合理性(Legitimacy)是一種公眾的集體意識或認知，公司在CSR報告中揭露環境訊息或藉由媒體新聞的發布可以建立環境合理性，透過環境合理性的直接衡量，本研究探討環境資訊的傳遞(包括採用CSR報告揭露及新聞發布的方式)與環境合理性之間的關聯性，並探究節能績效及減碳績效對兩者之影響。以日經500指數成份股的企業為研究對象，利用EOL日本全上市信息數據庫蒐集相關資料，並採用聯立方程模式分析。
以往文獻針對環境揭露的指標較少探討生態環境觀點，本研究將其納入環境揭露的衡量構面，期盼增加環境揭露的品質，研究結果顯示日本企業在其CSR報告中所揭露的內容以環境管理、能源、生態性為主要焦點，尤其是二氧化碳排放量的敘述頻率成長幅度最大；環境敏感性產業的公司增加CSR報告揭露可以提升合理性的建立，然而，新聞發布與企業的環境合理性卻呈現負向顯著關係，顯示環境敏感性企業發布環境相關新聞，反而會減損企業的環境合理性。再者，不論CSR報告書揭露或新聞發布，前期環境合理性對於當期環境資訊傳遞都有正向顯著關係；媒體曝光程度僅與CSR報告書揭露呈現正向顯著關係；公司規模愈大，對環境資訊的揭露愈多，有助於提升環境合理性。
本研究採用「節能減碳」的觀點衡量環境績效，透過實證結果發現二氧化碳減排指標對CSR報告書環境揭露具有正向顯著效果，但和環境合理性之間呈現不顯著的負向關係。媒體曝光程度主要是受到公司規模及在國外交易市場掛牌上市數量的正向影響。

Legitimacy is the perception held by relevant publics and by society at large. Firms disclosure environmental information in the CSR reports or press release by the media, they can create the environment legitimacy. Using a direct measure of environmental legitimacy, we explore the impact of environmental communication and environmental legitimacy, and to consider the effect by using different measures of the environmental performance.The sample comprises Japan Nikkei stock index 500 firms. The information extracted from the EOL all listed companies in Japan information database. We endogenize the related variables in simultaneous equations models.
Previous environmental disclosuring research neglected the indicator of ecological view, we exposed it to evaluating environmental disclosure, looking forward to increasing the quality. The results obtained show that firms focus on the contents of environmental management, energy, ecology in the CSR report, particularly the frequency of discribing CO2 emissions growth largest. Firms in environmentally-sensitive industries increse CSR report disclosuring can enhance the legitimacy. However there is a significantly negative relationship between press releases and media legitimacy, suggesting that press release has lower impact on legitimacy for those firms operating in more environmental-sensitive industries. Furthermore lag legitimacy is significantly and positively related to a firm’s environmental communication, however media exposure is just significantly and positively related to CSR reports disclosuring. The larger the company’s size, the more disclosure of environmental information, and also help to improve the environment legitimacy.
We also found that using the point of "energy saving and carbon reduction" to measure environmental performance, and there is a positive and significant  relationship between the environmental performance, carbon reduction, and CSR reports disclosuring. But there is a negative and non-significant relationship to environmental legitimacy. Furthermore, the results show that foreign listing and firm size lead to more environmental news.

目錄
目錄I
表目錄II
圖目錄III
第壹章　緒論1
第一節　研究背景1
第二節　研究動機3
第四節　研究流程7
第貳章　文獻探討9
第一節　環境會計及日本環境管理制度9
第二節　環境合理性相關文獻17
第三節　環境資訊揭露與環境績效相關文獻22
第四節　環境揭露、環境合理性與環境績效之關聯性28
第參章　研究方法31
第一節　觀念性架構與研究假說31
第二節　變數衡量35
第三節　研究樣本與資料蒐集39
第四節　實證模型40
第五節　研究方法42
第肆章　實證結果及分析44
第一節　CSR報告書環境揭露44
第二節　敘述統計分析48
第三節　相關分析49
第四節　迴歸分析結果53
第五節　環境資訊揭露與環境績效之進一步分析61
第伍章　研究結果、限制及建議66
第一節　研究結果及貢獻66
第二節　研究限制69
第三節　研究建議69
參考文獻72
附錄1　日本環境管理歷史78
附錄2　實證分析結果比較81



表目錄
表2-1　日本環境省環境會計指引歷年重要項目比較表12
表2-2　營業活動相應的環保成本分類 (大項分類)14
表2-3　營業活動相應的成本分類 (中小項分類)15
表2-4　環保效益指標16
表2-5　環保活動經濟效益基本內容17
表2-6　環境揭露指標文獻彙整25
表4-1　研究樣本的選擇44
表4-2　2005-2007日本企業CSR報告書環境揭露構面平均分數(以項目別區分)	45
表4-3　2005-2007日本企業CSR報告書環境揭露平均分數及排名(以產業別區分)47
表4-4　2005-2007環境資訊揭露項目評分前10名及後5名的產業具環境敏感性之比重48
表4-5　變數之敘述性統計49
表4-6　合理性模式相關分析(Pearson 相關)51
表4-7　揭露模式相關分析(Pearson 相關)52
表4-8　媒體曝光模式相關分析(Pearson 相關)53
表4-9　控制變數之平均數差異(選擇偏誤檢測)54
表4-10　媒體曝光模式-Logit模型分析結果55
表4-11　三階最小平方迴歸分析結果(年報環境揭露模式)-係數(T-value)57
表4-12　三階最小平方迴歸分析結果(新聞發布模式) -係數(T-value)60
表4-13　經濟性/社會性環境資訊揭露分析結果(CSR報告書環境揭露模式)-係數(T-value)64
表4-14　事前說明/事後回應環境新聞發布分析結果(新聞發布模式)-係數(T-value)65
圖目錄
圖1-1　研究流程圖8
圖3-1　觀念性架構圖31

參考文獻
王思佳，2005，現行環境會計原則之研究分析─以日本環境省環境會計準則與國
際會計師協會環境管理會計準則為例，國立交通大學管理科學系所未出版碩
士論文。
王珮如，2003，年報環境揭露與合理性理論之研究-以上市公司為例，國立政治
大學會計學系碩士班未出版碩士論文。
王婉靈，2009，經濟衰退下的綠色新政，能源報導月刊，2009 年5 月號，頁27-29。
宋宜音，2009，環境掲露、環境績效與經濟績效關聯性之研究，淡江大學會計學
系碩士在職專班未出版碩士論文。
林慧文，2002，環境會計建構與發展歷程探討，南華大學環境管理研究所未出版
碩士論文。
祝道松，盧正宗，洪晨桓，楊秀萍，2008，環境績效對環境揭露與經濟績效的影
響，當代會計，第9卷第2期：237-270。
張大成、林郁翎、黃士賓，2008，應用拒絕推論技術建構企業財務危機預警模型：
以台灣上市公司為例，管理創新與新願景研討會，台灣台北。
產業永續發展整合資訊網，http://proj.moeaidb.gov.tw/isdn/Application/cost.asp
產業環境會計帳制度的建置，2007，行政院經濟建設委員會新聞稿。
楊秀萍，2005，環境績效對環境揭露與經濟績效影響之探討，國立東華大學企業
管理學系碩士班未出版碩士論文。
經濟部能源局網站，http://www.moeaboe.gov.tw/
葉欣誠，2006，地球暖化，怎麼辦？請看「京都議定書」的退燒妙方，高雄市政
府環境保護局/新自然主義股份有限公司。
趙沛俊，2004，企業環境績效與環境揭露程度關聯性之研究，東吳大學會計學研
究所未出版碩士論文。
劉奕良，2008，廢氣變黃金─參與全球碳減量的經驗，台北：卓越國際媒體。
薛敏正、張瑀珊、高君慈，2008，公司自我選擇聘任會計師與審計公費，當代會
計，第9 卷第2 期：167-200。
Aerts, W., and D. Cormier. 2009. Media legitimacy and corporate environmental
communication. Accounting, Organizations and Society 34:1-27.
73
Al-Tuwaijri, S. A., T. E. Christensen, and K. E. Hughes. 2004. The relations among
environmental disclosure, environmental performance, and economic
performance: Ａ simultaneous equations approach. Accounting, Organizations
and Society 29 (5-6): 447-471.
Ashforth, B. E., and B. W. Gibbs. 1990. The double-edge of organizational
legitimation. Organization Science 1:177–194.
Bansal, P., and I. Clelland. 2004. Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management,
and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. Academy of
Management Journal 47(1): 93–102.
Baum, A. C. Joel, and W. W. Powell. 1995. Cultivating an institutional ecology of
organizations: comment on Hannan, Carroll, Dundon, and Torres. American
Sociological Review 60: 529–539.
Beets, S. D., and C. Souther. 1999. Corporate environmental reports: the need for
standards and an environmental assurance service. Accounting Horizons 13(2):
129–145.
Berthelot, S., D. Cormier, and M. Magnan. 2003. Environmental disclosure research:
Review and synthesis. Journal of Accounting Literature 22: 1-44.
Bewley, K., and Y. Li. 2000. Disclosure of environmental information by Canadian
manufacturing companies: A voluntary disclosure perspective. Advances in
Environmental Accounting and Management 1: 201–226.
Brown, N., and C. Deegan. 1998. The public disclosure of environmental
performance information: A dual test of media agenda setting theory and
legitimacy theory. Accounting and Business Research 29(1): 21–41.
Cho, C. H., and D. M. Patten. 2007. The role of environmental disclosures as tools of
legitimacy: A research note. Accounting, Organizations and Society 32:639–647.
Clarkson, P.M., Y. Li, G. D. Richardson, and F. P. Vasvari. 2008. Revisiting the
relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An
empirical analysis. Accounting, Organizations and Society 33: 303–327.
Cormier, D., and I. M. Gordon. 2001. An examination of social and environmental
reporting strategies. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal 14(5):
587–616.
Cormier, D., and M. Magnan. 1999. Corporate environmental disclosure strategies:
Determinants, costs and benefits. Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance
74
14(3): 429–451.
Cormier, D., and M. Magnan. 2003. Environmental reporting management: A
european perspective. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy 22: 43–62.
Cormier, D., I. Gordon, and M. Magnan. 2004. Corporate environmental disclosure:
contrasting management’s perceptions with reality. Journal of Business Ethics 49:
143-165.
Deegan, C., and M. Rankin. 1996. Do australian companies report environmental
disclosures by firms prosecuted successfully by environmental protection
authority. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal 9(2): 50–67.
Dowling, J., and J. Pfeffer. 1975. Organizational legitimacy: Social values and
organizational behavior. Pacific Sociological Review 18(1): 122-136.
Fanelli, A., and V. F. Misangyi. 2006. Bringing out charisma: CEO charisma and
external stakeholders. Academy of Management Review 31(4): 1049–1061.
Fombrun, C. 1996. Reputation: Realizing value from the corporate image. Boston,
MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Freedman, M., and C. Wasley. 1990. The association between environmental
performance and environmental disclosure in annual reports and 10Ks. Advances
in Public Interest Accounting 3:183–193.
Gardner, W. L., and M.J. Martinko. 1988. Impression management in organizations.
Journal of Management 14(2) 321–338.
Gibson, K., and G. O’Donovan. 2007. Corporate Governance and Environmental
Reporting: an Australian study. The Authors Journal compilation 15(5):944-956.
Ginzel, L., R. Kramer, and R. Sutton. 1992. Organizational impression management
as a reciprocal influence process: The neglected role of the organizational
audience, In L. Cummings and B. Staw (Eds). Research in organizational
behavior 14: 227-266. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Global Reporting Initiative. Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, 2002.
Global Reporting Initiative. Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, 2006.
Gray, R., R. Kouhy, and S. Lavers. 1995. Corporate social and environmental
reporting: A review of the literature and a longitudinal study of UK disclosure.
Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal 8(2): 47–77.
Healy, P. M., and K. G. Palepu. 2001. Information asymmetry, corporate disclosure,
and the capital markets: A review of the empirical disclosure literature. Journal
of Accounting and Economics 31(1–3): 405–440.
75
Heckman, J. J. 1979. Sample Selection Bias as a Specification Error. Econometrica,
47: 153-161.
Hope, O. K. 2003. Disclosure practices, enforcement of accounting standards and
analysts’ forecasts accuracy: an international study. Journal of Accounting
Research 41(2):272-273.
Ingram, R. W., and K. B. Frazier. 1980. Environmental performance and corporate
disclosure. Journal of Accounting Research 18: 615–622.
Iwasaki, H. 2008. Overcoming pollution in Japan and the lessons learned. Ministry of
the Environment. Japan.
Janis, I. L., and R. Fadner. 1965. The Coefficient of Imbalance. In H. Lasswell, N.
Leites, and Associates (Eds.), Language of politics :153–169. Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press.
Japan Environmental Agency. 2000. Developing an Environmental Accounting
System.
Japan Environmental Agency. Environmental Accounting Guidelines, 2002.
Japan Environmental Agency. Environmental Accounting Guidelines, 2005.
Japan Environmental Agency. Environmental Reporting Guidelines, 2000.
Jose, A., and S. M. Lee. 2007. Environmental reporting of global corporations: A
content analysis based on website disclosures. Journal of Business Ethics
72:307-321.
Kameyama, Y. 2004. Evaluation and future of the Kyoto Protocol: Japan’s perspective.
International Review for Environmental Strategies 5(1): 71-82.
Lindblom, C. K. 1994. The implications of organizational legitimacy for corporate
social performance and disclosure. Paper presented at the Critical Perspectives
on Accounting Conference. New York.
McCombs, M. E., and D. L. Shaw. 1972. The agenda setting function of the mass
media. Public Opinion Quarterly 36:176–187.
Meyer, J. W., and B. Rowan. 1977. Institutionalized organizations: Formal structure
as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology 83: 340–363.
Nakazawa, H. 2006. Between the global environmental regime and local
sustainability: a local review on the inclusion, failure and reinventing process of
the environmental governance. International Journal of Japanese Sociology15:
69–85.
Oliver, C. 1991. Strategic responses to institutional processes. Academy of
76
Management Review 16(1):145–179.
Patten, D. M. 2002a. Media exposure, public policy pressure, and environmental
disclosure: An examination of the impact of tri data availability. Accounting
Forum 26(2):153–171.
Patten, D. M. 2002b. The relation between environmental performance and
environmental disclosure: A research note. Accounting, Organizations and
Society 27: 763–773.
Patten, D. M. 2005. The accuracy of financial reports projections of future
environmental capital expenditures: A research note. Accounting, Organizations
and Society 30: 457–468.
Patterson, J. D., and M. W. Allen. 1997. Accounting for your actions: How
stakeholders respond to the strategic communication of environmental activist
organizations. Journal of Applied Communication Research 25: 293–316.
Pfeffer, J., and G. R. Salancik. 1978. The external control of organizations: A
resource dependence perspective. New York: Harper and Row.
Powell, W. W. 1991. Expanding the scope of institutional analysis. In W. W. Powell
& P. J. DiMaggio (Eds.), The new institutionalism in organizational analysis:
183–204. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Rao, H. 1994. The social construction of reputation: Certification contests,
legitimation and the survival of organizations in the American automobile
industry: 1985–1912. Strategic Management Journal 15: 29–44.
Rao, H. 1998. Caveat emptor: The construction of nonprofit consumer watchdog
organizations. American Journal of Sociology 103(4): 912–961.
Ruef, M., and W. Scott. 1998. A multidimensional model of organizational legitimacy:
hospital survival in changing institutional environments. Administrative Science
Quarterly 43: 877-904.
Russo, M. V., and P. A. Fouts. 1997. A resource based perspective on corporate
environmental performance and profitability. Academy of Management Journal
40: 534–559.
Suchman, M. 1995. Managing legitimacy: strategic and institutional approaches.
Academy of Management Review 20:571-610.
Tagesson, T., V. Blank, P. Broberg and S. O. Collin. 2009. What explains the extent
and content of social and environmental disclosure on corporate websites: A
study of social and environmental reporting in Swedish listed corporations.
77
Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management.
Thomas, S., R. Repetto, and D. Dias. 2007. Integrated Environmental and Financial
Performance Metrics for Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management.
Corporate Governance: An International Review 15(3): 421-426.
Ullmann, A. E. 1985. Data in search of a theory: A critical examination of the
relationships among social performance, social disclosure, and economic
performance of US firms. Academy of Management Review 10(3): 540-557
United Nations. 2001. Environmental Management Accounting Procedures and
Principles. New York
Verrecchia, R. 1983. Discretionary disclosure. Journal of Accounting and Economics
5: 179–194.
Vidaver-Cohen, D., and P. Bronn. 2008. Corporate citizenship and managerial
motivation: implication for business legitimacy. Business and Society Review
113: 441-475.
Walden, D. W., and B. N. Schwartz. 1997. Environmental disclosures and public
policy pressure. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy 16: 125–154.
Wiseman, J. 1982. An evaluation of environmental disclosures made in corporate
annual reports. Accounting, Organizations and Society 7(1): 53–63.