The Exxon Valdez oil spill: Industry response and the evolution of environmental policy
This dissertation develops and tests a conceptual model to examine how organizations respond to social and political events that can significantly affect operations. The model incorporates concepts from resource dependence and institutional theories, which posit that a firm will develop a range of strategic responses to external events. These responses vary from (1) influencing the external environment to (2) avoidance of external control to (3) the adaptation of internal organizational structures and practices to meet external demands. Using this framework, the study looks at how individual firms changed corporate policies and procedures following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The sample consists of a cross section of 60 publicly traded companies, including 30 oil and 30 non-oil companies. The data span a total of 21 years, from 10 years before through 10 years after the 1989 oil spill. The study finds that companies engaged in a range of response behaviors with respect to environmental issues over the sample time frame. Both oil and non-oil companies increased the level of political influence, avoidance, and adapting activities following the spill. Oil companies increased influencing behaviors following the spill by a significantly greater amount than firms in the control group. However, there were no significant differences between oil and control group firms for avoidance or adapting actions. Instead, the implementation of avoidance and adapting practices corresponded directly to increases in corporate environmental activity over time, lending evidence to support the evolutionary theory of organizations. Organization size, existing environmental practices, trade association membership, EPA cooperation, shareholder proxy resolutions, endorsement of the CERES principles, national affiliation, and industry type each influenced corporate activity at a significant level. Results encourage institutions and government oversight agencies to continue to monitor and apply pressure to industry in order to develop and maintain quality environmental protection practices in the future.
Year of publication: |
2007-01-01
|
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Authors: | Marquiss, Karen D K |
Publisher: |
ScholarlyCommons |
Subject: | Management | Public administration | Organizational behavior | Organization theory | Environmental science |
Saved in:
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