Page 148 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
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In Pursuit of Eco-innovation
the following positions: top executive (N = 49), environmental manager
or management representative for environment (N = 36), quality manag-
er or management representative for quality (N = 29), HSE (health and
safety) manager (N = 2), ecologist (N = 3), management representative
for EMS (environmental management systems) (N = 8), R&D sector (N
= 8), HR manager (N = 3), consultant for the environment (N = 6), tech-
nologist (N = 9), commercialist (N = 11), assistant director (N = 7), ad-
ministrator (N = 3), board member (N = 2), owner (N = 5), founder or
cofounder (N = 3), project manager (N = 2), accountant (N = 4), business
secretary (N = 5), and procurator (N = 4).
Additionally, the respondents’ demographic structure shows that the
majority of respondents were men (124; 55.6%), and the majority (81 re-
spondents; 36.3%) were between 41-50 years old, followed by 73 respond-
148 ents (32.7%) who were between 31 and 40 years old and 53 respondents
(23.8%) who were older than 51. Only 16 respondents (7.2%) were less
than 30 years old. Related to their years of working experience, the major-
ity (67 respondents; 30%) have between 21 and 30 years of working expe-
rience, followed by 46 respondents (20.6%) with between 16 and 20 years
of working experience and 38 respondents (17%) with 31 or more years of
working experience. Continuing, 28 respondents (12.6%) have between
11 and 15 years of working experience, while 26 respondents (11.7%) in-
dicated that they have between 6 and 10 years of working experience, fol-
lowed by 11 respondents (4.5%) that have between 1 and 3 years of work-
ing experience and seven respondents (3.1%) with between 4 and 5 years
of working experience. Lastly, we asked them about their highest degree
of education. The majority of respondents have acquired a bachelor’s de-
gree (78 respondents; 35%), followed by 77 respondents (34.5%) who have
finished high/higher professional college and 39 respondents (17.5%) who
have finished vocational or high school. Also, 22 respondents (9.9%) re-
ported finishing a specialization, MBA or master’s degree and 7 respond-
ents (3.1%) have completed doctorate.
Regarding the sample characteristics (see Table 19) and focusing on
firm size (number of employees), the results of the descriptive statistics
show that the sample of analyzed companies includes 52 (23.3%) micro
companies (having less than 9 employees), followed by 68 (30.5%) small
companies (between 10-49 employees), 56 (25.1%) medium-sized compa-
nies (between 50-249 employees) and 47 (21%) large companies (250 or
more employees). When focusing on firm size with regard to the compa-
ny’s profitability (annual sales in 2013), we can see that 27 (12.1%) com-
panies had earned 400,000 EUR or less in year 2013, while another 27
the following positions: top executive (N = 49), environmental manager
or management representative for environment (N = 36), quality manag-
er or management representative for quality (N = 29), HSE (health and
safety) manager (N = 2), ecologist (N = 3), management representative
for EMS (environmental management systems) (N = 8), R&D sector (N
= 8), HR manager (N = 3), consultant for the environment (N = 6), tech-
nologist (N = 9), commercialist (N = 11), assistant director (N = 7), ad-
ministrator (N = 3), board member (N = 2), owner (N = 5), founder or
cofounder (N = 3), project manager (N = 2), accountant (N = 4), business
secretary (N = 5), and procurator (N = 4).
Additionally, the respondents’ demographic structure shows that the
majority of respondents were men (124; 55.6%), and the majority (81 re-
spondents; 36.3%) were between 41-50 years old, followed by 73 respond-
148 ents (32.7%) who were between 31 and 40 years old and 53 respondents
(23.8%) who were older than 51. Only 16 respondents (7.2%) were less
than 30 years old. Related to their years of working experience, the major-
ity (67 respondents; 30%) have between 21 and 30 years of working expe-
rience, followed by 46 respondents (20.6%) with between 16 and 20 years
of working experience and 38 respondents (17%) with 31 or more years of
working experience. Continuing, 28 respondents (12.6%) have between
11 and 15 years of working experience, while 26 respondents (11.7%) in-
dicated that they have between 6 and 10 years of working experience, fol-
lowed by 11 respondents (4.5%) that have between 1 and 3 years of work-
ing experience and seven respondents (3.1%) with between 4 and 5 years
of working experience. Lastly, we asked them about their highest degree
of education. The majority of respondents have acquired a bachelor’s de-
gree (78 respondents; 35%), followed by 77 respondents (34.5%) who have
finished high/higher professional college and 39 respondents (17.5%) who
have finished vocational or high school. Also, 22 respondents (9.9%) re-
ported finishing a specialization, MBA or master’s degree and 7 respond-
ents (3.1%) have completed doctorate.
Regarding the sample characteristics (see Table 19) and focusing on
firm size (number of employees), the results of the descriptive statistics
show that the sample of analyzed companies includes 52 (23.3%) micro
companies (having less than 9 employees), followed by 68 (30.5%) small
companies (between 10-49 employees), 56 (25.1%) medium-sized compa-
nies (between 50-249 employees) and 47 (21%) large companies (250 or
more employees). When focusing on firm size with regard to the compa-
ny’s profitability (annual sales in 2013), we can see that 27 (12.1%) com-
panies had earned 400,000 EUR or less in year 2013, while another 27
