Abstract

Corporates commonly adopt green practices when propelled by external pressures or internal considerations. However, the relative performance of external and internal motives in promoting exhibitors to conduct such behaviours remains uncharted. This paper applied the institutional theory (IT) and diffusion of innovations theory (DIT) as representatives of external and internal motives respectively and compared their power in explaining exhibitors’ willingness to adopt eco-exhibiting, that is, an innovative means to mitigate the construction waste problem at business events. Following a mixed-method design, we conducted 1129 surveys (Study 1) and 40 semi-structured interviews (Study 2) at the Canton Fair. The results of Study 1 suggest that both the IT and DIT can explain exhibitors’ willingness to adopt eco-exhibiting, but the DIT model offers a superior explanation. Interviewees’ narratives in Study 2 confirm the prominent role of internal motives and reveal a shift from externally to internally driven approaches. In addition, booth type moderates the effects of normative pressure and compatibility on willingness to adopt eco-exhibiting. This paper clarifies the mechanisms that drive the adoption of eco-exhibiting and empirically attests business events as change agents in promoting pro-environmental behaviours among exhibitors.

摘要

在外部压力或内部考虑的推动下，企业通常会采用绿色做法。但是，尚不清楚外部和内部动机在促进参展商进行此类行为方面的相对表现。本文分别以制度理论和创新传播理论为外部和内部动机的代表，并比较了它们在解释参展商采用生态展览的意愿方面的力量，这是一种减轻建筑负担的创新手段。商业活动中的浪费问题。按照混合方法设计，我们在广交会上进行了1129次调查（研究1）和40次半结构化访谈（研究2）。研究1的结果表明，IT和DIT均可解释参展商采用生态展览的意愿，但是DIT模型提供了更好的解释。研究2中受访者的叙述证实了内部动机的显著作用，并揭示了从外部驱动方法向内部驱动方法的转变。此外，展位类型减轻了规范压力和兼容性对采用生态展览的意愿的影响。本文阐明了推动采用生态展览的机制，并从经验上证明了商业事件作为促进参展商环保行为的变革推动者。