Responsibility versus Profit: The Motives of Food Firms for Healthy Product Innovation

Jilde Garst, Vincent Blok, Léon Jansen and Onno S. W. F. Omta
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Jilde Garst: Management Studies Group, School of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands
Vincent Blok: Management Studies Group, School of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands
Léon Jansen: Schuttelaar & Partners, 6708 WH Wageningen, The Netherlands
Onno S. W. F. Omta: Management Studies Group, School of Social Sciences, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 12, 1-29

Abstract: Background: In responsible research and innovation (RRI), innovation is seen as a way in which humankind finds solutions for societal issues. However, studies on commercial innovation show that firms respond in a different manner and at a different speed to the same societal issue. This study investigates what role organizational motives play in the product innovation processes of firms when aiming for socially responsible outcomes. Methods: This multiple-case study investigates the motives of food firms for healthier product innovation by interviewing firms about the organizational motives behind product reformulation and innovation. Results: This study highlights the importance of having both instrumental and moral motives in the innovation process when aiming for socially responsible outcomes, and how both these motives interact and contribute to responsible innovation in industry. Furthermore, the study results question the nature of relational motives as a separate category from the other two categories of motives, as suggested by corporate social responsibility (CSR) scholars. Conclusions: If commercial innovation needs to contribute to solutions for societal issues, the importance of moral motives has to be stressed without annihilating the instrumental objectives of firms. Both motives contribute to the success factors of responsible product innovation in industry.

Keywords: responsible research and innovation; RRI; corporate social responsibility; CSR; product innovation; motives; moral motives; instrumental motives; food industry; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:12:p:2286-:d:122199

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