The relationship between green behaviours and their effect on the performance of small businesses in South Africa

Purpose: Academics and the government are placing more emphasis and importance on the role that enterprises can play in response to challenges of the environment. This study aimed to establish the relationship between green behaviours and the performance of small businesses in South Africa. Green behaviours are measured as consisting of green entrepreneurial orientation, green technology dynamism and green innovation behaviour. Conversely, performance is defined as consisting of environmental performance, objective performance and subjective performance. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the purpose of this study, the study adopted a positivist paradigm which is motivated by the quantitative approach using a descriptive research design. Self-administered questionnaires were employed with a sample of 180 participants that were randomly selected across small businesses in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Findings/results: The major findings of the study, using simple linear regression analysis, revealed that a significant positive relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and environmental, objective and subjective performance does exist. However, the hierarchical regression analysis results revealed that green technology dynamism and green innovation behaviour do not moderate the relationship between green entrepreneurial orientation and performance as measured by environmental, objective and subjective performance dimensions. Practical implications: Based on the findings of the study, small businesses need to develop policy related to promoting green behaviours, given that green entrepreneurial orientation has been found to be related to performance. Originality/value: The results of this study could guide small business owners and managers in the implementation of environmentally-friendly practices in an effort to reduce green economy issues and environmental problems facing the present generation.Thesis (MCom) (Business Management) -- University of Fort Hare, 202