Sustainability and legitimacy theory: The case of sustainable social and environmental practices of small and medium-sized enterprises
Sustainability and legitimacy theory: The case of sustainable social and environmental practices of small and medium-sized enterprises
The aim of this paper is to identify and gain insights into small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) rationales (why) for engaging in sustainable social and environmental practices (SEPs) that influence social and environmental policy and sustainability changes. Specifically, we depart from the predominately quantitative-orientated SEPs literature by conducting in-depth interviews and analysis of owners and managers of SMEs in the United Kingdom within a legitimacy theoretical framework. Our findings from a comprehensive number of interviewees show that SMEs employ a complex mix of both symbolic and substantive SEPs with the aim of enhancing the legitimacy and sustainability of their operations. The results emphasise the strengths of social engagement, reputation and image, environmental embeddedness, industry differentiation and education facilitators. In particular, the paper shows that legitimating strategies can have a dual purpose of being symbolic in nature but also inferring a substantive legitimacy claim. Evidence of SMEs maintaining their legitimacy position stretches further via either a moral and/or a pragmatic standpoint.
SMEs, social and environmental practices, environmental policy and sustainability, environmental performance, legitimacy theory, substantive and symbolic legitimation, uk census
3740-3762
Crossley, Richard
8ce74811-4413-43dc-867f-d1ed6fe881cf
Elmagrhi, Mohamed H.
4961f329-8a2d-47c5-83ee-34fc058030fe
Ntim, Collins
1f344edc-8005-4e96-8972-d56c4dade46b
December 2021
Crossley, Richard
8ce74811-4413-43dc-867f-d1ed6fe881cf
Elmagrhi, Mohamed H.
4961f329-8a2d-47c5-83ee-34fc058030fe
Ntim, Collins
1f344edc-8005-4e96-8972-d56c4dade46b
Crossley, Richard, Elmagrhi, Mohamed H. and Ntim, Collins
(2021)
Sustainability and legitimacy theory: The case of sustainable social and environmental practices of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Business Strategy and the Environment, 30 (8), .
(doi:10.1002/bse.2837).
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to identify and gain insights into small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) rationales (why) for engaging in sustainable social and environmental practices (SEPs) that influence social and environmental policy and sustainability changes. Specifically, we depart from the predominately quantitative-orientated SEPs literature by conducting in-depth interviews and analysis of owners and managers of SMEs in the United Kingdom within a legitimacy theoretical framework. Our findings from a comprehensive number of interviewees show that SMEs employ a complex mix of both symbolic and substantive SEPs with the aim of enhancing the legitimacy and sustainability of their operations. The results emphasise the strengths of social engagement, reputation and image, environmental embeddedness, industry differentiation and education facilitators. In particular, the paper shows that legitimating strategies can have a dual purpose of being symbolic in nature but also inferring a substantive legitimacy claim. Evidence of SMEs maintaining their legitimacy position stretches further via either a moral and/or a pragmatic standpoint.
Text
Accepted_Manuscript_16_May_2021
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 16 May 2021
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 May 2021
Published date: December 2021
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Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Business Strategy and The Environment published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Keywords:
SMEs, social and environmental practices, environmental policy and sustainability, environmental performance, legitimacy theory, substantive and symbolic legitimation, uk census
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Local EPrints ID: 449173
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/449173
ISSN: 0964-4733
PURE UUID: ae0fab30-f859-4ad7-b71a-4bccb3e63d96
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Date deposited: 18 May 2021 16:33
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 04:10
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Author:
Richard Crossley
Author:
Mohamed H. Elmagrhi
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