Sustainability drivers and national culture in buyer-supplier environmental practices: an institutional perspective

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to explore how sustainability drivers interact with national culture to explain the adoption of buyer–supplier environmental sustainability practices. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on Institutional Theory, this study proposes three sets of hypotheses focused on the role of key cultural dimensions: uncertainty avoidance, power distance and institutional collectivism. It uses a sample of 284 manufacturing plants across three industries and 14 countries to test these hypotheses, using regression analysis. Findings: Findings suggest that national culture matters in the adoption of buyer–supplier environmental practices; however, its effect is contingent upon the particular combination of cultural dimensions and drivers analyzed. Originality/value: This study enhances the understanding of the drivers behind buyer–supplier environmental practices by offering a novel examination of their interaction with national culture. This helps explain the heterogeneity in environmental sustainability adoption across countries.