We found Hillary’s
[23] research as the most relevant starting point for our research
even though this research uses a mixture of studies conducted
around different standards (not exclusively ISO 14001).
These are similar in nature, though. Furthermore, the quality
of some of Hillary’s [23] data varies, which is also recognised
by Hillary [23]. Firstly, some of the data comes from organisations
that had never been certified to environmental management
system. Secondly, some of the secondary sources Hillary
[23] used are based on research with low academic rigour (for
instance consultancy reports). And finally most of the data are
generated through surveys, which may reveal the most prevalent
barriers but do not inform about the nature of the problem.
Despite these limitations, Hillary’s [23] study represents the
most comprehensive overview of the barriers in EMS’s implementation
in SMEs.