Lazenby, J.Pekalski, Adri2024-05-072024-05-072004http://hdl.handle.net/11660/12482Dissertation (M.E.M. (Environmental Management))--University of the Free State, 2004The aim of this study was to determine the differences in attitudes of Spoornet Middle Management with regards to the implementation of Environmental Management Systems in ten different functional areas. A questionnaire to measure the attitudes was developed in accordance with the International Chamber of Commerce' principles for Sustainable Development. The attitudes of 5 middle managers per Functional Division were recorded. The level of implementation and results were also measured with the aid of forty-nine structured questions in the Environmental Self Assessment Programme of Deloitte and Touch (Industrial Environmental Forum, 1994) which constitute behaviour. Bell et al (1990) cited that a general attitude may not predict behaviour but that a multiple item scale measuring components of an attitude is more likely to predict a class of behaviour. It is for this reason that the multiple item questionnaire was developed and administered to measure attitudes. Differences exist between the attitudes of the different Functional Divisions. The differing attitudes will invariable lower the possibility in achieving the same level of participation in the implementation of an Environmental Management System, unless changed. The correlation of attitudes and behaviour of the Functional Divisions were also measured and no correlation was found, except in one principle, which in general reinforced previous research (Lauw & Edwards, 1993). Behaviour is likely to follow a specific trend where consequences that are certain, manifested almost immediately and are positively rewarded will determine the behaviour according to Krause (1997). The behaviour may then contradict the attitudes. The ongIns of environmental problems are believed to lie in two aspects. Firstly, achieving business success on a year to year bottom line which does not promote longer term investment especially regarding sustainable business' tipple bottom line and specifically environmental accountability. Secondly, aligning the different Business Division's attitudes towards Sustainable Development may well increase possibility of achieving similar results with the implementation of the Environmental Management System.enIndustrial managementenvironmental aspectsenvironmental managementhuman behaviorDissertationUniversity of the Free State