Raul,
I am (trying) to finish up my dissertation on this topic--with a focus on SMEs and voluntary (beyond compliance) environmental leadership. These questions are certainly going to depend whether large or small firms. Another piece to consider is general awareness and accurate knowledge of the VEP itself by the firm (i.e., if yhou don't know about it, know why to join, then whjy would you join). Finally, I think that for SMEs specifically (and perhaps large firms too), the role of individual change agent (change management theory) in VEP uptake is critical. In my research, most SMEs are not participating to gain any real competitive advatange (although they experience it after the fact through cost savings, price premiums, and public recognition), but rather join because (a) they are already doing this stuff, and/or (b) there is an individual in the SME with a 'green heart'. As a result, we see 'active participation rates' (i.e., not just signing up for the program, but actually taking and documenting action and results through VEPs) in the 3-5% range (per industry population). Once I fight with my committee to have them understand the value of this "environmental stuff" in the management literature, I can pass along the final product.
Yours,
Kevin Fletcher
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Kevin A. Fletcher
Director of Programs & Administration
Audubon International
46 Rarick Road, Selkirk, NY 12158
Phone: (518)767-9051 ext 26; Fax: (518)767-9076
Email: kfletcher@auduboninternational.org
Website: http://www.auduboninternational.org
"Fostering more sustainable human and natural communities--one person, one place at a time."
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From: Organizations and the Natural Environment Discussion [mailto:ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Raul Pacheco
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 1:42 AM
To: ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: What drives firms to engage in voluntary programmes?
Dear all,
I'm writing a grant proposal to look at drivers of adoption of voluntary policy instruments. I know this is a topic well researched but I think that there are features that still remain to be analyzed. At any rate, the way I see it there are two avenues and two scales of analysis:
a) What drives countries to adopt non-orthodox environmental policy instruments? - We could argue for convergence, policy diffusion, internationalization and regime creation.
and
b) What drives individual firms to engage in voluntary schemes? - Here we could argue for "enlightened self-interest", corporate social responsibility, etc.
One could also argue that individual firms respond to transnational pressures... but I am not yet too sure how to deal with this aspect.
Suggestions for key literature on each of these two avenues would be most appreciated.
Thanks!
Raul