IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i19p8805-d1762257.html

Drivers and Barriers for Sustainable Design Adoption in Creative Economy Enterprises: A Corporate Strategy Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaoyang Yang

    (Department of Fine Arts and Design, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Liwei Zhang

    (Department of Fine Arts and Design, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

Abstract

Incorporating sustainable design practices into creative economy businesses is increasingly vital amidst growing global environmental concerns and shifting market demands. This research examines the factors that promote or hinder the adoption of sustainable design from a strategic business perspective. Utilizing data from a detailed survey, it adopts a multi-faceted approach, incorporating descriptive analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, structural equation modeling (SEM), cluster analysis, and machine learning methods. Findings indicate that leadership vision, innovative capacity, and customer engagement are primary motivators, whereas internal inefficiencies and limited resources present significant obstacles. Cluster analysis reveals three strategic profiles: Innovation-Driven, Strategically-Aligned, and Barrier-Dominated, offering meaningful insights for designing targeted strategies. The study delivers a validated framework that enhances sustainability theory and supports strategic decision-making within the creative sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoyang Yang & Liwei Zhang, 2025. "Drivers and Barriers for Sustainable Design Adoption in Creative Economy Enterprises: A Corporate Strategy Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-28, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8805-:d:1762257
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8805/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8805/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosa Dangelico & Devashish Pujari, 2010. "Mainstreaming Green Product Innovation: Why and How Companies Integrate Environmental Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 471-486, September.
    2. N. P. Hariram & K. B. Mekha & Vipinraj Suganthan & K. Sudhakar, 2023. "Sustainalism: An Integrated Socio-Economic-Environmental Model to Address Sustainable Development and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-37, July.
    3. Mercedes Grijalvo Martín & Antonia Pacios Álvarez & Joaquín Ordieres-Meré & Javier Villalba-Díez & Gustavo Morales-Alonso, 2020. "New Business Models from Prescriptive Maintenance Strategies Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Teece, David J, 2018. "Dynamic capabilities as (workable) management systems theory," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(3), pages 359-368, May.
    5. Duan, Wenqi & Li, Chen, 2023. "Be alert to dangers: Collapse and avoidance strategies of platform ecosystems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    6. Travis Gliedt & Paul Parker, 2007. "Green community entrepreneurship: creative destruction in the social economy," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(8), pages 538-553, July.
    7. Travis Gliedt & Paul Parker, 2007. "Green community entrepreneurship: creative destruction in the social economy," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(8), pages 538-553, July.
    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. Régis Y. Chenavaz & Alexandra Couston & Stéphanie Heichelbech & Isabelle Pignatel & Stanko Dimitrov, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-30, May.
    2. Dike Ike, 2025. "Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Emergence: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(S1), pages 1200-1214, November.
    3. Lydia Schaap & Femke Nijland & Miriam Cents-Boonstra & Kristin Vanlommel, 2025. "A Framework Supporting the Innovative Capacity of Higher Education Institutions: An Integrative Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-33, July.
    4. Kara, Karahan & Yalçın, Galip Cihan & Akagün Ergin, Elif & Simic, Vladimir & Pamucar, Dragan, 2024. "A neutrosophic WENSLO-ARLON model for measuring sustainable brand equity performance," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Zhang, Yibin & Hafezi, Maryam & Zhao, Xuan & Shi, Victor, 2017. "Reprint of “The impact of development cost on product line design and its environmental performance”," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 126-134.
    6. Ki‐Hoon Lee & Ji‐Whan Kim, 2011. "Integrating Suppliers into Green Product Innovation Development: an Empirical Case Study in the Semiconductor Industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(8), pages 527-538, December.
    7. Xie, Peijun & Wang, Jian & Tang, Shiyi & Shahzadi, Irum & Bilan, Yuriy, 2025. "How does intergenerational transmission affect green innovation? Evidence from Chinese family businesses," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 158-169.
    8. Chinyerem Grace Adeniji & Odunayo Paul Salau & Opeyemi Olunike Joel & Oluwakemi Oluwafunmilayo Onayemi & Oluwakemi Rebecca Alake, 2024. "Personality-Traits Taxonomy and Operational and Environmental Performance: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Small and Medium Scale Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-22, April.
    9. Christina-Ioanna Papadopoulou & Stavros Kalogiannidis & Efstratios Loizou & Fotios Chatzitheodoridis, 2025. "Navigating the Bioeconomy: Using Delphi-SWOT to Build Robust Strategies for Sustainable Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-22, May.
    10. Greg Linden & David J Teece, 2018. "Remarks on Pisano: “toward a prescriptive theory of dynamic capabilities”," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(6), pages 1175-1179.
    11. Surajit Bag & Shivam Gupta, 2017. "Antecedents of Sustainable Innovation in Supplier Networks: A South African Experience," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 18(3), pages 231-250, September.
    12. Makatleho Georginah Domela & Ze Tian & Brian Mereta, 2025. "Chinese mining sector investment and energy independence in Africa: A panel data analysis of 20 Countries from 2013 to 2022," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 14(2), pages 217-232, March.
    13. Liangdong Lu & Mengyao Wang & Jia Xu, 2023. "How to Keep Investors’ Confidence after Being Labeled as Polluting Firms: The Role of External Political Ties and Internal Green Innovation Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-19, September.
    14. Geoffrey Rogito Nyamotal & Dionysious Kihika Kiambi & Kirema Nkanata Mburugu, 2024. "Influence of Democratic Leadership Style on the Performance of Agricultural Enterprises in Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(6), pages 2441-2453, June.
    15. Annette Brunsmeier & Markus Groth, 2015. "Hidden climate change related risks for the private sector," Working Paper Series in Economics 333, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    16. Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez, 2023. "Attributes influencing responsible tourism consumer choices: Sustainable local food and drink, health-related services, and entertainment," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 14(2), pages 645-686, June.
    17. Yuan Li & Thillai Raja Pertheban & Qiaoling Li & Zheng Guang-Wen, 2025. "The Green Innovation Gateway: How Technological Capabilities and Environmental Strategies Drive Sustainability Performance in Manufacturing Firms," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, July.
    18. Ndila L Yanda & Austin Mwange & John Moose & Clement Mwaanga, 2025. "The Role of Strategic Evaluation and Control in SME Performance: Lessons from Empirical Evidence in Kabwe District," African Journal of Commercial Studies, African Journal of Commercial Studies, vol. 6(1).
    19. Hong, Zhaofu & Dai, Wei & Luh, Hsing & Yang, Chenchen, 2018. "Optimal configuration of a green product supply chain with guaranteed service time and emission constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 266(2), pages 663-677.
    20. Sachin Modgil & Rohit Kumar Singh & Soni Agrawal, 2025. "Developing human capabilities for supply chains: an industry 5.0 perspective," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 348(3), pages 2075-2105, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8805-:d:1762257. 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 The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (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.