7.2 Evolution of micro businesses in going green

Question 1

Characteristics of micro business (6):

Answer 1

1. Owner-manager has lot of influence → main motive for CSR
2. Pressure of stakeholders → one-to-one contact
3. Smaller the firm → less certain we can be of the profit maximization rationale of the owner-manager.
4. Decision making is affected by local environment → embedded in local communities
5. Legislation → internally driven change was likely to be influenced.
6. reactive approach towards environmental issues.

Question 2

Research question micro businesses:

Answer 2

1. Motivations of micro businesses of green practices
2. how motivation differ from larger firms
3. How may socially responsible activities change as the business grows?

Question 3

Data collected from micro businesses (4)

Answer 3

1. owner-manager history and semi structured interviews
2. observation of activities
3. website
4. other documentation

Question 4

Initial difference in focus before starting a business:

Answer 4

1. Economic focus

2. Value-driven focus

Question 5

3 different phases of the sequence analysis

Answer 5

1. Exploration
2. Substantiation
3. Integration

Question 6

Key features of exploration phase (7).

Answer 6

1. Cost savings
2. Business legitimsiation
3. personal ethics
4. sustainability
5. Formal environmental policies
6. External assistance
7. Energy usage

Question 7

key features of the substantiation phase (4)

Answer 7

1. Social capital
2. networking
3. Favorable publicity
4. brand development

Question 8

key features of the integration phase (3)

Answer 8

1. competitive advantage/niche market
2. greater investment
3. external support

Question 9

important findings (6)

Answer 9

1. Owner-managers have little time to invest in searching themselves for information
2. Networking is highly important
3. Economic gains of environmental practices are no guarantee for long-term success
4. External reporting of activities
5. Importance of external support
6. Incremental approach extremely important.