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1 – 10 of over 16000Malin Song, Jing Wang, Shuhong Wang and Danqing Zhao
The establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) is an important experiment as part of the reform and opening up policy. This paper aims to focus on the issue of production efficiency…
Abstract
Purpose
The establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) is an important experiment as part of the reform and opening up policy. This paper aims to focus on the issue of production efficiency of environmental protection enterprises in FTZs. Changes in the external and internal environments of enterprises can easily lead to changes in the production efficiencies of enterprises. The establishment of FTZs can change the external environment of enterprises. Knowledge accumulation changes the internal environment of enterprises. However, traditional efficiency analysis has usually ignored the internal and external heterogeneity of decision-making units, resulting in the distortion of the evaluation results.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper examines the relationship between knowledge accumulation and development potential based on financial data of environmental protection enterprises that were listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen A stocks, from 2009 to 2016. Then, through data envelopment analysis cross-efficiency analysis of the listed environmental protection enterprises from external heterogeneity, BP neural network model is set up.
Findings
The results show that the model set up in this paper is stable and reliable. The paper makes policy suggestions such as stimulating trade inside industry, quickening technological progress and enhancing environmental protection.
Originality/value
This paper analyzes the economy, environmental protection, science and technology and education to simulate the external environment of enterprises. Based on the experience data from the completion of Shanghai FTZ, this paper predicts the future development potential of Hainan FTZ enterprises.
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Shujian Zhang and Li Wang
We are in an information age, and the relationship between government governance and market efficiency has become closer. When examining the behavior of governance, the study of…
Abstract
Purpose
We are in an information age, and the relationship between government governance and market efficiency has become closer. When examining the behavior of governance, the study of government transparency is very important. This paper examines the environmental governance performance of Guangdong province, the most developed coastal region in China.
Design/methodology/approach
DEA method is adopted to calculate the environmental governance efficiency by considering the expected output and the nonexpected output. Then Tobit regression was used to analyze the relationship between fiscal transparency and environmental governance efficiency.
Findings
Through a quantitative study of empirical data of Guangdong province from 2001 to 2017, it is found that fiscal transparency does have a significant positive impact on the efficiency of local environmental governance. Therefore, it is suggested that all regions in Guangdong should be more transparent in administration, intensify industrial transformation and upgrading, and better govern the regional ecological environment.
Originality/value
This paper examines the environmental governance performance of Guangdong province, the most developed coastal region in China. Guangdong has developed economy and people’s living standards are high, so the market and residents are particularly concerned about the government performance in environmental governance. Therefore, it is an important issue to explore the relationship between environmental governance and government transparency in Guangdong.
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Economic growth of China in the past decades has caused rapid increase in energy consumption and environmental deterioration. Therefore, it is critical to make an environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
Economic growth of China in the past decades has caused rapid increase in energy consumption and environmental deterioration. Therefore, it is critical to make an environmental evaluation and to help decision makers to know each province’s distance to the optimal target and improve environmental performance.
Design/methodology/approach
In such background, the authors use a within-group common benchmarking model with data envelopment analysis for China’s environmental evaluation and target setting in this paper. This model considers a common treatment of decision-making units within groups but allows for the different circumstances across groups and gives a common reference set for benchmarking.
Findings
The results show that there are regional difference in economic development and environmental protection. The coastal area has the best average environmental efficiency, then followed by inland area and the lowest level is the western area. The target results show that in four inputs, namely, population, capital, energy consumption and water consumption, the water consumption is the significant variable which should be decreased largely. All provinces have room to improve their economic level under the condition of a better environment.
Originality/value
In this research, the authors consider the similarity in geography and economy for Chinese provinces and divide 30 provinces into eight economic zones; thus, provinces in the same zone are evaluated with the same weight. Environmental performance and efficiency for each province can be obtained. Efficient targets for those inefficient provinces are provided as a possible improvement direction as well.
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Wenjun Jiang, Shuli Liu and Susan Li
Green economy and economic development with high quality have set higher requirements for the development of the urban logistics industry. It can grasp the recent development…
Abstract
Purpose
Green economy and economic development with high quality have set higher requirements for the development of the urban logistics industry. It can grasp the recent development level of the urban logistics industry by measuring its environmental efficiency to guide its future development direction. The purpose of this study is to improve the environmental efficiency and development level of the urban logistics industry by using a reasonable evaluation method.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses information entropy to directly aggregate index weights from different models to acquire comprehensive index weights (CIWs) for calculating peer-evaluation efficiency. Then, we weight self and peer-efficiencies to obtain final efficiency. The environmental efficiencies of the urban logistics industry in Anhui Province in 2019 are obtained according to the above method.
Findings
Several findings are summarized below. The logistics industry in Anhui is in urgent need of improving environmental efficiency. The environmental efficiency of the logistics industry in North Anhui is the highest one, showing that the logistics industry in North Anhui has achieved a relative balance between economic development and environmental protection. Their final cross-efficiency values based on the CIWs are smaller than those based on the comprehensive efficiency. And the environmental efficiency of almost all urban logistics industries is lower than its economic efficiency. The findings show that the proposed method is feasible and more reasonable. More economic implications and suggestions are proposed.
Originality/value
This paper proposes an extended cross-efficiency evaluation method based on information entropy to measure the environmental efficiency of the urban logistics industry, effectively avoiding the overestimation of efficiency results.
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Patricija Bajec, Danijela Tuljak-Suban and Evelin Krmac
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence of the application of standards and their positive influence on the efficiency and competitiveness of Slovenian…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the prevalence of the application of standards and their positive influence on the efficiency and competitiveness of Slovenian logistics service providers. Moreover, an analysis was also done on the relationship between the adoption of the environmental standard and greater concern for the environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A small sample analysis was done using a combination of statistical methods and an abductive approach. A χ2 analysis was utilized to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Many benefits were indicated. However, a positive relationship between quality standards and efficiency, as well as competitiveness, was not confirmed. In addition, the implementation of ISO 14001 quality standards was found to have no effect on the higher investment in environmental protection.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited by its local aspect (Slovenia), small sample size and its focus on just quality standards and their external factors. Future studies should be extended to the countries of eastern Europe and should further examine the relationship of internal factors as well as the relationship between the adoption of quality standards and the supply chain.
Practical implications
A survey is essential not just for the Slovenian industry but also for the wider logistics industry as well as for government authorities and standards providers.
Originality/value
This is one of the first papers written to analyse the effects of quality standards on international logistics service providers and the first paper that has explored the impact of standards on Slovenian logistics service providers.
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Rasha Kamal El-Deen El-Mallah, Alia Abd el Hamid Aref and Sherifa Sherif
The purpose of this paper is as follows: First, understanding the nature of the relationship between corporate adoption of the concept of societal responsibility [availability of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is as follows: First, understanding the nature of the relationship between corporate adoption of the concept of societal responsibility [availability of environmental awareness, clear vision of the impact of societal responsibility on financial performance, managers informing employees of the latest developments in societal responsibility programs, managers' response to their corporate social responsibility (CSR) proposals] in the form of an annual report that supports the success of the company's objectives, the company's management encourages employees to participate collectively in societal responsibility programs and to protect the environment from pollution in the petrochemical industry. Second, understand the nature of the relationship between the dimensions of corporate social responsibility concept (cultural, social, economic, ethical and legal) and protect the environment from pollution in the petrochemical industry. Third, the research also seeks to show the role of societal responsibility and its application in the petrochemical companies to protect the environment from pollution in The Governorate of Alexandria – Egypt, and come out with results and recommendations that could help protect the environment from the forms of environmental pollution resulting from the production processes of this industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The researcher has relied on each of the following approaches: Case study methodology is a research strategy aimed at solving a problem or facing a particular situation. It is based on preliminary hypotheses through full analysis of all data collected and recorded. Which depends on the study of a limited number of cases or vocabulary in-depth comprehensive study through the study of all or a large number of variables overlapping and interrelated and influential on the problem under consideration. Thus, it provides a deep and rich understanding of what is going on around the research and the processes that are related to it, and not only the external or apparent description of the situation or phenomenon; it cares about the total description and looks at the particles, in relation to the whole. Quantitative approach: by giving a numerical description indicating the size or size of the phenomenon or the degree of association with the phenomenon. Other phenomena. Accordingly, the role of the petrochemical companies in Alexandria Governorate, and the social responsibility programs carried out within the governorate in terms of importance, growth and requirements, and the most important characteristics and constraints and components and methods of work and developments have been described. Thus, the researcher can analyze the relationship between CSR and environmental protection from pollution in Alexandria Governorate.
Findings
There is paucity in the studies that dealt with the relationship between CSR and environmental protection against pollution in public organizations. There is agreement among the sample on the importance and feasibility of adopting the concept of social responsibility and placing it at the top of the top management concerns, especially in the field of petrochemical companies. With the need to take concrete implementation measures to support social responsibility programs aimed at serving the community among all stakeholders. The effective implementation of the mechanisms for the implementation of meaningful social responsibility programs requires fundamental changes in management practices, existing organizational structures and the quality of personnel working in the relevant departments, in general, and the social responsibility group, in particular, which may be difficult for political and economic reasons.
Research limitations/implications
Time: The study period was set from 2015 to 2017. Place: The study focuses on the petrochemical companies operating in Alexandria. Humanity: The study focuses on the employees of the petrochemical companies operating in Alexandria Governorate.
Practical implications
The adoption of social responsibility positively affects the protection of the environment from pollution, and this effect shows that the adoption of the concept of corporate social responsibility is influenced by the following factors: increasing the participation of workers with healthy environmental contributions to the productive process; increasing the companies' economic and social activities toward protecting the environment from pollution; increasing the capacity of companies to pay greater costs to preserve the environment; increasing the awareness of green consumers with the products it offers Companies; development of continuous internal work environment companies; and clearly defined strategy followed in social responsibility programs.
Social implications
The social responsibility of the public organizations derives their strength through, first, the keenness of these organizations to analyze the variables of the ethical dimension of social responsibility and their availability, which will lead the organizations to provide their services with the highest quality and sincerity. That this analysis (ethics of individuals) as training members of the social responsibility team to solve problems using brainstorming and provide employees with official data related to improving work (ethics of leadership), such as the identification of business objectives through the participation of managers with subordinates, and the punishment of workers who exhibit immoral behaviors (ethics of productive processes) as a decision-making process to ethical standards regardless of the costs involved. When there is an immoral behavior and managers are responsible for implementing the changes needed to reach the targeted outcomes), second, promote partnerships with other relevant sectors for community service.
Originality/value
According to the results of the previous studies and the applied study results, the researcher would like to submit a mechanism to the directors and heads of the boards of directors of the Egyptian petrochemical companies under study.
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Xinfeng Jiang, Ahsan Akbar, Eglantina Hysa and Minhas Akbar
China has emerged as the world's second-largest economy due to rapid industrial expansion and phenomenal economic growth of China in recent decades. Though, this exponential…
Abstract
Purpose
China has emerged as the world's second-largest economy due to rapid industrial expansion and phenomenal economic growth of China in recent decades. Though, this exponential economic turnaround has been fueled by widespread energy consumption, making China among the largest pollutant emitters in the world. Chinese enterprises have come under greater scrutiny and the Government has mandated Chinese companies to undertake environmental protection investment. This study aims to explore the relationship between environmental protection investment and enterprise innovation by taking evidence from Chinese listed firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The data of 2,568 Chinese A-share listed firm-year observations were collected from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges during 2008–2016. This study employed ordinary least square and panel data fixed effects techniques to ascertain the association between proposed variables.
Findings
The authors' findings conjecture the crowding-out effects of environmental investments on enterprise innovation-related expenditures. Furthermore, additional empirical testing reveals that Research and Development (R&D) undertakings of state-owned and politically connected enterprises are not affected by environmental investments. Likewise, corporate innovation activities are not negatively influenced by environmental investments in polluting industries. The study findings offer fresh insights to regulators, corporate managers and stakeholders. The authors' results are robust to alternate econometric specifications and alternate variable specifications.
Originality/value
This study makes the following contributions toward the extant literature. First, the study investigates if there is a crowding-out effect of spending on environmental protection in the current period and the innovation expenditure in the upcoming period. Empirical results confirm that there exists a trade-off between both types of spending, implying that the spending on environmental protection will negatively influence the spending on innovation. Second, the study deepens the analysis in considering other influences in this relationship. For instance, the authors' separately consider the aforementioned trade-off in state-owned enterprises and non-state-owned enterprises. The study also examines the mediating influence of corporate political connections and industry attributes, whether or not these influence the relationship between the actual spending on environmental protection and the upcoming spending on innovation.
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Markus J. Milne, Helen Tregidga and Sara Walton
Through an analysis of corporate sustainable development reporting, this paper seeks to examine critically language use and other visual (re)presentations of sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
Through an analysis of corporate sustainable development reporting, this paper seeks to examine critically language use and other visual (re)presentations of sustainable development within the business context. It aims to provide a framework to interpret and tease out business representations of sustainable development. Such representations are argued to be constitutive of the way that business has come to “know” and “do” sustainable development and, therefore, to constrain and enable particular actions and developments.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a mix of synthesis, interpretive and discourse analysis to locate, interpret and critically analyse a corpus of written and presentational texts produced by a New Zealand business association and eight of its founding members' early triple bottom line reports.
Findings
The business association and its members' reports are shown to present a pragmatic and middle‐way discourse on business and the environment. Through the use of rhetorical claims to pragmatism and action, this discourse suggests that businesses are “doing” sustainability. But critical analysis and interpretation within a wider framework reveal a narrow, largely economic and instrumental approach to the natural environment.
Originality/value
This paper offers a diagrammatic synthesis of the contested “middle ground” of the sustainable development debate, and thereby provides a frame of reference for further interpretational work on organisations and sustainable development.
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Ruihua Xu, Fan Luo, Xiaofang Chen, Mingze Li and Zapan Barua
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the characteristics of environmental protection behaviours of community residents from the perspective of system dynamics.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the characteristics of environmental protection behaviours of community residents from the perspective of system dynamics.
Design/methodology/approach
Documentation method is used to collect the factors and environmental improvement intervention strategies that influence the environmental protection behaviours of community residents from the top journals. To analyse the characteristics of the environmental protection behaviours of community residents which are nonlinear and dynamic, system dynamics (SD) are drawn. The initial value for simulation is obtained from the investigation report of some communities in China by questionnaires method.
Findings
The simulation shows that a process of continuous and interactional feedback is formed among environmental improvement intervention strategies, living context, environmental behavioural intention and environmental protection behaviours. These influences affect how environmental protection behaviour is affected by frequency of community environmental publicity, frequency of community participation regulation and local government investment, all of which are significant and decrease successively. Living context and environmental behavioural intention, which are intervened by the three strategies, can promote community residents’ environmental protection behaviours and reduce the degree of environmental pollution in communities.
Practical implications
The goal of reducing the community environmental pollution may be achieved, because the community environmental management departments can use this system dynamics approach to intervene the environmental protection behaviours of community residents.
Originality/value
The nonlinear and dynamic interactions among influencing factors are illustrated for an in-depth understanding of the environmental protection behaviours of community residents in this study. In addition, the initial parameter value and correlation coefficients are obtained for simulation through the questionnaire survey given to Chinese community residents to avoid the subjectivity of system dynamics.
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The issue of energy efficiency is becoming increasingly prevalent globally due to factors such as the expansion of the population, economic growth and excessive consumption that…
Abstract
Purpose
The issue of energy efficiency is becoming increasingly prevalent globally due to factors such as the expansion of the population, economic growth and excessive consumption that is not sustainable in the long run. Additionally, healthcare facilities and hospitals are facing challenges as their operational costs continue to rise. The research aim is to develop strategic frameworks for managing green hospitals, towards energy efficiency and corporate governance in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employs a qualitative case study approach, with a sample of ten hospitals examined through interviews with senior management, executives and healthcare facilities managers. Relevant data was also collected from literature and analysed through critical appraisal and content analysis. The research methodology is based on the use of grounded theory research methodologies to build theories from case studies.
Findings
The research developed three integrated conceptual strategic frameworks for managing hospitals and healthcare facilities towards energy efficiency, green hospital initiatives and corporate governance. The research also outlined the concepts of green hospitals and energy efficiency management systems and best practices based on the conclusions drawn from the investigated case studies.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to the initiatives and experiences of the healthcare facilities studied in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Originality/value
The research findings, conclusions, recommendations and proposed frameworks and concepts contribute significantly to the existing body of knowledge. This research also provides recommendations for hospital managers and policymakers on how to effectively implement and manage energy efficiency initiatives in healthcare facilities.
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