Page 21 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 21
Eco-innovation
In this section, we will focus on several issues pertaining to eco-innova-
tion. The first subsection will focus on the main peculiarities of eco-inno-
vation, which differentiate it from regular innovation (2.1). Next, we will
define eco-innovation (2.2) and present its distinct features (2.3), main
dimensions (2.4), types (2.5) and measurement (2.6). Finally, we will con-
clude this section with our own proposed eco-innovation definition (2.7).
Why to distinguish eco-innovation from regular innovation
Environmental innovations can be defined as a subset of all innovations
in an economy (Wagner 2008). As such, they present an answer to the
problems which already have or in the future will have a global dimension
(Jänicke 2008). Based on global concerns and discourses regarding global
warming, eco-innovations have a global market potential, while political
support is required to trigger them, especially when pertaining to renew-
able energy technologies (Karakaya et al. 2014).
Therefore, researchers (van den Bergh et al. 2011) argue that the main
difference between “regular” innovation and eco-innovation pertains to
the combination of an urgent environmental problem, which requires a
solution associated with external costs (these costs do not enter the pri-
vate costs of the polluter). This results in the need for adoption and invest-
ments in new technologies, which create less pollution and thus are less
harmful for the environment (resulting in beneficial environmental char-
acteristics), while there are no incentives for the polluter or other compa-
nies to induce adoption and implementation of such technologies (van
In this section, we will focus on several issues pertaining to eco-innova-
tion. The first subsection will focus on the main peculiarities of eco-inno-
vation, which differentiate it from regular innovation (2.1). Next, we will
define eco-innovation (2.2) and present its distinct features (2.3), main
dimensions (2.4), types (2.5) and measurement (2.6). Finally, we will con-
clude this section with our own proposed eco-innovation definition (2.7).
Why to distinguish eco-innovation from regular innovation
Environmental innovations can be defined as a subset of all innovations
in an economy (Wagner 2008). As such, they present an answer to the
problems which already have or in the future will have a global dimension
(Jänicke 2008). Based on global concerns and discourses regarding global
warming, eco-innovations have a global market potential, while political
support is required to trigger them, especially when pertaining to renew-
able energy technologies (Karakaya et al. 2014).
Therefore, researchers (van den Bergh et al. 2011) argue that the main
difference between “regular” innovation and eco-innovation pertains to
the combination of an urgent environmental problem, which requires a
solution associated with external costs (these costs do not enter the pri-
vate costs of the polluter). This results in the need for adoption and invest-
ments in new technologies, which create less pollution and thus are less
harmful for the environment (resulting in beneficial environmental char-
acteristics), while there are no incentives for the polluter or other compa-
nies to induce adoption and implementation of such technologies (van
