Title: Antecedent and outcomes study on green value chain initiatives: a perspective from sustainable development and sustainable competitive advantage

Authors: Tan Teong Jin, Suhaiza Zailani

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia. ' Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

Abstract: Emergence of green value chain (GVC), aims to attain a harmonized socio environmental ambient besides financial fulfilment, has been perceived as an inevitable business trends in recent years. In this antecedent outcomes study, GVC initiatives in relation to sustainable development (SD) and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) has been carried out via mailed questionnaires on 300 ISO 14001 certified Malaysian manufacturing firms. Results based on 30.0% response rate showed that risk management, corporate social responsibility, and socio environmental considerations stand out to be the three utmost important antecedents of GVC initiatives, and are being executed through green primary activities, and green resource and capability management. These in turn, lead to achievement of SCA in terms of financial and socio environmental performances. Establishment of such relationship adds considerably novel knowledge towards extension of Michael Porter|s value chain model by linking it to SD driven forces at input and creating SCA at output besides uncover other practical benefits that can be gained thereof.

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainable competitive advantage; Malaysia; green value chain; GVC; sustainability; risk management; corporate social responsibility; CSR; socio-environmental issues.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVCM.2010.036992

International Journal of Value Chain Management, 2010 Vol.4 No.4, pp.319 - 364

Published online: 20 Nov 2010 *

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