The mounting environmental problems cause the strict international environmental regulations, arouse the customers¡¦ environmental awareness, and changing the patterns of business competition around the world. Green management, which is highly connected to sustainable development, is bringing to light and the curtain of corporate greening lifts. This study aims to probe the relationship between green strategy and competitive advantage- what strategies enterprises take under the green trend and what competitive advantages are achieved. The role green corporate culture plays is also discussed. The findings show that the practice of green strategy which differs from firm¡¦s resources and industrial characters generates different competitive advantages. The strength of green corporate culture is positively related to companies¡¦ ¡§age¡¨. Firms with strong green corporate culture can efficiently execute the green strategy and bring out strong competitive advantages. Otherwise, TMT should make efforts on conveying green vision to drive the practice of green strategy and secure competitive advantages.

Reporting on the growing number of green initiatives across various industries in media is at odds with only sporadic academic research on green acquisition strategy in the marketing discipline. This presents a unique opportunity for me to identify and empirically examine different factors that can impact a firm’s value when adopting the green acquisition strategy and explore drivers of adopting green strategies, namely, green acquisition and green innovation. In this thesis, I explore these questions through two studies. In the first study, I analyze 182 green acquisition announcements using the event study method to see how the stock market reacts. The study reveals that the stock market responds positively to announcements of green acquisitions. Additionally, acquirers with stronger marketing capability but limited innovation capability experience better stock performance. However, the stock market return−green acquisition relationship, influenced by the two capabilities mentioned above, is moderated by industry environmental sensitivity. The results enhance our understanding of how marketing and innovation capabilities impact investor behavior in the context of green acquisitions. These findings broaden our existing knowledge of the marketing−finance interface, green marketing, and corporate sustainability. The second study examines external and internal drivers of corporate green strategies (i.e., green innovation and green acquisition). Using a sample of 1565 firm-year observations from the food and beverage industries, I show that firms under greater media attention are more likely to adopt both green acquisition and green innovation strategies. However, with the presence of the top management team’s commitment toward sustainability, media attention’s positive effects on firms’ likelihood of adopting green acquisition will be weakened. Moreover, firms with top management teams committed to sustainability are more likely to engage in green innovations under higher environmental regulation stringency. This study fills the gap in the green marketing literature by providing insights into why and how firms react to social and environmental challenges proactively. Notably, my findings show when and why firms adopt green acquisition or green innovation strategies. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Increasingly, corporations are responding to green trends by engaging in various green strategies such as green acquisition and green innovation. With regard to green acquisition strategy, little is known about its financial impact and determinants. Secondly, drivers of green innovation and green acquisition strategies have not been sufficiently examined from secondary/archival data sources. I explore these issues in two studies. The first study examines how the stock market responds to green acquisitions. It finds that when companies announce green acquisitions, the stock market reacts positively. Additionally, companies that have strong marketing capability but limited innovation capability tend to have better stock market performance. However, the effect of those capabilities on the relationship between stock market return and green acquisition is affected by the environmental sensitivity of the industry. The second study examines the major drivers of green strategies (i.e., green acquisition and green innovation). It shows how environmental regulation stringency and media attention affect those two green strategies differently with the presence of the top management team’s sustainability commitment.

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Yes / Despite the widespread recognition of the paybacks of “going green” and “going clean”, limited research has focused on the impact of lean-green strategy on firm growth. In this study, we contribute to strategy and environmental sustainability literatures by investigating the possibility that the influence on lean-green strategy and firm growth is driven by different levels of industry competition, managerial power and family ties. Using panel data from 732 firms in four major industrialised economies (the US, Germany, France and the UK), we found that lean-green strategy positively relates to firm growth and this relationship is amplified at higher levels of competition, managerial power and family ties. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also discussed.

Hållbart mode ansågs länge tråkigt och komplicerat, i rak motsats till modeveckornas flärd. Numera har begreppet blivit moderiktigt och spelar en central roll i det paradigmskifte modevärlden står inför tack vare ny teknik och digitala plattformer. I en reportageserie har jag undersökt modeindustrins hållbarhet ur tre olika perspektiv; produktion, design och framtidsspaning. Vad är innebär begreppet hållbart mode? Hur ser industrin ut i dagsläget? Vad kan en på individnivå göra? Och hur ser framtidens mode ut? Genom att förankra resonemang och frågeställningar i tidigare forskning och litteratur har jag djupgående granskat ämnet för att kunna besvara frågan om en industri som bygger på konsumtion och en växelverkan av trender kan bli hållbar? Eller är hållbart mode en paradox.  Reportageserien genomfördes i New Delhi, Stockholm och Borås i form av kvalitativa intervjuer med experter och ett wallraffande. I reflektionsrapporten förankras det journalistiska arbetet i etiska diskussioner kring journalistisk metod, genre, etnocentrism och källkritik. Syftet med studien var att lyfta fram hållbarhetsproblematiken och ge en mångfacetterad och realistisk bild över modeindustrins hållbarhetsutveckling, både på materiell- och humanitär nivå.

Our aim is to create a greater understanding for how Växjö Municipality is working with their vision, strategy and brand, and also how it is perceived by the business sector. This understanding will help us to highlight success factors and pitfalls that exist in the creation, implementation, and maintenance of a municipality’s identity, image and profile to convince the business sector to follow. Methodology: We have been using an abductive and qualitative research-method in which semi-structured interviews have been the basis of our empirical material. We had interviews with three employees, a communication manager and the mayor at Växjö Municipality as well as four organizations and two companies with sustainable focus. We did this to get different perspectives and thereby get a greater understanding. Analysis & conclusion: We have been able to identify both success factors and pitfalls in Växjö Municipality's strategic sustainability work. They have been successful when it comes to the circulation of their brand and they have taken advantage of chances that have come up. The success factors that we have identified is the spreading of myths and storytelling, strong political leadership, united politicians, strong organizational identity, cooperation, tough decisions that are in line with the strategy, shared objectives with companies and organizations with sustainable focus and international success. The risks and gaps that we have seen are great focus on the past, ignorance locally, different priorities and values internally and there is pressure to live by what they learn. That there is a positive attitude toward Växjö Municipality’s profile and message is a must if Växjö Municipality wants to achieve its ambition to become "The greenest city in Europe". New knowledge on the subject is the key behind the driving force when it comes to engagement in sustainability issues. It is also through the knowledge that attitude changes are possible.

二十一世紀人類面對環境變遷及資源耗竭的問題，廣泛地討論因應對策，並提出環境議題成為產業下一次工業革命之觸發重點。各國政府、環境保護推行組織及企業皆針對該議題提出施行策略與政策，其中企業界回應態度由早期被動因應，近年來轉變為主動結合企業核心經營理念，實踐兼具環境與經濟目標之綠色經營，並開拓創造價值之新商機。針對企業綠色經營策略之規劃與執行，多位學者指出需要透過一個完整的管理架構，將企業於環境行動之現況與未來綠色經營之實踐藍圖，以具體可行的階段性目標陳述出來，並展開成為行動方案，逐步實現綠色經營下永續發展之願景。 本研究文獻探討著重三部份：永續經營思維的演變，綠色經營的發展，及綠色經營實踐階段性作法。利用Olson (2008) 綠色經營階段性發展模型之三大構面：領導理念、指導方針及具體實踐，並選擇日本綠色經營領導廠商精工愛普生公司，研究實務個案與理論架構之異同與行動背後之策略意涵。 本研究歸納出以下結論：一、企業推行綠色經營前期決策為戰術層級，發展至後期提升至戰略層級。二、企業推動綠色經營前期，視外部壓力為經營條件之限制；發展至後期企業將環境議題視為下一個驅動企業成長的機會。三、企業推動綠色經營前期因應外部壓力，主要回應法規及市場需求，推動單一倡議與重點投資，以降低成本與風險為主；後期主動領導階段以環境行動創造價值，結合綠色思維與企業價值主張，進而創造競爭優勢及打造新經營模式。四、企業推行綠色經營前期以產品相關議題為改善標的，因應環境相關法規改善製造成份與製造程序為主；產品階段改良步上軌道後，後期企業開始思考創新價值活動的可能性。五、合作對象範圍隨經營發展階段擴大，前期以整合合作夥伴、教育員工為主；後期擴大將環境理念教育傳達至顧客、社區協力合作。 / Facing the problems of environmental change and natural resources depletion, these environmental concerns are widely discussed and debated in hope to bringing up more public attention and countermeasures. Overtime, these environmental factors have become the trigger of next generation industrial revolution in twenty-first century. Governments, organizations and enterprises put forward environmental protection strategies and policies. Enterprises generally take a passive stand to respond to the issue of actively taking environmental initiatives combined with their core business philosophy to achieve both the environment and economic goals of a green business model, and further explore new business opportunities to create value. A number of scholars have pointed out that enterprises manage sustainable green vision through a complete management structure in response to the current situation and the future blueprint for a green business strategy. Green strategy implementation plans illustrate specific, feasible and stage-dependent statement for enterprises to achieve both economy and ecology objectives. In this research, the literature review focuses on three issues: the evolution of sustainable development thinking, green business development and management, and stage-dependent implementation of the green strategy. Meanwhile, the research chooses a green management leading practitioner in electronic product industry- Seiko Epson Corporation as the case-study company and the study focuses on three distinct dimensions of a green strategy maturity model which are illustrated by Olson (2008): role of leadership, role of policies and illustrative actions. The research identifies and draws the following conclusions. First, with the management maturity for implementing green strategy, the decision-making level is escalated from tactical level to strategic level. Second, in the early stage of implementing green strategy enterprises see external conditions as constrains and in later stage they see them as opportunities for driving growth. Third, the early stages of awareness are largely in response to external pressure, regulations and demand from the community, investing in simple initiatives to streamline costs and reduce risks. The later stage of the initiative leads to the value creation which combines green thinking and business value proposition, thereby creating competitive advantages and create new business model. Fourth, the early stages of green management focus on product-related improvement issues and, in the later stage, enterprises start to consider innovative new value activities through green strategy. Fifth, the scope of cooperation expands as green management stage develops. In early stages enterprises integrate partners and educate employees and in the later stage to convey the environmental concept to customers and the community to achieve the vision together.

Ces travaux de thèse s’intéressent à l’association des performances industrielles et environnementales avec une démarche d’amélioration continue orientée vers le développement durable et ciblent l’élimination conjointe des « gaspillages » Lean et Green dans les processus de fabrication. La problématique majeure réside dans la mise en place des outils L&G au sein d’entreprises manufacturières possédant des processus et caractéristiques culturelles variés. Basés sur une analyse suivie de l’état de l’art et d’enquêtes de bonnes pratiques, les travaux de recherche incluent plusieurs évaluations et observations sur sites industriels. La mise au point d’une roadmap de déploiement adaptable, mettant en valeur les aspects sociaux par le biais de l’implication et de la valorisation des employés, est ainsi complétée par un modèle de sélection d’indicateurs environnementaux, une « Maison du L&G » et un modèle de maturité particularisé pour le niveau d’implémentation de la stratégie. / This thesis addresses the association of industrial and environmental performances with a continuous improvement approach oriented toward sustainable development, and particularly seeks for the identification and elimination of Lean and Green “wastes” in manufacturing processes. The major issue lies in the deployment of L&G tools within manufacturing firms with various processes and cultural characteristics. Based upon a thorough state of the art and industrial surveys on best practices, the research includes several assessments and observations on manufacturing sites. The development of an adaptable roadmap of deployment highlighting social concerns through the involvement of employees in improvements is therefore completed with a selection model of environmental indicators, a “L&G House” and a maturity model for the strategy’s implementation.