Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior

Abstract Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) of contractors in megaprojects is crucial for promoting sustainability, but how to trigger and predict it remains unclear. This study integrates moral identity and corporate green culture into the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to develop an exte...

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Main Authors: Zhao Zhai, Shirong Gao, Ming Shan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06547-z
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author Zhao Zhai
Shirong Gao
Ming Shan
author_facet Zhao Zhai
Shirong Gao
Ming Shan
author_sort Zhao Zhai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) of contractors in megaprojects is crucial for promoting sustainability, but how to trigger and predict it remains unclear. This study integrates moral identity and corporate green culture into the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to develop an extended TPB (ETPB). Based on a questionnaire survey (N = 181) from Chinese megaprojects, we found that (1) contractors’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control positively influence their intentions to engage in ERB; (2) perceived behavioral control, intentions, moral identity, and corporate green culture positively influence ERB; and (3) the explanatory power (R 2) and predictive power (PLSpredict, CVPAT) of the ETPB model are superior to those of the TPB model. These findings offer novel theoretical insights through the ETPB model in the context of megaprojects and provide practical guidance for promoting ERB among contractors.
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spelling doaj-art-2aa65cd6ce864fe4b32cd6503c003c362025-08-20T04:01:24ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111910.1038/s41598-025-06547-zExploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behaviorZhao Zhai0Shirong Gao1Ming Shan2School of Transportation, Changsha University of Science and TechnologySchool of Transportation, Changsha University of Science and TechnologySchool of Civil Engineering, Central South UniversityAbstract Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) of contractors in megaprojects is crucial for promoting sustainability, but how to trigger and predict it remains unclear. This study integrates moral identity and corporate green culture into the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to develop an extended TPB (ETPB). Based on a questionnaire survey (N = 181) from Chinese megaprojects, we found that (1) contractors’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control positively influence their intentions to engage in ERB; (2) perceived behavioral control, intentions, moral identity, and corporate green culture positively influence ERB; and (3) the explanatory power (R 2) and predictive power (PLSpredict, CVPAT) of the ETPB model are superior to those of the TPB model. These findings offer novel theoretical insights through the ETPB model in the context of megaprojects and provide practical guidance for promoting ERB among contractors.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06547-zMegaproject contractorsEnvironmentally responsible behaviorExtended theory of planned behaviorMoral identityCorporate green culture
spellingShingle Zhao Zhai
Shirong Gao
Ming Shan
Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
Scientific Reports
Megaproject contractors
Environmentally responsible behavior
Extended theory of planned behavior
Moral identity
Corporate green culture
title Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
title_full Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
title_fullStr Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
title_full_unstemmed Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
title_short Exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
title_sort exploring environmentally responsible behavior of megaproject contractors using an extended theory of planned behavior
topic Megaproject contractors
Environmentally responsible behavior
Extended theory of planned behavior
Moral identity
Corporate green culture
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06547-z
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AT shironggao exploringenvironmentallyresponsiblebehaviorofmegaprojectcontractorsusinganextendedtheoryofplannedbehavior
AT mingshan exploringenvironmentallyresponsiblebehaviorofmegaprojectcontractorsusinganextendedtheoryofplannedbehavior