A new insight into environmental innovation: Does the maturity of environmental management systems matter?

Emiko Inoue, Toshi Arimura and Makiko Nakano

Ecological Economics, 2013, vol. 94, issue C, 156-163

Abstract: Technological innovation has recently become more essential than ever. To examine the factors that might induce environmental technological innovation, we focus on ISO 14001, a voluntary approach to environmental management, and scrutinise how the proficiency or maturity level of ISO 14001 in facilities influences environment-related research and development (R&D) expenditures that promote environmental technological innovation. We measure the maturity level based on the length of time since a given facility adopted ISO 14001. Using Japanese facility-level data from “Environmental Policy Tools and Firm-Level Management and Practices: An International Survey” (OECD Survey), we estimate two Tobit models by addressing an endogeneity issue in ISO 14001. The estimation results provide empirical evidence that as the ISO 14001 is improved in facilities, those facilities are likely to spend more on environmental R&D. The facility age and market concentration also positively affect environmental R&D. These findings suggest that the maturity level of ISO 14001 is an important factor influencing the investment in environmental R&D.

Keywords: Environmental R&D; Voluntary action; ISO 14001; Endogeneity; Environmental innovation; Porter Hypothesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O32 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (36)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:94:y:2013:i:c:p:156-163

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.07.014

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