Study examines environmental supply management initiatives

CAPS Research has released a new focus study that investigates how supply management sustainability initiatives take root within a company and what factors determine buy-in from key players. The study examines the role that influence tactics, organizational climate and personal values each play as managers try to gain commitment for environmental initiatives.

The study, titled “Championing Environmental Supply Management Initiatives: The Importance of Influence Tactics, Company Climate and Individual Values” provides information to help supply managers effectively champion sustainable supply management practices and to create an environment in which sustainability will be successful throughout the company. Furthermore, the researchers found that that creating company and departmental climates that are friendly toward environmental innovation, the use of legitimating (appealing to rules, regulations and positional power), and taking time to learn something about the values of the target individuals all increase the likelihood the project champion will be successful.

This focus study was authored by Thomas R. Gattiker, Ph.D., Boise State University; Craig R. Carter, Ph.D., University of Nevada; Wendy L. Tate, Ph.D., University of Tennessee; and Xiaowen Huang, Ph.D., Miami University of Ohio. The entire focus study is available on the CAPS Research Web site at www.capsresearch.org. For more information on this focus study contact CAPS Research at research@capsresearch.org.

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CAPS Research is a non-profit research organization founded in 1986 to provide leading research to our strategic-minded corporate sponsors and to the public. Our mission is to work in partnership with a global network of executives and academics for the discovery and dissemination of strategic supply management knowledge and best practices. CAPS Research is jointly sponsored by the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, the Institute for Supply Management and Global 1000/Fortune 500-size organizations.