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9783540401476

Small and Medium Sized Companies in Europe

by ; ; ; ; ;
  • ISBN13:

    9783540401476

  • ISBN10:

    3540401474

  • Format: Hardcover
  • Copyright: 2003-11-01
  • Publisher: Springer Verlag
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Summary

The environmental performance of SMEs (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) is an area of major policy concern. Environmental Performance in Small and Medium Sized Companies reports on factors influencing the environmental performance of SMEs across four European countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. While there are a range of factors that are expected to influence the implementation of clean technology, this book focuses on three key hypotheses, namely firm competitiveness, culture and the use and availability of information and advice. In addition, a range of other factors likely to promote or constrain the adoption of clean technology is considered. The report is remarkably realistic because it is based on in-depth interviews in 300 SMEs and an additional postal survey with more than 800 replies. The EU firms surveyed span wide variations in environmental policy stringency, firm capability and markets served.

Table of Contents

Study Background
1(11)
Aims and Objectives
1(1)
SMEs and Clean Technologies
2(1)
Main Hypotheses
3(2)
Other Hypotheses Considered
5(1)
Important Constraints
6(3)
Capital stock
6(1)
Clean Technologies vs. End-of-Pipe Technologies
7(1)
Product quality
7(1)
Accounting obstacles
7(1)
Capital rationing
8(1)
Risk
8(1)
Other issues
8(1)
Technology Diffusion
9(1)
Research Outcomes
9(1)
Book Structure
10(1)
Method
11(14)
Competitiveness
11(1)
Environmental Performance
12(3)
Company Environmental Culture and Attitudes
15(4)
Measuring firm culture
16(3)
External Advisory Services
19(1)
Research Study Method
19(2)
Choice of country and industry
20(1)
Sample sizes
20(1)
Focus groups
21(1)
Questionnaires
21(1)
Postal questionnaire
21(1)
Face-to-face questionnaire to manufacturers
22(1)
Face-to-face questionnaire to advisory sources
22(1)
Cultural attitudes questionnaire to manufacturers
22(1)
Analysis
22(3)
Postal questionnaire data
22(1)
Face-to-face manufacturers' data
23(2)
Industrial Sectors Considered
25(12)
Furniture Industry
25(4)
United Kingdom
27(1)
Republic of Ireland
27(1)
Germany
28(1)
Italy
29(1)
Textile Industry
29(4)
United Kingdom
31(1)
Republic of Ireland
32(1)
Germany
32(1)
Italy
33(1)
Fruit and Vegetable Processing
33(4)
United Kingdom
34(1)
Republic of Ireland
35(1)
Germany
35(1)
Italy
35(2)
Furniture Industry
37(38)
Introduction
37(3)
Size Effect
40(1)
Competitive Status
41(4)
Environmental Initiatives
45(13)
Waste Reduction
50(1)
Energy Initiatives
51(1)
Reusable Packaging
52(1)
Solvent Reduction
53(1)
Avoidance of Toxic Substances in Raw Materials
54(1)
Eco-Design
55(1)
Environmental Communication
56(1)
Environmental Management Systems
56(2)
Drivers for Undertaking Initiatives
58(2)
Economic Impact of Initiatives
60(5)
Obstacles to Adoption of Environmental Initiatives
65(1)
Environmental Strategy
66(4)
Competitive Strategy
70(2)
Summary
72(3)
Textile Finishing Industry
75(42)
Introduction
75(1)
Firm Characteristics
75(4)
Size Effect
79(1)
Competitive Status
79(7)
Environmental Initiatives
86(13)
Waste Reduction
91(1)
Energy Initiatives
92(1)
Packaging
93(1)
Avoidance of Toxic Substances
93(1)
Air Protection
94(1)
Water Use and Protection
95(1)
Environmental Communication
96(1)
Environmental Management Systems
96(3)
Drivers for Undertaking Initiatives
99(2)
Economic Impact of Initiatives
101(5)
Obstacles to Adoption of Environmental Initiatives
106(2)
Environmental Strategy
108(4)
Competitive Strategy
112(2)
Summary
114(3)
Fruit & Vegetable Processing Industry
117(44)
Introduction
117(1)
Firm Characteristics
117(4)
Size Effect
121(1)
Competitive Status
122(7)
Environmental Initiatives
129(13)
Waste Reduction
134(1)
Energy Initiatives
135(1)
Packaging
136(1)
Avoiding Artificial Ingredients
137(1)
Organic Raw Materials and Regional Sourcing
137(1)
Water Use and Protection
138(1)
Environmental Communication
139(1)
Environmental Management Systems
139(3)
Drivers for Undertaking Initiatives
142(2)
Economic Impact of Initiatives
144(6)
Obstacles to Adoption of Environmental Initiatives
150(2)
Environmental Strategy
152(4)
Competitive Strategy
156(2)
Summary
158(3)
Sources of Advice (SOA)
161(24)
Introduction
161(1)
Sampling Procedure
161(2)
Sample Profile
163(1)
Advice Delivery
164(2)
Mode of contact
164(1)
Number of contacts
165(1)
Problem identification and nature of involvement
165(1)
Implementation of Advice
166(3)
Drivers for seeking advice
166(1)
Obstacles in the take up of advice (as identified by SOA)
167(1)
Typical technological & organisational obstacles
168(1)
Importance of Advisory Services
169(5)
Impact of the advisory services
170(1)
Importance of firm culture in the adoption of clean technologies
171(1)
Best sources of advice (as perceived by the SMEs)
172(2)
Competition between Private/Public Agencies
174(1)
Role of Universities and Research Institutions
175(2)
Role of Suppliers
177(1)
Role of Professional Associations
178(1)
Key Findings
179(2)
Issues specific to the UK/ROI
179(1)
Issues specific to Germany
180(1)
Issues specific to Italy
180(1)
Conclusion
181(4)
Cultural Attitudes
185(20)
Introduction
185(1)
Measuring Cultural Attitudes
186(1)
Pro and Anti-environmental Attitudes
187(1)
Environmental Strategy and Environmental Attitude
188(1)
Concern for the Environment
189(3)
Degree of Environmentalism
192(2)
Benefits of adopting environmental initiatives voluntarily
193(1)
Government Policy
194(3)
Firm Attitudes, Environmental Performance and Size
197(1)
Environmental performance
197(1)
Firm size and environmental attitudes
198(1)
Environmental Orientation
198(2)
Organisational Structure and Culture
200(3)
Organisational Structure
200(1)
Organisational Culture
201(2)
Conclusion
203(2)
Summary and Conclusions
205(22)
Focus of Study and Hypotheses
205(1)
Summary of Findings
206(17)
Environmental Performance
206(1)
Hypothesis 1
206(13)
Hypothesis 2
219(1)
Hypothesis 3
220(3)
Implications of the Findings for Policy
223(4)
Competitiveness and Economic Effects
224(1)
Obstacles
224(1)
Environmental Performance and Environmental Culture
225(1)
Research and Policy Conclusions
225(2)
References 227(6)
Index 233

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