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The Role of Environmental Management Performance in Higher Education Institutions

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Roos

    (Sustainability Management and Environmental Accounting, Faculty of Business Management and Economics, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany)

  • Xaver Heinicke

    (Management Accounting and Control, Faculty of Business Management and Economics, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany)

  • Edeltraud Guenther

    (United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources Dresden, 01067 Dresden, Germany)

  • Thomas W. Guenther

    (Management Accounting and Control, Faculty of Business Management and Economics, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany)

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are influential social institutions which educate future decision-makers and shape society as a whole. Motivated by new public management, the proliferation of business tools, and a rising awareness for responsible acting, environmental management has also become a matter for HEIs. Focusing on performance outcomes and improvement based mechanisms leads to a professionalization through the active management of environmental issues. Therefore, the support of management structures is an essential prerequisite when implementing environmental efforts. Thus far, little attention has been dedicated to environmental management performance and steering processes of environmental issues in HEIs, which marks the research gap of this study. This article presents results of a survey on the concept of environmental management performance (EMP) based on Trumpp et al. (2015) aiming to answer the research question of how HEIs conduct environmental management along the dimensions of EMP, which includes environmental policy, environmental objectives, environmental processes, organizational structures, and monitoring. The results show that, as of now, HEIs pursue no common practice when approaching EMP. Nevertheless, two thirds of the respondents show an orientation towards sustainability with particularly high values regarding issues of environmental policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Roos & Xaver Heinicke & Edeltraud Guenther & Thomas W. Guenther, 2020. "The Role of Environmental Management Performance in Higher Education Institutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:2:p:655-:d:309410
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fabien De Geuser & Stella Mooraj & Daniel Oyon, 2009. "Does the Balanced Scorecard Add Value? Empirical Evidence on its Effect on Performance," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 93-122.
    2. Armstrong, J. Scott & Overton, Terry S., 1977. "Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys," MPRA Paper 81694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Van der Stede, Wim A. & Young, S. Mark & Chen, Clara Xiaoling, 2005. "Assessing the quality of evidence in empirical management accounting research: The case of survey studies," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 30(7-8), pages 655-684.
    4. C. Trumpp & J. Endrikat & C. Zopf & E. Guenther, 2015. "Definition, Conceptualization, and Measurement of Corporate Environmental Performance: A Critical Examination of a Multidimensional Construct," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 185-204, January.
    5. Barbara M. Kehm & Ute Lanzendorf, 2007. "The Impacts of University Management on Academic Work: Reform Experiences in Austria and Germany," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 18(2), pages 153-173.
    6. Barbara M. Kehm & Ute Lanzendorf, 2007. "The Impacts of University Management on Academic Work: Reform Experiences in Austria and Germany," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 18(2), pages 153-173.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ahmed M. Asfahani, 2023. "Green HRM and Servant Leadership: Driving Competitive Advantage and Environmental Performance in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Mohammad A. Alsharif & Michael D. Peters & Timothy J. Dixon, 2020. "Designing and Implementing Effective Campus Sustainability in Saudi Arabian Universities: An Assessment of Drivers and Barriers in a Rational Choice Theoretical Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-23, June.
    3. Bror Giesenbauer & Georg Müller-Christ, 2020. "University 4.0: Promoting the Transformation of Higher Education Institutions toward Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-27, April.
    4. William Horan & Bernadette O’Regan, 2021. "Developing a Practical Framework of Sustainability Indicators Relevant to All Higher Education Institutions to Enable Meaningful International Rankings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.

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