۱- Introduction

۲- Literature review and hypotheses development

۳- Methods

۴- Results

۵- Discussion

References

Abstract

This paper seeks to clarify and refine the relationship between strategic and internal green marketing and firm competitiveness. Despite the significance of corporate environmental strategy to firms adopting a triple-bottom line performance evaluation, there is insufficient focus on strategic green marketing and its impact on a firm’s competitiveness. This study fills the gap by providing a comprehensive view of strategic green marketing and its impact on competitive advantage. Findings also reveal the moderating role of internal green marketing actions towards the development of a sustained competitive advantage. Specifically, the findings build on contemporary green marketing literature suggesting that a significant interplay between strategy and people exists which enhances the creation of competitive advantage. This in turn increases financial performance. Finally, this research uses an updated approach to build on current literature concerning the drivers and outcomes of strategic green marketing. This provides managers with nuanced insights about environmentally-driven competitive advantage.

Introduction

Unlocking the relationship between corporate environmental strategy and firm competitiveness is paramount for contemporary business researchers, policy makers and practitioners (Gibbs & O’Neill, 2016). A green economy that is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive is also the goal of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, 2011). Despite calls for radical, holistic approaches beyond mere technological fixes and product innovation (Geels, McMeekin, Mylan, & Southerton, 2015; Lim, 2016) there remains a perceived but unresolved tension between green marketing and competitive advantage. A reluctance to pursue a green marketing orientation (Papadas, Avlonitis, & Carrigan, 2017) undermines universal engagement with sustainable business practices, and exacerbates corporate risk and losses. Despite the potential costs involved, the damaging and costly environmental consequences of traditional linear production and consumption are driving more innovative firms to shift their focus to clean production, design for the environment and ecoefficiency (Banerjee, 2017), and pursue resource efficient circular economy (CE) strategies including materials recycling and product repurposing (Moreau, Sahakian, van Griethuysen, & Vuille, 2017). CE has also gained momentum in the European Union Circular Economy package (EU, 2015) and Chinese law. There is no alternative to sustainable development and yet many companies remain convinced that their competitiveness will be eroded if they become more environmentally-friendly (Nidumolu, Prahalad, & Rangaswami, 2009). Further, much research in marketing remains data rather than theory driven (Hult, 2011; Webster, 2009). This hinders progress and leads to fragmented understanding of environmental concerns in marketing. A gap exists for a sound theoretical approach to provide a holistic understanding of the intersection between green marketing and competitiveness. Such an advance in knowledge not only presents theoretical support for future empirical investigation, but also provides legitimacy for managers facing resistance to the adoption of a green marketing orientation. This paper addresses that theoretical gap.