IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i4p1563-d1338084.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovation-Driven E-Commerce Growth in the EU: An Empirical Study of the Propensity for Online Purchases and Sustainable Consumption

Author

Listed:
  • Elżbieta Roszko-Wójtowicz

    (Department of Economic and Social Statistics, University of Lodz, 90-214 Lodz, Poland)

  • Gagan Deep Sharma

    (Centre of International Programmes, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Győr, Hungary
    University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi 110078, India
    Graduate Studies and Research, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon)

  • Barbara Dańska-Borsiak

    (Department of Spatial Econometric, University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland)

  • Maria M. Grzelak

    (Department of Economic and Social Statistics, University of Lodz, 90-214 Lodz, Poland)

Abstract

The e-commerce sector has experienced significant growth in the past two decades, outpacing other economic sectors and contributing to sustainable consumption, increased labour productivity, competitiveness, consumer incomes, and GDP growth. This trend is expected to continue, making e-commerce a key driver of sustainable economic growth in Europe. This study aims to explore the relationship between a nation’s innovation level and its population’s inclination towards online shopping in various EU member states. It hypothesizes that higher innovation levels within a country lead to a greater tendency for online purchases. This study conducts a thorough analysis of the interplay between European economies’ innovation levels and the e-commerce market’s evolution. A composite innovation index was created using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methodology, and panel data models were utilized to examine the dependencies, with data from Eurostat and the Global Innovation Index. The focus is on the period from 2019 to 2021, which was marked by unique market dynamics and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings confirm the significant role of innovation in driving e-commerce expansion within the context of sustainable consumption, supporting the main hypothesis. This research also highlights the pandemic’s positive effect on the e-commerce sector. The pandemic-induced changes in consumer behaviour, particularly due to social isolation and crises in certain economic sectors, have emphasized the importance of online shopping. Notably, the most active online shoppers are identified in the 25 to 54 age group, revealing a key demographic trend.

Suggested Citation

  • Elżbieta Roszko-Wójtowicz & Gagan Deep Sharma & Barbara Dańska-Borsiak & Maria M. Grzelak, 2024. "Innovation-Driven E-Commerce Growth in the EU: An Empirical Study of the Propensity for Online Purchases and Sustainable Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-28, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1563-:d:1338084
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1563/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/4/1563/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sotirios Zygiaris, 2022. "The Impact of Innovation Systems on E-commerce Capacity," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(1), pages 276-289, March.
    2. Pian Shu & Claudia Steinwender, 2019. "The Impact of Trade Liberalization on Firm Productivity and Innovation," Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 19(1), pages 39-68.
    3. Reinartz, Werner & Wiegand, Nico & Imschloss, Monika, 2019. "The impact of digital transformation on the retailing value chain," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 350-366.
    4. Mico Apostolov & Nunzia Coco, 2021. "Digitalization-Based Innovation — A Case Study Framework," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(05), pages 1-25, August.
    5. Maja Kiba-Janiak & Katarzyna Cheba & Magdalena Mucowska & Leise Kelli de Oliveira, 2022. "Segmentation of e-customers in terms of sustainable last-mile delivery," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1117-1142, December.
    6. Falk, Martin & Hagsten, Eva, 2015. "E-commerce trends and impacts across Europe," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(PA), pages 357-369.
    7. Ali Hortaçsu & Chad Syverson, 2015. "The Ongoing Evolution of US Retail: A Format Tug-of-War," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 29(4), pages 89-112, Fall.
    8. El¿bieta Roszko-Wójtowicz & Barbara Dañska-Borsiak & Maria M. Grzelak & Aleksandra Pleœniarska, 2022. "In search of key determinants of innovativeness in the regions of the Visegrad group countries," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1015-1045, December.
    9. Donbesuur, Francis & Ampong, George Oppong Appiagyei & Owusu-Yirenkyi, Diana & Chu, Irene, 2020. "Technological innovation, organizational innovation and international performance of SMEs: The moderating role of domestic institutional environment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    10. Ana León-Gómez & José Manuel Santos-Jaén & Daniel Ruiz-Palomo & Mercedes Palacios-Manzano, 2022. "Disentangling the impact of ICT adoption on SMEs performance: the mediating roles of corporate social responsibility and innovation," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(3), pages 831-866, September.
    11. Elzbieta Roszko-Wojtowicz & Maria M. Grzelak, 2020. "Macroeconomic stability and the level of competitiveness in EU member states: a comparative dynamic approach," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 11(4), pages 657-688, December.
    12. Ha, Sejin & Stoel, Leslie, 2009. "Consumer e-shopping acceptance: Antecedents in a technology acceptance model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(5), pages 565-571, May.
    13. Walid Belazreg & Kais Mtar, 2020. "Modelling the causal linkages between trade openness, innovation, financial development and economic growth in OECD Countries," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 5-8, January.
    14. Duan, Wenjing & Gu, Bin & Whinston, Andrew B., 2008. "The dynamics of online word-of-mouth and product sales—An empirical investigation of the movie industry," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 233-242.
    15. Frank M. Bass, 1969. "A New Product Growth for Model Consumer Durables," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 215-227, January.
    16. Feng Zhu & Qihong Liu, 2018. "Competing with complementors: An empirical look at Amazon.com," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(10), pages 2618-2642, October.
    17. Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph & Khan, Zaheer & Wood, Geoffrey & Knight, Gary, 2021. "COVID-19 and digitalization: The great acceleration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 602-611.
    18. Erik Brynjolfsson & Michael D. Smith, 2000. "Frictionless Commerce? A Comparison of Internet and Conventional Retailers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 46(4), pages 563-585, April.
    19. Jalil Heidary Dahooie & Mehrdad Estiri & Mahshid Janmohammadi & Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas & Zenonas Turskis, 2022. "A novel advertising media selection framework for online games in an intuitionistic fuzzy environment," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 109-150, March.
    20. Marin Falk & Eva Hagsten, 2015. "E-commerce trends and impacts across Europe," UNCTAD Discussion Papers 220, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    21. Kim, T.Y. & Dekker, R. & Heij, C., 2016. "The value of express delivery services for cross-border e-commerce in European Union markets," Econometric Institute Research Papers EI2016-12, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus School of Economics (ESE), Econometric Institute.
    22. Anna Wildowicz-Szumarska, 2022. "Is redistributive policy of EU welfare state effective in tackling income inequality? A panel data analysis," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 17(1), pages 81-101, March.
    23. Wen Wen & Feng Zhu, 2019. "Threat of platform‐owner entry and complementor responses: Evidence from the mobile app market," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(9), pages 1336-1367, September.
    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. Skare, Marinko & Gavurova, Beata & Rigelsky, Martin, 2023. "Innovation activity and the outcomes of B2C, B2B, and B2G E-Commerce in EU countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    2. Tamara Bińczak & Filip Kaczmarek & Jakub Rybacki, 2018. "Determinants of E-Commerce Turnover in Europe: Consumer Protection Matters," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 3, pages 125-141.
    3. Xu, Xun & Munson, Charles L. & Zeng, Shuo, 2017. "The impact of e-service offerings on the demand of online customers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 231-244.
    4. Moshe A. Barach & Aseem Kaul & Ming D. Leung & Sibo Lu, 2019. "Strategic Redundancy in the Use of Big Data: Evidence from a Two-Sided Labor Market," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 298-322, December.
    5. Grzegorz Szymanski & Robert Stanislawski, 2018. "Research Online - Purchase Offline - A Phenomenon Among The Young Generation In The E-Commerce Sector," Economy & Business Journal, International Scientific Publications, Bulgaria, vol. 12(1), pages 185-192.
    6. Edgardo Arturo Ayala Gaytán, 2009. "Social network externalities and price dispersion in online markets," Ensayos Revista de Economia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Economia, vol. 0(2), pages 1-28, November.
    7. Frédéric Marty & Thierry Warin, 2020. "Keystone Players and Complementors: An Innovation Perspective," Working Papers hal-03029748, HAL.
    8. Angela Garcia Calvo & Martin Kenney & John Zysman, 2023. "Understanding work in the online platform economy: the narrow, the broad, and the systemic perspectives," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(4), pages 795-814.
    9. Duan, Yongrui & Liu, Tonghui & Mao, Zhixin, 2022. "How online reviews and coupons affect sales and pricing: An empirical study based on e-commerce platform," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    10. Cenamor, Javier, 2021. "Complementor competitive advantage: A framework for strategic decisions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 335-343.
    11. Yao, Dong-Qing & Liu, John J., 2005. "Competitive pricing of mixed retail and e-tail distribution channels," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 235-247, June.
    12. Markus Reisinger & Jens Schmidt & Nils Stieglitz, 2021. "How Complementors Benefit from Taking Competition to the System Level," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 5106-5123, August.
    13. Jian Zhu & Zifang Li & Hui Wang, 2023. "Internet Development and Urban–Rural Consumption Inequality: Evidence from Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, June.
    14. Mariano Gallo & Mario Marinelli, 2020. "Sustainable Mobility: A Review of Possible Actions and Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-39, September.
    15. Min Zhong & Zengtao Wang & Xing Ge, 2022. "Does Cross-Border E-Commerce Promote Economic Growth? Empirical Research on China’s Pilot Zones," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Wan, Xing & Chen, Jing & Chen, Bintong, 2020. "Exploring service positioning in platform-based markets," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    17. Shu He & Jing Peng & Jianbin Li & Liping Xu, 2020. "Impact of Platform Owner’s Entry on Third-Party Stores," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1467-1484, December.
    18. Martin Peitz, 2024. "The Economic Theory of Two-Sided Platforms," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_584, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    19. Lee Yub, 2018. "Ecommerce and Firm Performance: Evidence from Korea," Working Papers id:12428, eSocialSciences.
    20. Liang Xiao & Feipeng Guo & Fumao Yu & Shengnan Liu, 2019. "The Effects of Online Shopping Context Cues on Consumers’ Purchase Intention for Cross-Border E-Commerce Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-24, May.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:4:p:1563-:d:1338084. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.