Page 39 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 39
Eco-innovation 39
mental benefits, but they are more difficult to co-ordinate, while mecha-
nisms such as modification and re-design bring lower potential environ-
mental benefits (OECD 2009). The environmental benefits do not have
to be necessarily the primary objective of the innovation; they can be the
result of other innovation objectives and can occur during the produc-
tion of a good or service, or during the after sales use of a good or service
by the end user (Arundel and Kemp 2009). In more detail, environmen-
tal impact concerns reduction of material and energy use; reduction of
air, water, soil and noise emissions/pollution; replacement of hazardous
substances and improved recycling of water, waste or materials during the
production and after use of products (Horbach et al. 2012).
Moreover, Dong et al. (2013) argue that the typology of eco-innova-
tion dimensions is based on the categorization dimensions of general in-
novation. Dong et al. (2013) have summarized the eco-innovation fea-
tures derived from the current literature and presented the dimensions
of eco-innovation. The three dimensions identified by Dong et al. (2013)
are innovation content, ecological/environmental target and innovation
intensity. We scrutinize briefly the literature from which these dimen-
sions are drawn. Rennings (2000) categorized eco-innovations into four
types (focusing on their subjects): technology, society, organization and
institution. Oltra and Saint (2009) distinguished the following eco-in-
novation types: product innovation, process innovation and organiza-
tional innovation. Examples of other categories include: disruptive inno-
vation, sustainable innovation and system innovation proposed by MEI
(Kemp and Foxon 2007). Further, Reid and Miedzinski (2008) devel-
oped an eco-innovation classification system in which they take into ac-
count environmental performance and therefore differentiate four types
of eco-innovation: lifecycle innovation, product and process innovation,
organizational innovation and marketing innovation. By eco-innova-
tion’s technical characteristics and environmental impact, OECD (2009)
has divided eco-innovation in the following categories: pollution man-
agement, clean technologies and products, natural resource management
and eco-friendly products.
Types of eco-innovation
This chapter presents eco-innovation types. Types of eco-innovation are
not congruent among research works; therefore, in this section, we pres-
ent in more detail the classification of eco-innovation provided by EIO
(2013). According to EIO (2013) types of eco-innovation are as follows:
mental benefits, but they are more difficult to co-ordinate, while mecha-
nisms such as modification and re-design bring lower potential environ-
mental benefits (OECD 2009). The environmental benefits do not have
to be necessarily the primary objective of the innovation; they can be the
result of other innovation objectives and can occur during the produc-
tion of a good or service, or during the after sales use of a good or service
by the end user (Arundel and Kemp 2009). In more detail, environmen-
tal impact concerns reduction of material and energy use; reduction of
air, water, soil and noise emissions/pollution; replacement of hazardous
substances and improved recycling of water, waste or materials during the
production and after use of products (Horbach et al. 2012).
Moreover, Dong et al. (2013) argue that the typology of eco-innova-
tion dimensions is based on the categorization dimensions of general in-
novation. Dong et al. (2013) have summarized the eco-innovation fea-
tures derived from the current literature and presented the dimensions
of eco-innovation. The three dimensions identified by Dong et al. (2013)
are innovation content, ecological/environmental target and innovation
intensity. We scrutinize briefly the literature from which these dimen-
sions are drawn. Rennings (2000) categorized eco-innovations into four
types (focusing on their subjects): technology, society, organization and
institution. Oltra and Saint (2009) distinguished the following eco-in-
novation types: product innovation, process innovation and organiza-
tional innovation. Examples of other categories include: disruptive inno-
vation, sustainable innovation and system innovation proposed by MEI
(Kemp and Foxon 2007). Further, Reid and Miedzinski (2008) devel-
oped an eco-innovation classification system in which they take into ac-
count environmental performance and therefore differentiate four types
of eco-innovation: lifecycle innovation, product and process innovation,
organizational innovation and marketing innovation. By eco-innova-
tion’s technical characteristics and environmental impact, OECD (2009)
has divided eco-innovation in the following categories: pollution man-
agement, clean technologies and products, natural resource management
and eco-friendly products.
Types of eco-innovation
This chapter presents eco-innovation types. Types of eco-innovation are
not congruent among research works; therefore, in this section, we pres-
ent in more detail the classification of eco-innovation provided by EIO
(2013). According to EIO (2013) types of eco-innovation are as follows:
