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Assessing the relationship between economic and ecological performance: Distinguishing system levels and the role of innovation

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Listed author(s):
  • Boons, Frank
  • Wagner, Marcus

Abstract

In this article we critically discuss the different perspectives that are currently in use for assessing the relationship between ecological and economic performance. Based on a review of the literature we propose that research up till now has made use of four distinct system boundaries: the firm, markets, production and consumption systems, and economic systems. Making these boundaries explicit is helpful in interpreting the mixed results that have been obtained. We describe the consequences of the choice for each of these system boundaries: and look at implications for innovation. We also argue that the production and consumption system boundary offers potential for further advances in the field and deserves more attention in future research.

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File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921-8009(09)00074-3
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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Ecological Economics.

Volume (Year): 68 (2009)
Issue (Month): 7 (May)
Pages: 1908-1914

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Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:68:y:2009:i:7:p:1908-1914
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon

Keywords: Ecological performance Economic performance System boundaries Innovation;

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  1. Azomahou, Theophile & Laisney, Francois & Nguyen Van, Phu, 2006. "Economic development and CO2 emissions: A nonparametric panel approach," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(6-7), pages 1347-1363, August.
  2. Markard, Jochen & Truffer, Bernhard, 2006. "Innovation processes in large technical systems: Market liberalization as a driver for radical change?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 609-625, June.
  3. Gabel H. Landis & Sinclair-Desgagne Bernard, 1993. "Managerial Incentives and Environmental Compliance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 229-240, May.
  4. Suri, Vivek & Chapman, Duane, 1998. "Economic growth, trade and energy: implications for the environmental Kuznets curve," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 195-208, May.
  5. Montero, Juan-Pablo, 2002. "Permits, Standards, and Technology Innovation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 23-44, July.
  6. Selden Thomas M. & Song Daqing, 1994. "Environmental Quality and Development: Is There a Kuznets Curve for Air Pollution Emissions?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 147-162, September.
  7. Kaufmann, Robert K. & Davidsdottir, Brynhildur & Garnham, Sophie & Pauly, Peter, 1998. "The determinants of atmospheric SO2 concentrations: reconsidering the environmental Kuznets curve," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 209-220, May.
  8. Bretschger, Lucas, 2005. "Economics of technological change and the natural environment: How effective are innovations as a remedy for resource scarcity?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2-3), pages 148-163, August.
  9. Rennings, Klaus & Ziegler, Andreas & Ankele, Kathrin & Hoffmann, Esther, 2006. "The influence of different characteristics of the EU environmental management and auditing scheme on technical environmental innovations and economic performance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 45-59, April.
  10. Richmond, Amy K. & Kaufmann, Robert K., 2006. "Is there a turning point in the relationship between income and energy use and/or carbon emissions?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 176-189, February.
  11. Susmita Dasgupta & Benoit Laplante & Hua Wang & David Wheeler, 2002. "Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(1), pages 147-168, Winter.
  12. Rehfeld, Katharina-Maria & Rennings, Klaus & Ziegler, Andreas, 2007. "Integrated product policy and environmental product innovations: An empirical analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 91-100, February.
  13. Adam Jaffe & Richard Newell & Robert Stavins, 2002. "Environmental Policy and Technological Change," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 22(1), pages 41-70, June.
  14. Michael E. Porter & Claas van der Linde, 1995. "Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 97-118, Fall.
  15. Shafik, Nemat, 1994. "Economic Development and Environmental Quality: An Econometric Analysis," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(0), pages 757-773, Supplemen.
  16. Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, 1986. "The Entropy Law and the Economic Process in Retrospect," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 12(1), pages 3-25, Jan-Mar.
  17. Peterson, Garry, 2000. "Political ecology and ecological resilience:: An integration of human and ecological dynamics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 323-336, December.
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Cited by:

  1. Potts, Jason & Foster, John & Straton, Anna, 2010. "An entrepreneurial model of economic and environmental co-evolution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 375-383, December.
  2. Anna Mazzi & Sara Toniolo & Alessandro Manzardo & Jingzheng Ren & Antonio Scipioni, 2016. "Exploring the Direction on the Environmental and Business Performance Relationship at the Firm Level. Lessons from a Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 8(11), pages 1-25, November.
  3. Thierry Bréchet & Sylvette Ly, 2013. "The many traps of green technology promotion," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 15(1), pages 73-91, January.
  4. Adam Ryszko, 2016. "Proactive Environmental Strategy, Technological Eco-Innovation and Firm Performance—Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 8(2), pages 1-20, February.
  5. Giulio Cainelli & Massimiliano Mazzanti & Sandro Montresor, 2012. "Environmental Innovations, Local Networks and Internationalization," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(8), pages 697-734, November.
  6. Wagner, Marcus, 2011. "Corporate performance implications of extended stakeholder management: New insights on mediation and moderation effects," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(5), pages 942-950, March.
  7. repec:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:156:d:63558 is not listed on IDEAS
  8. 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.
  9. Patricia Sánchez-Medina & René Díaz-Pichardo & Angélica Bautista-Cruz & Arcelia Toledo-López, 2015. "Environmental Compliance and Economic and Environmental Performance: Evidence from Handicrafts Small Businesses in Mexico," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 381-393, February.

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