Page 131 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 131
Methodology
Finally, six items were selected to measure the variable of organi-
zational eco-innovation (see Table 15), adapted from Cheng and Shiu
(2012). A seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly
agree) was utilized.
Table 15: Items for the latent variable of Organizational eco-innovation
Measurement variable Source 131
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often uses novel systems to manage eco-innovation. Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often collects information on eco-innovation trends.
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often actively engages in eco-innovation activities.
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often communicates eco-innovation information with em-
ployees. Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often invests substantially in R&D on eco-innovation.
Our firm management often communicates experiences among various depart-
ments involved in eco-innovation.
Measures for consequences/outcomes of eco-innovation
The consequences of eco-innovation implementation were measured
by four latent variables: company performance (measured as company
growth and profitability), economic performance, competitive benefits
and internationalization. Where the measures were self-reported (in the
case of the last three variables listed above), a seven-point Likert scale was
utilized. For the variable of company performance (company growth and
profitability), we gathered the data from an objective source, the commer-
cial firm database GVIN.
Companies’ business performance (Table 16) was operationalized in
terms of sales growth (Montabon et al. 2007; Eiadat et al. 2008; Fraj-An-
dres et al. 2009; Huang and Wu 2010; Ar 2012), return on assets (ROA;
Horváthová 2012; Leonidou et al. 2013a), return on equity (ROE; Zeng
et al. 2011; Horváthová 2012), return on sales (ROS; De Burgos-Jimén-
ez et al. 2013); Rexhäuser and Rammer 2013) and number of employees
(growth over two business years). The financial data of the analyzed com-
panies were obtained from the commercial firm database GVIN, part of
the international business group Bisnode AB, which is Europe’s largest
provider of business and credit information, operating in 17 European
countries (GVIN 2015). The database provides firms’ full balance sheets
and profit-loss statements for Slovenian companies.
Finally, six items were selected to measure the variable of organi-
zational eco-innovation (see Table 15), adapted from Cheng and Shiu
(2012). A seven-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly
agree) was utilized.
Table 15: Items for the latent variable of Organizational eco-innovation
Measurement variable Source 131
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often uses novel systems to manage eco-innovation. Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often collects information on eco-innovation trends.
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often actively engages in eco-innovation activities.
Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often communicates eco-innovation information with em-
ployees. Cheng and Shiu (2012)
Our firm management often invests substantially in R&D on eco-innovation.
Our firm management often communicates experiences among various depart-
ments involved in eco-innovation.
Measures for consequences/outcomes of eco-innovation
The consequences of eco-innovation implementation were measured
by four latent variables: company performance (measured as company
growth and profitability), economic performance, competitive benefits
and internationalization. Where the measures were self-reported (in the
case of the last three variables listed above), a seven-point Likert scale was
utilized. For the variable of company performance (company growth and
profitability), we gathered the data from an objective source, the commer-
cial firm database GVIN.
Companies’ business performance (Table 16) was operationalized in
terms of sales growth (Montabon et al. 2007; Eiadat et al. 2008; Fraj-An-
dres et al. 2009; Huang and Wu 2010; Ar 2012), return on assets (ROA;
Horváthová 2012; Leonidou et al. 2013a), return on equity (ROE; Zeng
et al. 2011; Horváthová 2012), return on sales (ROS; De Burgos-Jimén-
ez et al. 2013); Rexhäuser and Rammer 2013) and number of employees
(growth over two business years). The financial data of the analyzed com-
panies were obtained from the commercial firm database GVIN, part of
the international business group Bisnode AB, which is Europe’s largest
provider of business and credit information, operating in 17 European
countries (GVIN 2015). The database provides firms’ full balance sheets
and profit-loss statements for Slovenian companies.
