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Proactive Environmental Strategy, Foreign Institutional Pressures, and Internationalization of Chinese SMEs

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  • Ko, Dr. Wai Wai
  • Chen, Prof. Yantai
  • Chen, Dr. Cheng-Hao Steve
  • Wu, Dr. Meng-Shan Sharon
  • Liu, Prof. Gordon

Abstract

We explain how proactive environmental strategy affects emerging country small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) internationalization and the contingency roles of foreign institutional environment. A survey of 217 Chinese SMEs reveals the positive effects of proactive environmental strategy on inward-focused and outward-focused internationalization activities. The results also show that foreign institutional pressures influence such effects in nonlinear ways. That is, a medium level of foreign environmental regulatory pressure maximizes the positive effects of proactive environmental strategy on inward-focused internationalization activities, while a medium level of foreign environmental customer pressure maximizes the positive effects of proactive environmental strategy on outward-focused internationalization activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ko, Dr. Wai Wai & Chen, Prof. Yantai & Chen, Dr. Cheng-Hao Steve & Wu, Dr. Meng-Shan Sharon & Liu, Prof. Gordon, 2021. "Proactive Environmental Strategy, Foreign Institutional Pressures, and Internationalization of Chinese SMEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(6).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:56:y:2021:i:6:s1090951621000584
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2021.101247
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaocui Li & Nengmin Wang & Bin Jiang & Tao Jia, 2023. "Institutional pressures and proactive environmental strategy: The mediating effect of top managerial environment attitude and the moderating effect of new media pressure," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 6106-6123, December.
    2. Yu, Lin & Bai, Tao & Yin, Jingwei & Tan, Xue, 2024. "Overcoming the liability of origin by hiring foreign independent directors: Evidence from Chinese firms' cross-border M&As," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(2).
    3. Lasse Torkkeli & Susanne Durst, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility of SMEs: Learning Orientation and Performance Outcomes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-12, May.
    4. Ali, Imran & Arslan, Ahmad & Tarba, Shlomo & Mainela, Tuija, 2023. "Supply chain resilience to climate change inflicted extreme events in agri-food industry: The role of social capital and network complexity," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    5. Manuel Bueno‐García & Gozal Ahmadova, 2024. "The influence of state ownership on environmental proactivity: An institutional perspective of international firms," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1531-1549, May.

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