In recent years, the importance of the environmental agenda for industry has been particularly rising and environmental innovations (EI) are increasingly at the center of policy maker action. Where extant literature has analyzed mainly external factors driving their adoption, in this paper we explore firm-level characteristics that lead to the development of EIs, using data from the community innovation survey (CIS) on Italian manufacturing firms, which, for the first time, address specifically EI. We further contribute to the literature by analyzing firm’s level patterns distinguishing between production-related and product-related EIs. The econometric estimations suggest that size is positively related to the introduction of any kind of EI. Firms exporting are not more likely to introduce EI, whereas foreign ownership is linked with a greater EI propensity. Our results suggest also that firms that perform R&D activities, acquire machineries or knowledge and carries out training are more likely to be green innovators but that such activities are substitutive. Finally, the analysis suggests that firm’s level characteristics are more important than industry specialization in explaining green innovation propensity and that firm’s level characteristics driving the greening vary consistently among EI types.

Who are the green innovators? An empirical analysis of firm's level factors driving environmental innovation adoption

DE MARCHI, VALENTINA;GRANDINETTI, ROBERTO
2012

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of the environmental agenda for industry has been particularly rising and environmental innovations (EI) are increasingly at the center of policy maker action. Where extant literature has analyzed mainly external factors driving their adoption, in this paper we explore firm-level characteristics that lead to the development of EIs, using data from the community innovation survey (CIS) on Italian manufacturing firms, which, for the first time, address specifically EI. We further contribute to the literature by analyzing firm’s level patterns distinguishing between production-related and product-related EIs. The econometric estimations suggest that size is positively related to the introduction of any kind of EI. Firms exporting are not more likely to introduce EI, whereas foreign ownership is linked with a greater EI propensity. Our results suggest also that firms that perform R&D activities, acquire machineries or knowledge and carries out training are more likely to be green innovators but that such activities are substitutive. Finally, the analysis suggests that firm’s level characteristics are more important than industry specialization in explaining green innovation propensity and that firm’s level characteristics driving the greening vary consistently among EI types.
2012
Innovation and competitiveness
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11577/2684043
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