Analysis of Green Strategy of Multinational Corporations under Diversified Institutional Environments - Taking Starbucks’ Global Green Practice as an Example

Rosedale Global High School, Toronto, Canada

^* Corresponding author: mengyandrea5@gmail.com

Abstract

Given the shortcomings of existing research that focuses on a single institutional dimension, this paper takes Starbucks in four typical markets, California, Sweden, Japan and China, as cases, constructs an analytical framework from the dual perspective of “formal institutions-informal institutions”, and identifies three strategic paths: compliance response, brand co-creation and public collaboration. The study adopts a case study method, combined with ESG reports, official documents, green store deployment data and prediction models, to deeply analyze the logic of Starbucks’ strategic adjustment. The empirical results show that in markets with mature regulations, companies strengthen brand legitimacy by exceeding environmental protection requirements. In culturally driven markets, localized vision and product innovation are used to enhance consumer recognition. Overall, the average deviation between green store deployment and model prediction in various regions is controlled within 5%, which verifies the high consistency between institutional pressure and strategic response. This study not only enriches the empirical application of institutional theory in the field of multinational green strategy but also provides an operational path reference for enterprises to achieve green transformation in a diversified institutional environment.