Criminological Theories Explaining Organizational Environmental Crime — With Special Regard to Economic Paradigms

Abstract

The study investigates the phenomenon of organizational environmental crime, with a particular focus on economic paradigms. It argues that while corporate behavior is often driven by profit-oriented rationality, classical economic models are insufficient to fully explain organizational misconduct in relation to environmental regulations. The paper discusses the limitations of rational choice theory and highlights the explanatory power of legitimacy theory and other sociological approaches. It concludes that understanding organizational environmental crime requires an integrated perspective combining economic and legal considerations.