Monkey See, Monkey Do? Some Observations on Sustainable Innovations in Zoos

The role different types of organizations need to play in the pursuit of sustainable development has received ample attention in the literature, ranging from broad studies on new production and consumption systems and services (Montalvo Corral 2003; O’Brien 1999; Roy 2000) to studies highlighting specific firms and industries (Larson 2000; Little 2005). Innovation has often been included as an important component in such studies (Blättel-Mink 1998; Jorna 2006; Jorna, van Engelen, and Hadders 2004; Ramus 2002; Wheeler and Ng 2004), and the capacity to innovate is regarded as an influential factor in developing and maintaining competitive advantage (Tidd, Bessant, and Pavitt 2001; Tushman 1979). Often, innovation is also linked to entrepreneurship, following Schumpeter’s (1934) early suggestion that entrepreneurial innovation is the essence of capitalism and that its associated process of creative destruction is embodied in new products, new production processes, and new forms of organization. In a way, innovation is the key to survival for entrepreneurs, and one could argue that the crucial nature of innovation for their success has made entrepreneurs experts par excellence on innovation. Looking at entrepreneurial behavior, therefore, could deliver important and useful insights on innovation.