IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joamsc/v45y2017i1d10.1007_s11747-015-0461-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovating for sustainability: a framework for sustainable innovations and a model of sustainable innovations orientation

Author

Listed:
  • Rajan Varadarajan

    (Texas A&M University)

Abstract

In an environment characterized by growing awareness of environmental sustainability among various stakeholders in organizations, innovating for sustainability can be expected to grow in importance from the standpoints of organizational legitimacy, reputation, and performance. Relatedly, a firm’s sustainable innovations capabilities as a source of competitive advantage and the sustainability related attributes of a firm’s product offerings as bases for market segmentation, target marketing, positioning, and differentiation can also be expected to grow in importance. The emergence of sustainability as a major driver of innovation highlights a number of important issues that merit investigation, such as potential avenues for sustainable innovation and sustainable product innovation and factors underlying differences between firms in their commitment to a sustainable innovations orientation. In an attempt to gain insights into these issues, this paper presents (1) a conceptual framework delineating potential avenues for sustainable innovations and (2) a conceptual model delineating a number of firm-related and industry-related antecedents of sustainable innovations orientation, along with performance outcomes of sustainable innovations orientation. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajan Varadarajan, 2017. "Innovating for sustainability: a framework for sustainable innovations and a model of sustainable innovations orientation," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 14-36, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joamsc:v:45:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11747-015-0461-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11747-015-0461-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11747-015-0461-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11747-015-0461-6?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. Marlen Gabriele Arnold & Kai Hockerts, 2011. "The greening dutchman: Philips' process of green flagging to drive sustainable innovations," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(6), pages 394-407, September.
    2. Matthias S. Fifka & Samuel O. Idowu, 2013. "Sustainability and Social Innovation," CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, in: Thomas Osburg & René Schmidpeter (ed.), Social Innovation, edition 127, pages 309-315, Springer.
    3. Arora Seema & Cason Timothy N., 1995. "An Experiment in Voluntary Environmental Regulation: Participation in EPA's 33/50 Program," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 271-286, May.
    4. Paul Lanoie, 2008. "When And Why Does It Pay To Be Green?," CIRANO Papers 2008n-02a, CIRANO.
    5. Erik G. Hansen & Friedrich Grosse-Dunker & Ralf Reichwald, 2009. "Sustainability Innovation Cube — A Framework To Evaluate Sustainability-Oriented Innovations," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(04), pages 683-713.
    6. Rennings, Klaus, 2000. "Redefining innovation -- eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 319-332, February.
    7. Michel Lander & Pursey Heugens, 2009. "Structure! Agency! (And Other Quarrels): Meta-Analyzing Institutional Theories of Organization," Post-Print hal-00623835, HAL.
    8. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and Sustainability of Competitive Advantage," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1504-1511, December.
    9. Joseph Guiltinan, 2009. "Creative Destruction and Destructive Creations: Environmental Ethics and Planned Obsolescence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 19-28, May.
    10. Sumantra Ghoshal, 1987. "Global strategy: An organizing framework," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(5), pages 425-440, September.
    11. Peter M. Madsen & Zachariah J. Rodgers, 2015. "Looking good by doing good: The antecedents and consequences of stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 776-794, May.
    12. Troy R. Hawkins & Bhawna Singh & Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez & Anders Hammer Strømman, 2013. "Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(1), pages 53-64, February.
    13. Aaron K. Chatterji & David I. Levine & Michael W. Toffel, 2009. "How Well Do Social Ratings Actually Measure Corporate Social Responsibility?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 125-169, March.
    14. Petra Christmann & Glen Taylor, 2001. "Globalization and the Environment: Determinants of Firm Self-Regulation in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(3), pages 439-458, September.
    15. Michael L. Barnett & Robert M. Salomon, 2012. "Does it pay to be really good? addressing the shape of the relationship between social and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1304-1320, November.
    16. Andrea L. Larson, 2000. "Sustainable innovation through an entrepreneurship lens," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(5), pages 304-317, September.
    17. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and the Sustainability of Competitive Advantage: Reply," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1514-1514, December.
    18. Pratima Bansal, 2005. "Evolving sustainably: a longitudinal study of corporate sustainable development," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 197-218, March.
    19. 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. Jeremy Galbreath & Chia‐Yang Chang & Daniel Tisch, 2023. "The impact of a proactive environmental strategy on environmentally sustainable practices in service firms: The moderating effect of information use value," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5420-5434, December.
    2. Luis Escobar & Harrie Vredenburg, 2011. "Multinational Oil Companies and the Adoption of Sustainable Development: A Resource-Based and Institutional Theory Interpretation of Adoption Heterogeneity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(1), pages 39-65, January.
    3. Carles Méndez-Ortega & Mercedes Teruel, 2020. "To acquire or not to acquire: the effects of acquisitions in the software industry," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 793-814, July.
    4. Concepción Garcés-Ayerbe & Pilar Rivera-Torres & Josefina L. Murillo-Luna & Cristina Suárez-Gálvez, 2022. "Does it pay more to be green in family firms than in non-family firms?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1365-1386, July.
    5. Jorge A. Arevalo & Deepa Aravind, 2017. "Strategic Outcomes in Voluntary CSR: Reporting Economic and Reputational Benefits in Principles-Based Initiatives," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(1), pages 201-217, August.
    6. Rong Ma & Rakesh B. Sambharya, 2024. "International diversification and corporate social responsibility disclosure quality: Employee versus environmental dimensions," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4248-4264, September.
    7. Pacheco, Desirée F. & Dean, Thomas J. & Payne, David S., 2010. "Escaping the green prison: Entrepreneurship and the creation of opportunities for sustainable development," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 464-480, September.
    8. Jianxin Ge & Tong Li, 2019. "Entrepreneurial Resources, Complementary Assets, and Platform Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-20, August.
    9. Méndez Ortega, Carles, & Teruel, Mercedes, 2018. "To acquire or not to acquire: Mergers and Acquisitions in the Software Industry," Working Papers 2072/307043, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    10. Li Cai & Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo, 2016. "Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Firm Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 563-594, December.
    11. Inigo, Edurne A. & Albareda, Laura, 2019. "Sustainability oriented innovation dynamics: Levels of dynamic capabilities and their path-dependent and self-reinforcing logics," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 334-351.
    12. Weichieh Su & Mike W. Peng & Weiqiang Tan & Yan-Leung Cheung, 2016. "The Signaling Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility in Emerging Economies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 479-491, March.
    13. Vasileiou, Efi & Georgantzis, Nikolaos & Attanasi, Giuseppe & Llerena, Patrick, 2022. "Green innovation and financial performance: A study on Italian firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    14. Maria Cipollina & Rosa Maria Fanelli, 2024. "Internationalization and Innovation Challenges in the Context of Sustainable Development: The Case of Italian Regions," Regional Economy, , vol. 8(Q1), pages 12-26.
    15. Sayantan Khanra & Puneet Kaur & Rojers P Joseph & Ashish Malik & Amandeep Dhir, 2022. "A resource‐based view of green innovation as a strategic firm resource: Present status and future directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1395-1413, May.
    16. Asmussen, Christian Geisler & Hashai, Niron & Delios, Andrew, 2022. "The coevolution of international scope and technological knowledge in MNCs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(1).
    17. Silvia Ayuso & Francisco Ernesto Navarrete‐Báez, 2018. "How Does Entrepreneurial and International Orientation Influence SMEs' Commitment to Sustainable Development? Empirical Evidence from Spain and Mexico," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(1), pages 80-94, January.
    18. Qi Guoyou & Zeng Saixing & Tam Chiming & Yin Haitao & Zou Hailiang, 2013. "Stakeholders' Influences on Corporate Green Innovation Strategy: A Case Study of Manufacturing Firms in China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Lee, Po-Yen & Lin, Hui-Tzu & Chen, Hung-Hsin & Shyr, Yi-Hwan, 2011. "Dynamic capabilities exploitation of market and hierarchy governance structures: An empirical comparison of Taiwan and South Korea," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 359-370, July.
    20. Jonathan Luffarelli & Amrou Awaysheh, 2018. "The Impact of Indirect Corporate Social Performance Signals on Firm Value: Evidence from an Event Study," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(3), pages 295-310, 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:spr:joamsc:v:45:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11747-015-0461-6. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.