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How does the use of information technologies affect the adoption of environmental practices in SMEs? A mixed-methods approach

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Abstract

In this paper we show two original alternative models. Model 1 involves two sources for the adoption of environmental practices (PRAC): the collaboration-oriented human resources management system and the organizational learning capability. Model 2 adopts three sources for PRAC: the collaboration-oriented human resources management system, the organizational learning capability and information technology support (ITS). Both models also use three moderating variables: the manager’s education level and experience, and the firm’s size. We use a mixed-methods approach with structural equation modeling and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis on 349 small and medium-sized Portuguese firms. The results show that collaboration oriented human resources system, organizational learning capability, and ITS have a positive effect on PRAC. In addition, the individual characteristics of the managers significantly improve the explanatory power of the models. However, the firm’s size has a negative moderating effect. Therefore, the smaller the firms are, then the larger the positive effects of the antecedents on PRAC. The results also show that ITS is an important source for the development of PRAC, and it contributes to different pathways that lead to PRAC. But, no alternative causal configurations exist that lead to PRAC regarding Model 1, yet alternative causal configurations do exist that lead to PRAC regarding Model 2. In this line, the findings from both the quantitative and the qualitative analyses show the relevancy of ITS to PRAC.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support provided by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - Portugal) under the Project Code UID/SOC/04521/2019, by Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) (Project ECO2016–76876-R –AEI/FEDER, UE), and by the Castile and Leon Regional Ministry of Education in Spain (Project SA027U16).

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  1. IME/Department of Business Administration and Management, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain

    Lucía Muñoz-Pascual & Jesús Galende

  2. Advance/CSG ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua do Quelhas, 6, 1200–109, Lisbon, Portugal

    Carla Curado

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  1. Lucía Muñoz-Pascual
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Correspondence to Lucía Muñoz-Pascual.

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Muñoz-Pascual, L., Curado, C. & Galende, J. How does the use of information technologies affect the adoption of environmental practices in SMEs? A mixed-methods approach. Rev Manag Sci 15, 75–102 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-019-00371-2

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