Institutional Pressures Versus Organisational Capabilities: A Moderated Mediation Analysis of Sustainable Operations in the Emerging Event Industry

Author: Shukla Jaykumar Rashminbhai

(Research Scholar of School of Commerce and Management, Sabarmati University, Ahmedabad)

Research Guide: Prof (Dr.) Lalit Pipliwal

(School of Commerce and Management, Sabarmati University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India)

Abstract:The event industry is a resource-intensive and fragmented sector that significantly contributes to environmental degradation through waste generation, carbon emissions, and excessive energy consumption. Despite the existence of global sustainability standards like ISO 20121, adoption remains inconsistent in emerging economies such as India. This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of Green Event Management (GEM) practices in Ahmedabad, India, through an integrated theoretical lens of Institutional Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Using a quantitative approach with data from 360 event professionals, the research employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test a moderated mediation model. Findings reveal that environmental sensitization serves as a critical partial mediator between external pressures (policy/market influence) and internal stimuli (awareness/attitude) and the operational adoption of green practices. Furthermore, organisational size significantly moderates the relationship between sensitization and practice adoption, indicating that larger firms possess superior capabilities to translate environmental concern into action. The study provides a comprehensive framework for bridging the "knowledge-practice gap" through targeted sensitization and capability building.

Keywords:Green Event Management, Institutional Pressures, Environmental Sensitization, Organizational Size, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PLS-SEM, Ahmedabad.