Interrelationship between Three Dimensions of Sustainable Performance Measurement among Malaysian Manufacturing Companies

  • Boon Heng TEH Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Malaysia
  • Abdul Aziz ABDUL RAHMAN Kingdom University, Bahrain
  • Tze San ONG School of Business and Economics, University of Putra, Malaysia Department of Business Administration, Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
  • Sin Huei NG School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University, Malaysia
  • Hussain Bakhsh MAGSI LUAWMS, Uthal, Pakistan

Abstract

Corporate financial responsibility is the sole driving force of business in the business sector, as the primary goals of a firm are to maximize profit and grow shareholder value. However, in the previous decade, larger corporate obligations have been recognized, including environmental, local community, working conditions, and ethical standards. With the rise of "sustainability" reasons, unprecedented climate change is being measured into corporate strategy in the direction of sustainable thinking. The triple bottom line (TBL) is a sustainability assessment that combines environmental and social factors in addition to profitability and the rate of return on investment. The purpose of this research is to look into the interrelationships between the three dimensions of sustainable performance measurement (SPM) in Malaysian manufacturing companies. A questionnaire is issued to 600 manufacturing companies in the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) as part of a quantitative data collection approach. All the proposed hypotheses are supported, thus showing the interrelationship between three dimensions of SPM existed. Consequently, Malaysian companies are lagging behind in terms of SPM’s adoption compared to developed countries. Because of that, more government efforts to facilitate the adoption of SPM practice among companies are needed. The sole focus on the manufacturing industry, accuracy of data collection and time constraint are the limitations of this study. Therefore, it is suggested that further research should explore more the interrelationship between the three dimensions of SPM.


 

References

[1] Ahmad, N., et al. 2021. Relationship between corporate social responsibility at the micro-level and environmental performance: The mediating role of employee pro-environmental behavior and the moderating role of gender. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27: 1138-1148.
[2] Alias, N. Z., Rashid, M. A. A. and Foo, K. C. 2010. The state of Selangor. Economic Research. Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad, 001, 1-8.
[3] Aminpour, P. et al. 2020. Perspectives of scholars on the nature of sustainability: a survey study. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21 (1): 34-53.
[4] Aragon-Correa, J. A., Hurtado-Torres, N., Sharma, S. and Garcia-Morales, V. J. 2008. Environmental strategy and performance in small firms: a resource-based perspective. Journal of Environmental Management, 86: 88-103.
[5] Aras, G., Aybars, A. and Kutlu, O. 2010. Managing corporate performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 59(3): 229-254.
[6] Arrow, K. J. (1962). The economic implications of learning by doing. Review of Economic Studies, 29(3): 155-173.
[7] Aupperle, K. E., Caroll, A. B. and Hatfield, J. B. 1985. An empirical examination of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability. Academy of Management Journal, 28(2): 446-463.
[8] Babatunji. S.A., Ong, T.S., Md Uzir, H.U. and Abu Bakar, A.H. 2020. Corporate governance and performance of medium-sized firms in Negeria: does sustainability initiative matter? Corporate Governance, 20(3): 401-427
[9] Bolt, M. A. (1999). Statistical analysis. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
[10] Bradford, J. and Fraser, E. D. G. 2008. Local authorities, climate change and small and medium enterprises: identifying effective policy instruments to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 15(3): 156-72.
[11] Burgos-Jimenez, J. D., Vazquez-Brust, D., Plaza-Ubeda, J. A. and Dijkshoorn, J. 2013. Environmental protection and financial performance: An empirical analysis in Wales. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 33(8): 981-1018.
[12] Burritt, R. L., Hahn, T. and Schaltegger, S. 2002. Towards a comprehensive framework for environmental management accounting-links between business actors and environmental management accounting tools. Australian Accounting Review, 12(2): 39-50.
[13] Capaldi, N. 2005. Corporate social responsibility and the bottom line. International Journal of Social Economics, 32(5): 408-23.
[14] Carter, C. R. and Rogers, D. S. 2008. A framework of sustainable supply chain management: moving toward new theory. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 38(5): 360-387.
[15] Condon, L. 2004. “Sustainability and small to medium sized enterprises: how to engage them”. Paper presented at Effective Sustainability Education: What Works? Why? Where Next? Linking Research and Practice Conference, Sydney.
[16] Davila, T. 2005. An exploratory study on the emergence of management control systems: Formalizing human resources in small growing firms. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 30: 223–248.
[17] Doll, W. J., Xia, W. and Torkzadeh, G. 1994. A confirmatory factor analysis of the end-user computing satisfaction instrument. MIS Quarterly, 18(4): 453–461.
[18] Dragomir, V. D. 2010. Environmentally sensitive disclosures and financial performance in a European setting. Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, 6(3): 359-388.
[19] Dwaikat, L. N. and Ali, K. N. 2018. The economic benefits of a green building–Evidence from Malaysia. Journal of Building engineering, 18: 448-453.
[20] Evans, D. S. 1987. The relationship between firm growth, size, and age: Estimates for 100 manufacturing industries. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 35(4): 567-581.
[21] Ferreira, A., Moulang, C. and Hendro, B. 2010. Environmental management accounting and innovation: an exploratory analysis. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 23(7): 920-948.
[22] Fiori, G., Donato, F. and Izzo, M. F. 2007. Corporate social responsibility and firms’ performance: an analysis on Italian listed companies. SSRN Working Paper Series.
[23] Follows, S. B. and Jobber, D. 2000. Environmental responsible purchase behaviour: a test of the consumer model. European Journal of Marketing, 34(5/6): 723-746.
[24] Gadenne, D., et al. 2012. The influence of sustainability performance management practices on organisational sustainability performance. Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, 8(2): 210-235.
[25] Gilbert, G. R., Veloutsou, C., Goode, M. M. H. and Moutinho, L. 2004. Measuring customer satisfaction in the fast-food industry: a cross-national approach. Journal of Services Marketing, 18(5): 371-383.
[26] Gillan, S. L., Koch, A. and Starks, L. T. 2021. Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance. Journal of Corporate Finance, 101889.
[27] Govindarajulu, N., & Daily, B. F. 2004. Motivating employees for environmental improvement. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 104(4), 364-372.
[28] Hanson, J. D., Melnyk, S. A. and Calantone, R. J. 2004. Core values and environmental management. Greener Management International, 46: 29-40.
[29] Hasnas, J. 1998. The normative theories of business ethics: A guide for the perplexed. Business Ethics Quarterly, 8(1): 19-42.
[30] Holmes, S. M., Power, M. L. and Walter, C. K. 1996. A motor carrier wellness program: development and testing. Transportation Journal, 35(3): 33-48.
[31] Horváthová, E. 2010. Does environmental performance affect financial performance? A meta-analysis. Ecological economics, 70(1): 52-59.
[32] Hourneaux Jr. F., Gabriel, M.L.S. and Gallardo-Vázquez, D. A. 2018. Triple bottom line and sustainable performance measurement in industrial companies. Revista de Gestão, 25(4): 413-429. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-04-2018-0065
[33] Johnson & Johnson. 2007. Sustainability Report.
[34] Jovanovic, B. 1982. Selection and the evolution of industry. Econometrica, 50(3): 649-670.
[35] Labonne, J. 2006. A comparative analysis of the environmental management, performance and innovation of SMEs and larger firms. For the European Commission, Directorate-General Environment, CL Conseil, Saint Michel Sur Orge, 1-44.
[36] Lee, A. S., et al. 2021. Strategic Management for Superior Environmental and Financial Performance in Malaysian Manufacturing Firms. Journal of Sustainability Science and Management, 16(6): 274-291.
[37] Lee, J. 2013. Cyberjaya continues to focus on sustainability as a key economic driver. The Star Online. Retrieved September 28, 2013, from http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2013%2f6%2f21%2fnorth%2f13269219&sec=north
[38] Loderer, C. and Waelchli, U. 2009b. Firm age and performance. Working paper, University of Bern, Switzerland.
[39] Loderer, C., Neusser, K. and Waelchli, U. 2009a. Firm Age and Survival. Working paper, University of Bern, Switzerland.
[40] Majumdar, S. R. 2008. Handbook of Research Methods in Public Administration, Using the Survey as an Instrument of Inquiry in Research (241-254). United State, US: Taylor and Francis Group.
[41] Mcwilliams, A. and Siegel, D. 2000. Corporate social responsibility and financial performance: Correlation or misspecification? Strategic Management Journal, 21: 603-609.
[42] Misrahi, T. 2012. Is a sustainable manufacturing industry economically viable? World Economic Forum. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from http://forumblog.org/2012/02/sustainable-manufacturing/
[43] Neville, B. A., Bell, S. J. and Menguc, B. 2005. Corporate reputation, stakeholders and the social performance-financial performance relationship. European Journal of Marketing, 39(9/10): 1184-1198.
[44] Ong, T. S., Magsi, H. B. and Burgess, T. F. 2019. Organisational culture, environmental management control systems, environmental performance of Pakistani manufacturing industry. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 68(7): 1293-1322.
[45] Ong, T.S. et al. 2020. Environmental capabilities and environmental innovations of manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Indonesian Journal of Sustainability Accounting and Management, 4(1): 1-12.
[46] Ong, T.S., Lee, A.S. and The, B.H. 2021. Turning Environmental Strategies into Competitive Advantage in the Malaysian Manufacturing Industry: Mediating Role of Environmental Innovation. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 29 (2): 1293-1312
[47] Osman, I., Ho, T. C. F. and Galang, M. C. 2011. The relationship between human resource practices and firm performance: an empirical assessment of firms in Malaysia. Business Strategy Series, 12(1): 41-48.
[48] Russ, M. 2021. Knowledge management for sustainable development in the era of continuously accelerating technological revolutions: A framework and models. Sustainability, 13(6): 3353.
[49] Saleh, M., Zulkifli, N. and Muhamad, R. 2011. Looking for evidence of the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance in an emerging market. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 3(2): 165-190.
[50] Sarkis, J. and Cordeiro, J. J. 2001. An empirical evaluation of environmental efficiencies and firm performance: Pollution prevention versus end-of-pipe practice. European Journal of Operational Research, 135: 102-113.
[51] Schaltegger, S. and Synnestvedt, T. 2002. The link between ‘green’ and economic success: environmental management as the crucial trigger between environmental and economic performance. Journal of Environmental Management, 65: 339-346.
[52] Scholtens, B. 2008. A note on the interaction between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance. Ecological Economics, 68: 46-55.
[53] Shumway, T. 2001. Forecasting bankruptcy more accurately: A simple hazard model. Journal of Business, 74: 101-124.
[54] Slaper, T. F. and Hall, T. J. 2011. The triple bottom line: what is it and how does it work? Indiana Business Review.
[55] Stainer, A. and Stainer, L. 1997. Ethical dimensions of environmental management. European Business Review, 97(5): 224-230.
[56] Steffens, P., Fitzsimmons, J. and Davidsson, P. 2006. Small firm performance: Patterns of evolution in growth-profitability space. Proceedings Academy of Management Conference, Hawaii.
[57] Tan, C. L., Ong, T.S, Wei, N. I. and Rahim, N. A. 2021. Sustainable Economic Development and Environmental Performance of Developing and Developed Countries. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 12(2): 429-443.
[58] Vlosky, R. P., Ozanne, L. K. and Fontenot, R. J. 1999. A conceptual model of US consumer willingness-to-pay for environmentally certified wood products. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(2): 122-136.
[59] Wingard, H. and Vorster, Q. 2001. Financial performance of environmentally responsible South African listed companies. Meditari Accountancy Research, 9: 313-332.
[60] Wu, L., et al. 2020. The impact of CSR and financial distress on financial performance - evidence from Chinese listed companies of the manufacturing industry. Sustainability, 12(17): 6799.
[61] Yu, V., Ting, H. and Wu, Y. J. 2009. Assessing the greenness effort for European firms. Management Decision, 47(7): 1065-1079.
[62] Yudken, J. 2011. Energy pricing and manufacturing competitiveness in Malaysia. Economic Planning Unit. Unpublished manuscript.
[63] Innovate approaches, says MPMA Association advocates sustainability for the manufacturing industry. (2013, September 9). The Star Online. Retrieved September 28, 2013, from www.thestar.com.my/Business/SME/2013/09/ 09/Innovate-approaches-says-MPMA-Association-advocates-sustainability-for-the-manufacturing-industry.aspx
[64] Malaysia – Incentives for Investment. 2006. Malaysian Industrial Development Authority, 1-50.
[65] Malaysia Investment Performance. 2011. Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), 1-105.
[66] Malaysia Needs New Growth Strategy to Achieve Vision 2020 Goals: Tun Dr. Mahathir. 2010. Perdana Magazine Online. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from http://www.perdana.org.my/emagazine/2010/10/malaysia-needs-new-growth-strategy-to-achieve-vision-2020-goals-tun-dr-mahathir/
[67] SME Corp. Malaysia. 2013. Guideline for New SME Definition. National SME Development Council, 1-5.
[68] Sustainability. 2013. Bursa Malaysia. Retrieved November 2, 2013, from http://www.bursamalaysia.com/market/listed-companies/sustainability/
Published
2022-03-04
How to Cite
TEH, Boon Heng et al. Interrelationship between Three Dimensions of Sustainable Performance Measurement among Malaysian Manufacturing Companies. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, [S.l.], v. 13, n. 1, p. 75-98, mar. 2022. ISSN 2068-7729. Available at: <https://journals.aserspublishing.eu/jemt/article/view/6810>. Date accessed: 23 nov. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v13.1(57).07.