Does the Natural‐Resource‐Based View of the Firm Apply in an Emerging Economy? A Survey of Foreign Invested Enterprises in China*

Abstract

abstract This study explores whether enterprises operating in China benefit from the practice of the tenets of the natural‐resource‐based view of the firm (NRVF). To this end, a conceptual model is proposed that depicts the major determinants and consequences of the practice of NRVF. By and large, the survey data collected from foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) in China confirm the validity of the proposed model, and suggest that the NRVF is applicable in the world's largest and fastest‐growing emerging economy. These results remind FIEs in China of the opportunities to enhance corporate environmental and financial performance through the adoption of environmental strategies. Various regression and multi‐group analyses conducted in this study further reveal significant moderating influences of perceived environmental uncertainties, operating mode, and firm size on the process of achieving company‐wide ecological sustainability.