TY - JOUR

T1 - Intermediaries Driving Eco-Innovation in SMEs: A Qualitative Investigation

AU - Klewitz, Johanna

AU - Zeyen, Anica

AU - Hansen, Erik G.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the role intermediaries can play in an small to medium-sized enterprise's (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: The 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, it is found 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: This 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.

AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the role intermediaries can play in an small to medium-sized enterprise's (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: The 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, it is found 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: This 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.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - Absorptive capacity

KW - Eco-efficiency

KW - Eco-innovations

KW - Germany

KW - Innovation

KW - Inter-organizational learning

KW - Intermediaries

KW - Knowledge transfer

KW - Learning networks

KW - Public private partnerships

KW - Small to medium-sized enterprises

KW - Sustainability-oriented innovation

KW - Entrepreneurship

KW - Absorptive capacity

KW - Eco-efficiency

KW - Eco-innovations

KW - Germany

KW - Innovation

KW - Inter-organizational learning

KW - Intermediaries

KW - Knowledge transfer

KW - Learning networks

KW - Public private partnerships

KW - Small to medium-sized enterprises

KW - Sustainability-oriented innovation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866882965&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1108/14601061211272376

DO - 10.1108/14601061211272376

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 15

SP - 442

EP - 467

JO - European Journal of Innovation Management

JF - European Journal of Innovation Management

SN - 1460-1060

IS - 4

ER -