Green Goals in Organizations: Do Small Businesses Engage in Environmentally Friendly Strategies?

Authors

  • Richard C. Becherer University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
  • Marilyn M. Helms Dalton State College

Abstract

"Green" environmental goals play a role in a firm's decision making and goal setting. Large firms typically consider being socially responsible or more environmentally oriented as part of their mission, but are these initiatives the same for small businesses? Surveying a U.S. small business sample, this exploratory study finds firm size and industry type are the two demographic variables related to the importance of environmental business issues in small business decision-making processes. Company "Expertise," an internal resource advantage, and the external factors of "Competitiveness" and 'Environmental Hostility," were found to influence small firms' environmental goals. When examining business outcomes and small firms' satisfaction with achievement of their environmental goals, all measures studied (cash flow, market share, sales, and earnings) were related to having such goals. This study extends the dearth of literature studying small firms and the role of environmentally friendly strategies in these ventures.

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Published

2014-01-22

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Green Goals in Organizations: Do Small Businesses Engage in Environmentally Friendly Strategies?. (2014). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 24(1), 1-18. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/184