IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v129y2018icp210-220.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

External knowledge sources, green innovation and performance

Author

Listed:
  • Ben Arfi, Wissal
  • Hikkerova, Lubica
  • Sahut, Jean-Michel

Abstract

Theoretically speaking knowledge sharing seems relevant for innovations in general. Yet, there is no adequate understanding of how knowledge sharing can develop green innovation in SMEs. This paper focuses on how internal and external knowledge sharing intercede green innovation and ponders on how it affects the organization performance. First, the empirical results show that all types of external knowledge don't convey the same green innovative outputs. Second, they reveal that the success of the innovation process is strongly impacted by the access to knowledge sources but above all by the combination of internal and external knowledge in each phase of the green innovation process. The success of green innovations unveils the organizational absorptive capacity of external knowledge and their transformation into internal skills. Eventually, the risks associated with knowledge transfer can hinder the positive relationship between green innovation and the firms' performance. It also leads to the financial failure of green innovations.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben Arfi, Wissal & Hikkerova, Lubica & Sahut, Jean-Michel, 2018. "External knowledge sources, green innovation and performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 210-220.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:129:y:2018:i:c:p:210-220
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2017.09.017
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162517312349
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.09.017?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anthony Arundel & Edward Lorenz & Bengt-Åke Lundvall & Antoin Valeyre, 2006. "The Organization of Work and Innovative Performance A comparison of the EU-15," DRUID Working Papers 06-14, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    2. Chieh-Peng Lin, 2007. "To Share or Not to Share: Modeling Tacit Knowledge Sharing, Its Mediators and Antecedents," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 411-428, February.
    3. Triguero, Angela & Moreno-Mondéjar, Lourdes & Davia, María A., 2013. "Drivers of different types of eco-innovation in European SMEs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 25-33.
    4. Horbach, Jens & Rammer, Christian & Rennings, Klaus, 2012. "Determinants of eco-innovations by type of environmental impact — The role of regulatory push/pull, technology push and market pull," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 112-122.
    5. Carrión-Flores, Carmen E. & Innes, Robert, 2010. "Environmental innovation and environmental performance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 27-42, January.
    6. Klaus Rennings & Thomas Zwick, 2002. "Employment Impact Of Cleaner Production On The Firm Level: Empirical Evidence From A Survey In Five European Countries," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 6(03), pages 319-342.
    7. Yu-Shan Chen, 2008. "The Positive Effect of Green Intellectual Capital on Competitive Advantages of Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 77(3), pages 271-286, February.
    8. Bengt-Åke Lundvall & Peter Nielsen, 2007. "Knowledge management and innovation performance," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 28(1), pages 207 - 223, April.
    9. Jaffe, Adam B. & Newell, Richard G. & Stavins, Robert N., 2005. "A tale of two market failures: Technology and environmental policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2-3), pages 164-174, August.
    10. Paul Ekins, 2010. "Eco-innovation for environmental sustainability: concepts, progress and policies," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 267-290, August.
    11. Amandine Pinget & Rachel Bocquet & Caroline Mothe, 2015. "Barriers to Environmental Innovation in SMEs: Empirical Evidence from French Firms," Post-Print hal-01300837, HAL.
    12. Jansen, J.J.P. & van den Bosch, F.A.J. & Volberda, H.W., 2005. "Managing Potential and Realized Absorptive Capacity: How do Organizational Antecedents matter?," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2005-025-STR, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    13. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Mairesse, Jacques, 1995. "Exploring the relationship between R&D and productivity in French manufacturing firms," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 263-293, January.
    14. Belderbos, Rene & Carree, Martin & Lokshin, Boris, 2004. "Cooperative R&D and firm performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1477-1492, December.
    15. De Marchi, Valentina, 2012. "Environmental innovation and R&D cooperation: Empirical evidence from Spanish manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 614-623.
    16. Cohen, Wesley M & Levinthal, Daniel A, 1989. "Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 569-596, September.
    17. Bengt‐Åke Lundvall & Peter Nielsen, 2007. "Knowledge management and innovation performance," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 28(3/4), pages 207-223, June.
    18. Klaus Rennings & Christian Rammer, 2011. "The Impact of Regulation-Driven Environmental Innovation on Innovation Success and Firm Performance," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 255-283.
    19. Claudia Ghisetti & Alberto Marzucchi & Sandro Montresor, 2013. "Does external knowledge affect environmental innovations? An empirical investigation of eleven European countries," DISEIS - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo dis1301, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo (DISEIS).
    20. Sandra Dubouloz & Rachel Bocquet, 2013. "Innovation organisationnelle. S'ouvrir pour innover plus ?," Revue française de gestion, Lavoisier, vol. 0(6), pages 129-147.
    21. Klaus krippendorff, 2004. "Measuring the Reliability of Qualitative Text Analysis Data," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 38(6), pages 787-800, December.
    22. Belderbos, Rene & Carree, Martin & Lokshin, Boris, 2004. "Cooperative R&D and firm performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1477-1492, December.
    23. Noailly, Joëlle & Ryfisch, David, 2015. "Multinational firms and the internationalization of green R&D: A review of the evidence and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 218-228.
    24. Dahlander, Linus & Gann, David M., 2010. "How open is innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 699-709, July.
    25. Yu-Shan Chen, 2008. "The Driver of Green Innovation and Green Image – Green Core Competence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(3), pages 531-543, September.
    26. Rosa Dangelico & Devashish Pujari, 2010. "Mainstreaming Green Product Innovation: Why and How Companies Integrate Environmental Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 471-486, September.
    27. Dingler, Annika & Enkel, Ellen, 2016. "Socialization and innovation: Insights from collaboration across industry boundaries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 50-60.
    28. Ebers, Mark & Maurer, Indre, 2014. "Connections count: How relational embeddedness and relational empowerment foster absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 318-332.
    29. Andrew C. Inkpen, 2000. "Learning Through Joint Ventures: A Framework Of Knowledge Acquisition," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(7), pages 1019-1044, November.
    30. Glen L. Urban & Eric von Hippel, 1988. "Lead User Analyses for the Development of New Industrial Products," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 34(5), pages 569-582, May.
    31. Wagner, Marcus, 2008. "Empirical influence of environmental management on innovation: Evidence from Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2-3), pages 392-402, June.
    32. Hall, Richard & Andriani, Pierpaolo, 2003. "Managing knowledge associated with innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 145-152, February.
    33. Ching-Hsun Chang, 2011. "The Influence of Corporate Environmental Ethics on Competitive Advantage: The Mediation Role of Green Innovation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 361-370, December.
    34. Faucheux, Sylvie & Froger, Geraldine, 1995. "Decision-making under environmental uncertainty," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 29-42, October.
    35. Tsai, Kuen-Hung & Wang, Jiann-Chyuan, 2009. "External technology sourcing and innovation performance in LMT sectors: An analysis based on the Taiwanese Technological Innovation Survey," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 518-526, April.
    36. Vanessa Oltra & Maïder Saint Jean, 2009. "Sectoral systems of environmental innovation: an application to the French automotive industry," Post-Print hal-00274413, HAL.
    37. Horbach, Jens, 2008. "Determinants of environmental innovation--New evidence from German panel data sources," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 163-173, February.
    38. Tomoo Machiba, 2010. "Eco-innovation for enabling resource efficiency and green growth: development of an analytical framework and preliminary analysis of industry and policy practices," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 357-370, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pinget, Amandine, 2016. "Spécificités des déterminants des innovations environnementales : une approche appliquée aux PME [Specificities of determinants for environmental innovation : an approach applied to SMEs]," MPRA Paper 80108, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Tariq, Adeel & Badir, Yuosre F. & Tariq, Waqas & Bhutta, Umair Saeed, 2017. "Drivers and consequences of green product and process innovation: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future outlook," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 8-23.
    3. Ghisetti, Claudia & Pontoni, Federico, 2015. "Investigating policy and R&D effects on environmental innovation: A meta-analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 57-66.
    4. Jana Hojnik, 2017. "In Pursuit of Eco-innovation," UPP Monograph Series, University of Primorska Press, number 978-961-7023-53-4.
    5. Eduardo Duque‐Grisales & Javier Aguilera‐Caracuel & Jaime Guerrero‐Villegas & Encarnación García‐Sánchez, 2020. "Does green innovation affect the financial performance of Multilatinas? The moderating role of ISO 14001 and R&D investment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3286-3302, December.
    6. Pilar Portillo-Tarragona & Sabina Scarpellini & Jose M. Moneva & Jesus Valero-Gil & Alfonso Aranda-Usón, 2018. "Classification and Measurement of the Firms’ Resources and Capabilities Applied to Eco-Innovation Projects from a Resource-Based View Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, September.
    7. Dhekra Ben Amara & Hong Chen, 2022. "Driving factors for eco-innovation orientation: meeting sustainable growth in Tunisian agribusiness," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 713-732, June.
    8. Brian Chi-ang Lin & Siqi Zheng & Nicolò Barbieri & Claudia Ghisetti & Marianna Gilli & Giovanni Marin & Francesco Nicolli, 2016. "A Survey Of The Literature On Environmental Innovation Based On Main Path Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 596-623, July.
    9. Sanni, Maruf, 2018. "Drivers of eco-innovation in the manufacturing sector of Nigeria," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 303-314.
    10. Caroline Mothe & Uyen T. Nguyen-Thi & Ángela Triguero, 2018. "Innovative products and services with environmental benefits: design of search strategies for external knowledge and absorptive capacity," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(11), pages 1934-1954, September.
    11. Nicoletta Corrocher & Ilaria Solito, 2017. "How do firms capture value from environmental innovations? An empirical analysis on European SMEs," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 569-585, July.
    12. Li-Ying, Jason & Mothe, Caroline & Nguyen, Thi Thuc Uyen, 2018. "Linking forms of inbound open innovation to a driver-based typology of environmental innovation: Evidence from French manufacturing firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 51-63.
    13. Antonella Biscione & Raul Caruso & Annunziata de Felice, 2021. "Environmental innovation in European transition countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(5), pages 521-535, January.
    14. Ehrenfeld, Wilfried, 2012. "Towards a Theory of Climate Innovation - A Model Framework for Analyzing Drivers and Determinants," IWH Discussion Papers 1/2012, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    15. Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2016. "Green Product Innovation: Where we are and Where we are Going," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 560-576, December.
    16. Jason Li-Ying & Caroline Mothe & Uyen Nguyen-Thi, 2018. "Linking forms of inbound open innovation to a driver-based typology of environmental innovation: Evidence from French manufacturing firms," Post-Print hal-01695525, HAL.
    17. Vitaliy Roud & Thomas Wolfgang Thurner, 2018. "The Influence of State‐Ownership on Eco‐Innovations in Russian Manufacturing Firms," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(5), pages 1213-1227, October.
    18. Caroline Danièle Mothe & Thuc Uyen Nguyen-Thi, 2017. "Persistent openness and environmental innovation: An empirical analysis of French manufacturing firms," Post-Print hal-01609129, HAL.
    19. João Leitão & Sónia de Brito & Serena Cubico, 2019. "Eco-Innovation Influencers: Unveiling the Role of Lean Management Principles Adoption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-27, April.
    20. Marzucchi, Alberto & Montresor, Sandro, 2017. "Forms of knowledge and eco-innovation modes: Evidence from Spanish manufacturing firms," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 208-221.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:129:y:2018:i:c:p:210-220. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.