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Do Personal Values Influence the Propensity for Sustainability Actions? A Policy-Capturing Study

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  • Joel Marcus
  • Heather MacDonald
  • Lorne Sulsky

Abstract

Using a policy-capturing approach with a broad student sample we examine how individuals’ economic, social and environmental values influence their propensity to engage in a broad range of sustainability-related corporate actions. We employ a multi-dimensional sustainability framework of corporate actions and account for both the positive and negative impacts associated with corporate activity—termed strength and concern actions, respectively. Strong economic values were found to increase the propensity for concern actions and the willingness to work in controversial industries. Individuals with balanced values were as likely as those with strong economic values to pursue positive economic outcomes, but without the same downside potential for concern actions. We also found significant gender effects, with females being less likely to engage in concern actions and more supportive of social and environmental strength actions. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

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  • Joel Marcus & Heather MacDonald & Lorne Sulsky, 2015. "Do Personal Values Influence the Propensity for Sustainability Actions? A Policy-Capturing Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 459-478, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:127:y:2015:i:2:p:459-478
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-013-2032-4
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    2. Rok Črešnar & Zlatko Nedelko, 2020. "Understanding Future Leaders: How Are Personal Values of Generations Y and Z Tailored to Leadership in Industry 4.0?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-19, May.
    3. Juliane Peters & Ana Simaens, 2020. "Integrating Sustainability into Corporate Strategy: A Case Study of the Textile and Clothing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-35, July.
    4. Shraddha Yadav & Yingjiao Xu & Helmut Hergeth, 2024. "Walking the Talk: Unraveling the Influence of the Sustainability Features of Leather Alternatives on Consumer Behavior toward Running Shoes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Paul Shrivastava & Günter Schumacher & David Wasieleski & Marko Tasic, 2017. "Aesthetic Rationality in Organizations: Toward Developing a Sensibility for Sustainibility," Post-Print hal-01515126, HAL.
    6. Tatjana Korte & Lars Otte & Henning Amel & Marco Beeken, 2022. "“ Burger.i.doo ”—An Innovative Education Game for the Assessment of Sustainability from Meat and Substitute Products in Science Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Zachary Oliphant & Chae M. Jaynes & Richard K. Moule Jr., 2020. "Social Preferences and Environmental Behavior: A Comparison of Self-Reported and Observed Behaviors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Fuan Li & Xingyuan Wang & Rajiv Kashyap, 2019. "Socially Responsible Practice and CSR Orientation of Chinese Managers: The Role of Confucian Ethics and Confucian Dynamism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-13, November.
    9. Matthew A. Maxwell-Smith & Paul J. Conway & Joshua D. Wright & James M. Olson, 2018. "Translating Environmental Ideologies into Action: The Amplifying Role of Commitment to Beliefs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 839-858, December.
    10. Won‐Moo Hur & Tae‐Won Moon & Han‐Geun Lee, 2018. "Employee engagement in CSR initiatives and customer‐directed counterproductive work behavior (CWB): The mediating roles of organizational civility norms and job calling," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(6), pages 1087-1098, November.
    11. Dabić, Marina & Maley, Jane F. & Črešnar, Rok & Nedelko, Zlatko, 2023. "Unappreciated channel of manufacturing productivity under industry 4.0: Leadership values and capabilities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    12. Chung-wen Chen & Hsiu-Huei Yu & Kristine Velasquez Tuliao & Aditya Simha & Yi-Ying Chang, 2021. "Supervisors’ Value Orientations and Ethics: A Cross-National Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 167-180, April.
    13. Joel Marcus & Jason Roy, 2019. "In Search of Sustainable Behaviour: The Role of Core Values and Personality Traits," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 63-79, August.
    14. Talavera, Oleksandr & Yin, Shuxing & Zhang, Mao, 2016. "Managing the diversity: board age diversity, directors’ personal values, and bank performance," MPRA Paper 71927, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Jesse R. Catlin & Michael Gerhard Luchs & Marcus Phipps, 2017. "Consumer Perceptions of the Social Vs. Environmental Dimensions of Sustainability," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 245-277, September.
    16. Maria Jose Murcia & Pilar Acosta, 2023. "Accounting for Plural Cognitive Framings of Growth and Sustainability: Rethinking Management Education in Latin America," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(2), pages 299-313, June.

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