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Environmental collaboration, sustainable innovation, and small and medium‐sized enterprise growth in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ghana

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  • Samuel Adomako

Abstract

This article investigates the impact of environmental collaboration on sustainable innovation and its impact on firm growth. The hypotheses are tested using data from 455 small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. The findings from the study show that environmental collaboration positively relates to sustainable innovation and this relationship is moderated by environmental commitment. The results also show that sustainable innovation is positively associated with SME growth. Finally, the results suggest that sustainable innovation mediates the environmental collaboration‐SME growth relationship. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

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  • Samuel Adomako, 2020. "Environmental collaboration, sustainable innovation, and small and medium‐sized enterprise growth in sub‐Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ghana," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1609-1619, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:28:y:2020:i:6:p:1609-1619
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.2109
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    Cited by:

    1. Adomako, Samuel & Tran, Mai Dong, 2022. "Sustainable environmental strategy, firm competitiveness, and financial performance: Evidence from the mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Samuel Adomako & Mai Dong Tran, 2022. "Environmental collaboration, responsible innovation, and firm performance: The moderating role of stakeholder pressure," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1695-1704, May.
    3. Samuel Adomako & Mai Dong Tran, 2023. "Do foreign chief executive officers spend more on corporate social responsibility in Vietnam?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 226-235, January.
    4. Agyemang Rama & Bekolo Ngoa Celestin & Shuangying Chen & Konan Martin, 2022. "Assessment of Eco-Innovation Drivers within the Informal Sector in Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, June.
    5. Katrina M. Brownell & Audra Quinn & Mark T. Bolinger, 2024. "The Triad Divided: A Curvilinear Mediation Model Linking Founder Machiavellianism, Narcissism, and Psychopathy to New Venture Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(1), pages 310-348, January.
    6. Changchun Li & Sen Wang, 2022. "Digital Optimization, Green R&D Collaboration, and Green Technological Innovation in Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, September.
    7. Li, Lingjia & Shan, Shuo & Dai, Jing & Che, Wen & Shou, Yongyi, 2022. "The impact of green supply chain management on green innovation: A meta-analysis from the inter-organizational learning perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    8. Adomako, Samuel & Nguyen, Nguyen Phong, 2023. "Eco-innovation in the extractive industry: Combinative effects of social legitimacy, green management, and institutional pressures," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

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