The influence of institutional pressures on climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. (20th January 2020) - Daddi, Tiberio
Abstract: Starting from institutional theory, this study aims to explore the effects of coercive, normative and mimetic pressures on businesses climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. In order to test these hypotheses, the study relies on an econometric model by using data from 487 Italian manufacturing companies collected by a questionnaire-based survey. The empirical model based on a multivariate regression reveals that companies which perceive normative and mimetic pressures are more likely to have a higher climate change sensitivity. Moreover, companies with a higher climate change sensitivity are more likely to adopt both mitigation and adaptation strategies. The article provides several contributions. First the study contributes to the debate among institutional scholars by clarifying which institutional pressures exert a more incisive effect on pushing companies to adopt climate actions. Second, it highlights how internal factors play a mediating role between institutional pressures and business climate responses. Highlights: We study the relation between institutional forces and climate strategies. We use as mediator the businesses climate change sensitivity. We use a survey of 487 Italian companies. Normative and mimetic pressures influence climate change sensitivity. Managerial climate change sensitivity influence climate strategies.