The results o f the regression analysis denote that, in general, a direct positive link exists
between technological integration and environmental cooperation with both primary
suppliers and major customers. This link was weaker for logistical integration. Hence,
the integration related to strategic activities, such as product development and tacit
knowledge transfer through technical training and premises visits, is linked with a higher
propensity to collaborate in environmental planning, establishing common environmental
goals and jointly addressing product- and process-related issues. At the tactical level, the
extensive but low-level information sharing typical of logistical integration does have the
same positive effect on the environmental cooperation. This result can indicate that
environmental management is getting more strategic level attention in organizations’
operations management and that it is increasingly viewed as a component o f operations
strategy rather than a constraint to the day-to-day operations (Angell and Klassen 1999).
Environmental monitoring by the customers was highly related to technological
integration. This finding suggests that customers who are investing resources to develop
suppliers through technical training and knowledge sharing are risk averse. They seek to