A Research Framework for Sustainable Digital Innovation: Case Studies of Japanese Firms

Young Won Park and Paul Hong
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Young Won Park: Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Saitama University, 255 Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku, Saitama 3388570, Japan
Paul Hong: John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: Today’s competitive and highly volatile environment calls for a new kind of flexibility and adaptability. Limited studies are available that examine how firms achieve both speed and creativity requirements in this digital era. In view of the rare empirical studies on real-world cases that apply rigorous research methods for sustainable digital innovation (SDI), this research investigates the key strategic requirements of organizational agility and flexibility for SDI. The research framework defines four types of innovators. This study used the benchmark tool to assess the status of their innovation effectiveness. This research framework is useful for firms to classify, assess, and evaluate their innovation type. The study’s findings also suggest the road map for future strategic goals. This theoretical framework illustrates the causal relationship between Japanese-style digital innovation and the firms’ sustainable competitive advantage. This model might be extended to other firms in different contexts (e.g., Korea, India, USA, Brazil, and a host of other countries). The theoretical and practical implications are discussed for future research.

Keywords: sustainable digital innovation (SDI); case studies; Japanese firms; agility; flexibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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