Eco-innovation indicators for sustainable development: the role of the technology institutes

Sabina Scarpellini, Juan Aranda-Usón, Miguel Marco-Fondevila, Alfonso Aranda-Usón and Eva Llera-Sastresa

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2016, vol. 10, issue 1, 40-56

Abstract: A new strategic approach with specific metrics is necessary to promote eco-innovation. Recognising the actions to undertake and the results to achieve for each of the activities in the process is not enough if a measurement system for the social, economic and environmental aspects of any eco-innovative product or process is lacking. The main objective of this paper is to analyse the difficulties that business have in measuring the impacts caused by eco-innovation, especially in SMEs and in countries where investments in innovation are still low. The presence of the Technology Institutes, specialised in providing innovation services to businesses, is also analysed for estimating ex ante impacts that eco-innovation can lead to social, environmental and economic factors. In this context, a system of indicators applied to the activities of Technology Institutes is described to provide information to business for decision making in the introduction of eco-innovative processes or products.

Keywords: eco-innovation; cleaner production; technology institutes; eco-efficiency; indicators; sustainable development; sustainability; SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; innovation services. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=73415 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijisde:v:10:y:2016:i:1:p:40-56

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sarah Parker ().