Environmental Management Mechanisms in U.S. and Japanese Manufacturing Firms

Abstract

This article analyzes the practices of environmental management and the relationship among environmental behavior, external factor, and performance in the United States and Japan. The objective of this paper is to analyze the mechanisms of environmental management of manufacturing firms in two countries. The causality framework used in this research has revealed the contrasting relationship among environmental behavior, external factor, and environmental and economic performance. The results demonstrated different causal processes in environmental management to reach a simultaneous/balanced environment and economy. These results can provide useful information to promote a firm’s environmental behavior for sustainability.