Recycling intentions and behaviors among informal micro-entrepreneurs in Kelantan, Malaysia
| Published date | 05 July 2019 |
| Pages | 123-138 |
| Date | 05 July 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-10-2017-0077 |
| Author | Abdullah Al Mamun,Roselina Ahmad Saufi,Muhammad Mohiuddin,Syed Ali Fazal |
| Subject Matter | Strategy,Business ethics,Sustainability |
Recycling intentions and
behaviors among informal
micro-entrepreneurs in
Kelantan, Malaysia
Abdullah Al Mamun
Global Entrepreneurship Research and Innovation Centre (GERIC),
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Pengkalan Chepa, Malaysia
Roselina Ahmad Saufi
International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia
Muhammad Mohiuddin
School of Business and Economics, Thompson Rivers University,
Kamloops, Canada, and
Syed Ali Fazal
Department of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan,
Pengkalan Chepa, Malaysia
Abstract
Purpose –As recycling is associated with various environmental benefits, it is important that it is
encouraged in Malaysia. Taking the disappointingly low recycling rate in Malaysia as its backdrop, the
purpose of this paper is to examine recycling intentions and behaviors among micro-entrepreneurs in
Kelantan, Malaysia, drawing on the theory of planned behavior.
Design/methodology/approach –The study adopted a cross-sectional design and stratified random
sampling method to select 200 informal micro-entrepreneurs from Kota Bharu, Kelantan; then, quantitative
data were collected through structured interviews. For data analysis, this study adopted variance-based
structural equation modeling, i.e. PLS–SEM.
Findings –The findings indicated that environmental awareness had a significant positive effect on
micro-entrepreneurs’attitudes toward the environment. They also confirmed a positive and significant effect
of attitude and perceived behavioral control on intention toward recycling and the effect of intention toward
recycling on recycling behavior among the study sample.
Practical implications –Policies and programs focused on environmental awareness could nurture a
positive attitude toward the environment, which, together with the capacities and resources available, could
significantly influence the adoption of recycling behavior among informal entrepreneurs.
Originality/value –It is recommended that both public and private environmental protection and
socio-economic development organizations combine their efforts to formulate and enforce policies and
programs to promote recycling behavior among Malaysian entrepreneurs, which could spread the recycling
spirit among all Malaysians.
Keywords Theory of planned behaviour, Recycling behaviour, Recycling intention
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Most developed nations show concern for environmental deterioration, and this often
shapes their policies and economies (Ramayah et al., 2010). Environmental deterioration has
been made plain by the emergence of several environmental dilemmas worldwide, such as
global warming, climate change, pollution and acid rain, all of which have been at worrying
levels for quite some time (Salleh et al., 2016). In particular, climate change, landfills,
uncertainty in terms of future accessibility of fossil fuels and the significant quantity of
carbon emissions have been extensively recognized as the biggest issues of the present
World Journal of
Entrepreneurship, Management
and Sustainable Development
Vol. 15 No. 2, 2019
pp. 123-138
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2042-5961
DOI10.1108/WJEMSD-10-2017-0077
Received 28 October 2017
Revised 7 December 2018
Accepted 25 December 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5961.htm
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Recycling
intentions and
behaviors
century (Sang and Bekhet, 2015). In Malaysia, climate change increases economic
vulnerability, thereby reducing agricultural productivity and food security (Afroz, 2017;
Al-Amin et al., 2010). Roy and Pal (2009) highlighted that consumerism and lifestyle
decisions are the key drivers of anthropogenic climate change, and this is why
environmental issues have emerged as significant concerns not only for governments and
societies, but also for businesses (Eltayeb et al., 2010).
Recycling, as a universally accepted method of waste disposal and minimalization,
effectively reduces the consumption of natural resources and energy (Ramayah et al., 2010;
Chan and Bishop, 2013). According to Mahmud and Osman (2010), recycling is the most
suitable and significant strategy for overcoming certain environmental problems, such as
overloaded landfills. Chen and Tung (2010) noted that recycling is one of the most popular
solutions for minimizing municipal solid waste, as it not only reduces waste, but also
transforms waste materials into valuable resources, thereby generating a number of
economic, environmental and social benefits. This is why governments throughout the
world have enforced laws and set-up garbage reduction and recycling programs to reduce
resource wastage and create a sustainable environment for future generations.
Public awareness of recycling among Malaysians still remains low compared to their
developedneighbor, Singapore, and similarcountries; althoughMalaysia has bravely targeted
an ambitious 22 percent recycling rate by the year 2020 (Ramayah et al., 2012). According to
Kathirvaleet al. (2004), on average 0.5–0.8kg/person/day of municipalsolid waste is generated
in Malaysia, and the figure could be as high as 1.7 kg/person/day in major cities. It has been
reported that on average half of local authorities’operating budgets are exhausted on
municipal solid waste, and of this more than half is expended on waste collection. It is
perceivedthat a lack of synchronization betweenrelevant agencies and residents in regards to
waste management, underutilization of resources, unsustainable waste management
programs, inadequate household participation, insufficient skilled manpower, a lack of
waste collection equipment, irregular collection services, a lack of legal provisions and
constraintsof other necessary resourcesare the key factors behindthe current waste recycling
dilemma in Malaysia (Ramayah et al., 2012).
An effective recycling program requires initiativeand cooperation from both the government
and the residents, particularly business owners, who play a substantial role in supplying
consumables to the general public. Informal micro-enterprises are one such business entity,
carrying out economic activities outside of formal institutional limitations but within informal
institutional borders. They cater to large communal groups by engaging low-paid employees
as waged workers and thereby play a significant role in national economic development
(Al Mamun et al.,2016;Webbet al., 2013). In Malaysia, it was reported that 11.4 percent of non-
agricultural employment was in the informal sector in 2015 compared to 11.2 percent in 2013.
Numerically, employment in the informal sector was 1.40m employees in 2015, an increase of
79,300 employees (6.0 percent) compared to 1.3m employees in 2013. The status of employment
in the informal sector in 2015 by own workers or self-employed is 55.1 percent higher than
employers, employees and unpaid family workers. Meanwhile, the informal sector by industry
consists of 19.2 percent in accommodation, and food and beverage service activities, and
10.7 percent in wholesale and retail trade (Department of Statistics, 2015). Although both
developed and developing nations host informal economies and related enterprises, informal
micro-enterprises have been found to act as engines of economic dynamism in developing
economies such as Malaysia, where a significant proportion of micro-entrepreneurs operate
within the informal economy of the country (Al Mamun et al., 2016).
Although recycling programs in Malaysia have been widely active since 1993, to date the
recycling rate of 5 percent seems unimpressive for a country where more than 30 percent of
garbage is recyclable (Mahmud and Osman, 2010; Ramayah et al., 2010). On the other hand, it is
predicted that by 2020 the quantity of municipal solid waste generated in Malaysia will reach
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