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Exploring the Proactivity Levels and Drivers of Environmental Strategies Adopted by Vietnamese Seafood Export Processing Firms: A Qualitative Approach

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  • Binh Do

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Thuongmai University, 79 Ho Tung Mau Road, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam)

  • Uyen Nguyen

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Thuongmai University, 79 Ho Tung Mau Road, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam)

  • Ninh Nguyen

    (Department of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Marketing, La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia)

  • Lester W. Johnson

    (Department of Management and Marketing, Swinburne Business School, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia)

Abstract

Export processing firms from emerging markets often need to adjust their export strategies towards environmentally friendly directions to address strict regulatory requirements and increasingly environmental concerns among the public and consumers in advanced countries. This study aims to explore and evaluate different proactivity levels and drivers of environmental strategies (ESs) adopted by Vietnamese seafood export processing firms. Data was obtained from two sources: Public archival data of 32 listed firms, and semi-structured interviews with 44 managers from seafood export processing firms. Content analysis revealed that reactive ESs were adopted the most by Vietnamese seafood export processing firms, followed by opportunistic ESs, focused ESs and proactive ES, respectively. The findings also demonstrated that both internal factors and external factors in home and host countries motivate the firms to pursue different ESs. This study sheds light on unexplored characteristics and drivers of ESs in Vietnam and it assists key stakeholders including export processing firms and policymakers in the adoption, development and promotion of ESs.

Suggested Citation

  • Binh Do & Uyen Nguyen & Ninh Nguyen & Lester W. Johnson, 2019. "Exploring the Proactivity Levels and Drivers of Environmental Strategies Adopted by Vietnamese Seafood Export Processing Firms: A Qualitative Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:14:p:3964-:d:250464
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    2. Binh Do & Ninh Nguyen, 2020. "The Links between Proactive Environmental Strategy, Competitive Advantages and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Thi Thu Hien Phan & Hiep Xuan Tran & Trung Thanh Le & Ninh Nguyen & Simon Pervan & Manh Dung Tran, 2020. "The Relationship between Sustainable Development Practices and Financial Performance: A Case Study of Textile Firms in Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.

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