Green innovation: a multidomain systematic review
- 26 January 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Emerald in European Journal of Innovation Management
- Vol. 25 (2), 567-591
- https://doi.org/10.1108/ejim-10-2020-0425
Abstract
Purpose: This paper examines the status and evolution of green innovation research from 1948 to 2018.Design/methodology/approach: Using a systematic review of 293 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, the authors classify journal outlets, publication trends, research methods (research type, approach, design), themes/topics focus, country and regional distribution and theoretical perspectives, identifying main trends. They apply mixed methodologies, integrating both content and descriptive analyses.Findings: Results reveal the following critical conclusions: (1) publication trends disclose a steady growth of interest in green innovation research in the last decade (2011–2018), with most of the articles appearing in top-ranked journal outlets; (2) empirical studies involving quantitative surveys dominate the field over other methods like experiments, case studies (qualitative) and conceptual models; (3) research themes/topics are multi-perspectives, covering management and strategic dimension of green innovation (e.g. green innovation integration and adoption strategy; collaboration and networking in green innovation; green innovation management systems, green supply chain management, etc.), performance (financial, non-financial and both), drivers/antecedents and consumer green behavior; however, the “management and strategy” papers are by far higher; (4) studies are preponderately multi-country focused, concentrated in Europe and Australasia, with a low concentration in emerging markets like Africa and South America; And (5) the field lacks the adoption and development of novel theories. So far, the research fields principally focus on the “Porter hypothesis” and resource-based view in terms of the theory-driven studies. Based on these findings, knowledge gaps are identified, as are limitations and actionable agenda for future research.Originality/value: As the first systematic review to adopt a comprehensive, holistic approach in synthesizing and summarizing research vis-à-vis the phenomenon of green innovation, the study offers practitioners and researchers an insightful understanding of the relevant issues that have been investigated on green innovation, thereby anchoring the evolutions for further sustainable-oriented research and improvement in management practices.Keywords
This publication has 109 references indexed in Scilit:
- Green Innovation and Financial PerformanceOrganization & Environment, 2013
- Eco-Innovation Through Integration, Regulation and Cooperation: Comparative Insights from Case Studies in Three Manufacturing SectorsIndustry and Innovation, 2011
- Dynamic Adjustment of Eco‐labeling Schemes and Consumer Choice – the Revision of the EU Energy Label as a Missed Opportunity?Business Strategy and the Environment, 2011
- Integrating services and tools in an ICT platform to support eco-innovation in SMEsClean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 2011
- Integrating Suppliers into Green Product Innovation Development: an Empirical Case Study in the Semiconductor IndustryBusiness Strategy and the Environment, 2011
- Diversity of eco-innovations: Reflections from selected case studiesJournal of Cleaner Production, 2010
- The Driver of Green Innovation and Green Image – Green Core CompetenceJournal of Business Ethics, 2007
- Assessing the evolution of sales knowledge: A 20-year content analysisIndustrial Marketing Management, 2007
- Integrated product policy and environmental product innovations: An empirical analysisEcological Economics, 2007
- Redefining innovation — eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economicsEcological Economics, 2000