The Question of Organizational Boundaries
Many studies have reported that individuals behave differently toward the environment depending on the context in which they find themselves. This chapter aims to describe “the border model” (as developed by Clark, Human Relations 53: 747–770, 2000) and t
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The Question of Organizational Boundaries
Abstract Many studies have reported that individuals behave differently toward the environment depending on the context in which they find themselves. This chapter aims to describe “the border model” (as developed by Clark, Human Relations 53: 747–770, 2000) and to apply the model to the greening of workplaces with a view to examining the principles for understanding how organizational and non-organizational settings exert different pressures on individuals. The chapter also discusses the few studies that have sought to explain how organizations looking to reduce their environmental impact are able to take advantage of the individual habits and skills developed by their employees outside the boundaries of their organization. Keywords Environmental domains · Organizational boundaries · Border theory
6.1 Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Within and Outside the Workplace 6.1.1
Similarities and Differences
A comparison of studies conducted on environmental behaviors in work and nonwork settings reveals a striking convergence. Overall, and leaving © The Author(s) 2020 P. Paillé, Greening the Workplace, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58388-0_6
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aside minor nuances, the environmental behaviors examined in both settings have tended to be broadly the same. Roughly the same questions have tended to be addressed, and these generally revolve around definitions, driving factors, and intervention methods aimed at changing habits and routines. One question raised by this apparent similarity is whether different spheres within and outside the work environment represent domains or categories involving artificial distinctions. At a micro level—i.e., at the subjective employee level—the fields within and outside work appear to generate their own specific constraints. The same individual may sometimes be faced with a whole range of constraints and pressures impacting their ability to behave consistently from one environment to another. The following pages aim to illustrate the degree of similarity between these two research streams. 6.1.1.1 Pro-Environmental Behaviors in a Private Setting Behaviors in this context have been the subject of a number of studies in the area of environmental sociology and psychology (see, for example, Gosling & Williams, 2010; Stern, 2000) and take many different forms. According to the typology developed by Stern (2000), environmentally significant behaviors can involve environmental activism (e.g., involvement in nongovernmental organizations, petitioning, and demonstrations), non-activist behaviors in the public sphere (e.g., support for environmental policies and regulations), private-sphere environmentalism (e.g., green purchasing practices, recycling, reduction of water consumption), and other environmental behaviors (including within organizations). Private-sphere environmentalism is the most common and most widely studied type of environmental behavior outside the workplace. The motivations behind these behaviors have been associated w
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