An analysis of institutional pressures, green supply chain management, and green performance in the container shipping context

This paper presents a study which utilized a conceptual framework with institutional theory as its base to empirically evaluate the impact of institutional pressures, internal green practices, and external green collaborations on green performance. Factor analysis was employed to identify the key institutional pressures (i.e. coercive, normative and mimetic pressures), internal green practices (i.e. green shipping practices and green operations), external green collaborations (i.e. green collaboration with supplier, green collaboration with partner, and green collaboration with customer), and green performance (i.e. reduction of pollutants, and perceived green brand) dimensions. We collected data from surveyees employed by 129 container shipping companies and agencies in Taiwan, and applied a structural equation model (SEM) to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed that institutional pressures have positive effects on internal green practices; internal green practices positively influence external green collaborations; internal green practices and external green collaborations positively influence green performance but institutional pressure is not positively associated with external green collaborations. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are presented to help container shipping operators improve green performance.