IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v34y2025i8p10824-10843.html

Strategic Alignment Perspective on Green Export Strategy and Performance: Evidence From Developing‐Country Exporters

Author

Listed:
  • Frederick Yinbil Awuni
  • Nana Dwomoh Osei Bempah
  • Dominic Essuman
  • Emmanuel Kwabena Anin

Abstract

Green export strategy is essential for developing‐country exporters to meet environmental sustainability demands in foreign markets, but it also has cost and inefficiency implications and could undermine export performance, especially if it does not align with internal and external contextual conditions. This study applies the strategic alignment perspective to detail and clarify these complexities characterizing the green export strategy–performance link. The study's hypotheses are tested on survey data from 260 export manufacturers in Ghana using moderated regression analysis. The findings support the hypothesis that green export strategy enhances export performance, especially in foreign markets where customers prioritize green issues. However, contrary to the study's hypothesis, the findings indicate that a greater condition of export responsiveness weakens the export performance benefit of green export strategy. The article presents the implications of these findings for research and practice, emphasizing the importance of a strategic alignment perspective of green strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Frederick Yinbil Awuni & Nana Dwomoh Osei Bempah & Dominic Essuman & Emmanuel Kwabena Anin, 2025. "Strategic Alignment Perspective on Green Export Strategy and Performance: Evidence From Developing‐Country Exporters," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(8), pages 10824-10843, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:8:p:10824-10843
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.70144
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70144
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.70144?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ko, Eunju & Hwang, Yoo Kyung & Kim, Eun Young, 2013. "Green marketing' functions in building corporate image in the retail setting," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 1709-1715.
    2. Leonidas C. Leonidou & Paul Christodoulides & Lida P. Kyrgidou & Daydanda Palihawadana, 2017. "Internal Drivers and Performance Consequences of Small Firm Green Business Strategy: The Moderating Role of External Forces," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 585-606, February.
    3. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Fotiadis, Thomas A. & Christodoulides, Paul & Spyropoulou, Stavroula & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 2015. "Environmentally friendly export business strategy: Its determinants and effects on competitive advantage and performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 798-811.
    4. Chang, Kuo-Chien & Hsu, Chia-Lin & Hsu, Ya-Ti & Chen, Mu-Chen, 2019. "How green marketing, perceived motives and incentives influence behavioral intentions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 336-345.
    5. Clay M. Voorhees & Michael K. Brady & Roger Calantone & Edward Ramirez, 2016. "Discriminant validity testing in marketing: an analysis, causes for concern, and proposed remedies," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 119-134, January.
    6. Thomas J. Kull & Josip Kotlar & Martin Spring, 2018. "Small and Medium Enterprise Research in Supply Chain Management: The Case for Single†Respondent Research Designs," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 54(1), pages 23-34, January.
    7. Leonidas C. Leonidou & Paul Christodoulides & Lida P. Kyrgidou & Dayananda Palihawadana, 2017. "Erratum to: Internal Drivers and Performance Consequences of Small Firm Green Business Strategy: The Moderating Role of External Forces," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 607-607, February.
    8. Vishal Kumar Singh & Aditya Keshari & Divya Singh & Pravin Chandra Singh & Amit Gautam, 2024. "Green export strategies and SMEs export performance: mediating roles of innovation, readiness, and activities," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-33, December.
    9. Leonardo Nascimento & Takeshi Kuramochi & Gabriela Iacobuta & Michel den Elzen & Hanna Fekete & Marie Weishaupt & Heleen Laura van Soest & Mark Roelfsema & Gustavo De Vivero-Serrano & Swithin Lui & Fr, 2022. "Twenty years of climate policy: G20 coverage and gaps," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 158-174, February.
    10. Sardana, Deepak & Terziovski, Mile & Gupta, Narain, 2016. "The impact of strategic alignment and responsiveness to market on manufacturing firm's performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 131-138.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tan, Lay Peng & Casidy, Riza & Arli, Denni, 2025. "Drivers of strategic green marketing orientation: An SME owner-manager perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Chotia, Varun & Cheng, Yue & Agarwal, Reeti & Vishnoi, Sushant Kumar, 2024. "AI-enabled Green Business Strategy: Path to carbon neutrality via environmental performance and green process innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    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.
    4. 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.
    5. Husna Ara & Jasmine Yeap Ai Leen & Siti Hasnah Hassan, 2019. "GMS for Sustainability Performance in the Apparel Manufacturing Industry: A Conceptual Framework," Vision, , vol. 23(2), pages 170-179, June.
    6. 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.
    7. Leviticus Mensah & Richard Arhinful & Hayford Asare Obeng & Bright Akwesi Gyamfi, 2026. "Analyzing the Impact of Operating Leverage on Sustainable Performance in Japanese Firms Using Contingency Theory," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S1), pages 1267-1281, January.
    8. Shaker M. Al-Kahtani & Nabil Ahmed Mareai Senan & Ibtisam Dhuwayhi Alanazi, 2024. "Environmental Responsibility, Strategy, and Competitive Advantage: Mediating Effect of Environmental Innovation," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(3), pages 316-331, May.
    9. Vishal Kumar Singh & Aditya Keshari & Divya Singh & Pravin Chandra Singh & Amit Gautam, 2024. "Green export strategies and SMEs export performance: mediating roles of innovation, readiness, and activities," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-33, December.
    10. Jinshan Zhang & Man Liu, 2024. "How to Leverage Digital Sustainability Orientation to Promote Environmentally Sustainable Practices of Manufacturing Enterprises in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-20, June.
    11. Adnan Ali & Qian Yang & Xu Jiang, 2026. "Promoting Sustainable Development: Green Strategies and Firm Performance in Emerging Economies," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S1), pages 719-735, January.
    12. Marcos Carchano & Inmaculada Carrasco & Angela González, 2025. "Examining environmental proactivity in the Spanish wine industry: The moderating role of size," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(1), pages 127-157, January.
    13. Broccardo, Laura & Vola, Paola & Zicari, Adrian & Alshibani, Safiya Mukhtar, 2023. "Contingency-based analysis of the drivers and obstacles to a successful sustainable business model: Seeking the uncaptured value," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    14. Wei Zhang & Xiuli Zhong & Xue Li, 2024. "The impact of degree of internationalization of MNEs on green innovation performance: The moderating role of absorptive capacity and global dynamic management capability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 659-675, January.
    15. Li, Jinghua & Qiu, Xuan & Zhu, Jiantao & Pang, Yuting, 2026. "Dynamic optimal distinctive configurations enabling manufacturing firms to achieve high green innovation efficiency," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    16. Thac Dang‐Van & Tan Vo‐Thanh & Jianming Wang & Ninh Nguyen, 2023. "Luxury hotels' green practices and consumer brand identification: The roles of perceived green service innovation and perceived values," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4568-4583, November.
    17. Wanke, Peter Fernandes & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel José & Moreira Antunes, Jorge Junio & Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, Ana Beatriz & Roubaud, David & Sobreiro, Vinicius Amorim & Santibanez Gonzalez‬, Erne, 2021. "An original information entropy-based quantitative evaluation model for low-carbon operations in an emerging market," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    18. Hariyani, Dharmendra & Mishra, Sanjeev & Hariyani, Poonam & Sharma, Milind Kumar, 2023. "Drivers and motives for sustainable manufacturing system," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(1).
    19. Sheikh Farhan Ashraf & Cai Li & Muhammad Umair Wattoo & Majid Murad & Babak Mahmood, 2024. "Green horizons: Unleashing green innovation through green business strategies and competencies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4233-4251, July.
    20. Tulin Dzhengiz & Eva Niesten, 2020. "Competences for Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Review on the Impact of Absorptive Capacity and Capabilities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 881-906, April.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:8:p:10824-10843. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.