Critical determinants and firm performance of sustainable technology adoption in the apparel industry: The stakeholder approach
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2023
Abstract
Purpose This study examines the factors of sustainable technology adoption (STA) in the Bangladeshi's apparel industry and its impact on the environmental performance and other firm performances. Mainly, this study adopts stakeholder theory and hypothesizes necessary conditions to examine different stakeholders' roles to facilitate STA and ameliorate firm performances such as environmental, financial and competitive advantages. Design/methodology/approach It is an empirical study which collected 240 responses from Bangladeshi apparel firms. Garment factories were considered as the unit of analysis. Findings Customer pressure, top management, competition among firms and government support significantly and positively impact STA. Surprisingly, regulatory pressure has no significant impact on the Bangladeshi's apparel industry, which contradicts most existing literature in the field. The findings show that sustainable technology brings increased simultaneously enhances environmental outcomes and enhances financial performances and competitive advantage. Originality/value This study fills up the voids that exist in the STA literature in the clothing industry in the clothing industry's STA literature. Specifically, western buyers have more influence than regulatory pressure to adopt sustainable technology and sustainable manufacturing for the Bangladeshi garments industry. Moreover, it proposes that sustainable technology can enhance firms' competitive advantage in selling their products in the West besides environmental-friendly apparel manufacturers.
Keywords
Environmental performance, Competitive advantage, Stakeholder theory, Apparel industry, Sustainable technology
Divisions
aei
Publication Title
JOURNAL OF FASHION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT
Volume
27
Issue
1
Publisher
EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LTD
Publisher Location
HOWARD HOUSE, WAGON LANE, BINGLEY BD16 1WA, W YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND