Measuring sustainability performance of SMEs in a developing country: A study in the southern of Vietnam

Given that sustainability performance measurement has gained a lot of momentum in recent years, there has been a shortcoming of sustainability metrics developed from SMEs perspective. This thesis investigated the most appropriate metrics for SMEs in Vietnam, and the key enablers and inhibitors to better help these SMEs measure their sustainability performance.This study drew on the realistic paradigm, with a positivist perspective in the initial phase and a phenomenological perspective in the latter stage. The application of a realistic paradigm resulted in the utilisation of a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Also conducted was a three-stage research design encompassing quantitative and qualitative methods and a combination of the two methods in a conclusion. In the initial quantitative approach, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the theoretical model and hypotheses, based on a sample of 579 respondents. This results in 12 sustainability metrics, comprising 4 economic metrics, 3 social metrics and 5 environment metrics. Six hypotheses relating to factors influencing the adoption of sustainability metrics were also confirmed and moderating effects on each hypothesis were highlighted. Following this, the qualitative approach employed semi-structured interviews of 43 participants from 20 SMEs and business customers. Finally, the qualitative data were analysed using a thematic coding technique to further explain the initial quantitative results. This study used the triple bottom line sustainability concept, employing three theoretical lenses, including stakeholder theory, contingency theory and institutional theory, along with resource-based viewed, knowledge-based viewed theories to explain how sustainability performance can be adopted as a performance measurement system in the SME setting. Overall, the results have added theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions to the literature of sustainability performance measurement and managerial implications for SMEs