Electronics manufacturing is one of the global economy’s most dynamic and competitive sectors. It involves the production of various electronic devices and components used in multiple industries and applications. Electronic manufacturing significantly impacts environmental sustainability because it consumes energy and resources, produces waste and emissions, and thus impacts human health and well-being [1]. Improving durability in the electronics sector necessitates changing the creation, production, and disposal of electronic gadgets. The negative effects of electronic manufacturing on the environment and society are growing worse in a world that depends more and more on technology. In addition, reducing resource consumption, electronic waste, and environmental impact across the full product duration includes advancements in raw materials, manufacturing techniques, energy efficiency, recycling strategies, and social supply chain management. Enhancing sustainability in the electronics industry is an essential agent for change in the sector, given that it not only supports global ecological objectives but also responds to customer requests for cleaner and more ethical devices [2], [3]. Therefore, electronics manufacturers face increasing pressure from various parties to adopt sustainable marketing practices to improve their environmental performance and social responsibility [4].
A fundamental change in business and marketing has been brought about by the creation of sustainable marketing methods [5]. Companies are changing their methods to interact with clients and market their goods and services in response to increasing concerns about the environment and ethical issues. Sustainable marketing strategies emphasise long-term value creation while reducing adverse effects on people, the environment, and society. It entails examining social and moral issues in addition to environmental ones when developing marketing strategies [6]. Such strategies integrate accountability, transparency, and ethical consumption, demonstrating a dedication to establishing confidence in the company and satisfying the needs of a more conscious consumer group.
Sustainable marketing is a concept that integrates environmental, social, and economic aspects into marketing strategies and activities [7], [8]. It aims to create value for customers, organisations, and society by providing products and services that meet customer needs while minimising negative environmental and social impacts. Some sustainable marketing practices that electronics manufacturers can adopt include ethical pricing, eco-friendly product design, eco-friendly packaging, energy-efficient distribution, and social marketing campaigns [9].
Previous studies have mainly focused on other sectors, such as tourism, hospitality, retail, or banking, or used single or limited performance measures such as satisfaction, loyalty, and goodwill. A significant limitation of previous studies has been seen in the study. The study related to the electronic industry’s sustainability-related green marketing has been covered less by the researcher, and it needs to consider the complex and multidimensional nature of business performance in electronics manufacturing, which includes financial, operational, innovation, customer, social, and environmental outcomes. However, there is a need for empirical evidence on how sustainable marketing practices influence business performance in the electronics manufacturing sector. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by examining the relationship between sustainable marketing practices and business performance in electronics production through a comprehensive and holistic approach.
The study components have been classified, and the related works are discussed in Section 2. The approaches are discussed in Section 3. The experiment’s findings are presented in Section 4. Discussion is given in Section 5. The last section of this paper, Section 6, is the conclusion.
A literature review critically examines the latest scientific research relevant to the topic under study. It is a crucial step in any research project, providing a basis for analysis and helping to define the context of the study. In this section, exploration of several studies, theories, and models previously developed have been studied, and it is critically analysed to identify gaps in the existing literature, inconsistencies, or areas that require further exploration. After reviewing the literature, hypotheses were formulated, and based on information from the literature review, predictive statements were tested using applicable statistics.
Mukonza and Swarts [10] demonstrated that a green marketing approach improves a firm reputation and financial performance. By utilising recyclable and easily decomposable packaging, better prevention of pollution techniques, and more effective use of energy, green marketing is the dedication of a company or organisation to the production of safe, environmentally friendly goods and services. The association was established using both path evaluation and material analysis. The material suggests that businesses should use green marketing techniques to maintain their edge in the market, especially in the retail industry.
The research conducted by Luo et al. [11] utilised the “principal component analysis (PCA)” to assess the extent to which the metropolitan electronic economy has evolved, as well as many green city trademarks where available requests were utilised to indicate the phases of green innovation. The development of the internet-based economy may raise the amount of environmentally friendly innovation by indirect measures, such as enhancing the industrial framework, raising potential markets, and enhancing financial efficiency. The progressive difference-in-difference model built on the ‘Broadband China’ trial project additionally confirms that the advancement of the digital economy was capable of significantly advancing urban green technology.
Liao et al. [12] analysed the links to ascertain the reducing effects considering customer worth, mentality, and motivation to make green purchases of ecological advertising and green psychological benefits. Green consumer appreciation and thoughts about green items positively impacted environmentally friendly purchasing intention. Green psychological advantages (warm sparkle, self-expressive rewards, and natural experience) and ecological marketing (environmental promotion and word-of-mouth) influence the correlations between consumer value, attitude toward the green item, and green intent to purchase [13].
In addition, a study done by Alamsyah et al. [14] investigated the link between ecologically conscious advertising, marketing, and consumer awareness products in a way that affects their propensity to make purchases. The implemented strategy was to increase customer care and purchase intent for environmentally friendly goods. The marketing approach was being implemented more precisely. Additionally, through researching environmentally friendly products, their investigation can help the Indonesian government create a rule related to the global warming problem. Customer’s understanding of environmentally friendly products increased, and green marketing strategies became increasingly popular.
The study taken by Shahzad et al. [15] created and tested the green innovation adoption (GIA) model, which was based on a single model of technology adoption. Using “Structural equation modelling (SEM)” and “artificial neural network (ANN)” techniques, the study showed that all of the research model’s green integrated constructs, including expected performance, anticipated effort, hedonic inspiration, social impact, enabling circumstances, and invention cost, can predict sustainable behavioural intention. Green enabling conditions provide the highest relative relevance value for GIA, whereas ANN defines the durability and significance of all integrated constructs.
The research conducted by Mathiyazhagan et al. [16] outlined a structure for executing sustainable production methods in the manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, with an emphasis on emerging economies. They addressed integrating sustainable practices into lean manufacturing processes, providing insights into enhancing environmental and economic performance in the studied industry.
Lam and Li, in their study [17], examined the current state of significant harbours worldwide, including the applications of green marketing (GM). According to GM theories, the harbours’ reports, methods, structures, and functions indicate their green marketing status. Cross-case analysis was used to find similarities and trends across many benchmarked ports and develop a green marketing focus. The cross-case investigation was valuable because it offers a worldwide viewpoint from important geographical locations. Obtaining and maintaining clients that respect sustainability was an essential motivator for sustainability.
Research conducted by Rainanto et al. [18] examined the way Green Marketing management affects attaining a sustainable and environmentally conscious industrial sector. The implementation of an “Environmental Management System (EMS)” and the cultivation of an environmentally conscious culture are crucial for the hotel sector’s performance. A group of 136 individuals who held management or general manager positions participated in the research questionnaire. Increased tourist attractions promote more travellers and other industries that benefit from hospitality. A significant region’s growing hospitality industry will impact the surrounding environment, including the organic, interpersonal, and financial aspects.
In their study [19], Li et al. examined the impact of innovative green technologies on business sustainability in China’s energy industry from the supervisor’s perspective via structural equation modelling (SEM). Additionally, the study demonstrated how green innovation greatly impacted energy-intensive industrial business sustainability. Different models that looked at the second-order components of innovative green practices and company sustainability were used to evaluate the inquiry’s credibility and support its findings. It provided additional assistance for the development of a low-carbon, environmentally friendly marketplace and achieving an environmentally friendly goal.
Khan et al. [20] investigated how blockchain could improve supply chain sustainability. They explored using blockchain to build transparent and traceable supply chain networks, which can encourage sustainability by lowering inefficiencies and enabling improved monitoring of environmental and ethical practices throughout the supply chain.
Negi et al. [21] examined how a green marketing mix approach affects an organisation’s general success and financial performance by utilising the example of Jordanian auto dealers. The investigation discovered that the impacts of age, product, and marketing on the firm’s financial success were considerable and favourable. These were the effects of size, training, expertise, goods, transportation, physical evidence, and procedure on the firm’s overall performance. According to the data, government action limits how education and green marketing strategies affect a company’s overall success.
Al-Murad’s study [22] assessed the impact of GM strategy initiatives on market performance and competitive advantage. The findings were evaluated using Smart PLS 3.2.9 (www.smartpls.com). The results of partial least squares (PLS) route analysis provided evidence for the direct relationships between components and market performance. Based on the results, competitive advantage partially moderates the relationship between green marketing tactics and market performance to a certain degree.
The study conducted by Khan et al. [23] demonstrated the diverse ways in which sustainable consumers’ purchasing behaviour can be influenced by adjusting product qualities and implementing green marketing tactics, aligning with the hypotheses stated in the study. Finally, the study presented the findings and interpretations of the results, providing valuable insights for managers seeking to design impactful green marketing campaigns aimed at influencing consumers’ buying intentions towards environmentally friendly items.
The study done by Lee and Jin [24] examined the role that ethical marketing performs in establishing connections between consumers and brands. They investigated how consumers perceive and respond to ethical difficulties in marketing practices, focusing on how these problems affect customer trust and brand loyalty. They also analysed the importance of the relationship between ethics and marketing from the perspective of consumer behaviour and sustainability [25].
Kaur et al., in their research [26], examined the relationship between environmentally friendly advertising methods and consumers’ inclinations to buy green in emerging economies. The emphasis was on young people’s plans to buy environmentally friendly products for personal use and the way environmentally friendly advertising campaigns might impact those intentions. Consumers’ environmental attitudes and the impact of their demographics as control factors were also evaluated. Individual customer’s intentions to make green purchases vary depending on their income and level of education. Marketers have the opportunity to articulate their primary areas of excellence and the path to the eventual concentration of their energies.
One study taken by Sun and Wang [27] enhanced the variables that affect consumer consumption of sustainable goods in emerging economies in the framework of social networking promotion. The investigation intended to track customer perceptions regarding and intent to buy sustainable goods on internet platforms and to investigate the connections between social media advertising, perceived customer efficacy (PCE), product understanding, personality norms, perceived control of behaviour, price awareness, and attitudes toward and intentions to buy sustainable goods.
Dinh et al., in their study [28], utilised the stimulus-organism-response paradigm to investigate the direct influence of green marketing equipment on the factors pertaining to ecological reputation and intention to buy green. The information underwent analysis utilising the partial least squares (PLS) strategy, a technology employed inside the domain of modelling structural equations (SEM). The findings of the study make notable additions to the comprehension of the effects of beliefs regarding green sponsorship and marketing on several aspects of green company reputation, along with the creation and administration of green branding equity, including intentions to buy green.
Rehman et al. [29] examined the connection between environmentally friendly banking procedures and both their immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Testing the links between variables has been done using structural equation modelling. Regarding policy-making and financial investments in green initiatives, the influence of environmentally friendly methods has been recognised as having a considerably higher impact. To find and identify the factors supporting an acceptable degree of environmentally friendly banking in the nation, interested parties can use the investigation’s suggested framework.
The research conducted by Pietrelli et al. [30] highlighted the methods for recovering metal from printed circuit boards that were both affordable and ecologically friendly. They investigated sustainable strategies to extract valuable metals, decrease environmental effects, and promote recycling. They provided insights into creative ways for metal recovery in the framework of electronic waste management, which was vital for conserving resources and minimising the negative consequences of e-waste disposal [31].
Al-Shammari et al. [32] examined the correlation between the implementation of green human resource management practices and green innovation and their influence on sustainability performance, as assessed through the Triple Bottom Line framework. They provided evidence that organisations’ adoption of Green Innovation (GI) can be improved by including Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices, hence contributing to the overall sustainability of these organisations. Furthermore, the research both validates and enriches conventional comprehension. The study also demonstrated that implementing environmental management methods within the domains of human resources and innovation can lead to enhanced sustainability.
The study conducted by Abubakar et al. [33] examined the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on business performance by analysing the adoption of environmentally friendly practices. Empirical evidence demonstrated a considerable impact of CSR and green behaviour on business performance. Moreover, the results indicated that adopting environmentally friendly practices has a mediating role in the connections between CSR and the financial success of firms.
Another study [34] investigated the function of a sustainability plan in the relationship between an online company’s strategy and financial performance. It revealed that a sustainability plan enhances the relationship between leadership capacity and economic achievement but restricts the association with operational effectiveness and its finances. Four established hypotheses were examined using a regression approach to investigate the relationship between economic achievement, ecological plan, and digital business strategy. The relationship between operational competence and financial performance was impacted by managerial ability and economic performance.
Furthermore, Jung et al. [35] examined the impact of sustainable marketing strategies on consumer brand loyalty in the traditional fashion business. They focused on consumer loyalty to conventional companies, which was impacted by eco-friendly initiatives and ethical practices in the fashion industry. The results provided insight into sustainability’s role in influencing brand loyalty in this industry.
This study proposes the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1 (H1): The relationship between having an eco-friendly product and business performance is supported.
Hypothesis 2 (H2): The relationship between ethical pricing and business performance is supported.
Hypothesis 3 (H3): The relationship between having an eco-friendly location and business performance is not supported.
Hypothesis 4 (H4): The relationship between sustainable marketing and business performance is supported.
Creating environmentally friendly marketing techniques entails creating methods that market goods or services and consider their effects on the environment, society, and the economy. The overall approach promotes a business model that is more socially and environmentally responsible, which is advantageous to the organisation and its customers. Figure 1 shows the conceptual structural model, and Table 1 shows the study requirements.
Conceptual structural model
Study requirements for measurement
| Variables | Items |
|---|---|
| Sustainable marketing | 1. Customers who buy green items from our company provide exclusive discounts, coupons, and other benefits. |
| 2. The adverts for our company’s environmentally friendly goods provide many details regarding those products. | |
| 3. Our company’s marketing effort emphasises our products’ harmful effects. | |
| 4. Our company routinely adds material about protecting the environment to our webpage. | |
| Eco-friendly location | 5. We work with the other channel participants to establish shared ecological preservation objectives. |
| 6. We work with vendors and distributors to create environmentally responsible marketing campaigns. | |
| 7. We urge retailers and vendors to include environmental sensitivity and accountability in their operations. | |
| 8. We provide clear guidelines and requirements for environmental responsibility and track channel participants’ responses. | |
| Ethical prices | 9. The price of the good includes the cost of ecological conformity. |
| 10. We use the cost advantages of employing environmentally friendly procedures to improve products pricing. | |
| 11. We leverage the commercial success of several products and services that are environmentally friendly to lower their costs. | |
| 12. By using environmentally friendly processes, we can provide our consumers with low costs. | |
| Eco-friendly product | 13. We make environmentally friendly goods. |
| 14. To make our goods more environmentally friendly, we work to enhance their quality and aesthetic. | |
| 15. To emphasise ecological advantages, we frequently change the labelling and packaging choices we make. | |
| 16. To be environmentally sustainable, we take care when selecting our products’ components and initial supplies. | |
| Business performance | 17. A fresh market is open to our company. |
| 18. Our business can grow by margins or share of the market. | |
| 19. Our company’s edge over the competition can grow. | |
| 20. Our business can boost the company’s profit. | |
| 21. Satisfaction with clients might rise attributable to our business. | |
| 22. Our company’s brand reputation and recognition can improve within the industry. |
The study adopts the sampling strategy since it is an effective way to understand and explore the components of the marketing mix for environmental sustainability. The sampling strategy is used since it is the most effective for small populations and includes information about the entire target population. The investigation’s target participants are executives or business development managers from Indian Electrical & Electronics (E&E) companies enrolled with the IEM. The study targeted respondents of Indian E&E factor’s production managers and marketing directors, executives, and managers of marketing or business development officers employed there. This population was chosen because, compared to other people, these professionals have more expertise and knowledge of their business strategies. The individual organisation or firm will be the unit of investigation to determine how the green marketing strategy would affect sustainable performance. The data were collected using online convenience and snowball sampling methods. Using the electronic communication method, targeted respondents (Executives and Managers) in 195 E&E enterprises in India were invited to participate in the study to ensure the content’s relevancy, readability, and completeness. Out of the total number of 175 responses that were obtained, 160 responses from completed surveys were finally considered for the analysis of the study [36]. Table 2 displays the overview of respondent profiles.
Summary of participant profiles
| No. | Demographic influences | Frequency | Share [%] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local manage | Ownership | 44 | 28.6 |
| Foreign manage | 36 | 28.5 | ||
| Joint local & foreign | 80 | 43 | ||
| Total | 160 | 100 | ||
| 2 | Electronic components | Sub-sector | 70 | 33.5 |
| Industrial electronics | 20 | 18.6 | ||
| Consumer electronics | 24 | 15 | ||
| Electrical products | 26 | 18 | ||
| Other | 20 | 14.8 | ||
| Total | 160 | 100 | ||
| 3 | Retail products (phone, computer, automobile) | Initial products | 58 | 36 |
| Industrial goods (machinery, devices) | 50 | 34.8 | ||
| Other | 52 | 29.2 | ||
| Overall | 160 | 100 | ||
| 4 | Less than 6 years | Business operation | 20 | 11.6 |
| 6–10 years | 20 | 12.4 | ||
| 11–15 years | 24 | 12 | ||
| 16–20 years | 30 | 16.5 | ||
| More than 20 years | 66 | 47.5 | ||
| Total | 160 | 100 | ||
| 5 | Below 4·106 INR | Total revenue | 20 | 9.6 |
| 4·106 to 8·106 INR | 46 | 21.2 | ||
| 8·106 to 12·106 INR | 40 | 16.2 | ||
| 12·106 to 16·106 INR | 24 | 14.6 | ||
| Above 16·106 INR | 30 | 38.4 | ||
| Overall | 160 | 100 | ||
| 6 | 1–5 years | Experience | 44 | 23.4 |
| 6–10 years | 40 | 31.8 | ||
| 11–15 years | 30 | 22.3 | ||
| 16–20 years | 20 | 12.6 | ||
| More than 20 years | 26 | 9.8 | ||
| Overall | 160 | 100 | ||
| 7 | Female | Gender | 60 | 52.4 |
| Male | 100 | 47.6 | ||
| Total | 160 | 100 | ||
| 8 | 21–30 | Age | 50 | 19.6 |
| 31–40 | 30 | 32.2 | ||
| 41–50 | 36 | 28.8 | ||
| 51–60 | 44 | 19.4 | ||
| Total | 160 | 100 |
The survey instrument was validated, and the key hypotheses were tested in this quantitative investigation using appropriate statistical tests. As in India, the E&E sector is substantial. Hence, this industry was examined since it dominates India’s industrial sector and considerably boosts exports.
The Questionnaire had six primary elements using a Likert scale of 1 to 5 for the study, such as 1. Respondent Information: This section comprised five questions designed to learn more about the respondents. 2. Ethical Pricing: This section consisted of four questions that examined Ethical Pricing for electronic products. 3. Sustainable Marketing: This section consisted of four questions that examined the importance of sustainable marketing strategies. 4. Eco-Friendly Product: The section included four questions about the development and production of eco-friendly electronic products. 5. Eco-Friendly Location: This section consisted of four questions that examined the company’s current location in terms of supporting eco-friendly practices. 6. Success of Indian electronics manufacturing businesses performance: The final section included six questions about Indian companies that manufacture electronics. The received responses were analysed with the PLS method.
Structured questionnaires were distributed to the business development and marketing managers working for Indian E&E production companies. As already mentioned, all 175 questionnaires were received successfully, and 160 of them had responses to every question to the further analysis.
The results of the estimation model demonstrate the association connecting the latent factor and the visible variables. Initially, the conceptual framework for the study needs to be tested, and the reliability of the measurement method needs to be established.
The range of the composite dependability values is 0.8784 to 0.9386, and they are all more than 0.8. The AVE varies between 0.6585 and 0.7948. Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the CR and AVE performance. The AVE must be greater than 0.6.
CR performance
AVE performance
In the final analysis, the measurement model effectively demonstrates the conceptual model’s convergent validity. This study also examined the reliability of the discriminant. Comparing the squared connections between the concept and the variance generalised for an assumption represents what discriminant validity means.
The convergent reliability of this study is displayed in Table 3. Each of the item reliability measurements is referred to as loading. All reliability levels must exceed the advised threshold of 0.60, which designates a specific figure for each question. The study employed Cronbach’s alpha’s item consistent reliability value to verify the dependability. The results are greater than 0.60 and vary from 0.7692 to 0.9320.
Validity of concepts that coincide
| Construct | Loadings | Question item | CR | AVE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable marketing | 0.8320 | SMAR1 | 0.9371 | 0.7923 |
| 0.9208 | SMAR2 | - | - | |
| 0.9128 | SMAR3 | - | - | |
| 0.8910 | SMAR4 | - | - | |
| Eco-friendly product | 0.8648 | EPRO1 | 0.9270 | 0.7623 |
| 0.8362 | EPRO2 | - | - | |
| 0.8741 | EPRO3 | - | - | |
| 0.9083 | EPRO4 | - | - | |
| Ethical pricing | 0.8482 | EPRI1 | 0.9386 | 0.7948 |
| 0.9294 | EPRI2 | - | - | |
| 0.9320 | EPRI3 | - | - | |
| 0.8523 | EPRI4 | - | - | |
| Eco-friendly location | 0.8398 | ECL1 | 0.9187 | 0.7352 |
| 0.8406 | ECL2 | - | - | |
| 0.9174 | ECL3 | - | - | |
| 0.8428 | ECL4 | - | - | |
| Business performance | 0.8475 | BP1 | 0.9210 | 0.6585 |
| 0.8522 | BP2 | - | - | |
| 0.8087 | BP3 | - | - | |
| 0.8126 | BP4 | - | - | |
| 0.7840 | BP5 | - | - | |
| 0.7692 | BP6 | - | - |
Table 4 displays the discriminant reliability of the constructs and shows the correlation construct’s diagonal elements. The connection there is an off-diagonal component in between the constructs. Each construct’s AVE is greater than its association with the other concepts in the study. The hypotheses are tested using the measurement model.
Constructs’ discriminatory reliability
| Construct | Sustainable marketing | Eco-friendly product | Ethical pricing | Eco-friendly location | Business performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainable marketing | 0.8897 | 0.5646 | 0.5610 | 0.4985 | 0.4548 |
| Eco-friendly product | - | 0.8737 | 0.6710 | 0.6878 | 0.4786 |
| Ethical Pricing | - | - | 0.8920 | 0.7178 | 0.4997 |
| Eco-friendly location | - | - | - | 0.8680 | 0.3611 |
| Business performance | - | - | - | - | 0.8118 |
The research uses a structural model and hypothesis testing to analyse the data. The output of the Smart PLS used to evaluate the hypothesised model is shown in Table 5. This method aids in determining the path coefficient’s significance in statistics. The bootstrapping procedure is random and unique every time the bootstrap technique is executed. Hence, the result was calculated with 500 bootstrapping samples and interpreted whenever needed.
Structure of the architecture in broad terms
| Hypothesis | Decision | t-value | Std error | Std beta | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H4 | Sustainable marketing → Business performance | Supported | 1.7882* | 0.1155 | 0.2089 |
| H3 | Eco-friendly location → Business performance | Not supported | 1.1134 | 0.1226 | –0.1362 |
| H2 | Ethical pricing → Business performance | Supported | 2.4986** | 0.1283 | 0.3206 |
| H1 | Eco-friendly product → Business performance | Supported | 2.1525* | 0.1123 | 0.2387 |
95% confidence level,
90% confidence level
Considering the framework and its distinguishing qualities, such as eco-friendly goods (H1: β= 0.2387, p <0.05), ethical pricing (H2: β = 0.3206, p<0.01), eco-friendly location (H3: β= 0.1362), and sustainable marketing (H4: β = 0.2089, p <0.05), path coefficients (β) and t-statistics are computed. H2, H1, and H4 are therefore all in agreement. Because of this, H3 is irrelevant and not supported. The measurement model is shown in Figure 4.
Measurement model
According to H1, eco-friendly products can significantly and favourably affect a company’s performance. According to the findings, the p-value of the hypotheses is 0.05 (p<0.2387). H1 is acknowledged. Thus, environmentally friendly goods and business success are positively correlated. The findings of this study demonstrate that eco-friendly products have an impact on a company’s performance. Manufacturing environmentally friendly goods in India will also have the added advantage of improving business performance. Using less hazardous components in manufacturing environmentally friendly products can reduce environmental pollution. In pursuit of environmental preservation and adopting sustainable lifestyles, many individuals opt to transition from traditional product consumption to procuring environmentally conscious alternatives. This shift in behaviour forces manufacturing companies to create more sustainable products. Eco-friendly products are crucial for enhancing business performance. E&E manufacturing companies must continue to survive in today’s competitive marketplace to meet consumer demand. Eco-friendly product manufacturers can expand into new markets, boost sales, and improve consumer satisfaction. Creating eco-friendly products has a significant impact on operational, marketing, and financial performance. Environmental pressure and increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products propelled E&E manufacturing companies to increase productivity.
According to H2, ethical pricing and business performance have a large and favourable relationship. The p-value of this hypothesis is 0.3206 (p > 0.01). It indicates the widespread use of H2 and the positive impact of environmental pricing on company results. Thus, ethical pricing is one of the variables affecting company performance in India. The findings of this study demonstrate how ethical pricing affects business performance. For added value and to boost business performance, ethical prices are added. Customers who return recyclable packaging are eligible for refunds or discounts as part of the ethical pricing. The packaging’s capacity for reuse and recycling is enhanced when it is sent back to manufacturing businesses, making ethical pricing an incentive for individuals to lessen their negative environmental effects. Given that it may be reused when buyers return the packaging, manufacturing companies are not obligated to spend more on product packaging. Ethical pricing’s advantages, such as cost savings, forced manufacturing companies to adopt it to boost productivity.
Non-eco-friendly products may carry a higher price tag from manufacturers. For instance, India has begun its “No Plastic Bag Day” initiative; this will be in effect on weekends and intends to increase awareness of environmental issues. Green initiatives like banning plastic bags are regularly held in Penang. People are required to bring their bags when shopping during No Plastic Bag Day. If they need a plastic bag, they will have to purchase one. People may consume fewer things that are not eco-friendly of this. Ethical pricing is crucial in encouraging manufacturing companies to increase productivity. E&E manufacturing companies can also gain advantages, such as savings. To compete and succeed in the market, managers are under pressure from the performance of their companies.
According to H3, a weak and negative relationship exists between company performance and the green environment. According to the findings, this assumption has a value of 0.1362. Green space was thus recognised as a feature that has no bearing on the business’s success. The findings demonstrate that the green environment is a variable that has no bearing on business performance. Indicated that green space had a favourable and significant impact on company performance, the result demonstrates the opposite. This outcome could be addressed because environmental issues are still a foreign idea to E&E manufacturing enterprises. Implementing green spaces comes at a significant expense, which raises the price of the outcome due to the demands of the business to purchase cleaner cars. Working with eco-friendly suppliers and distributors is challenging because so few businesses have implemented eco-friendly location policies. The absence of knowledge and resources among suppliers and distributors makes it more challenging to fully endorse the construction of green spaces. Manufacturing companies are unable to guarantee that the green spaces meet the government-set standards for regulation. Large international corporations also operate several E&E manufacturing companies. Consequently, it is highly challenging to control the actions of the vendors and distributors.
Study H4 provides evidence of a notable and favourable correlation between implementing green advertising techniques and achieving organisational success. Based on the results, the statistical significance level of H4 is 0.2089, greater than the conventional threshold of 0.05. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the validity of hypothesis 4 (H4) and highlights the favourable impact of sustainable advertising on the achievement of corporate objectives. One of the elements that affect a business’s performance is sustainable marketing. The study findings indicate that sustainable marketing affects business performance. By limiting the use of hazardous materials in product manufacture, green marketing can assist in minimising pollution. Resource conservation is becoming increasingly popular among customers as a way to protect the environment. Utilising more environmentally friendly products encourages directly manufacturers to promote sustainability. Manufacturing companies will benefit from environmental marketing regarding business performance when they promote the production process. Companies in India use sustainable marketing because it offers advantages, such as marketing being done for less money and with less environmental impact, particularly online. Sustainable marketing initiatives will help manufacturing companies more than those that do not participate. Additionally, by supporting a more user-friendly design, green advertising aims to inform consumers about the advantages of buying eco-friendly products.
The market percentage for manufacturing companies can expand through green marketing. Additionally, green marketing is crucial for enhancing business performance. Green marketing minimises adverse environmental effects through business marketing communications. By using reused paper in its catalogues, Dell, for instance, developed a sustainable marketing strategy. The sustainable marketing strategy aims to highlight the environmental friendliness of the products and services offered by manufacturing companies in order to enhance their profitability.
Electronics product manufacturers were only one of the numerous sectors where the importance of sustainability issues has a big impact on business. This study sheds light on the intricate relationship between green marketing strategies and the profitability of electronics enterprises using structural equation modelling, a powerful analytical tool. Investigating how several factors, such as ethical pricing, sustainable marketing, environmentally friendly products, and environmentally friendly locations, affect business success was the target. The finding of this research demonstrated that these factors had a significant effect on the growth of Indian electronics manufacturing companies. The eco-friendly location was still unfamiliar to E&E industrial companies. As a result, they rarely employ eco-friendly location methods. E&E manufacturing companies can think about several initiatives to enhance their performance, such as educating managers about green trends, incorporating environmental issues into decision-making, and lowering environmental pollution. The results of this research will benefit electronics businesses intended to maintain or increase their performance in a competitive market while increasing their attempts to be more sustainable, in addition to expanding the existing body of knowledge on green marketing.
Study limitations are identified as follows:
Sector specificity − the study is limited to electronics manufacturing companies, and its results may not apply to other sectors.
Geographical selection − the study focuses on Indian companies, which limits the generalizability of the results to other countries.
Lack of awareness of green sites − green sites are poorly understood in the discovery and evaluation industry, which may lead to data bias.
Due to the lack of financial support, it could not be covered at a broader level.
The practical implications for companies based on these constraints are:
Sector specificity − companies in other sectors should be careful when applying the results of this study, as they may not apply directly to their context. They may need to conduct their research or consult industry studies.
Geographical boundaries − electronics companies operating in different countries must consider local environmental regulations and market dynamics, which may differ significantly from those in India.
Limiting factors − companies should consider other potentially important factors not included in this study when developing their green marketing strategies. It may include government policies, consumer awareness, and attitudes towards sustainability.
Lack of awareness of green sites − companies should explore the concept of green sites and consider how to integrate it into their operations; it may involve conducting more in-depth research or consulting experts in the field.
Future research directions are envisaged as follows:
Scope expansion − future studies could expand the scope to include other sectors outside the electronics industry. It would provide a better understanding of the impact of green marketing strategies in various sectors.
Geographic expansion − conducting similar studies in different geographic regions would help understand whether the results of this study hold up in different cultural and organisational contexts.
Incorporation of more factors − future research could take into account additional factors that may influence business success. Factors such as government policies, consumer awareness and attitudes towards sustainability, and the role of innovation in sustainable practices may be considered.
Environmentally friendly locations − more research can be conducted on the concept of environmentally friendly locations and its impact on business performance.
We want to thank everyone who supported us throughout this study. We also thank the managers/employees of the companies for valuable advice and for answering our questions. Without the support of these people, we would be unable to accomplish the task.
| CR | Composite Reliability |
| AVE | Average Variance Extracted |
| SMAR | Sustainable Marketing |
| EPRO | Eco-Friendly Product |
| EPRI | Ethical Pricing |
| ECL | Eco-Friendly Location |
| BP | Business Performance |
| PCA | Principal Component Analysis |
| ANN | Artificial Neural Network |
| GIA | Green Innovation Adoption |
| GM | Green Marketing |
| EMS | Environmental Management System |
| SEM | Structural Equation Modelling |
| PLS | Partial Least Squares |
| PCE | Perceived Customer Efficacy |
| GHRM | Green Human Resource Management |
| CSR | Corporate Social Responsibility |
| E&E | Electrical & Electronics |
- Partial least squares structural equation modelling, 2018, http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71691-6
- Digital product passports as enabler of the circular economy, 2021,
- The Impact of The Rising Costs of Gasoline on Automobiles Owners in Saudi Arabia, 2020,
- Green supply chain initiatives among certified companies in Malaysia and environmental sustainability: Investigating the outcomes, 2011,
- Investigation of finance industry on risk awareness model and digital economic growth, 2021,
- Perceived greenwashing: the effects of green marketing on environmental and product perceptions, 2021,
- Minimalism as a sustainable lifestyle: Its behavioral representations and contributions to emotional well-being, 2021,
- Appraising the Buyers Approach Towards Sustainable Development with Special Reference to Buying Habits and Knowledge Source of Green Packaging: A Cross-Sectional Study, 2023,
- Green marketing: policies and practices for sustainable development, 2012, http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.23593.34403
- The influence of green marketing strategies on business performance and corporate image in the retail sector, 2020, http://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2401
- Digitalization and sustainable development: How could digital economy development improve green innovation in China?, 2023,
- Examining the moderating effects of green marketing and green psychological benefits on customers’ green attitude, value and purchase intention, 2020,
- Impact of Saudi Arabia Economic Changes (Oil Shock) on Consumer purchasing habits; with Special Reference to Retail Shopping in KSA”, (Second Author and Corresponding Author), 2017,
- The awareness of environmentally friendly products: The impact of green advertising and green brand image, 2020, http://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.2.017
- Adoption of green innovation technology to accelerate sustainable development among manufacturing industry, 20222022,
- A framework for implementing sustainable lean manufacturing in the electrical and electronics component manufacturing industry: An emerging economies country perspective, 2022,
- Green port marketing for sustainable growth and development, 2019,
- Environmental Management System and Pro-Environmental Behavior in Realising Sustainable Industry Performance: Mediating Role of Green Marketing Management, 2022,
- Green innovation and business sustainability: New evidence from energy intensive industry in China, 2020, http://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217826
- Blockchain technologies as enablers of supply chain mapping for sustainable supply chains, 2022,
- Effect of green marketing orientation dimensions on green innovation and organisational performance: A mediation moderation analysis, 2023,
- Apply Green Marketing Strategies to Improve Market Performance by Competitive Advantage as Mediating: An Analytical Study of Some Small Organisations in Iraq, 2022,
- Signalling green: impact of eco-friendly product attributes on consumers trusts and the mediating role of green marketing, 2022,
- The role of ethical marketing issues in consumer-brand relationship, 2019,
- Profitability of energy sector companies of Saudi Arabia: Mutual analysis based on revenue and investment, 2021,
- Green marketing strategies, environmental attitude, and green buying intention: A multi-group analysis in an emerging economy context, 2022,
- Understanding consumers’ intentions to purchase eco-friendly products in the social media marketing context, 2020, http://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-03-2019-0178
- Toward sustainable development and consumption: The role of the sustainable marketing mix in driving green brand equity and green purchase Intention, 2023, http://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2023.2165209
- Adoption of green banking practices and environmental performance in Pakistan: A demonstration of structural equation modelling, 2021,
- Eco-friendly and cost-effective strategies for metals recovery from printed circuit boards, 2019,
- Sustainable/green product packaging from the shopper’s perspective: a case of Saudi Arabia, 2020,
- Green human resource management and sustainable performance with the mediating role of green innovation: A perspective of new technological era, 2022,
- Sustainable competitive advantage through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green behavior strategies, 2022,
- Sustainability strategy as a moderator in the relationship between digital business strategy and financial performance, 2019,
- Sustainable marketing activities of traditional fashion market and brand loyalty, 2020,
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Sample size for qualitative research ,Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal , Vol. 19 (4),pp 426-432 , 2016