TY - JOUR
T1 - Performance and environmental sustainability orientations in the informal economy of a least developed country
AU - Eijdenberg, Emiel L.
AU - Sabokwigina, Deo
AU - Masurel, Enno
PY - 2019/1/4
Y1 - 2019/1/4
N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which performance and environmental sustainability orientations (ESOs) are developed, as well as their association, in a typical impoverished community: the informal economy of an African least developed country (LDC). Design/methodology/approach: Based on a literature review and a pre-study on the spot, a questionnaire was developed before being completed by 140 informal food vendors – that is, “subsistence entrepreneurs” – in Tanzania. t-Tests, correlation analyses and regression analyses were carried out to approach the formulated hypotheses. Findings: The results showed that a significant distinction can be made between basic and advanced performance. In addition, the respondents showed significantly higher levels of awareness of ESO practices that are intangible and are not fully within their control than the so-called personal tangible ESO practices. However, performance was minimally affected by ESOs. Originality/value: While firm performance and environmental sustainability have been shortlisted on agendas outside academia (e.g. international development organisations) as a means to develop LDCs, the scientific community is lagging behind with regard to these two. This paper is one step forward in unravelling how performance and ESOs occur in LDCs.
AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which performance and environmental sustainability orientations (ESOs) are developed, as well as their association, in a typical impoverished community: the informal economy of an African least developed country (LDC). Design/methodology/approach: Based on a literature review and a pre-study on the spot, a questionnaire was developed before being completed by 140 informal food vendors – that is, “subsistence entrepreneurs” – in Tanzania. t-Tests, correlation analyses and regression analyses were carried out to approach the formulated hypotheses. Findings: The results showed that a significant distinction can be made between basic and advanced performance. In addition, the respondents showed significantly higher levels of awareness of ESO practices that are intangible and are not fully within their control than the so-called personal tangible ESO practices. However, performance was minimally affected by ESOs. Originality/value: While firm performance and environmental sustainability have been shortlisted on agendas outside academia (e.g. international development organisations) as a means to develop LDCs, the scientific community is lagging behind with regard to these two. This paper is one step forward in unravelling how performance and ESOs occur in LDCs.
KW - Developing countries
KW - Firm growth
KW - Small firms
KW - Sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052117453&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85052117453&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/IJEBR-01-2018-0040
DO - 10.1108/IJEBR-01-2018-0040
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85052117453
SN - 1355-2554
VL - 25
SP - 129
EP - 149
JO - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research
JF - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research
IS - 1
ER -