IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/arapps/v15y2007i2p164-184.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Applying stakeholder theory to analyze corporate environmental performance

Author

Listed:
  • Evangeline Elijido‐Ten

Abstract

Purpose - Stakeholder theory has been used extensively as it offers a way to address the changing demands in a dynamic business environment. This study aims to use stakeholder theory to analyze corporate environmental behavior by Australian listed companies. Design/methodology/approach - By adopting Ullmann's three‐dimensional framework comprising stakeholder power, strategic posture, and economic performance, an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model is developed. Three measures of stakeholder power are used: shareholder power (SP), creditor power, and government power (GP). Strategic posture is represented by the level of management's environmental concern (EC) and economic performance is proxied by the firm's return on assets (ROA). Using the 2002 Australian Conservation Foundation environmental performance ranking, the OLS model tests for any significant relationships between corporate environmental performance and the three components of the framework. Findings - The findings suggest that the level of ownership dispersion (SP), the industry sensitivity characterized by the increased governmental sanctions (GP) as well as the management's concern for the environment (EC) are the significant factors influencing the decision to incorporate superior environmental activities in corporate strategic plans. Measures of economic performance (ROA) show no significant relation with the firms' environmental performance. Likewise, suggestions that size and age of the firms could act as intervening variables are not supported by the results. Originality/value - The empirical results provide evidence that the application of stakeholder theory can contribute towards one's understanding of how corporate entities behave, particularly in adapting to the rapidly changing business environment where environmental issues are becoming increasingly important.

Suggested Citation

  • Evangeline Elijido‐Ten, 2007. "Applying stakeholder theory to analyze corporate environmental performance," Asian Review of Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 164-184, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:arapps:v:15:y:2007:i:2:p:164-184
    DOI: 10.1108/13217340710823378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/13217340710823378/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/13217340710823378/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/13217340710823378?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hughes, Susan B. & Anderson, Allison & Golden, Sarah, 2001. "Corporate environmental disclosures: are they useful in determining environmental performance?," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 217-240.
    2. Cormier, Denis & Magnan, Michel, 1997. "Investors' assessment of implicit environmental liabilities: An empirical investigation," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 215-241.
    3. Patten, Dennis M., 2002. "The relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: a research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 763-773, November.
    4. Teoh, Hai-Yap & Thong, Gregory, 1984. "Another look at corporate social responsibility and reporting: An empirical study in a developing country," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 189-206, June.
    5. Patten, Dennis M., 1992. "Intra-industry environmental disclosures in response to the Alaskan oil spill: A note on legitimacy theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 471-475, July.
    6. Barth, Me & Mcnichols, Mf, 1994. "Estimation And Market Valuation Of Environmental Liabilities Relating To Superfund Sites," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32, pages 177-209.
    7. Wiseman, Joanne, 1982. "An evaluation of environmental disclosures made in corporate annual reports," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 53-63, January.
    8. Patten, Dennis M., 1991. "Exposure, legitimacy, and social disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 297-308.
    9. Roberts, Robin W., 1992. "Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure: An application of stakeholder theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 595-612, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Juniarti, 2019. "The Information Asymmetry and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure," Eurasian Journal of Business and Management, Eurasian Publications, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10.
    2. Bikki Jaggi & Alessandra Allini & Riccardo Macchioni & Annamaria Zampella, 2018. "Do investors find carbon information useful? Evidence from Italian firms," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 1031-1056, May.
    3. Simona Galletta & Sebastiano Mazzù & Valeria Naciti & Carlo Vermiglio, 2021. "Sustainable development and financial institutions: Do banks' environmental policies influence customer deposits?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 643-656, January.
    4. Robert A. Kingwara, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Financial Performance of Firms in Kenya: A Stakeholder Approach," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(3), pages 90-115, September.
    5. Marion Allet, 2014. "Why Do Microfinance Institutions Go Green? An Exploratory Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 405-424, July.
    6. GUPTA Pradeep Kumar & GARG Arunesh, 2022. "Impact Of Csr Expenditure Compliance On Firm Value Using P/B-Roe Valuation Model And Instrumental Approach," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 17(2), pages 108-123, August.
    7. Binh Do & Ninh Nguyen, 2020. "The Links between Proactive Environmental Strategy, Competitive Advantages and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, June.
    8. Ajay Khatter & Leanne White & Joanne Pyke & Michael McGrath, 2021. "Stakeholders’ Influence on Environmental Sustainability in the Australian Hotel Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Joseph, Corina & Taplin, Ross, 2011. "The measurement of sustainability disclosure: Abundance versus occurrence," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 19-31.
    10. Md. Shajul Islam & Mohammad Rabiul Basher Rubel & Md. Mahedi Hasan, 2023. "Environmental and Social Performance of the Banking Industry in Bangladesh: Effect of Stakeholders’ Pressure and Green Practice Adoption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-24, May.
    11. María del Mar Miras‐Rodríguez & Amalia Carrasco‐Gallego & Bernabé Escobar‐Pérez, 2015. "Are Socially Responsible Behaviors Paid Off Equally? A Cross‐cultural Analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(4), pages 237-256, July.
    12. Odia J.O. & Imagbe V.U., 2015. "Corporate Social and Environmental Disclosures, Corporate Social and Environmental Performance and Corporate Financial Performance in Nigeria: A Simultaneous Equation Approach," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 5(9), pages 615-627.
    13. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    14. Rohaida Abdul Latif & Nurul Huda Yahya & Kamarun Nisham Taufil Mohd & Hasnah Kamardin & Arifatul Husna Mohd Ariffin, 2020. "The Influence of Board Diversity on Environmental Disclosures and Sustainability Performance in Malaysia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 287-296.
    15. Aries Sutantoputra, 2022. "Do stakeholders’ demands matter in environmental disclosure practices? Evidence from Australia," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 449-478, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Malcolm Smith & Khadijah Yahya & Ahmad Marzuki Amiruddin, 2007. "Environmental disclosure and performance reporting in Malaysia," Asian Review of Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 185-199, April.
    2. Aerts, Walter & Cormier, Denis & Magnan, Michel, 2008. "Corporate environmental disclosure, financial markets and the media: An international perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 643-659, January.
    3. Jane Andrew & Max Baker, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: The Last 40 Years and a Path to Sharing Future Insights," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(1), pages 35-65, March.
    4. Sónia Maria da Silva Monteiro & Beatriz Aibar‐Guzmán, 2010. "Determinants of environmental disclosure in the annual reports of large companies operating in Portugal," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), pages 185-204, July.
    5. Waris Ali & Jedrzej George Frynas & Zeeshan Mahmood, 2017. "Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Disclosure in Developed and Developing Countries: A Literature Review," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(4), pages 273-294, July.
    6. Aerts, Walter & Cormier, Denis, 2009. "Media legitimacy and corporate environmental communication," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 1-27, January.
    7. Clarkson, Peter M. & Li, Yue & Richardson, Gordon D. & Vasvari, Florin P., 2008. "Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(4-5), pages 303-327.
    8. Dong Ding & Bin Liu & Millicent Chang, 2023. "Carbon Emissions and TCFD Aligned Climate-Related Information Disclosures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(4), pages 967-1001, February.
    9. Michelon, Giovanna & Pilonato, Silvia & Ricceri, Federica, 2015. "CSR reporting practices and the quality of disclosure: An empirical analysis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 59-78.
    10. Lucia Silva‐Gao, 2012. "The Disclosure of Environmental Capital Expenditures: Evidence from the Electric Utility Sector in the USA," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), pages 240-252, July.
    11. Abeer Hassan & Essam Ibrahim, 2012. "Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure: Factors Influencing Companies' Success in Attaining Environmental Awards," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1), pages 32-46, January.
    12. Jean-Noël Chauvey & Sophie Giordano-Spring & Charles Cho & Dennis Patten, 2015. "The Normativity and Legitimacy of CSR Disclosure: Evidence from France," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(4), pages 789-803, September.
    13. Elizabeth Stanny, 2013. "Voluntary Disclosures of Emissions by US Firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 145-158, March.
    14. Dennis M. Patten, 2013. "Lessons from the Third Wave: A reflection on the rediscovery of Corporate Social Responsibility by the mainstream accounting research community," FINANCIAL REPORTING, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 9-26.
    15. Burnett, Royce D. & Hansen, Don R., 2008. "Ecoefficiency: Defining a role for environmental cost management," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 551-581, August.
    16. Frédérique Dejean & Isabelle Martinez, 2008. "Communication environnementale et coût des fonds propres : Le cas des entreprises du SBF120," Post-Print halshs-00525815, HAL.
    17. Camélia Radu & Claude Francoeur, 2017. "Does Innovation Drive Environmental Disclosure? A New Insight into Sustainable Development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 893-911, November.
    18. Cho, Charles H. & Patten, Dennis M., 2007. "The role of environmental disclosures as tools of legitimacy: A research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 32(7-8), pages 639-647.
    19. Matthias S. Fifka, 2013. "Corporate Responsibility Reporting and its Determinants in Comparative Perspective – a Review of the Empirical Literature and a Meta‐analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 1-35, January.
    20. Patten, Dennis M., 2005. "The accuracy of financial report projections of future environmental capital expenditures: a research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 457-468, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:arapps:v:15:y:2007:i:2:p:164-184. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.