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Does Better Environmental Performance Affect Revenues, Cost, or Both? Evidence From a Transition Economy

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  • Dietrich Earnhart
  • Lubomir Lizal

Abstract

This study analyzes the effect of corporate environmental performance on financial performance in a transition economy. In particular, it assesses whether good environmental performance affects revenues, costs, or both, and if so, in which directions. As environmental performance improves, do revenues rise and costs fall so that profits unambiguously increase? Or vice versa? If both revenues and costs rise (or fall), does better environmental performance improve or undermine profitability? To answer these questions, our study analyzes the links from environmental performance to revenues, costs, and profits using an unbalanced panel of Czech firms from the years 1996 to 1998. The analytical results indicate strongly that better environmental performance improves profitability by driving down costs more than it drives down revenues, consistent with the substantial regulatory scrutiny exerted by environmental agencies and the primary pollution control approach implemented by firms during the sample period.

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  • Dietrich Earnhart & Lubomir Lizal, 2007. "Does Better Environmental Performance Affect Revenues, Cost, or Both? Evidence From a Transition Economy," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp856, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
  • Handle: RePEc:wdi:papers:2007-856
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    Cited by:

    1. Giulio Cainelli & Massimiliano Mazzanti & Roberto Zoboli, 2013. "Environmental performance, manufacturing sectors and firm growth: structural factors and dynamic relationships," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 15(4), pages 367-387, October.
    2. Guangyou Zhou & Lian Liu & Sumei Luo, 2022. "Sustainable development, ESG performance and company market value: Mediating effect of financial performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3371-3387, November.
    3. Jarmila Zimmermannová, 2009. "Dopady zdanění elektřiny, zemního plynu a pevných paliv na odvětví OKEČ v české republice [The impact of taxation of electricity, natural gas and solid fuels on sectors of nace in the Czech Republi," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2009(2), pages 213-231.
    4. Szennay, Áron, 2018. "Nagyvállalatok pénzügyi teljesítményének és társadalmi felelősségvállalásának összefüggései Magyarországon [Relations between financial and non-financial performance in Hungary]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(12), pages 1281-1298.
    5. Kuen‐Hung Tsai & Chi‐Tsun Huang & Zi‐Hyo Chen, 2020. "Understanding variation in the relationship between environmental management practices and firm performance across studies: A meta‐analytic review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 547-565, February.
    6. Tomáš Brzobohatý & Petr Janský, 2010. "Impact of CO 2 Emissions Reductions on Firms’ Finance in an Emerging Economy: The Case of the Czech Republic," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 17(4), pages 725-736, December.
    7. Cainelli, Giulio & Mazzanti, Massimiliano & Zoboli, Roberto, 2008. "The Relationship Between Environmental Efficiency and Manufacturing Firm’s Growth," Coalition Theory Network Working Papers 46656, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    8. Surender Kumar & Shivananda Shetty, 2018. "Does environmental performance improve market valuation of the firm: evidence from Indian market," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 20(2), pages 241-260, April.
    9. Davide Antonioli & Massimiliano Mazzanti, 2009. "Techno-organisational strategies, environmental innovations and economic performances. Micro-evidence from an SME-based industrial district," Journal of Innovation Economics, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(1), pages 145-168.
    10. Monica Violeta Achim & Viorela Ligia Văidean & Sorin Nicolae Borlea & Decebal Remus Florescu, 2021. "The Impact of the Development of Society on Economic and Financial Crime. Case Study for European Union Member States," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-20, May.
    11. Kuen‐Hung Tsai & Yi‐Chuan Liao, 2017. "Innovation Capacity and the Implementation of Eco‐innovation: Toward a Contingency Perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 1000-1013, November.
    12. McGrath, Karen, 2014. "Does Increased Investment in Responsible Properties Lead to Better Corporate Performance?," MPRA Paper 57767, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Aug 2014.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Czech Republic; environmental protection; pollution; financial performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • G39 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Other
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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