Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis on the adoption of environmental practices: Exploring technological- and human-resource-based contributions

Abstract

Our main objective was to analyze which paths can lead to the adoption of environmental practices (PRAC) in firms, for which we developed three original alternative research models. Model 1 involves five sources for the adoption of environmental practices: human resource costs, organizational learning capability, firm size, manager educational level and manager experience. Model 2 adopts five sources for PRAC: human resource costs, information technology support, firm size, manager educational level and manager experience. Finally, Model 3 adopts six sources for PRAC: human resource costs, organizational learning capability, information technology support, firm size, manager educational level and manager experience. Therefore, Model 1 uses the organizational learning capability for PRAC, Model 2 uses the information technology support for PRAC and Model 3 uses both organizational learning capability and information technology support for PRAC. We used a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis on 349 small- and medium-sized Portuguese firms in twelve industrial sectors. The results show that organizational learning capability (OLC) and information technology support (ITS) are important sources for the development of PRAC. In this line, the three research models show that there are different pathways that lead to PRAC. These research models also show pathways that lead to the absence of PRAC. Therefore, the qualitative findings show the relevancy of OLC and ITS to PRAC. In addition, our findings indicate that, by focusing on variables such as OLC, a firm can find more paths that lead to PRAC. Additionally, with the combination of OLC and ITS, it must be taken into account that only developing ITS without OLC is riskier when obtaining PRAC.