Why Japanese Firms Choose to Certify: A Study of Managerial Responses to Environmental Issues

Nakamura, Masao; Takahashi, Takuya; Vertinsky, Ilan

doi:10.1006/jeem.2000.1148

Cited by 288 publications

(310 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In relation to the firms affected by the IPPC law, the findings suggest that when new environmental regulations come into play, firms which have already developed proactive environmental practices can take advantage of the complementarities in the process of adaptation and adapt to the new requirements in a more efficient way (Cañ ó n- de-Francia et al, 2007). Indeed, the firm resources generated through proactive environmental management represent a supplementary asset that facilitates firm adaptation reducing the costs associated with the compliance with new environmental requirements (King and Lenox, 2000;Nakamura et al, 2001). Our findings are similar to those provided by Cañ ó n- de-Francia et al (2007), who argue that proactive technological environmental knowledge prepares a firm to adapt to the greater environmental demands derived from new legislation.…”

Section: Discussion and Managerial Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The whole relationship between environmental variables and firm performance: Competitive advantage and firm resources as mediator variables

López‐Gamero

Molina‐Azorín

Claver‐Cortés

2009

Journal of Environmental Management

339

246

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a b s t r a c tThe examination of the possible direct link between environmental protection and firm performance in the literature has generally produced mixed results. The present paper contributes to the literature by using the resource-based view as a mediating process in this relationship. The study specifically tests whether or not the resource-based view of the firm mediates the positive relationships of proactive environmental management and improved environmental performance with competitive advantage, which also has consequences for financial performance. We also check the possible link between the adoption of a pioneering approach and good environmental management practices. Our findings support that early investment timing and intensity in environmental issues impact on the adoption of a proactive environmental management, which in turn helps to improve environmental performance. The findings also show that a firm's resources and competitive advantage act as mediator variables for a positive relationship between environmental protection and financial performance. This contribution is original because the present paper develops a comprehensive whole picture of this path process, which has previously only been partially discussed in the literature. In addition, this study clarifies a relevant point in the literature, namely that the effect of environmental protection on firm performance is not direct and can vary depending on the sector considered. Whereas competitive advantage in relation to costs influences financial performance in the IPPC law sector, the relevant influence in the hotel sector comes from competitive advantage through differentiation.

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Section: Discussion and Managerial Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The whole relationship between environmental variables and firm performance: Competitive advantage and firm resources as mediator variables

López‐Gamero

Molina‐Azorín

Claver‐Cortés

2009

Journal of Environmental Management

339

246

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“…-Integration of environmental concerns into a firm's strategy: several studies have highlighted the importance of considering senior management concerns with promoting green values, encouraging employee mobilization and making the environment an organizational priority (Bansal, 2003;Egri and Herman, 2000;Nakamura et al, 2000;Raines and Prakash, 2005). This approach is often associated with the development of a proactive and voluntary environmental commitment by senior management (AragonCorrea, 1998; Buysse and Verbeke, 2003;Sharma and Vredenburg, 1998).…”

Section: The Instrumental Perspective: a Standard For Improving Envirmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Generally speaking, institutional pressures play a determining role in the environmental commitment of organizations and the implementation of standardized management systems in this field (Christmann, 2004;Christmann and Taylor, 2006;Kassinis and Vafeas, 2006;Sharma and Henriques, 2005;Sharma and Vredenburg, 1998). Lastly, ISO 14001 certification tends to improve the image of organizations and provide proof of their ethical and environmental commitment (Christmann and Taylor, 2002;González-Benito and González-Benito, 2005;Jiang and Bansal, 2003;Nakamura et al, 2000). These ethical aspects encourage rhetoric of rationalization based on discourses and adhesion to idealized values which are removed from the reality and efficiency of practices.…”

Section: The Legitimacy-based Model: a Managerial Fashion To Conform mentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the impact of ISO 14001 on environmental performance: A comparative approach

Boiral

Henri

2012

Journal of Environmental Management

160

120

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Studies analyzing the effects of ISO 14001 certification and determinants of environmental performance tend to be based on a traditional and instrumental model of efficiency. Using structural equation modelling developed through a survey of 303 organizations, this paper compares the validity of this instrumental model with two alternatives models: the legitimacybased model and the hybrid model. The findings question the efficiency of ISO 14001 and show that the traditional model does not explain the environmental performance of the surveyed organizations. Study results show that the legitimacy-based model, which questions the efficiency of ISO 14001 certification, is more pertinent in explaining the environmental performance but leads to a rather critical view of management practices. The development of a hybrid model based on the principal hypotheses of the legitimacy-based model, but integrating certain managerial and operational practices distinct from ISO 14001 certification, results in a less critical and more pertinent view of the determinants of environmental performance. Study results suggest that this hybrid model provides the best data fit.

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“…Participation in EMAS has tripled to 3,389 organisations between 1997 and 2006. 1 A growth of 127% of the number of fairtrade certified producers has been experienced between 2001(Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International 2006. The question that emerges, "what causes some companies to pursue a pro-active strategy by participating in these programs whereas other companies seem to prefer a defensive strategy?"…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Related research focused on ISO 14001 (Nakamura et al 2001;Hibiki et al 2003;Potoski and Prakash 2005) or on the comprehensiveness of environmental management practices implemented within firms (Dasgupta et al 2000;Khanna and Anton 2002;Anton et al 2004;Cole et al 2006). Other papers focussed on the participation decision towards several US EPA's voluntary programmes such as the 33/50 program Cason 1995, 1996;Khanna and Damon 1999;Videras and Alberini 2000), Green Lights (DeCanio and Watkins 1998;Videras and Alberini 2000) and Waste Wi$e (Videras and Alberini 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Determines the Decision to Implement EMAS? A European Firm Level Study

Bracke

Verbeke²,

Dejonckheere

2008

Environ Resource Econ

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Empirical research on the characteristics of environmentally responsive companies has focussed on US and Japanese companies. For Europe, which is commonly considered as the greenest of the three major markets, similar research is lacking. This paper seeks to fill this gap by empirically investigating business and financial characteristics, stakeholder pressures and public policies to distinguish companies that have implemented the European Eco-Management and Audit System (EMAS) from a unique firm-level dataset of European publicly quoted companies. We find that the EMAS participation decision is positively influenced by the solvency ratio, the share of non-current liabilities, the average labour cost and the absolute company size as well as the relative size of a company compared to its sector average. The profit margin exerts a negative influence. We further find that companies whose headquarters is located in a country that actively encourages EMAS have a higher probability of participation. Finally, this paper suggests that rather than attracting other kinds of companies, a favourable institutional context succeeds in convincing more of the same kind of companies to participate.The authors thank anonymous referees for providing helpful comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of this paper.

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Why Japanese Firms Choose to Certify: A Study of Managerial Responses to Environmental Issues

Cited by 288 publications

References 20 publications

The whole relationship between environmental variables and firm performance: Competitive advantage and firm resources as mediator variables

The whole relationship between environmental variables and firm performance: Competitive advantage and firm resources as mediator variables

Modelling the impact of ISO 14001 on environmental performance: A comparative approach

What Determines the Decision to Implement EMAS? A European Firm Level Study

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