Opportunity cost based analysis of corporate eco-efficiency: a methodology and its application to the CO2-efficiency of German companies.
In this paper, we propose the return-to-cost-ratio (RCR) as an alternative approach to the analysis of operational eco-efficiency of companies based on the notion of opportunity costs. RCR helps to overcome two fundamental deficits of existing approaches to eco-efficiency. (1) It translates eco-efficiency into managerial terms by applying the well-established notion of opportunity costs to eco-efficiency analysis. (2) RCR allows to identify and quantify the drivers behind changes in corporate eco-efficiency. RCR is applied to the analysis of the CO(2)-efficiency of German companies in order to illustrate its usefulness for a detailed analysis of changes in corporate eco-efficiency as well as for the development of effective environmental strategies.
Hahn
Tobias
T
Euromed Management School, Marseille, Domaine de Luminy, BP 921, 13006 Marseille Cedex 9, France. tobias.hahn@euromed-management.com
Figge
Frank
F
Liesen
Andrea
A
Barkemeyer
Ralf
R
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005858:Germany
D002245:Carbon Dioxide