Moderating effect of environmental supply chain collaboration: Evidence from Taiwan
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
ISSN: 0960-0035
Article publication date: 5 October 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how corporate environmental strategies, namely, environmental management strategy (EMS) and green product strategy (GPS), affect the competitiveness of a firm. In addition, this study investigates whether the environmental collaboration in supply chains (ECSC), namely, environmental collaboration with suppliers (ECS), and environmental collaboration with customers (ECC) moderate the environment-performance relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey methodology and regression modeling are adopted to assess the relationship between corporate environmental strategy and competitive performance of a company, including the moderating effects of ECSC.
Findings
Competitiveness is positively affected by EMS and GPS. ECSC moderately affects the links among EMS, GPS, and competitiveness. Regarding the differences between the impacts of ECS and ECC on performance, only ECS acts as a moderator in the enhancement of EMS and GPS. Thus, ECS positively contributes to enhance competitive advantage. In contrast to perceptions, ECC directly improves firm competitiveness.
Research limitations/implications
The findings support the understanding that the moderating role of ECSC may explain the conflicting results in environment-performance linkages. In particular, suppliers and customers could impact EMS and GPS in direct or interactive ways, or both, to enhance the performance of a firm.
Practical implications
Significant performance improvements are influenced not only by the real environmental commitment of companies to internal green management but also by the positive relations of firms with their external cooperative capabilities in environmental relationships with chain partners.
Originality/value
This research is the first to suggest and empirically test the moderating impacts of ECSC on the relationship between corporate environmental strategy and competitiveness.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to extend sincere appreciation to Ministry of Science & Technology, Taiwan for the financial support (MOST 99-2410-H-110-053-MY3).
Citation
Chen, Y.J., Wu, Y.J. and Wu, T. (2015), "Moderating effect of environmental supply chain collaboration: Evidence from Taiwan", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 45 No. 9/10, pp. 959-978. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-08-2014-0183
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited