Abstract
Over the last few years, public institutions, the market, the financial community and non governmental associations have explicitly demanded that firms improve their environmental performance. However, in spite of the strong pressure from external stakeholders, recent studies have highlighted the fact that only large corporations adopt a pro-active environmental strategy, whereas SMEs tend to comply with external pressures, thus adopting a re-active strategy. In the light of these issues, the paper analyses the stakeholders' role in supporting SMEs' shift from a reactive to a proactive pattern of environmental behavior. In particular, the study seeks to: design a conceptual model which describes stakeholders' "direct role", i.e. providing SMEs with resources, as well as their "indirect role", i.e. encouraging SMEs to develop co-operative relationships and creating the necessary conditions for collaboration in improving their environmental performance, and verify empirically stakeholders' actual role in supporting SMEs' environmental development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, R., 1992, ‘The Growing Influence of the Customer’, in Green reporting, D. Owen, Chapman & Hall.
Azzone. G., R. Bianchi, R. Mauri and G. Noci, 1997, ‘Defining Operating Environmental Strategies: Programmes and Plans within Italian Industries’, Environmental Management and Health 8, Part 1, 4–19.
Azzone, G. and G. Noci, 1996, ‘Measuring the Environmental Performance of New Products: An Integrated Approach’, International Journal of Production Research 34(11).
Belz, F. and L. Strannegard, 1997, International Business Environmental Barometer 1997, Oslo, Norway: Capelen Akademisk Forlag a.a.
Bertelè, U. (ed), 1994, Indagine sul tessuto economico-produttivo della nuova provincia di Como, Como: Centro di cultura scientifica Alessandro Volta.
Bertolini, F. and M. Motta, 1996, ‘The Environmental Pressures in the Textile-apparel Industry: Solutions and Management Tools Aimed at Sustainability’, Proceedings of The 5th International Research Conference of the Greening of Industry Network, Heidelberg 24 — 24 November 1996.
Bianchi, R., 1996, ‘Le esperienze di alcune imprese operanti in Italia: gli studi di caso’, in G. Azzone and U. Bertelè (eds.), La dimensione ambientale nella strategia e nella gestione di impresa, Politechnico di Milano: Quaderni MIP.
Bianchi, R. and G. Noci, 1996, ‘Le esperienze di alcune imprese operanti in Italia: risultati di sintesi’, in G. Azzone and U. Bertelè (eds.), La dimensione ambientale nella strategia e nella gestione di impresa, Politecnico di Milano: Quaderni MIP.
Clarkson, M. B. E., 1995, ‘A Stakeholder Framework for Analysing and Evaluating Corporate Social Performance’, Academy of Management Review 20(1), 92–117.
Dewhurst, P., 1993, ‘Product Design for Manufacture: Design for Disassembly’, Industrial Engineering.
Dionisio, S., 1994, ‘Ecogestione: aziende italiane al banco di prova’, L'impresa Ambiente 94(6), 30–34.
Hahn, B., A. Geisslhofer and J. Ernst, 1996, ‘Socioeconomic Factors in the Implementation of Integrated Environmental Protection Measures in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’, Proceedings of The 5th International Research Conference of the Greening of Industry Network, Heidelberg 24 — 24 November 1996.
Hummel, J., 1996, ‘Management of Integrative Environmental Strategies in the Textile Chain or What Drives Ecology (and Economy)?’, Proceedings of The 5th International Research Conference of the Greening of Industry Network, Heidelberg 24 — 24 November 1996.
Hunt, C. B. and E. R. Auster, 1990, ‘Proactive Environmental Management: Avoiding the Toxic Trap’, Sloan Management Review, Winter, 7–18.
Kanellopoulos, V. and K. Müller, 1994, ‘Ambiente e piccole imprese: un matrimonio particolare’, L'impresa Ambiente, 3/94, 5–12.
KPMG, 1997, ‘The Environmental Challenge and SMEs in Europe’, http://intserve.kpmg.com/may97.
Little, A. D., 1992, Managing the Global Environmental Challenge, New York: Business International Corporation.
Millar, C., 1994, ‘Motivation to Partecipate in the Ecomanagement and Audit Scheme’, Ico-Management and Auditing 1(4).
Milmo, S., 1993, ‘Waste Management '93: Europe — Voluntary Option’, Chemical Marketing Reporter 244(22), Novembre 29, SR 18.
Müller, K. and D. Koechlin, 1992, Green Business Opportunities — The Profit Potential, London: Pitman Publishing.
Newman, J. C., 1993, ‘Opportunity Knocks, and Leaders Answer’, Directors & Boards 32, 48.
Niskanen, W. A., 1994, ‘Environmental Policy: A Time for Reflection’, Regulation, 17(1), 9–11.
Noci, G., 1996, ‘Selecting Most Effective Quality Based Program in SMEs’, Small Business Economics 8(6), 431–447.
Procter & Gamble Europe, 1993, ‘Europe Environmental Report’, P&G Europe.
Roome, N., 1992, ‘Developing Environmental Management Systems’, Business Strategy and the Environmental 1(1), Spring, 11–24.
Schot, J., 1992, ‘Credibility and Markets as Greening Forces for Chemical Industry’, Business Strategy and the Environmental 1(1), Spring, 35–44.
Sheng, P. S., D. A. Dornfeld and P. Worhach, 1995, ‘Integration Issues in Green Design and Manufacturing’, Manufacturing Review 8(2), June.
Shrivastava, P., 1995, ‘Creating Sustainable Corporations’, Business Strategy and the Environment 4, 154–165.
Simon, M. and T. Dowie, 1993, Disassembly Process Planning, Proceedings of The 3th International MATADOR Conference, Umist, Manchester UK, March.
Steger, U., 1990, ‘Corporation Capitalize on Environmentalism’, Business and Society Review 75, 72–73.
Taco, C. R. van Someren, 1995, ‘Sustainable Development and the Firm Organisational Innovations and Environmental Strategy’, Business Strategy and the Environment 4, 23–33.
Welford, R., 1993, ‘Breaking the Link between Quality and the Environmental: Auditing for Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment’, Business Strategy and the Environment 2(4), Winter, 25–33.
Wolff, R., L. Strannegaard, J. Ulhøi, H. Madsen, R. Lovio and B. Ytterhus, 1995, ‘The Nordic Business Environmental Barometer’, Oslo, Norway: Bedriftsøkonomens Forlag.
Ytterhus, B. E. and S. J. Aasebø, 1996a, ‘SMEs and Environmental Management’, Proceedings of The Third Conference of the Nordic business Environmental Management Network, Aahrus 28–30 march.
Ytterhus, B. E. and S. J. Aasebø, 1996b, ‘SMEs and Environmental Management: Stakeholder Pressure and Eco-Efficiency in SME's’, Proceedings of The 5th International Research Conference of the Greening of Industry Network, Heidelberg 24 — 24 november 1996.
Ytterhus, B. E. and T. Synnestvedt, 1996, ‘The Process of Greening: Results from the Nordic Business Environmental Barometer’, Eco-Management and Auditing 30(3).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bianchi, R., Noci, G. "Greening" SMEs' Competitiveness. Small Business Economics 11, 269–281 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007980420087
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007980420087