The Effect of Environmental Orientation on Innovation, Environmental and Market Performance in Franchise Firms Context

프랜차이즈기업의 환경지향성이 혁신, 환경성과와 시장성과에 미치는 영향

Purpose - This study is to examine the effect of environmental orientation on innovation, environmental and market performance in Korean franchise firms' context. This study also investigates how environmental orientation, innovation and environmental performance play mediating roles between environmental orientation and market performance. For these purposes, the authors developed a structural model which consists of several constructs. In the model, environmental orientation was proposed to affect innovation and environmental performance, while innovation and environmental performance influence market performance. Specifically, innovation and environmental performance were proposed as core mediators between franchise firms' environmental orientation and market performance. Research design, data, and methodology - The data were collected from 155 franchise firms in Korea during January 2012. The results of factor analysis with reliability test with Cronbach's α warranted unidimensionality of the measures for each construct. In addition, nomological validity of the measures of each construct was warranted from the result of correlation analysis. The data were analyzed with reliability analysis, and structural equation modeling with SPSS Win/PC 18.0 and AMOS 18.0. Results - The results of the overall model analysis appeared as follow: χ²=52.388(df=21), p=.000. GFI=.932, AGFI=.854, NFI=.964, CFI=.978, RMSEA=.099, RMR=.059. Since the result of the overall model analysis demonstrated a good fit, we further analyzed our data. The findings can be summarized as follows: Firstly, the environmental orientation had a positive effect on innovation and environmental performance, but had not a direct effect on market performance. Secondly, innovation had a positive effect on environmental performance, but had not a direct effect on market performance. Thirdly, environmental performance had a positive effect on market performance. Conclusions - The results of this study show that, in order to achieve competitive advantages and environmental and market performance in turbulent market situation, franchise firms should emphasize internal and external environmental orientation, and put through improvements in perspective of technology, organization, and product. Consequently, this research suggests that environmental orientation is a motive for franchise companies' innovation, environmental performance, and market performance. It also suggests theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and further research directions.