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The green initiative: improving quality and competitiveness for European SMEs

The green initiative: improving quality and competitiveness for European SMEs Attempts to show that environmental issues are becoming increasingly important as an attribute of the quality of goods and services. However, although firms appreciate the importance of good environmental practices there is a lack of awareness of how this can best be achieved, particularly in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Suggests that one way to enhance understanding among SMEs is to consider environmental responsibility as part of the quality attributes which customers may expect from suppliers. Presents a quality profiling approach which is based on customers’ perceptions, which should assist an SME to: establish the importance of environmental factors with respect to other attributes in the purchasing decision; and evaluate the organization’s performance on key product/service attributes relative to its main rivals. Discusses the role of governments and other bodies in relation to encouraging a proactive environmental approach among SMEs. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Business Review Emerald Publishing

The green initiative: improving quality and competitiveness for European SMEs

European Business Review , Volume 97 (5): 7 – Oct 1, 1997

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References (16)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 MCB UP Ltd. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0955-534X
DOI
10.1108/09555349710179816
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Attempts to show that environmental issues are becoming increasingly important as an attribute of the quality of goods and services. However, although firms appreciate the importance of good environmental practices there is a lack of awareness of how this can best be achieved, particularly in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Suggests that one way to enhance understanding among SMEs is to consider environmental responsibility as part of the quality attributes which customers may expect from suppliers. Presents a quality profiling approach which is based on customers’ perceptions, which should assist an SME to: establish the importance of environmental factors with respect to other attributes in the purchasing decision; and evaluate the organization’s performance on key product/service attributes relative to its main rivals. Discusses the role of governments and other bodies in relation to encouraging a proactive environmental approach among SMEs.

Journal

European Business ReviewEmerald Publishing

Published: Oct 1, 1997

Keywords: Competitiveness; Environmental management strategy; Europe; Quality; Small to medium‐sized enterprises

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