Publication year: 2012
Source:Journal of World Business

Suraksha Gupta, Michael Czinkota, T.C. Melewar

Organisations offer products to consumers, buyers often question if the product or its production process are linked to the environmental, social or economic challenges being faced by mankind. Inquisitiveness of customers in this direction points towards an opportunity for marketers to create differentiation based on the concerns of brand towards overall issue of sustainability. The authors have synthesized knowledge from various domains with a positivistic approach to understand sustainability from the perspective of branding. Using empirical knowledge this study recommends embedding sustainability into brand knowledge and brand value for creating a differentiation for the brand in a competitive market.

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the role intermediaries can play in an SME’s pursuit for corporate sustainability with a focus on eco-innovation. The research identifies drivers and barriers for eco-innovation, and highlights effects induced through collaboration between SMEs and local authorities, on the one hand, and consultancies, on the other. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on an exploratory qualitative interview study among German SMEs of the metal and mechanical engineering industry that have participated in "Ecoprofit", an intermediary based program that aims at introducing organizations to the concept of sustainable development through implementation of eco-innovations. Findings - Our key findings are that first, the proactive approach by a public intermediary (here local authority) is one essential push factor to trigger eco-innovations in SMEs with low absorptive capacity. Second, we find that SMEs may need facilitation for eco-innovation from different types of intermediaries (public and private) with different levels of support, which can range from customized and individual to more loosely held support, such as networks.Originality/value - Our study discusses the challenges of corporate sustainability with a focus on eco-innovations for SMEs and proposes a ‘complex intermediary’ consisting of a local authority and consultancies as one means to engage SMEs in sustainability. Moreover, it focuses on SMEs in the B2B context, organizations that are often overlooked despite their vast impact. Furthermore, by using a single industry approach, in-depth findings for the metal and mechanical engineering industry are presented.

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the green innovation literature using a conceptual framework developed to explain the driving forces behind environmental cooperative activities of firms. The framework links motivations to the different type of partners in the context of environmental innovations. Design/methodology/approach - Literature on innovation, environmental innovation, sustainable development and strategic management is examined in order to build the conceptual framework.Findings - This paper suggests that firms cooperate with governmental agencies, NGOs, suppliers, customers and industry associations to comply with environmental laws and regulation, obtain legitimacy as well as acquire competency (i.e. access to resources such as funds, knowledge and skills). However, only competency-oriented motivation stimulates organisations to cooperate with competitors and knowledge leaders.Research limitations/implications - The model developed is conceptual and qualitative in nature. More research that is empirical needs to be conducted to test for the validity of the six formulated propositions..Originality/value - The significance of this paper is twofold. First, it integrates two different strategic management theories: resource-based and institutional theories in explaining cooperative environmental motivations. Second, it develops a conceptual framework that provides a basis for more theoretical and empirical studies.

Douglas R. Conant, former CEO, Campbell Soup Company During Doug Conant’s ten years as president and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company (he retired last fall), Conant helped refocus the company. In the first half of his tenure, his goal, he says, was to bring the company from being “a poor performing company to being [...]