The Impact of green marketing practices on competitive advantage and business performance among manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa
Date
2018
Authors
Maziriri, Eugine Tafadzwa
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Abstract
The phenomenon of “green marketing” has developed particular significance in the modern market, emerging in the developing and developed world as an important concept, and is seen as an essential approach to assist with sustainable development. As green marketing becomes an essential tool for sustainable business strategy, companies are applying green marketing practices to achieve competitive advantage and business performance. This thesis sought to determine the impact of green marketing practices on competitive advantage and business performance of SMEs in the manufacturing sector of South Africa. A quantitative research approach was used for this study and the target population for this study was restricted to managers and Heads of Marketing Departments within manufacturing SMEs in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The data analysis was done in SPSS 25 for demographic data analysis and AMOS 25 was used for the structural equation modelling and path modelling. Smart PLS 3 was also utilised to test for the mediating effect of the mediating variable.
According to the results of the structural equation modelling analysis, the tested relationships produced satisfactory results consistent with how they were hypothesised. Precisely, it was found out that green packaging, green advertising, and green product innovation had a positive impact on competitive advantage. In addition, it was also found out that green packaging, green advertising; competitive advantage, green product innovation and green process innovation had a positive impact on business performance. Green process innovation emerged to have a negative impact on competitive advantage. Additionally, four more hyphotheses, namely, hypothesis ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen, were also supported as the mediation results indicated that competitive advantage positively and significantly mediates the relationship between green packaging and business performance, green product innovation and business performance and green process innovation and business performance. It was also found that, althougth competitive advantage positively mediated the relationship between green advertising and business performance; it does not significantly mediate the relationship between green advertising and business performance. This research broadens the knowledge base that currently exists in the field of green marketing, competitive advantage and SMEs business performance. Also, this investigation is noteworthy to manufacturing SME proprietors and supervisors since most them endeavour to have a competitive advantage and additionally, to boost profitability as well as the business' interest.
Description
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Business Sciences (Marketing), 2018
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Citation
Maziriri, Eugine Tafadzwa (2018) The impact of green marketing practices on competitive advantage and business performance among manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/26801>