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A Contemporary Issue of Micro-Foundation of CSR, Employee Pro-Environmental Behavior, and Environmental Performance toward Energy Saving, Carbon Emission Reduction, and Recycling

Author

Listed:
  • Hua Yu

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Muhammad Salman Shabbir

    (Department of Management, College of Commerce and Business Administration, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman)

  • Naveed Ahmad

    (Faculty of Management Studies, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Antonio Ariza-Montes

    (Social Matters Research Group, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, C/Escritor Castilla Aguayo, 414004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Alejandro Vega-Muñoz

    (Public Policy Observatory, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 7500912, Chile)

  • Heesup Han

    (College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Gwanjin-Gu, Seoul 143-747, Korea)

  • Miklas Scholz

    (Division of Water Resources Engineering, Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
    Civil Engineering Research Group, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, The University of Salford, Newton Building, Salford M5 4WT, UK
    Department of Town Planning, Engineering Networks and Systems, South Ural State University (National Research University), 76, Lenin prospekt, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia)

  • Muhammad Safdar Sial

    (Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan)

Abstract

The contemporary literature has largely addressed corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the macro or institutional level, whereas its effect at the micro-level is largely ignored. In addition, contemporary researchers have also ignored the importance of employee pro-environmental behavior to reduce the environmental footprint of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). With this background, the present study attempts to decrease the environmental footprint of the SME sector of China by implementing CSR at the micro-level through the involvement of employees because employees spend a significant amount of their time at workplaces, and hence their environment-related behavior may significantly contribute to improve the natural environment. In this regard, here we examined the impact of the micro-foundation of CSR on SMEs’ environmental performance with mediating effect of employees’ pro-environmental behavior. The data were collected from the different organizations in China. Our sample constitutes a supervisor–subordinate dyad from which we collected 562 filled questionnaires (281 from each). We used the structural equation modeling technique using AMOS software for data analysis, the results show that CSR, directly and indirectly, through employee’s pro-environmental behavior affects the environmental performance of SMEs, and employee pro-environmental behavior partially mediates this relationship. The findings of the present study are helpful for policymakers of the SME sector of China to address widespread environmental issues caused by their business operations.

Suggested Citation

  • Hua Yu & Muhammad Salman Shabbir & Naveed Ahmad & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz & Heesup Han & Miklas Scholz & Muhammad Safdar Sial, 2021. "A Contemporary Issue of Micro-Foundation of CSR, Employee Pro-Environmental Behavior, and Environmental Performance toward Energy Saving, Carbon Emission Reduction, and Recycling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:10:p:5380-:d:557082
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    References listed on IDEAS

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