Innovation vs. standardization: The conjoint effects of eco-innovation and environmental management systems on environmental performance

Jesus Valero-Gil, Jordi A. Surroca, Josep A. Tribo, Leopoldo Gutierrez and Ivan Montiel

Research Policy, 2023, vol. 52, issue 4

Abstract: In this study, we first analyze whether firms' eco-innovation, manifested through green patents, improves environmental performance. Then, we assess whether adopting environmental management systems (EMS) that follow standardized guidelines enhances the potential of eco-innovation to improve environmental performance. To test our predictions, we build a unique firm-level dataset that combines global data on green patents, EMS adoption, and performance from five different data sources. The data support the positive effect of eco-innovation on environmental performance. However, our results show that adopting EMS, rather than strengthening the positive impact of eco-innovation on environmental performance, generates organizational rigidities that weaken the eco-innovation–environmental performance link. After conducting a set of qualitative post hoc interviews with elite informants, our surprising findings became more meaningful. Furthermore, we conducted a set of additional tests to validate our results in different scenarios where organizational rigidities could be a pivotal factor in explaining environmental performance differences connected to eco-innovation. This study has relevant theoretical and practical implications for the design and adoption of EMS and the conjoint dynamics between innovation and standardization practices to improve performance.

Keywords: Eco-innovation; Green patents; Environmental performance; Environmental management systems; Resource-based view; Organizational rigidities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O31 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:respol:v:52:y:2023:i:4:s0048733323000215

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2023.104737

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