Article, 2023

Ecological community logics, identifiable business ownership, and green innovation as a company response

Research Policy, ISSN 0048-7333, Volume 52, 8, 10.1016/j.respol.2023.104826

Contributors

Bammens Y. (Corresponding author) [1] Hunermund P. 0000-0001-9163-038X [2]

Affiliations

  1. [1] Hasselt University
  2. [NORA names: Belgium; Europe, EU; OECD];
  3. [2] Copenhagen Business School
  4. [NORA names: CBS Copenhagen Business School; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD]

Abstract

We investigate which companies are more inclined to respond with green innovation to ecological community logics. We propose that the noneconomic utility of doing so – in the form of personal reputation gains for business owners – is greater when owner identifiability is higher, and that owner identifiability therefore intensifies the effect of normative ecological community pressures on firm-level green innovation. Our hypotheses are tested on a sample of over 2800 German firms using instrumental variable regression analyses and we find empirical support for our ideas. This study advances the institutional sustainability literature by explaining how community- and firm-level attributes interact to account for heterogeneity in firms' green innovation activities.

Keywords

Business ownership, Community, Eco-innovation, Ecological sustainability, Innovation, Institutional logics

Data Provider: Elsevier