IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i10p5354-d552221.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Drivers of Technological Eco-Innovation—Dynamic Capabilities and Leadership

Author

Listed:
  • Magdalena Pichlak

    (Faculty of Organization and Management, Institute of Economy and Informatics, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland)

Abstract

In the paper, a theoretical framework that combines the multidimensional conceptualization of dynamic capabilities (sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring) with two leadership styles (transactional and transformational) and two types of eco-innovation (incremental and radical) was developed and empirically tested. The purpose of this study is to answer the key question: how different leadership styles influence the potential of dynamic capabilities to generate ecological changes. The research examining the theoretical framework was quantitative and was based on a deliberately selection of the sample, which included 54 of the most evo-innovative Polish companies. The results indicate that transformational leadership moderates the positive relationship between seizing capability and both incremental and radical technological eco-innovation, whereas transactional leadership moderates the positive relationship between reconfiguring capability and both types of analyzed changes. This paper contributes to the development of the literature by integrating three theoretical concepts, showing the importance of a given leadership style as a factor enhancing the potential of dynamic capabilities for the development of technological eco-innovation. Moreover, the study may be a contribution to a broader discussion on the specifics of eco-innovative activity and its behavioral conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Magdalena Pichlak, 2021. "The Drivers of Technological Eco-Innovation—Dynamic Capabilities and Leadership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5354-:d:552221
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/10/5354/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/10/5354/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hazen, Benjamin T. & Bradley, Randy V. & Bell, John E. & In, Joonhwan & Byrd, Terry A., 2017. "Enterprise architecture: A competence-based approach to achieving agility and firm performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 566-577.
    2. Triguero, Angela & Moreno-Mondéjar, Lourdes & Davia, María A., 2013. "Drivers of different types of eco-innovation in European SMEs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 25-33.
    3. Horbach, Jens & Rammer, Christian & Rennings, Klaus, 2012. "Determinants of eco-innovations by type of environmental impact — The role of regulatory push/pull, technology push and market pull," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 112-122.
    4. Jing-Wen Huang & Yong-Hui Li, 2017. "Green Innovation and Performance: The View of Organizational Capability and Social Reciprocity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(2), pages 309-324, October.
    5. Rennings, Klaus, 2000. "Redefining innovation -- eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 319-332, February.
    6. Rosa Maria Dangelico & Devashish Pujari & Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo, 2017. "Green Product Innovation in Manufacturing Firms: A Sustainability‐Oriented Dynamic Capability Perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 490-506, May.
    7. Vito Albino & Azzurra Balice & Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2009. "Environmental strategies and green product development: an overview on sustainability‐driven companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 83-96, February.
    8. Pelin Demirel & Effie Kesidou, 2019. "Sustainability‐oriented capabilities for eco‐innovation: Meeting the regulatory, technology, and market demands," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 847-857, July.
    9. Yu-Shan Chen & Tai-Wei Chang & Chun-Yu Lin & Pi-Yu Lai & Kuan-Hung Wang, 2016. "The Influence of Proactive Green Innovation and Reactive Green Innovation on Green Product Development Performance: The Mediation Role of Green Creativity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-12, September.
    10. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Jeffrey A. Martin, 2000. "Dynamic capabilities: what are they?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 1105-1121, October.
    11. Zhou, Steven S & Zhou, Abby J & Feng, Junzheng & Jiang, Shisong, 2019. "Dynamic capabilities and organizational performance: The mediating role of innovation," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(5), pages 731-747, September.
    12. Frondel, Manuel & Horbach, Jens & Rennings, Klaus, 2008. "What triggers environmental management and innovation? Empirical evidence for Germany," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 153-160, May.
    13. Lennerts, Silke & Schulze, Anja & Tomczak, Torsten, 2020. "The asymmetric effects of exploitation and exploration on radical and incremental innovation performance: An uneven affair," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 121-134.
    14. Yu-Shan Chen & Ching-Hsun Chang & Yu-Hsien Lin, 2014. "The Determinants of Green Radical and Incremental Innovation Performance: Green Shared Vision, Green Absorptive Capacity, and Green Organizational Ambidexterity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(11), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Seyedesmaeil Mousavi & Bart Bossink & Mario van Vliet, 2019. "Microfoundations of companies' dynamic capabilities for environmentally sustainable innovation: Case study insights from high‐tech innovation in science‐based companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 366-387, February.
    16. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    17. Pichlak, Magdalena, 2016. "The innovation adoption process: A multidimensional approach," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(4), pages 476-494, July.
    18. Daniel A. Levinthal, 1991. "Organizational Adaptation and Environmental Selection-Interrelated Processes of Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 140-145, February.
    19. Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2016. "Green Product Innovation: Where we are and Where we are Going," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 560-576, December.
    20. Nieves Arranz & Marta Arroyabe & Jun Li & Juan Carlos Fernandez de Arroyabe, 2020. "Innovation as a driver of eco‐innovation in the firm: An approach from the dynamic capabilities theory," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1494-1503, March.
    21. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    22. David J. Teece, 2007. "Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(13), pages 1319-1350, December.
    23. Thayaparan Gajendran & Graham Brewer & Siegfried Gudergan & Shankar Sankaran, 2014. "Deconstructing dynamic capabilities: the role of cognitive and organizational routines in the innovation process," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 246-261, March.
    24. David J. Collis, 1994. "Research Note: How Valuable are Organizational Capabilities?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S1), pages 143-152, December.
    25. Maurizio Zollo & Sidney G. Winter, 2002. "Deliberate Learning and the Evolution of Dynamic Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 339-351, June.
    26. Justin J. P. Jansen & Gerard George & Frans A. J. Van den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2008. "Senior Team Attributes and Organizational Ambidexterity: The Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 982-1007, July.
    27. Jonas Hermann Schulze & Felix Pinkow, 2020. "Leadership for Organisational Adaptability: How Enabling Leaders Create Adaptive Space," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-23, June.
    28. Justin Doran & Geraldine Ryan, 2016. "The Importance of the Diverse Drivers and Types of Environmental Innovation for Firm Performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 102-119, February.
    29. Karen A. Bantel & Susan E. Jackson, 1989. "Top management and innovations in banking: Does the composition of the top team make a difference?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(S1), pages 107-124, June.
    30. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    31. Andreea N. Kiss & Dirk Libaers & Pamela S. Barr & Tang Wang & Miles A. Zachary, 2020. "CEO cognitive flexibility, information search, and organizational ambidexterity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(12), pages 2200-2233, December.
    32. Yu-Shan Chen & Ching-Hsun Chang, 2013. "The Determinants of Green Product Development Performance: Green Dynamic Capabilities, Green Transformational Leadership, and Green Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 107-119, August.
    33. Vanessa Oltra & Maïder Saint Jean, 2009. "Sectoral systems of environmental innovation: an application to the French automotive industry," Post-Print hal-00274413, HAL.
    34. Horbach, Jens, 2008. "Determinants of environmental innovation--New evidence from German panel data sources," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 163-173, February.
    35. Shaker A. Zahra & Harry J. Sapienza & Per Davidsson, 2006. "Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Capabilities: A Review, Model and Research Agenda," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 917-955, June.
    36. Kesidou, Effie & Demirel, Pelin, 2012. "On the drivers of eco-innovations: Empirical evidence from the UK," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(5), pages 862-870.
    37. Chan, Hing Kai & Yee, Rachel W.Y. & Dai, Jing & Lim, Ming K., 2016. "The moderating effect of environmental dynamism on green product innovation and performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(PB), pages 384-391.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tariq, Adeel & Badir, Yuosre F. & Tariq, Waqas & Bhutta, Umair Saeed, 2017. "Drivers and consequences of green product and process innovation: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future outlook," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 8-23.
    2. Zhunxin Huang & Zengrui Xiao, 2023. "Dynamic Capabilities, Environmental Management Capabilities, Stakeholder Pressure and Eco-Innovation of Chinese Manufacturing Firms: A Moderated Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-22, May.
    3. Lu Qiu & Xiaowen Jie & Yanan Wang & Minjuan Zhao, 2020. "Green product innovation, green dynamic capability, and competitive advantage: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 146-165, January.
    4. Nieves Arranz & Marta Arroyabe & Jun Li & Juan Carlos Fernandez de Arroyabe, 2020. "Innovation as a driver of eco‐innovation in the firm: An approach from the dynamic capabilities theory," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1494-1503, March.
    5. Ying Guo, 2023. "External Knowledge Acquisition and Green Innovation in Chinese Firms: Unveiling the Impact of Green Dynamic Capabilities," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    6. Valero-Gil, Jesus & Surroca, Jordi A. & Tribo, Josep A. & Gutierrez, Leopoldo & Montiel, Ivan, 2023. "Innovation vs. standardization: The conjoint effects of eco-innovation and environmental management systems on environmental performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(4).
    7. Ferreira, Jorge & Coelho, Arnaldo & Moutinho, Luiz, 2020. "Dynamic capabilities, creativity and innovation capability and their impact on competitive advantage and firm performance: The moderating role of entrepreneurial orientation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    8. Yuan, Baolong & Cao, Xueyun, 2022. "Do corporate social responsibility practices contribute to green innovation? The mediating role of green dynamic capability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Ayça Kubra Hizarci‐Payne & İlayda İpek & Gülüzar Kurt Gümüş, 2021. "How environmental innovation influences firm performance: A meta‐analytic review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1174-1190, February.
    10. Achi, Awele & Adeola, Ogechi & Achi, Francis Chukwuedo, 2022. "CSR and green process innovation as antecedents of micro, small, and medium enterprise performance: Moderating role of perceived environmental volatility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 771-781.
    11. Sebastian Ion Ceptureanu & Eduard Gabriel Ceptureanu & Doina Popescu & Olguta Anca Orzan, 2020. "Eco-innovation Capability and Sustainability Driven Innovation Practices in Romanian SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.
    12. Jana Hojnik, 2017. "In Pursuit of Eco-innovation," UPP Monograph Series, University of Primorska Press, number 978-961-7023-53-4.
    13. Wu, Kuo-Jui & Liao, Ching-Jong & Chen, Chih-Cheng & Lin, Yuanhsu & Tsai, Chuck F.M., 2016. "Exploring eco-innovation in dynamic organizational capability under incomplete information in the Taiwanese lighting industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(PB), pages 419-440.
    14. Siying Long & Zhongju Liao, 2021. "Are fiscal policy incentives effective in stimulating firms' eco‐product innovation? The moderating role of dynamic capabilities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3095-3104, November.
    15. Yu-Shan Chen & Yu-Hsien Lin & Ching-Ying Lin & Chih-Wei Chang, 2015. "Enhancing Green Absorptive Capacity, Green Dynamic Capacities and Green Service Innovation to Improve Firm Performance: An Analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Marzucchi, Alberto & Montresor, Sandro, 2017. "Forms of knowledge and eco-innovation modes: Evidence from Spanish manufacturing firms," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 208-221.
    17. Simone Sehnem & Adriane A. Farias S. L. de Queiroz & Susana Carla Farias Pereira & Gabriel dos Santos Correia & Edson Kuzma, 2022. "Circular economy and innovation: A look from the perspective of organizational capabilities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 236-250, January.
    18. Feng Zhang & Lei Zhu, 2019. "Enhancing corporate sustainable development: Stakeholder pressures, organizational learning, and green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 1012-1026, September.
    19. Pinho, José Carlos & Prange, Christiane, 2016. "The effect of social networks and dynamic internationalization capabilities on international performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 391-403.
    20. Pilar Portillo-Tarragona & Sabina Scarpellini & Jose M. Moneva & Jesus Valero-Gil & Alfonso Aranda-Usón, 2018. "Classification and Measurement of the Firms’ Resources and Capabilities Applied to Eco-Innovation Projects from a Resource-Based View Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-23, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5354-:d:552221. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.