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MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMANS BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
What makes businesses go green?
Research by RMIT University PhD graduate Mai Phan has examined how and why
small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises adopt dissimilar approaches to
implementing green initiatives.
Her research revealed that external pressures, a firm’s natural environmental
orientation and environmental resource investment were key decision contributors.
“I found that for businesses, experiential learning was instrumental in determining
whether a firm would change from an environmentally resistive posture to a
proactive stance in environmental matters,” Dr Phan said.
The research found that it was not important for small to medium enterprises if they
implemented their first green initiatives from a resistive or reactive environmental
position.
“So long as these firms were able to reflect on their implementation approach, and
see through the potential fallacies of quick-fix, least-cost solutions, they would most
likely be able to realise the cause of any problems, should the green initiatives turn
out to be more costly than the resulting benefits gained,” she said.
For policy-makers, the research points to questioning the need to tighten
environmental regulations.
“My research found that the more stringent the environmental regulations, the more
likely it would be for SME’s to embrace a resistive or at best reactive environmental
orientation, that would lead to the selection of quick-fix, least-cost, convenient end-
of-pipe solutions.
“In conclusion, my findings suggest that nurturing organisational learning among
environmentally resistive firms could transform them into environmentally
responsible enterprises,” she said.
Along with more than 5,600 other graduates, Dr Mai Phan will celebrate her
achievements at RMIT’s spectacular Graduation Ceremony at Etihad Stadium on
Wednesday, 16 December.
For interviews or comment: Dr Mai Phan, 0418 668 968.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Deborah
Sippitts, (03) 9925 3116 or 0429 588 869.
15 December, 2009
NEWS 
