Consumption of Energy, CO2 Emissions and Materials Usage Efficiency Per Capita : A Cluster Analysis of Europe and Eurasia

Most studies investigating the environmental impact of business activities across countries do so from a macroeconomic vantage point. While this widely accepted methodology has its merits, the purpose of this research is to present an alternative form of analysis focusing on consumption per capita. The three consumption measures are energy use per capita, CO2 emissions per capita, and paper and paperboard consumption per capita. Using model-based cluster analysis, three distinct clusters are identified among the forty-five countries investigated across Europe and Eurasia. Finally, business concerns associated with the findings are presented and discussed. The paper contributes to the management literature in three ways. First, it proposes that consumption-based measures may provide a better picture of current and future environmental impact. Next, it introduces the discipline to the technique of model-based cluster analysis. And finally, it provides insight into the business consequences associated with patterns of consumption in both developed and developing economies