollution in Illinois (Arrandale, 1995b), most owners perceive their environmental impact as negligible and are less likely to act proactively (Hillary, 2000;Gerstenfeld and Roberts, 2000;Tilley, 1999;Mir, 2006). Firms subcontracted to larger organizations or franchises are more likely to comply with environmental regulations (Mir, 2006;Mir and Feitelson, 2007).…”

Fatores Contingenciais Da Gestão Ambiental Em Pequenas E Médias Empresas

“…A visão compartilhada não significa simplesmente que os empregados tenham conhecimento dos objetivos dos seus gerentes, mas sim que a visão acarrete necessariamente um sentimento de que os objetivos da empresa são importantes e apropriados e que todos os (2014), a literatura prévia aponta a cooperação com outras empresas como um facilitador à adoção de práticas ambientais em PMEs, pois, em termos de mudanças com intuito de se tornarem empresas ambientalmente responsáveis, estudos sobre melhores práticas pelas PMEs têm revelado que o relacionamento com outras organizações, além das fronteiras da empresa, pode contribuir para uma maior conscientização dos benefícios de tais atividades, bem como melhorar o potencial para o atual engajamento ambiental (Lewis et al, 2014). Por exemplo, as PMEs encontram nos fornecedores uma de suas principais fontes de informações ambientais (Mir, 2008). Segundo Gadenne et al, (2009), os dirigentes-proprietários que acreditam que preocupações ambientais dos fornecedores impactam os negócios podem aprender com eles os benefí-cios da redução de custos associados às questões ambientais.…”