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Aseem Prakash - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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How Voluntary Environmental Programs Reduce Pollution
Public Administration Review, 2017Co-Authors: William Mcguire, Phi Cong Hoang, Aseem PrakashAbstract:This article investigates the mechanisms that voluntary Environmental program (VEP) participants adopt to reduce pollution. The focus of this article is the 33/50 program, a VEP introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1991 and discontinued in 1995. The program called for emissions reductions for 17 chemicals reported to the Toxics Release Inventory. Using a sample of approximately 12,000 plants, the relationship between 33/50 program participation and adoption of pollution reduction practices is studied for three time periods, 1991–1995 (program life), 1996–2004, and 2005–2013. These practices include source reduction activities (SRAs) and recycling, recovery, and treatment (RRTs). The major findings are that during the program's life, 33/50 participants showed increased adoption of SRAs and RRTs for both targeted and nontargeted chemicals. However, once the program ended, higher adoption rates persisted for RRTs only, with a shift in emphasis toward treatment over recycling and recovery.
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green clubs collective action and voluntary Environmental Programs
Annual Review of Political Science, 2013Co-Authors: Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) are institutions that encourage participating actors to produce Environmental public goods beyond the requirements of government law. Drawing on the club approach to the study of VEPs, we identify four collective action challenges facing VEPs. First, sponsoring actors must be motivated to invest resources to create a VEP despite incentives to free ride on the efforts of others. Second, VEPs need to be designed to offer firms sufficient excludable incentives to join them. Third, VEPs need monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that participants adhere to program obligations and do not free ride on the efforts of other participants. Fourth, VEPs and their sponsors need to motivate stakeholders to compensate firms for producing Environmental public goods. The literature reveals considerable variability in how these challenges are addressed, suggesting that successful VEPs need to fit their institutional contexts.
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green clubs collective action and voluntary Environmental Programs
Social Science Research Network, 2012Co-Authors: Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEP) are institutions that encourage participating actors to produce Environmental public goods beyond the requirements of government law. Drawing on the club approach to the study of VEPs, we identify four collective action challenges facing VEPs. First, sponsoring actors must be motivated to invest resources to create a VEP despite incentives to free ride on the efforts of others. Second, VEPs need to be designed to offer firms sufficient excludable incentive to join them. Third, VEPs need monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that participants adhere to program obligations and not free ride on efforts of other participants. Fourth, VEPs and their sponsors need to motivate stakeholders to compensate firms for producing Environmental public goods. The literature reveals considerable variability in how these challenges are addressed, suggesting that successful VEPs need to fit their institutional contexts.
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Voluntary Environmental Programs: A Comparative Perspective.
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2011Co-Authors: Aseem Prakash, Matthew PotoskiAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) are institutions for inducing firms to produce Environmental goods beyond legal requirements. A comparative perspective on VEPs shows how incentives to sponsor and participate in VEPs vary across countries in ways that reveal their potential and limitations. Our brief survey examines conditions under which VEPs emerge, attract participants, and improve participants' Environmental performance. We focus on the costs and bene-fits for actors seeking to supply (or sponsor) these governance mechanisms as well as the costs and benefits for firms who are considering joining VEPs and adhering to their program obligations. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
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Sponsorship Matters: Assessing Business Participation in Government- and Industry-Sponsored Voluntary Environmental Programs
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2009Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Stakeholders who seek to reward or punish businesses for their Environmental Programs often cannot observe these organizations’ internal policies and operations. To address these informational problems, and signal their beyond-compliance Environmental commitments, some businesses are participating in voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs). This article examines whether business managers associate the brand value of VEPs—due to their differing program sponsors—with the perceived preferences of their critical stakeholders. Drawing on a novel data set of nearly 300 organizations, we assess business’ participation in 19 government- and industry-sponsored VEPs. We find that managers who recognize the importance of stakeholder influences on their business’ Environmental practices are more likely to participate in a VEP but that pressures from different stakeholders are associated with variations in organizations’ participation in either government- or industry-sponsored VEPs.
Nicole Darnall - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Sponsorship Matters: Assessing Business Participation in Government- and Industry-Sponsored Voluntary Environmental Programs
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2009Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Stakeholders who seek to reward or punish businesses for their Environmental Programs often cannot observe these organizations’ internal policies and operations. To address these informational problems, and signal their beyond-compliance Environmental commitments, some businesses are participating in voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs). This article examines whether business managers associate the brand value of VEPs—due to their differing program sponsors—with the perceived preferences of their critical stakeholders. Drawing on a novel data set of nearly 300 organizations, we assess business’ participation in 19 government- and industry-sponsored VEPs. We find that managers who recognize the importance of stakeholder influences on their business’ Environmental practices are more likely to participate in a VEP but that pressures from different stakeholders are associated with variations in organizations’ participation in either government- or industry-sponsored VEPs.
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assessing the performance of voluntary Environmental Programs does certification matter
Policy Studies Journal, 2008Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Stephen SidesAbstract:The promotion of voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) as alternative approaches to traditional Environmental regulation has fueled numerous researchers to evaluate VEP performance. However, these studies have focused on assessing the Environmental performance of a single VEP. As yet, we know little about the overall Environmental benefits of these Programs. Moreover, questions remain about whether VEPs designed with different monitoring regimes—related to whether Programs are self-monitored or undergo external certification—vary in their ability to improve Environmental conditions. Using meta-analysis methodology, this article evaluates the aggregated Environmental outcomes of U.S. VEPs drawing on data from nine studies and over 30,000 firms. We show that collectively VEP participants do not improve their Environmental performance over nonparticipants. Rather, nonparticipants improve their Environmental performance by 7.7 percent more than VEP participants. Additionally, nonparticipants improve the environment 24 percent more than participants in self-monitored VEPs, whereas participants in International Standards Organization 14001 as a group exhibit inconclusive Environmental performance improvements.
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assessing the performance of voluntary Environmental Programs does certification matter
Social Science Research Network, 2007Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Stephen SidesAbstract:The promotion of voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) as alternative approaches to traditional Environmental regulation has fueled numerous researchers to evaluate VEP performance. However, these studies have focused on assessing the Environmental performance of a single VEP. As yet, we know little about the overall Environmental benefits of these Programs. Moreover, questions remain about whether VEPs designed with different monitoring regimes - related to whether Programs are self-monitored or undergo external certification - vary in their ability to improve Environmental conditions. Using meta-analysis methodology, this paper evaluates the aggregated Environmental outcomes of US VEPs drawing on data from 9 studies and over 30,000 firms. We show that collectively VEP participants do not improve their Environmental performance over non-participants. Rather, non-participants improve their Environmental performance by 7.7% more than VEP participants. Additionally, non-participants improve the environment 24% more than participants in self-monitored VEPs, whereas participants in ISO 14001 as a group exhibit inconclusive Environmental performance improvements.
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stakeholder involvement in the design of u s voluntary Environmental Programs does sponsorship matter
Social Science Research Network, 2007Co-Authors: Joann Carmin, Nicole Darnall, Joao MilhomensAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) promise to provide firms and facilities additional flexibility in managing their Environmental affairs while increasing internal efficiencies and improving their public image. Although stakeholder input is thought to improve program development, little is known about the extent that stakeholders are involved in the VEP design process. Based on a survey of 61 program managers, this research distinguishes between the intensity and diversity of stakeholder involvement and uses these two concepts to assess VEP development relative to government, industry and third-party sponsorship. Even in the absence of a mandate, all three sponsors include a variety of stakeholders in program design. While there is evidence that collaborative relationships are developing between sponsors and a range of stakeholder groups, variations in the intensity of involvement among sponsors suggest that some stakeholders may have disproportionate levels of influence in the design of VEPs.
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Greener and cleaner? The signaling accuracy of U.S. voluntary Environmental Programs
Policy Sciences, 2005Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Joann CarminAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) have become a popular alternative to traditional regulation. However, little is known about whether these Programs are sending accurate signals about the Environmental practices of their participants. As a means for understanding signaling accuracy, this research investigates VEP design characteristics. The findings suggest that there are four distinct types of Programs with varying degrees of rigor. Because information for differentiating among program types is limited, less rigorous VEPs can signal that their administrative, Environmental performance and conformance requirements are comparable to Programs with more robust designs. Further, the lack of monitoring and sanctions in less rigorous Programs create opportunities for participants to free-ride and receive benefits without satisfying VEP requirements. Unless some means of distinguishing among program types is implemented, these issues can threaten the long term viability of VEPs as a tool for Environmental protection, and the credibility of market mechanisms more broadly.
Joann Carmin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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stakeholder involvement in the design of u s voluntary Environmental Programs does sponsorship matter
Social Science Research Network, 2007Co-Authors: Joann Carmin, Nicole Darnall, Joao MilhomensAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) promise to provide firms and facilities additional flexibility in managing their Environmental affairs while increasing internal efficiencies and improving their public image. Although stakeholder input is thought to improve program development, little is known about the extent that stakeholders are involved in the VEP design process. Based on a survey of 61 program managers, this research distinguishes between the intensity and diversity of stakeholder involvement and uses these two concepts to assess VEP development relative to government, industry and third-party sponsorship. Even in the absence of a mandate, all three sponsors include a variety of stakeholders in program design. While there is evidence that collaborative relationships are developing between sponsors and a range of stakeholder groups, variations in the intensity of involvement among sponsors suggest that some stakeholders may have disproportionate levels of influence in the design of VEPs.
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Greener and cleaner? The signaling accuracy of U.S. voluntary Environmental Programs
Policy Sciences, 2005Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Joann CarminAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) have become a popular alternative to traditional regulation. However, little is known about whether these Programs are sending accurate signals about the Environmental practices of their participants. As a means for understanding signaling accuracy, this research investigates VEP design characteristics. The findings suggest that there are four distinct types of Programs with varying degrees of rigor. Because information for differentiating among program types is limited, less rigorous VEPs can signal that their administrative, Environmental performance and conformance requirements are comparable to Programs with more robust designs. Further, the lack of monitoring and sanctions in less rigorous Programs create opportunities for participants to free-ride and receive benefits without satisfying VEP requirements. Unless some means of distinguishing among program types is implemented, these issues can threaten the long term viability of VEPs as a tool for Environmental protection, and the credibility of market mechanisms more broadly.
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stakeholder involvement in the design of u s voluntary Environmental Programs does sponsorship matter
Policy Studies Journal, 2003Co-Authors: Joann Carmin, Nicole Darnall, Joao MilhomensAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) promise to provide firms and facilities additional flexibility in managing their Environmental affairs while increasing internal efficiencies and improving their public image. Although stakeholder input is thought to improve program development, little is known about the extent that stakeholders are involved in the VEP design process. Based on a survey of 61 program managers, this research distinguishes between the intensity and diversity of stakeholder involvement and uses these two concepts to assess VEP development relative to government, industry, and third-party sponsorship. Even in the absence of a mandate, all three sponsors include a variety of stakeholders in program design. Although there is evidence that collaborative relationships are developing between sponsors and a range of stakeholder groups, variations in the intensity of involvement among sponsors suggest that some stakeholders may have disproportionate levels of influence in the design of VEPs.
Peter Wilshusen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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College and University Environmental Programs as a Policy Problem (Part 2): Strategies for Improvement
Environmental Management, 2011Co-Authors: Susan G. Clark, Murray B. Rutherford, Matthew R. Auer, David N. Cherney, Richard L. Wallace, David J. Mattson, Douglas A. Clark, Lee Foote, Naomi Krogman, Peter WilshusenAbstract:Environmental studies and Environmental sciences Programs in American and Canadian colleges and universities seek to ameliorate Environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. In a companion article (Part 1) we describe the Environmental program movement (EPM) and discuss factors that have hindered its performance. Here, we complete our analysis by proposing strategies for improvement. We recommend that Environmental Programs re-organize around three principles. First, adopt as an overriding goal the concept of human dignity—defined as freedom and social justice in healthy, sustainable environments. This clear higher-order goal captures the human and Environmental aspirations of the EPM and would provide a more coherent direction for the efforts of diverse participants. Second, employ an explicit, genuinely interdisciplinary analytical framework that facilitates the use of multiple methods to investigate and address Environmental and social problems in context. Third, develop educational Programs and applied experiences that provide students with the technical knowledge, powers of observation, critical thinking skills and management acumen required for them to become effective professionals and leaders. Organizing around these three principles would build unity in the EPM while at the same time capitalizing on the strengths of the many disciplines and diverse local conditions involved.
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College and University Environmental Programs as a Policy Problem (Part 1): Integrating Knowledge, Education, and Action for a Better World?
Environmental Management, 2011Co-Authors: Susan G. Clark, Murray B. Rutherford, Matthew R. Auer, David N. Cherney, Richard L. Wallace, David J. Mattson, Douglas A. Clark, Lee Foote, Naomi Krogman, Peter WilshusenAbstract:The Environmental sciences/studies movement, with more than 1000 Programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, is unified by a common interest—ameliorating Environmental problems through empirical enquiry and analytic judgment. Unfortunately, Environmental Programs have struggled in their efforts to integrate knowledge across disciplines and educate students to become sound problem solvers and leaders. We examine the Environmental program movement as a policy problem, looking at overall goals, mapping trends in relation to those goals, identifying the underlying factors contributing to trends, and projecting the future. We argue that despite its shared common interest, the Environmental program movement is disparate and fragmented by goal ambiguity, positivistic disciplinary approaches, and poorly rationalized curricula, pedagogies, and educational philosophies. We discuss these challenges and the nature of the changes that are needed in order to overcome them. In a subsequent article (Part 2) we propose specific strategies for improvement.
Matthew Potoski - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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green clubs collective action and voluntary Environmental Programs
Annual Review of Political Science, 2013Co-Authors: Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) are institutions that encourage participating actors to produce Environmental public goods beyond the requirements of government law. Drawing on the club approach to the study of VEPs, we identify four collective action challenges facing VEPs. First, sponsoring actors must be motivated to invest resources to create a VEP despite incentives to free ride on the efforts of others. Second, VEPs need to be designed to offer firms sufficient excludable incentives to join them. Third, VEPs need monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that participants adhere to program obligations and do not free ride on the efforts of other participants. Fourth, VEPs and their sponsors need to motivate stakeholders to compensate firms for producing Environmental public goods. The literature reveals considerable variability in how these challenges are addressed, suggesting that successful VEPs need to fit their institutional contexts.
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green clubs collective action and voluntary Environmental Programs
Social Science Research Network, 2012Co-Authors: Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEP) are institutions that encourage participating actors to produce Environmental public goods beyond the requirements of government law. Drawing on the club approach to the study of VEPs, we identify four collective action challenges facing VEPs. First, sponsoring actors must be motivated to invest resources to create a VEP despite incentives to free ride on the efforts of others. Second, VEPs need to be designed to offer firms sufficient excludable incentive to join them. Third, VEPs need monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that participants adhere to program obligations and not free ride on efforts of other participants. Fourth, VEPs and their sponsors need to motivate stakeholders to compensate firms for producing Environmental public goods. The literature reveals considerable variability in how these challenges are addressed, suggesting that successful VEPs need to fit their institutional contexts.
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Voluntary Environmental Programs: A Comparative Perspective.
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2011Co-Authors: Aseem Prakash, Matthew PotoskiAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs) are institutions for inducing firms to produce Environmental goods beyond legal requirements. A comparative perspective on VEPs shows how incentives to sponsor and participate in VEPs vary across countries in ways that reveal their potential and limitations. Our brief survey examines conditions under which VEPs emerge, attract participants, and improve participants' Environmental performance. We focus on the costs and bene-fits for actors seeking to supply (or sponsor) these governance mechanisms as well as the costs and benefits for firms who are considering joining VEPs and adhering to their program obligations. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
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Sponsorship Matters: Assessing Business Participation in Government- and Industry-Sponsored Voluntary Environmental Programs
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2009Co-Authors: Nicole Darnall, Matthew Potoski, Aseem PrakashAbstract:Stakeholders who seek to reward or punish businesses for their Environmental Programs often cannot observe these organizations’ internal policies and operations. To address these informational problems, and signal their beyond-compliance Environmental commitments, some businesses are participating in voluntary Environmental Programs (VEPs). This article examines whether business managers associate the brand value of VEPs—due to their differing program sponsors—with the perceived preferences of their critical stakeholders. Drawing on a novel data set of nearly 300 organizations, we assess business’ participation in 19 government- and industry-sponsored VEPs. We find that managers who recognize the importance of stakeholder influences on their business’ Environmental practices are more likely to participate in a VEP but that pressures from different stakeholders are associated with variations in organizations’ participation in either government- or industry-sponsored VEPs.
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collective action through voluntary Environmental Programs a club theory perspective
Policy Studies Journal, 2007Co-Authors: Aseem Prakash, Matthew PotoskiAbstract:Voluntary Environmental Programs are institutions that seek to induce firms to produce positive Environmental externalities beyond what government regulations require. Drawing on club theory, this paper outlines a theoretical perspective to study the relationship between program design and program effectiveness. Effective Programs have rule structures that mitigate two central collective action problems inherent in producing positive Environmental externalities: attracting firms to participate in the program and ensuring that participating firms adhere to program obligations. Because program efficacy can be undermined by collective action problems associated with free riding and shirking, effective voluntary clubs should be designed to mitigate these challenges.