Green strategies and relationship maintenance: a network evolution perspective
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
ISSN: 0885-8624
Article publication date: 29 September 2021
Issue publication date: 23 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Along with the important impact of green strategies on firm survival and performance improvement, its dark side likewise requires attention. By integrating network evolution theory with the literature on green supply chain management, this study proposes a theoretical framework consisting of green strategies, network conduct (cooperation length), network structure (structural holes) and relationship maintenance. The purpose of this study is to indicate how green strategies can affect relationship maintenance on the basis of a network evolution perspective, and demonstrate how this effect can be influenced by cooperation length and structural holes.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sample of 122 matched pairs of the upstream and downstream supply chain from the Chinese paper-making industry, which is in urgent requirement of green strategies due to high pollution and resource consumption.
Findings
This study theoretically and empirically indicates that green strategies may have a positive impact on relationship maintenance. In addition, this effect can be positively moderated by cooperation length, but negatively moderated by structural holes.
Originality/value
This study uncovers the impact of green strategies on relationship maintenance by proposing a network evolution perspective, which could solve its conflicting effects in a specific context and move extant research a step forward.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Foundation (Grant number: 2019EGL013).
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare that we have no conflict of interest.
Citation
Han, P., Wang, H. and Fan, P. (2022), "Green strategies and relationship maintenance: a network evolution perspective", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 7, pp. 1422-1431. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-03-2020-0152
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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