Environmental education in small business: The owner-manager\u27s perspective

Traditionally, environmental education has been aimed at the community or in primary schools and governmental pressure to reduce environmental damage has focussed on large businesses. More recently, the role and importance of small business and how to engage them in the environmental debate has come under scrutiny. Researchers have identified education as one method of increasing the understanding of small business owner-managers’ role and knowledge of practices that, when implemented, will reduce the negative impacts of their businesses. However, there is little attention given in the literature to the perspective of the small business owner-manager and environmental education. This research was conducted to fill this gap. Results confirm that there is limited environmental education for small businesses and that there is a disconnect in meeting the needs of such a disparate group. Six elements were identified by the small business owner-managers in the design of environmental education for them: use of plain language, provision of best practice examples, industry specific information, solutions for immediate improvement, practical content and use of trusted sources to deliver the program. As Tilley (1999, p.347) so aptly stated, although “the relationship between small business and the environment is complex … neglect the small firm at your peril”

Ownership motivation and strategic planning in small business

This study investigates whether strategic planning in small businesses is related to the business ownership motivations of operators. In particular, the study compares the propensity of operators motivated by financial versus personal/non-financial goals to engage in strategic planning for their businesses

Decision Making Regarding Employee Access to Training and Development in Medium-sized Enterprises

Employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form part of a ‘disadvantaged’ group within the workforce that receives less access to formal training and development than employees in large firms. The manager’s decisional role is critical when considering employee access to training and development. Unfortunately, there is scant research into factors affecting managers’ decisions regarding employee access to a requested development opportunity in SMEs. To address this research gap, semi-structured interviews incorporating critical incidents were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 managers of medium-sized enterprises based in Perth. We report key findings of the interviews and assess the effectiveness of the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) as a tool for studying managerial decision making processes regarding employee access to training and development opportunities

Explaining the lack of strategic planning in SMEs: The importance of owner motivation

Considerable evidence shows that strategic planning leads to increased firm performance. Yet, the majority of SMEs do not plan and the reasons why are not well understood. This article questions the common approach to understanding this problem based on identifying business barriers to planning. For the majority of SME owner operators, business performance often ranks far behind intangible goals such as autonomy, personal satisfaction and lifestyle. Strategic planning may therefore have little value to owner-operators driven by such motivators. This article presents an alternative perspective to the issue by arguing that owner aspirations are integral to whether or not SMEs strategically plan

Preface to special Issue: Environmental sustainability and business

The issue of environmental sustainability and the need to address the collective environmental impact of business is discussed. In particular, the need to engage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in environmental management is highlighted. The papers presented in the Special Issue of \u27The International Journal of Business Studies\u27 are dicussed

Using the critical incident technique to research decision making regarding access to training and development in medium-sized enterprises

Employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form part of a \u27disadvantaged\u27 group within the workforce that receives less access to training and development (T & D) than employees in large firms. Prior research into reasons for the relatively low levels of employee participation in training and development has typically involved surveys of owner/manager opinions. A novel and potentially more fruitful line of inquiry is investigating decisions managers have actually made regarding employee access to T & D. Building on this idea, we describe how the critical incident technique (CIT) was applied in our exploratory study of managerial decision making regarding employee access to training and development in medium-sized enterprises. We also discuss lessons learned in conducting the study. These lessons are based on an analysis of our experiences of using the CIT and are potentially important for researchers who will be using the technique to study similar topics in the years ahead

A Proposed Methodology to Promote Adoption of \u27Green\u27 Production by Small Firms

Small firms are critical to all economies but also have a significant negative impact on the environment. Their collective footprint equates to 60% of industrial pollution yet small firm owner-managers are not convinced of the necessity for behaviour change. This paper develops a proposed methodology to engage small firm owner-managers in \u27green\u27 production, in particular adoption of energy saving and waste recycling practices. This methodology includes a suggested approach to determining the \u27tipping point\u27 for the investment of time and resources by small firms. The paper argues that knowing the \u27tipping point\u27 and making a realistic business case should encourage small firm owner-managers to improve their participation in environmental impact management. The end result of this will be a reduction in the collective environmental footprint made by small firms, thereby making a positive contribution to Australia\u27s overall response to climate change

Decision making regarding access to training and development in medium-sized enterprises: an exploratory study using the critical incident technique

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of factors that impinge on managerial decision-making processes regarding employee access to structured training and development (T&D) opportunities that are at least partially funded by the firm. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews incorporating the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) were conducted with 14 managers of medium-sized enterprises based in Perth, Western Australia. The interviews explored decisions managers have actually made regarding employee access to T&D and yielded 42 useable critical incidents that served as the unit of analysis. Findings – There were three key findings: first, employee access to T&D was initiated primarily by managers; employees did not exhibit developmental proactivity. Regulatory requirements and performance deficits were the main factors triggering T&D. Second, decisions regarding employee access to T&D were influenced by a wider range of factors than the decision making factors that commonly feature in literature that discusses “barriers” to T&D in SMEs. Third, decision makers tended to neglect the evaluation phase of the decision making process and engaged in post-decisional justification. Research limitations/implications – The study holds a number of lessons that are based on an analysis of the authors\u27 experiences of using the CIT. The lessons are potentially important for researchers who will be using the technique to study similar topics in the years ahead. Originality/value – This study addresses the lack of research into factors that affect managers\u27 decisions when they consider providing employee access to firm-sponsored structured T&D opportunities. It also assesses the effectiveness of the CIT as a tool for studying managerial decision-making processes regarding employee access to T&D opportunities

Are They All The Same? Lurkers and Posters on The Net

Contemporary trends aim to shift the majority of services offered online. While expectations are very high that people will engage, learn and communicate via the Internet not everyone does and not all technologically designed services are successful. Little is known about online behaviour. This paper adds to the knowledge about two online behavioural groups, Lurkers and Posters by identifying two categories within each of these groups. The two types of Lurkers identified were categorised as Passive and Active Lurkers while the two types of Posters identified have been categorised as either Initial or Responding Posters. This information is valuable as educators and other service providers need to understand who is using their online services and how they might need to modify their service to achieve the best outcomes for their organisation and the clients

Interim report: Maddington-Kenwick & Cockburn sustainable industry project

The aim of this project is to investigate the current attitudes and practices of business ownermanagers in the light industrial areas of Maddington-Kenwick and Cockburn regarding environmental issues and waste management pre and post an intervention program. A specific aim of the project is to reduce waste and achieve implementation of better environmental management practices in this sector. The project commenced in February 2007 and is due to finish in December 2008. The two survey areas are geographically located South East and South of Perth within two separate local government boundaries. The light industrial area of Maddington-Kenwick is part of the City of Gosnells which has a population of 91,579 whereas the City of Cockburn has a population of 78,000. Maps of each light industrial area are included at Appendix A for reference. The light industrial areas were selected as appropriate locations to replicate an intervention previously conducted in Bellevue, Western Australia as both Cities are looking for businesses within their boundaries to improve their environmental performance..