Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T10:57:43.916Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental Education and Small Business Environmental Activity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2012

Janice Redmond  and
Beth Walker
Janice Redmond*
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia
Beth Walker
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia
*
Address for Correspondence: Dr Janice Redmond, Small and Medium Enterprise Research Centre, School of Management, Edith Cowan University, 100 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Western Australia 6027. E-mail: j.redmond@ecu.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Environmental education is seen as a key driver of small business environmental management, yet little is known about the activities small business owner-managers are undertaking to reduce their environmental impact or in what areas they may need education. Therefore, research that can identify environmental management activities being undertaken in small businesses may provide potential targets for education. As intention to behave in a particular way is often predicated on some sort of planning, extending the research questions to ascertain if planning is occurring and its impact on environmental behaviour in small businesses is also seen as critical. The results revealed that, overall, the level of environmental activity in small business was low and that less than a quarter had an environmental plan. In addition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and purchasing green energy are not areas of engagement for most small businesses and are recommended as potential targets for education.

Keywords

environmental educationenvironmental managementowner-managerssmall firmsenvironmental planning
Type
Research Article
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , 2011 , pp. 238 - 248
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abdullah, M.A., & bin Bakar, M.I. (2000). Small and medium enterprise in Asian Pacific countries: Vol. 2. Linkages and policy support. Huntington, NY: Nova Science.Google Scholar
Aragon-Correa, J.A., Hurtado-Torres, N., Sharma, S., & Garcia-Morales, V.J. (2008). Environmental strategy and performance in small firms: A resource-based perspective. Journal of Environmental Management, 86, 88–103.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2004). Small business in Australia. Available from http://www.abs.gov.au. Cat 8127.0Google Scholar
Bartram, T. (2005). Small firms, big ideas: The adoption of human resource management in Australian small firms. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 43, 137–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beaver, G. (2003). Management and the small firm. Strategic Change, 12, 63–68.Google Scholar
Billett, S. (2001). Increasing small business participation in VET: A hard ask. Education and Training, 43, 416–425.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benn, S., Dunphy, D., & Griffiths, A. (2006). Enabling change for corporate sustainability: An integrated perspective [online]. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 13(3), 156–165. http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=200611449;res=APAFT.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birch, D.L. (1989). Change, innovation and job generation. Journal of Labor Research, 10, 33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cloquell-Ballester, V.A., Monterde-Diaz, R., Cloquell-Ballester, V.A., & Torres-Sibille, A. d C. (2008). Environmental education for small- and medium-sized enterprises: Methodology and e-learning experience in the Valencian region. Journal of Environmental Management, 87(3), 507–520.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Condon, L. (2004). Sustainability and small to medium sized enterprises: How to engage them. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 20, 57–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Culkin, N., & Smith, D. (2000). An emotional business: A guide to understanding the motivations of small business decision takers. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 3, 145–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cutter-Mackenzie, A. (2010). Australian Waste Wise Schools Program: Past, present and future. Journal of Environmental Education, 41(3), 165–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ECOTEC. (2000). Report on SMEs and the Environment; Analysis of the replies given by 6 European Union Member States to a European Commission's questionnaire on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and the Environment [online]. Report commissioned by the European Commission. Available from http://ec.europa.eu/environment/sme/pdf/smestudy.pdfGoogle Scholar
Fowler, F.J. Jnr. (1995). Improving survey questions: Design and evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Gadenne, D.L., Kennedy, J., & McKeiver, C. (2008). An empirical study of environmental awareness and practices in SMEs'. Journal of Business Ethics, 23(5), 45–63. doi: 10.1007/s10551–008–9672–9Google Scholar
Gerrans, P., & Hutchinson, B. (2000). Sustainable development and small and medium enterprise: A long way to go. In Hillary, R. (Ed.), Small and medium sized enterprises and the environment: Business imperatives (pp. 75–81). Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilg, A., & Barr, S. (2005). Encouraging ‘environmental action’ by exhortation: Evidence from a study in Devon. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 48(4), 593–618.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gonzalez-Benito, J., & Gonzalez-Benito, O. (2006). A review of determinant factors of environmental proactivity. Business Strategy and Environment, 15, 87–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hertin, J., Berkhout, F., Wagner, M., & Tyteca, D. (2008). Are EMS environmentally effective? The link between environmental management systems and environmental performance in European countries. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 51(2), 259–283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hillary, R. (Ed). (2000). Small and medium sized enterprises and the environment: Business imperatives. Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf.Google Scholar
IEFE (2005). EVER: Evaluation of EMAs and Eco-label for their revision: Executive Summary [online]. Commissioned by IEFE-Universitá Bocconi, Adelphi Consult, IOWE, office Heidelberg, SPRU, Sussex University, Valør & Tinge A/S. Available from http://www.adelphi-research.de/projektberichte/ever_final.pdfGoogle Scholar
Jennings, P., & Beaver, G. (1997). The performance and competitive advantage of small firms: A management perspective. International Small Business Journal, 15(2), 63–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jickling, B., & Wal, A.E.J. (2007). Globalization and environmental education: Looking beyond sustainable development. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(1), 1021.Google Scholar
Kagan, R.A., Gunningham, N., & Thornton, D. (2005). Explaining corporate environmental performance: How does regulation matter? Law & Society Review, 37, 51–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klassen, R.D., & Whybark, D.C. (1999). Environmental management in operations: The selection of environmental technologies. Decision Science, 30, 601–631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knez-Riedl, J. (2008). The development of environmental responsibility amongst Slovenian SMEs. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 6(1), 103–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Labuschagne, C., Brent, A.C., & van Erck, R.P.G. (2004). Assessing the sustainability performances of industries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 13(4), 1–13Google Scholar
Lindenmayer, D. (2007). On borrowed time: Australia's environmental crisis and what we must do about it. VIC, Australia: Penguin Books in association with CSIRO.Google Scholar
Longenecker, J.G., Moore, C.W., Petty, J.W., & Palich, L.E. (2006). Small business management: An entrepreneurial emphasis (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.Google Scholar
Luetkenhorst, W. (2004). Corporate social responsibility and the development agenda. Intereconomics, 39, 157–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, R., & Lind, D. (1993). Statistical techniques in business and economics (8th ed.). Homewood, IL.: Richard Irwin Inc.Google Scholar
Masurel, E. (2007). Why SMEs invest in environmental measures: Sustainability evidence from small and medium enterprise sized printing firms. Business Strategy and Environment, 16, 190–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKeiver, C., & Gadenne, D. (2005). Environmental management systems in small and medium businesses. International Small Business Journal, 23, 513–537.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mir, D.F., & Feitelson, E. (2007). Factors affecting environmental behaviour in micro-enterprises: Laundry and motor vehicle repair firms in Jerusalem. International Small Business Journal, 25, 383–415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mughan, T., & Lloyd-Reason, L. (2007). Building the international SME across national settings: A global policy inquiry and response. The Business Review, Cambridge, 1, 127–132.Google Scholar
Naffizger, D.W., Ahmed, N.U., & Montagno, R.V. (2003). Perceptions of environmental consciousness in the US small business an empirical study. SAM Advanced Management Journal, 68(2), 23–32.Google Scholar
Parker, C.M., Redmond, J., & Simpson, M., (2009). A review of interventions to encourage SMEs to make environmental improvements. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 27(2), 279–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petts, J. (2000). Small and medium enterprises and environmental compliance: Attitudes among management and non-management. In Hillary, R. (Ed.), Small and medium enterprises and the environment (pp. 49–60). Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf.Google Scholar
Redmond, J., Walker, E.A., & Goeft, U. (2006). Final report: Bellevue Sustainable Industry Project. Perth, W.A.: Edith Cowan University. Available at http://www.ecu.edu.auGoogle Scholar
Redmond, J., & Walker, E.A. (2009). Environmental education in small business: The owner-manager's perspective. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 25, 117–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Redmond, J., Walker, E.A., & Wang, C. (2008). Issues for small businesses with waste management: Resources or attitude? Journal of Environmental Management, 88(2), 275–285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Revell, A. (2003). Environmental policy and the small firm in Japan: Comparisons with the Netherlands. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 5(4), 397–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Revell, A., & Blackburn, R.A. (2007). The business case for sustainability? An examination of small firms in the UK's construction and restaurant sectors. Business Strategy and the Environment, 16(6), 404–420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Revell, A., & Rutherfoord, R. (2003). UK environmental policy and the small firm: Broadening the focus. Business Strategy and the Environment, 12(1), 26–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rothenberg, S., & Becker, M. (2004). Technical assistance and the diffusion of environmental technologies in the printing industry: The case of SMEs. Business and Society, 43(4), 366–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutherfoord, R., Blackburn, R.A., & Spence, L.J. (2000). Environmental management and the small firm. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 6(6), 310–325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaefer, A. (2007). Contrasting institutional and performance accounts of environmental management systems: Three case studies in the UK water & sewerage industry. Journal of Management Studies, 44, 506–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaper, M. (2002). Small firms and environmental management: Predictors of green purchasing in Western Australian pharmacies. International Small Business Journal 20(3), 235–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, M., Taylor, N., & Barker, K. (2004). Environmental responsibility in SMEs: Does it deliver competitive advantage? Business Strategy and the Environment, 13, 156–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sköllerhorn, E. (1998). Habermas and nature: The theory of communicative action for studying environmental policy. Environmental Education and Small Business Environmental Activity Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 41(5), 555–573.Google Scholar
Stokes, D., Chen, H., & Revell, A. (2007). Small businesses and the environment: Turning over a new leaf? A report for the workspace group plc. Available from http://business.kingston.ac.uk/research/sbrc/respapers/sbenleaf.pdfGoogle Scholar
Storey, D.J. (1994). Understanding the small business sector. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Tilbury, D., Adams, K., & Keogh, A. (2005). A national review of environmental education and its contribution to sustainability in Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage. Available from http://www.aries.mq.edu.auGoogle Scholar
Tilley, F. (1999). The gap between the environmental attitudes and the environmental behaviour of small firms. Business Strategy and the Environment, 8, 238–248.3.0.CO;2-M>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United Nations. (n.d.). UN Documents: Gathering a body of global agreements. Compiled by the NGO Committee on Education of the Conference of NGOs. Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htmGoogle Scholar
Upton, N., Teal, E.J., & Felan, J.T. (2001). Strategic business planning practices of fast growing family firms. Journal of Small Business Management, 39, 60–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, E.A., Redmond, J.Sheridan, L., Wang, C., & Goeft, U. (2008). Small and medium enterprises and the environment: barriers, drivers, innovation and best practice. A review of the literature. Perth, W.A.: Edith Cowan University. Available from http://www.ecu.edu.au.Google Scholar
Walker, E.A, Redmond, J., Webster, B., & Le Clus, M. (2007). Small business owners: Too busy to train? Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 14(2), 294–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, C., Walker, E.A., & Redmond, J. (2006). Ownership motivation and strategic planning in small business. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, 2(4), 26–50.Google Scholar
Webster, B.J., Walker, E.A., & Brown, A. (2005). Australian small business participation in training activities. Education + Training, 47, 552–561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, H., van Hooydonk, A., Dingle, P., & Annadale, D. (2000). Developing tailored environmental management systems for small business. Eco-management and Auditing, 7, 106–113.3.0.CO;2-C>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wills, I. (2003). Informational barriers to pollution reduction in small business. Economic Society of Australia, 22(2), 84–95.Google Scholar
Worthington, I., & Patton, D. (2005). Strategic intent in the management of the green environment within SMEs. Long Range Planning, 38, 197–212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar