The impact of international business on emerging markets' corporate environmental responsibility

Zygolanis, Dimitrios

4. Term

Economics and Business Administration (International Business Economics), Master

2017

2017-06-06

66

Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan multinationale virksomheder påvirker virksomheders miljøansvar (Corporate Environmental Responsibility, CER) i vækstøkonomier, med særligt fokus på DHL Supply Chains aktiviteter i Indien og Kina. Afhandlingen motiveres af, at hurtig industrialisering i disse markeder ofte overhaler den institutionelle udvikling og skaber et betydeligt miljøaftryk, samtidig med at forbruger- og interessentpres, som kendes fra EU, er svagere. På baggrund af en litteraturgennemgang og tre teoretiske perspektiver – institutionel teori, transaktionsomkostningsteori og resource-based view – udvikles et begrebsligt rammeværk, der beskriver, hvordan CER kan implementeres i vækstmarkeder, og hvilke faktorer der former virksomheders beslutninger. Casen analyserer DHL Supply Chains overordnede bæredygtighedsstrategi (herunder strategiske målsætninger frem mod 2050) og dens tilpasning til lokale forhold i Indien og Kina, med fokus på, hvordan CER påvirker den strategiske planlægning og samspillet med værtslandenes institutioner, markedsdrivere og ressourcekrav. Afhandlingen peger – med afsæt i litteraturen og casens diskussion – på centrale barrierer som reguleringsmæssige huller, kortsigtet fokus, begrænsede ressourcer og kulturel kognition, samt på drivkræfter som økonomiske incitamenter, teknologisk udvikling og omdømmehensyn. Bidraget er et rammeværk, der kan støtte forståelsen af MNC’ers rolle i at udbrede miljøansvarlige praksisser i institutionelt udfordrede kontekster, samt et sæt refleksioner over begrænsninger og retninger for fremtidig forskning.

This thesis examines how multinational enterprises shape corporate environmental responsibility (CER) in emerging markets, with a case focus on DHL Supply Chain’s operations in India and China. The study is motivated by the observation that rapid industrialization in these markets often outpaces institutional development, increasing environmental impacts, while consumer and stakeholder pressures familiar in the EU are less pronounced. Drawing on a literature review and three theoretical lenses—institutional theory, transaction cost theory, and the resource-based view—it develops a conceptual framework that explains how CER is implemented in emerging markets and which factors influence firms’ decisions. The case discusses DHL Supply Chain’s overarching sustainability strategy (including long-term targets toward 2050) and its adaptation to local conditions in India and China, highlighting how CER shapes strategic planning and interacts with host-country institutions, market drivers, and resource requirements. Based on the literature and the case discussion, the thesis identifies key barriers such as regulatory gaps, short-term orientations, resource constraints, and cultural cognition, as well as drivers including economic incentives, technological advances, and reputation concerns. Its contribution is a framework for understanding the role of MNCs in disseminating pro-environmental practices under institutional constraints, alongside reflections on limitations and avenues for future research.

[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]

MNCs ; CER ; Institutions ; Resources ; VRIO ; Emerging market

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