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The More, the Merrier: Why and How Employee-Driven Eco-Innovation Enhances Environmental and Competitive Advantage

Author

Listed:
  • Anke Buhl

    (Faculty of Economics, Alanus University, Villestrasse 3, 53347 Alfter (Bonn), Germany)

  • Susanne Blazejewski

    (Faculty of Economics, Alanus University, Villestrasse 3, 53347 Alfter (Bonn), Germany)

  • Franziska Dittmer

    (Faculty of Economics, Alanus University, Villestrasse 3, 53347 Alfter (Bonn), Germany)

Abstract
Innovative solutions are often conjured as a key factor for companies to come closer to the goal of ecological sustainability. Furthermore, proactive eco-innovation activities can encompass competitive advantages. Companies are therefore well advised to tap any available source of innovation. However, although employees’ innovative capacity has often been described, to date, their manifold potentials for eco-innovation processes have hardly been examined in detail. The overarching research questions guiding this conceptual paper are why and how employee participation in eco-innovation processes can entail environmental and competitive advantages for companies. The authors introduce the concept of employee-driven eco-innovation (EDEI), defined here as ordinary employees’ voluntary engagement in innovation activities within an organizational context that, intentionally or not, lead to environmental improvements. This paper complements previous literature on employee-driven innovation (EDI) by applying it to the specific case of eco-innovation. In this context, employees’ comprehensive environmental competences resulting from “tacit knowledge”, “private consumer experience” and “green identity” are taken into account. In addition, we delineate critical intra-organizational factors for EDEI activities and illustrate green employees’ specific requirements in this regard.

Suggested Citation

  • Anke Buhl & Susanne Blazejewski & Franziska Dittmer, 2016. "The More, the Merrier: Why and How Employee-Driven Eco-Innovation Enhances Environmental and Competitive Advantage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:9:p:946-:d:78285
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    1. Zhongzhen Miao & Huanyong Ji, 2020. "Challenges to the Promotion of Employee-Driven Innovation in State-Owned Enterprises: Two Cases from the Automotive Sector in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Anna Szeliga-Duchnowska & Mirosława Szewczyk, 2020. "Environmental Workplace Behaviors - It Takes Two to Tango," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 294-308.
    3. Md. Mahiuddin Sabbir & Khan Md Raziuddin Taufique, 2022. "Sustainable employee green behavior in the workplace: Integrating cognitive and non‐cognitive factors in corporate environmental policy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 110-128, January.
    4. Gema Albort-Morant & Jörg Henseler & Gabriel Cepeda-Carrión & Antonio L. Leal-Rodríguez, 2018. "Potential and Realized Absorptive Capacity as Complementary Drivers of Green Product and Process Innovation Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Susanne Blazejewski & Franziska Dittmer & Anke Buhl & Andrea Simone Barth & Carsten Herbes, 2020. "“That is Not What I Live For”: How Lower-Level Green Employees Cope with Identity Tensions at Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-23, July.
    6. Viola Muster & Ulf Schrader & Susanne Blazejewski & Martina Schäfer & Anke Buhl & Christoph Harrach & Marc Schmidt-Keilich & Elisabeth Süßbauer, 2016. "Integration von Mitarbeitern als Konsumenten in Nachhaltigkeitsinnovationsprozesse," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 417-421, December.
    7. Nohora Mercado-Caruso & Marival Segarra-Oña & David Ovallos-Gazabon & Angel Peiró-Signes, 2020. "Identifying Endogenous and Exogenous Indicators to Measure Eco-Innovation within Clusters," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    8. Magadán-Díaz, Marta & Sotiriadis, Marios & Rivas-García, Jesús, 2019. "Drivers of eco-innovation in the Spanish hospitality industry," MPRA Paper 94090, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Zhaojun Yang & Jun Sun & Yali Zhang & Ying Wang, 2017. "Green, Green, It’s Green: A Triad Model of Technology, Culture, and Innovation for Corporate Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-23, August.
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