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Environmental projects and financial performance: Exploring the impact of project characteristics

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  • Thoumy, Mira
  • Vachon, Stephan

Abstract

In several manufacturing organizations, environmental management systems are often operationalized through a series of green projects that can lead to a reduction of waste or a more efficient use of the resources. In turn, these types of green projects contribute directly to the bottom line. Using detailed reports of 79 environmental projects that took place in manufacturing organizations in the Province of Quebec over the last decade; this paper examines the influence of four project characteristics on the project's financial outcome. The results suggest that projects related to the main product or its underlying production process (as opposed to peripheral projects) can be financially more beneficial despite their disruptive nature. Evidence was also found that green projects involving changes in the management systems are more profitable than the ones that entail a structural transformation. Finally, a positive linkage between organizational size and project's financial performance has been supported, as larger organizations have more capabilities to implement such green initiatives.

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  • Thoumy, Mira & Vachon, Stephan, 2012. "Environmental projects and financial performance: Exploring the impact of project characteristics," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 28-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:140:y:2012:i:1:p:28-34
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2012.01.014
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    19. Silvia Amato, 2016. "East Asia Industrial Conversion Activity: Outlook at Post-Disaster Crisis Assessments with Technology Integration and Competitive Assimilation Modes," China Economic Policy Review (CEPR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(01), pages 1-44, June.
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    21. Kimitaka Nishitani & Katsuhiko Kokubu, 2014. "Corporate Environmental Initiatives and Shareholder Value: Focusing on the Role of Environmental Information and Its Credibility," Discussion Paper Series DP2014-34, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    22. Awe, Olajumoke A. & Woodside, Arch G. & Nerur, Sridhar & Prater, Edmund, 2020. "Capturing heterogeneities in orchestrating resources for accurately forecasting high (separately low) project management performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    23. Sara Hajmohammad & Stephan Vachon, 2014. "Safety Culture: A Catalyst for Sustainable Development," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 263-281, August.
    24. Lin, Chin-Sen & Su, Chao-Ton, 2013. "The Taiwan national quality award and market value of the firms: An empirical study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 57-67.
    25. Jau-Yang Liu, 2018. "An Internal Control System that Includes Corporate Social Responsibility for Social Sustainability in the New Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-27, September.

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