Page 292 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 292
In Pursuit of Eco-innovation
ment them, even if the objective measures do not yet show the positive
results.
A major contribution of this study is that identifies which drivers
work as driving forces of specific eco-innovation types and further ex-
plores how different eco-innovation types affect company performance in
terms of competitive and economic benefits, company growth and profit-
ability and internationalization. These results lead to several insights and
implications, which especially concern entrepreneurs and policy makers.
Through the acquired knowledge and insights regarding drivers of cer-
tain eco-innovation types as well as eco-innovations’ outcomes, this study
can contribute to the development and further implementation of eco-in-
novations in the Slovenian entrepreneurial environment.
The last contribution lies in the rigor test of the data analyses. All the
292 models were tested with structural equation modeling, and prior to test-
ing all the constructs were validated (through exploratory and confirm-
atory factor analysis) and demonstrated good psychometric characteris-
tics.
Implications
The results of this study deliver several implications. In the following
subsections, we provide implications for theory and research (Section
10.2.1), policy makers (Section 10.2.2) and practice (entrepreneurs; Sec-
tion 10.2.3).
Implications for theory and research
As already mentioned, many research works have explored determinants
and outcomes of eco-innovation, usually focusing only on either determi-
nants or outcomes and either focusing only on one eco-innovation type
or combining all eco-innovation types under one factor (as we have done
with the eco-innovation construct). Compared to the partial models that
have been previously explored, we have employed a more integrative ap-
proach. We have first conducted a qualitative study by interviewing envi-
ronmental managers in five Slovenian companies that implement eco-in-
novation in order to identify the drivers of eco-innovation that motivated
them to implement eco-innovation and the outcomes of their eco-inno-
vation implementation. Through these interviews, we were able to veri-
fy which drivers are relevant and important for the Slovenian environ-
ment with regard to implementation of eco-innovation. We then adapted
the chosen drivers to the Slovenian environment (because many research
ment them, even if the objective measures do not yet show the positive
results.
A major contribution of this study is that identifies which drivers
work as driving forces of specific eco-innovation types and further ex-
plores how different eco-innovation types affect company performance in
terms of competitive and economic benefits, company growth and profit-
ability and internationalization. These results lead to several insights and
implications, which especially concern entrepreneurs and policy makers.
Through the acquired knowledge and insights regarding drivers of cer-
tain eco-innovation types as well as eco-innovations’ outcomes, this study
can contribute to the development and further implementation of eco-in-
novations in the Slovenian entrepreneurial environment.
The last contribution lies in the rigor test of the data analyses. All the
292 models were tested with structural equation modeling, and prior to test-
ing all the constructs were validated (through exploratory and confirm-
atory factor analysis) and demonstrated good psychometric characteris-
tics.
Implications
The results of this study deliver several implications. In the following
subsections, we provide implications for theory and research (Section
10.2.1), policy makers (Section 10.2.2) and practice (entrepreneurs; Sec-
tion 10.2.3).
Implications for theory and research
As already mentioned, many research works have explored determinants
and outcomes of eco-innovation, usually focusing only on either determi-
nants or outcomes and either focusing only on one eco-innovation type
or combining all eco-innovation types under one factor (as we have done
with the eco-innovation construct). Compared to the partial models that
have been previously explored, we have employed a more integrative ap-
proach. We have first conducted a qualitative study by interviewing envi-
ronmental managers in five Slovenian companies that implement eco-in-
novation in order to identify the drivers of eco-innovation that motivated
them to implement eco-innovation and the outcomes of their eco-inno-
vation implementation. Through these interviews, we were able to veri-
fy which drivers are relevant and important for the Slovenian environ-
ment with regard to implementation of eco-innovation. We then adapted
the chosen drivers to the Slovenian environment (because many research
