Values, attitudes and perceptions of managers as predictors of corporate environmental responsiveness

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 100; pp. 41 - 51
• Main Authors: Papagiannakis, Giorgos, Lioukas, Spyros
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.06.2012; Elsevier; Academic Press Ltd
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Attitude; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Business management; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Corporate culture; Corporate environmental responsiveness; Environmental attitudes; Environmental management; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental protection; Expectation; Expectations; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Greece; Humans; Managers; Models, Theoretical; Organizational Culture; Perceptions; Personal values; Self-efficacy; Stakeholder; Subjective norms; Theory of planned behavior; Training; Personal values; Environmental attitudes; Corporate environmental responsiveness; Subjective norms; Theory of planned behavior; Self-efficacy; Attitude; Theory; Perception; Behavior; Environmental management
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.01.023

We examine whether managers' values, attitudes, and perceptions influence the greening of organizations. To that purpose, we specify and test a model of corporate environmental responsiveness (CER), drawing upon a modified version of the theory of planned behavior and the value-belief-norm theory. Based on survey data from 142 Greek companies, we find that top managers' personal values influence responses indirectly, through shaping their environmental attitudes, while direct relationship is not significant. Subjective norms, expressing stakeholder expectations, do affect CER, with their effect being stronger than that of attitudes. Managers' perceived ability to handle environmental issues also appears to influence responses. Results have theoretical implications, indicating the significant role of managers' values, attitudes and perceptions in a firm's environmental response. Practical implications are discussed in relation to selection of managers and training. ► We specify and test a model of corporate environmental responsiveness. ► Managers' personal values shape their environmental attitudes. ► Managerial attitudes influence corporate responses. ► Stakeholder expectations influence responses the most. ► Managers' self-efficacy is related to proactive environmental responses.