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Contrasting Institutional and Performance Accounts of Environmental Management Systems: Three Case Studies in the UK Water & Sewerage Industry

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  • Anja Schaefer

Abstract

abstract This paper presents results from a longitudinal, qualitative study into the adoption of environmental management systems (EMS) in three companies in the UK water & sewerage industry. Based on institutional theory and the literature on EMS, four factors related to the adoption of EMS are identified: external and internal institutional forces, environmental performance issues, and economic performance issues. While previous literature has often assumed a balance of performance and institutional factors or a preponderance of performance factors, the results of this study indicate that institutional forces are the predominant drivers. The results further indicate that environmental performance issues become less important over time, whereas institutional drivers and economic performance rationales increase in importance over time. While conforming to institutional pressures can result in improved economic performance of a company, adoption of environmental management systems mostly on the basis of institutional and economic factors has wider repercussions for the state of corporate environmental management and progress towards greater ecological sustainability of business.

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  • Anja Schaefer, 2007. "Contrasting Institutional and Performance Accounts of Environmental Management Systems: Three Case Studies in the UK Water & Sewerage Industry," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 506-535, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:44:y:2007:i:4:p:506-535
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2006.00677.x
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    1. Julia Hertin & Frans Berkhout & Marcus Wagner & Daniel Tyteca, 2004. "Are 'soft' policy instruments effective? The link between environmental management systems and the environmental performance of companies," SPRU Working Paper Series 124, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Qincheng Zhang & Mingzeng Yang & Shanshan Lv, 2022. "Corporate Digital Transformation and Green Innovation: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from Integration of Informatization and Industrialization in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Xue Ning & Yang Lu & Dobin Yim & Jiban Khuntia, 2023. "Factors Affecting the Usage Intention of Environmental Sustainability Management Tools: Empirical Analysis of Adoption of Greenhouse Gas Protocol Tools by Firms in Two Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Schöll, Michaela, 2017. "Three Essays on Sustainable Supply Chain Management – Towards Sustainable Supplier Selection and Sustainable Sourcing," EconStor Theses, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, number 172463.
    5. Ning Liu & Haiqing Hu & Zhaoqun Wang, 2022. "The Relationship between Institutional Pressure, Green Entrepreneurial Orientation, and Entrepreneurial Performance—The Moderating Effect of Network Centrality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-24, September.
    6. Fabien Martinez, 2015. "A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Framework of Corporate Water Responsibility," Post-Print hal-02887624, HAL.
    7. Dayna Simpson & Damien Power & Robert Klassen, 2012. "When One Size Does Not Fit All: A Problem of Fit Rather than Failure for Voluntary Management Standards," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 85-95, September.
    8. Esben Pedersen & Wencke Gwozdz, 2014. "From Resistance to Opportunity-Seeking: Strategic Responses to Institutional Pressures for Corporate Social Responsibility in the Nordic Fashion Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 245-264, January.
    9. Xiaofeng Su & Anxin Xu & Wenhe Lin & Youcheng Chen & Songtao Liu & Wenxing Xu, 2020. "Environmental Leadership, Green Innovation Practices, Environmental Knowledge Learning, and Firm Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    10. Silvia Cantele & Thomas A. Tsalis & Ioannis E. Nikolaou, 2018. "A New Framework for Assessing the Sustainability Reporting Disclosure of Water Utilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-12, February.
    11. Scherer, Andreas, 2013. "Legitimacy Strategies in a Globalized World: Organizing for Complex and Heterogeneous Environments," Papers 566, World Trade Institute.
    12. El Baz, Jamal & Ruel, Salomée & Jebli, Fedwa, 2023. "Harnessing supply chain resilience and social performance through safety and health practices in the COVID-19 era: An investigation of normative pressures and adoption timing's role," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    13. Francesco Testa & Olivier Boiral & Fabio Iraldo, 2018. "Internalization of Environmental Practices and Institutional Complexity: Can Stakeholders Pressures Encourage Greenwashing?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 287-307, January.
    14. Konstantinos Iatridis & Effie Kesidou, 2018. "What Drives Substantive Versus Symbolic Implementation of ISO 14001 in a Time of Economic Crisis? Insights from Greek Manufacturing Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(4), pages 859-877, April.
    15. Helen Borland & Véronique Ambrosini & Adam Lindgreen & Joëlle Vanhamme, 2016. "Building Theory at the Intersection of Ecological Sustainability and Strategic Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 293-307, May.
    16. Raghuveer Negi & Amit Kumar Gupta & Vidhu Gaur, 2023. "Effect of green marketing orientation dimensions on green innovation and organizational performance: A mediation‐moderation analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5435-5458, December.
    17. Boehe, Dirk Michael & Cruz, Luciano Barin & Ogasavara, Mário Henrique, 2010. "How can Firms from Emerging Economies Enhance their CSR-Supported Export Strategies?," Insper Working Papers wpe_209, Insper Working Paper, Insper Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa.
    18. Yang, Yang & Jia, Fu & Chen, Lujie & Wang, Yichuan & Xiong, Yu, 2021. "Adoption timing of OHSAS 18001 and firm performance: An institutional theory perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).

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