The influence of the chain and network information and communication structure on sustainable business development

Abstract

This article links the public-private information and communication structure (IC-structure) and Ajzen¿s model of planned behaviour to explain the development of environmental management systems (EMSs). The structure of the IC-system, especially the public-private information exchange, can influence the priorities of managers in favour of environmental management development. From an survey under medium-sized companies in the Dutch agri-food sector we conclude that the setting of priorities by managers on environmental goals is not significantly influenced by the quality of communication between government and industry. Safeguarding the licence-to-produce makes the norms of non-governmental stakeholder groups of overruling importance for their strategic orientation. Therefore, governmental action to protect the environment should address the perceptions of ngo-stakeholders. For many medium-sized companies, a coercive rather than a co-operative governmental attitude should be adopted. This deviates from the present Dutch public policy, in which non-coercive instruments dominate