JAGGI AND FREEDMAN
The results of this study indicate that because markets reward short-run profit maximization policies, management is encouraged to follow such policies. Thus, in order to pursue the objective of higher profitability, management continues to pollute the environment. In the absence of encouragement from market forces, strict pollution control standards are necessary, and these need to be strictly enforced. Unfortunately, the progress on the development of these standards has been slow and the enforcement of the existing standards has been weak. In order to improve upon the standards for pollution and other types of social information, the accounting profession might get more involved in the development of these standards.
SUMMARY AND GONGLUSION
This study has examined the association between pollution performance and economic and market performance of pulp and paper firms. The results indicate that the economic performance is negatively associated with pollution performance over a short period of time. Results with regard to market performance indicate that the Price-Earnings ratio is also negatively associated with pollution performance. The results of this study provide weak evidence that firms with good pollution performance are not being viewed positively by the market because of the negative association between pollution and economic performance. In order to safeguard the public interest for a clean environment, strict pollution standards may be necessary to encourage management to invest in pollution abatement activities. The results of this study, however, need to be interpreted with caution because of certain limitations inherent in the study. First, the pollution performance index developed in this study related to water pollution only. All CEP studies included air pollution data also. Since air pollution data using the plant as a point source are not available from the EPA or their state equivalents, these could not be included in the study. However, we do not believe that given the nature of the industry, the lack of air pollution data will greatly distort the findings. Second, the pollution performance index may not truly reflect the pollution performance because of the difficulty in determining relative weights for each pollutant. The consistent application of the methodology to all firms is, however, considered to reduce this weakness of the study. Third, the pollution reports filed by firms in the EPA may not truly refiect actual pollution performance. There may be a self-reporting bias. However, EPA inspectors' reports were also obtained for a number of plants and no significant differences were detected in inspectors's reports and firms' reports. Further studies on the subject are extremely desirable, especially for developing a methodology to examine the association between pollution and
POLLUTION: PULP AND PAPER FIRMS 711
economic performance in the long run. Researchers are also encouraged to develop causal models which could provide more useful information for evaluation of pollution performance's impact on the economic and market performance in the short run as well as in the long run.
النتائج (
العربية) 1:
[نسخ]نسخ!
JAGGI وفريدمانوتشير نتائج هذه الدراسة إلى أنه نظراً لأن الأسواق مكافأة سياسات تعظيم الأرباح في الأجل القصير، هو تشجيع الإدارة اتباع هذه السياسات. وهكذا، بغية تحقيق الهدف المتمثل في نسبة أعلى من الربح، لا تزال إدارة تلوث البيئة. نظراً لغياب التشجيع من قوي السوق، معايير مكافحة التلوث الصارمة اللازمة، وهذه تحتاج إلى أن يكون بشكل صارم. ولسوء الحظ، التقدم المحرز في وضع هذه المعايير كان بطيئا وإنفاذ المعايير القائمة كان ضعيفا. من أجل تحسين المعايير المتعلقة بالتلوث وأنواع أخرى من المعلومات الاجتماعية، قد تحصل على مهنة المحاسبة أكثر مشاركة في وضع هذه المعايير.موجز وجونجلوسيونThis study has examined the association between pollution performance and economic and market performance of pulp and paper firms. The results indicate that the economic performance is negatively associated with pollution performance over a short period of time. Results with regard to market performance indicate that the Price-Earnings ratio is also negatively associated with pollution performance. The results of this study provide weak evidence that firms with good pollution performance are not being viewed positively by the market because of the negative association between pollution and economic performance. In order to safeguard the public interest for a clean environment, strict pollution standards may be necessary to encourage management to invest in pollution abatement activities. The results of this study, however, need to be interpreted with caution because of certain limitations inherent in the study. First, the pollution performance index developed in this study related to water pollution only. All CEP studies included air pollution data also. Since air pollution data using the plant as a point source are not available from the EPA or their state equivalents, these could not be included in the study. However, we do not believe that given the nature of the industry, the lack of air pollution data will greatly distort the findings. Second, the pollution performance index may not truly reflect the pollution performance because of the difficulty in determining relative weights for each pollutant. The consistent application of the methodology to all firms is, however, considered to reduce this weakness of the study. Third, the pollution reports filed by firms in the EPA may not truly refiect actual pollution performance. There may be a self-reporting bias. However, EPA inspectors' reports were also obtained for a number of plants and no significant differences were detected in inspectors's reports and firms' reports. Further studies on the subject are extremely desirable, especially for developing a methodology to examine the association between pollution andPOLLUTION: PULP AND PAPER FIRMS 711economic performance in the long run. Researchers are also encouraged to develop causal models which could provide more useful information for evaluation of pollution performance's impact on the economic and market performance in the short run as well as in the long run.
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