Organization & Environment

Scholars and managers have raised the question of how to encourage employees to perform discretionary pro-environmental behaviors at work, termed organizational citizenship behaviors toward the environment (OCB-Es). This study examined how rationales for organizational sustainability relate to employees’ OCB-Es. We considered two rationales—eco-centric and organization-centric—and two sources—employees’ rationales and their perceptions of their employers’ rationales. Results from 489 working adults across a variety of organizations and occupations revealed that both eco-centric and organization-centric rationales at both individual and perceived organizational levels related to employees’ OCB-Es. Furthermore, we found interactive effects, such that employees’ perceptions of their organizations’ rationales were more important than their own rationales in determining OCB-Es. These findings contribute to a theoretical understanding of the complex and interrelated factors motivating employees to perform voluntary sustainability behaviors in organizations. In addition, our results are valuable for managers looking to increase employee sustainability behaviors.

Commons are resources shared by a group of people, and are studied using the commons dilemma paradigm. Despite Hardin’s prediction that the only sustainable management options are government regulation or private ownership, sustainable commons management has been observed with unregulated groups; however, global commons such as the atmosphere and oceans seem to conform to the prediction of “tragedy” because self-interests among users lead to degradation of the commons through overuse. The present study examined whether the factors of commons type (consumption or waste disposal) and cost (money or time) influence individual self-constraint in harvesting/polluting decisions to prolong the longevity of the shared resource, in the absence of social communication. Results indicate an interaction of the two factors: Individual self-constraint was greatest with the combination of disposal commons and time cost. These findings suggest that creative strategies to manage global commons may be possible, at least for waste-disposal commons.

Sustainable entrepreneurs are considered to play a crucial role in fostering sustainable development. However, transitions in sociotechnical systems, such as a transition to low-carbon energy solutions, are unlikely to succeed without the coordination with regional political actions, particularly in sectors characterized by path dependency and lock-ins. Based on an empirical analysis of the interplay between firms and public authorities when opening new energy niche markets through Sustainable Energy Action Plans, this article explores the role of sustainable entrepreneurs. We investigate the different levels of engagement with public authorities in co-evolutionary processes toward sustainable development. From this empirical research, four types of co-evolutionist sustainable entrepreneur are derived—hero, visionary, bandwagoner, and explorer. These correspond to the different degrees of interaction with public authorities and system level of action, and extend the definition of the sustainable entrepreneur. The related academic and managerial implications contribute to the current debate on sustainable entrepreneurship.

In India, a change in the consumption pattern has been observed among the industrial energy consumer since the past few years as they are shifting towards renewable energy sources for fulfilling their energy requirement. This study has used the theory of customer value to determine factors supporting development of industrial consumers’ relationship with green energy. Under the current scenario of climate change, it has become inevitable to maintain customers’ loyalty towards green energy. Perceived switching cost is a vital strategic tool for increasing customer loyalty towards a product or service. Therefore, in this study, the effect of various dimensions of customer value on perceived switching cost is examined in an industrial green energy market setting. Structural equation modelling technique is used to analyse data collected from 126 organisations by questionnaire survey. The results show that conditional value of green energy is having highest impact on perceived switching cost followed by functional value, social value, and emotional value.