Philip R. Walsh

Hybrid strategic thinking in deregulated retail energy markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results of research undertaken to test the use of traditional strategic approaches in developing competitive advantage through the assessment of the importance to small‐ and medium‐sized firms of cost and services available in a competitive retail market.Design/methodology/approach – A survey involving 181 small‐ and medium‐enterprises provided responses to a questionnaire that measured the importance of key success factors to the customer when making a decision regarding their choice of natural gas supplier.Findings – The findings suggest that, the use of a low‐cost strategy alone may not be sufficient to create a competitive advantage for suppliers and that a hybrid strategy of cost, service quality, enhanced communication and unbundled services will.Research limitations/implications – The sample was limited to natural gas customers in Ontario, Canada at a specific period of time in the deregulation process reducing the ability to generalize results ...

Prioritizing sustainability strategies for global extractive sector firms

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the importance of corporate social and environmental initiatives to extractive sector firms and by measuring the level of social, environmental and economic sustainability in 128 countries around the world and applying these measures to a framework comprised of a sustainability indices matrix, and identifying certain strategic approaches to social and environmental practices.Design/methodology/approach – The matrix contains eight categories of sustainability attainment and a k‐means cluster analysis is employed to identify what countries belong to each of these categories and to what extent these clusters identify countries with similar characteristics that may impact the focus of corporate social and environmental performance practices for extractive sector firms wishing to pursue projects in those countries.Findings – The study finds that, in those jurisdictions where social and environmental sustainability is well established, extractive sector firms are required t...

A license to operate? An empirical examination of the influence of environmental and social performance on the financial performance of mining sector firms

The notion that firms owe a duty to the wider communities in which they operate is now widely accepted among practitioners and academics. If there is a link between corporate environmental and social responsibility (CESP) and corporate financial performance (CFP), no sector is likely to be more sensitive than the mining sector. I investigate the relationship by testing whether there is a relationship between the strategic intent of mining firms to employ sustainability activities and positive financial performance as reflected in their return on fixed assets (ROFA). The results suggest that for a sample of major global mining firms there is not a statistically significant association between their CFP and their actions taken to improve their CESP. However, this paper submits that any connection may be complicated by inconsistencies in assessing and reporting the environmental and social performance of a firm in a systematic, accurate and transparent manner.

Assessing the factors that influence waste generation and diversion at Canadian festivals

ABSTRACT Festivals can be important contributors to tourism and the social and economic sustainability of the communities in which they are located. A festival, however, can also negatively impact the environment by increasing demands on waste management and disposal. To better understand what factors influence festival waste management, we applied both quantitative and qualitative methods to find that provincial location, festival type and festival size significantly influence waste generation and diversion. Consistency in waste regulation and practices, sustainability partnerships with local stakeholders, and responsible leadership are encouraged.