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Innovation Management and Sustainability
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Innovation Management and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 10114

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio Lerro

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Guest Editor
Department of Mathematics, Computer Sciences and Economics, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: innovation management; knowledge management; business model innovation; digital transformation
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Schiuma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Finance, Technology and Management, LUM University, Casamassima, BA, Italy
Interests: innovation management; knowledge management; arts-based management; business model innovation; digital transformation
Dr. Francesco Santarsiero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, Environment and Cultural Heritage (DICEM), University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, 75100 Matera, Italy
Interests: innovation management; entrepreneurship; digital transformation; innovation labs; business performance management and measurement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is a pleasure to announce the call for papers for this Special Issue (SI) of Sustainability, entitled “Innovation and Sustainability”. The aim of this SI is to develop an understanding and a fruitful academic dialogue about the new approaches, models, tools and practices of innovation management required to effectively address the growing pressures and the emerging opportunities derived from the “sustainability agenda”.

Innovation management is widely acknowledged as an essential process to guarantee and support organisational competitive advantages. More recently, renewed attention has been paid to the different levers of innovation because of their fundamental role in enabling factors and vectors of change in new managerial and policy approaches and actions related to sustainability as multifaceted and complex concepts, grouping environmental, political, economic, and socio-cultural issues.

The emerging context of sustainability orientation determines a set of changes in the launch of new products and services, in the re-thinking of processes, in the adoption of digital technologies, and in elaborating and experimenting with new business models for organisations, where the issues of social and environmental responsibility are just as important as economic viability. Therefore, in this scenario, specific and industry-based declinations of this new emerging paradigm of development must be identified and analysed, aiming to foster compliance with the new guidelines of economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

Focusing on organisations’ new demands, constraints and opportunities regarding the requirements to be fitted with the sustainability implications, studies discussing these issues more in depth are needed in different research streams. In particular, an increasing need to better understand the ways to improve innovation management issues has seemed to emerge in order to better frame and assess the environmental, social, and economic impact of sustainability-driven initiatives.

This SI aims to elaborate, extend, and improve theories and discuss and share findings, practices, and experiences in order to inform academic, managerial, and policy debates regarding the role of innovation management in stimulating and supporting the organisational capacity to address the emerging challenges of sustainability through, for example, but not exclusively, the ideation and the implementation of new products and services, the revision of operations and supply chains, new ways to conceive and use technology and digitalisation, renewed relationships with customers and stakeholders, new business models, and practices and experiences of innovation and sustainability in Public Administrations.

Dr. Antonio Lerro
Prof. Dr. Giovanni Schiuma
Dr. Francesco Santarsiero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • innovation
  • sustainability
  • business modelling
  • techno-human factors

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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30 pages, 6564 KiB  
Article
Depth and Width of Collaborative Innovation Networks and High-Quality Development
by Hongwei Dai, Yiwei Liu, Heyang Li and Aochen Cao
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 5909; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16145909 - 11 Jul 2024
Viewed by 804
Abstract
The key driving force for high-quality development is innovation, and collaborative innovation is an important form of organizing and realizing innovation. However, the impact of collaborative innovation networks on high-quality regional development remains unclear. At the city cluster level, this study analyzes more [...] Read more.
The key driving force for high-quality development is innovation, and collaborative innovation is an important form of organizing and realizing innovation. However, the impact of collaborative innovation networks on high-quality regional development remains unclear. At the city cluster level, this study analyzes more than 300,000 patent data based on the data of prefecture-level cities in China from 2012 to 2020 using the crawler method and social network analysis. The results show that, first, collaborative innovation in China is characterized by growth, network, and structural stability. Second, collaborative innovation can significantly improve the high-quality development of urban economies by reducing human resource mismatch and increasing the “intensive margin” and “expansive margin” of innovation. Third, at the national level, increased urban collaboration in terms of width and depth has contributed to the economy’s high-quality development. However, the two have not yet demonstrated complementarity, although at the level of urban agglomerations, the two are significantly complementary. Fourth, heterogeneity analysis shows that collaborative innovation is more effective in promoting high-quality development for highly matured city clusters and cities with robust innovation capacity. It can considerably overcome geographical constraints. From the regional heterogeneity perspective, the promotion of high-quality development through collaborative innovation is stronger in southern and central China. It is recommended that emerging market countries and city clusters focus on constructing and developing collaborative innovation networks and promoting high-quality economic development through measures such as increasing network density, enhancing the breadth and depth of synergies among cities, and developing differentiated policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
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27 pages, 322 KiB  
Article
Top Management Team Stability and Corporate Innovation Sustainability
by Zukun Tan
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4496; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114496 - 25 May 2024
Viewed by 874
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing recognition that the stability of the top management team (TMT) significantly impacts the operation and management of companies. However, few studies have focused on the impact of TMT stability on innovation sustainability. Therefore, based on the [...] Read more.
In recent years, there has been growing recognition that the stability of the top management team (TMT) significantly impacts the operation and management of companies. However, few studies have focused on the impact of TMT stability on innovation sustainability. Therefore, based on the upper echelon theory and the faultline theory, this paper takes China’s A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2022 as a sample to explore the impact of TMT stability on corporate innovation sustainability, as well as the moderating effect of executive faultlines on this impact. The results indicate that TMT stability is positively correlated with corporate innovation sustainability, whereas the executive faultlines significantly weaken this correlation. The mechanism test reveals that a stable senior management team can reduce an enterprise’s operational risk through the management functions of executives, alleviate the financing constraints serving as a stability signal sent by the company to investors and creditors, and thus promote the sustainability of innovation. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the influence of TMT stability on corporate innovation sustainability is more pronounced in companies with a high percentage of executive shareholdings, non-state ownership, and CEOs possessing technical expertise. This paper combines the overall stability of the executive team with the differentiation of its internal subgroups, broadens the research perspective of the upper echelon theory, and serves as a valuable reference for the development of corporate executive teams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
23 pages, 586 KiB  
Article
Promoting Sustainable Workplace Routines: The Identity and Practice Interdependence Model
by Marcia Frezza and Karen E. White
Sustainability 2024, 16(3), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16030993 - 24 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1300
Abstract
To clarify how the interaction of socio-material and human factors impacts the implementation of sustainable workplace routines, we developed the identity and practice interdependence model and then applied it to empirical data collected from a major Brazilian steel-producing facility. This qualitative exploratory study [...] Read more.
To clarify how the interaction of socio-material and human factors impacts the implementation of sustainable workplace routines, we developed the identity and practice interdependence model and then applied it to empirical data collected from a major Brazilian steel-producing facility. This qualitative exploratory study examined the model’s assumption that employee identity construction principles (e.g., self-esteem, self-efficacy, distinctiveness, continuity) and elements of practices (e.g., materials, meanings, competencies) provided by organizations directly impact routines and also interact in a continuous, interdependent process. Company documents, on-site observations, and data from three focus group sessions with a total of thirty employees from all levels were examined. A deductive reflexive thematic analysis was carried out on the data using Atlas.ti v 8. The results show that the model allows for the identification of the factors and their interactions, providing insights into how greener routines are created, accepted, resisted, maintained, and/or altered. When changes in practice elements can provide a path towards satisfaction of identity principles, rather than threats, there is good engagement in more sustainable routines. Employees seeking satisfaction of identity principles also take initiative, addressing practice elements that can allow for improved routines. Organizations/companies can apply some of the insights that this model provides to facilitate changes towards more sustainable work routines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
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18 pages, 900 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Mentoring Relationships on Innovation Performance of Post-90s Employees: A Dual-Path Model of Cognition and Affect
by Miaomiao Li, Zehui Jin, Ganli Liao, Jielin Yin and Qichao Zhang
Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13580; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813580 - 11 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1650
Abstract
(1) Background: In recent years, post-90s employees have emerged as the driving force behind enterprise innovation, presenting unique challenges for innovation management. Their distinct characteristics and attitudes towards work require a thoughtful and adaptable approach from businesses to harness their potential effectively; (2) [...] Read more.
(1) Background: In recent years, post-90s employees have emerged as the driving force behind enterprise innovation, presenting unique challenges for innovation management. Their distinct characteristics and attitudes towards work require a thoughtful and adaptable approach from businesses to harness their potential effectively; (2) Methods: through empirical analysis of 518 valid samples in the Chinese context, with SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS V4.1 being used for the analysis, and to test the moderated mediation model; (3) Results: a. Mentoring relationships positively predict innovation performance; b. This relationship is mediated by role stress (cognition) and job vigor (affect); c. Innovative self-efficacy negatively moderates the impact of role stress on innovation performance and positively moderates the impact of job vigor on innovation performance; d. Moreover, innovative self-efficacy significantly moderates the mediating effect of role stress and job vigor, and the moderated mediating model is established; (4) Conclusions: Our findings reveal the “black box” of mentoring relationships in the process of influencing the innovation performance of post-90s employees, an area that has received limited research attention. This study further reveals the boundary effect of innovative self-efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
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29 pages, 1200 KiB  
Article
Agent-Based Model to Analyze the Role of the University in Reducing Social Exclusion
by Eliana Villa-Enciso, Walter Ruiz-Castañeda and Jorge Robledo Velásquez
Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12666; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612666 - 21 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1698
Abstract
While conventional innovation has boosted economic growth in certain regions, it has not contributed to closing the social and economic gap in most developing countries. Humanity is going through a historic moment of great challenges. One of them is social exclusion, a matrix [...] Read more.
While conventional innovation has boosted economic growth in certain regions, it has not contributed to closing the social and economic gap in most developing countries. Humanity is going through a historic moment of great challenges. One of them is social exclusion, a matrix of factors that prevent human beings from achieving well-being: poverty, hunger, inequality, lack of access to basic resources and services, and lack of social ties that help improve these circumstances, among others. This study holds two hypotheses: (1) in this context, inclusive innovation emerges as a response to the inability of conventional innovation to contribute to solve the persistent challenge of social exclusion and (2) universities—key actors in innovation dynamics—should play a fundamental role in the generation of inclusive innovation, especially considering their natural commitment to society. Although the role of the university in innovation has been widely acknowledged and studied, no formal theoretical model has represented inclusive innovation in developing countries adopting a systemic, complex, adaptive, and functional approach and incorporating a diversity of agents, interactions, capabilities, learning processes, knowledge, and directionalities—this would enable us to understand the role of the university in inclusive innovation. This paper argues that innovation dynamics should be understood from a systemic perspective and using computational modeling and simulation methods, so that the inherent complexity of these systems can be taken into account. The analysis of innovation scenarios based on a formal theoretical model and its operationalization through computer simulation should contribute to the understanding of the role of the university in these system dynamics, which can be used to propose effective strategies to strengthen its participation. Therefore, this paper proposes a formal systemic agent-based conceptual model that can be used to study the role of the university in inclusive innovation and establish guidelines to improve its performance. This study implemented standard computer modeling and simulation, specifically adapted for agent-based modeling. The results obtained from the simulation scenarios were comparatively analyzed using statistical tests (ANOVA and Tukey) to determine the presence of statistically significant differences. As the main finding of the research, the proposed conceptual model was validated and proved to be useful for studying the role of the university in reducing social exclusion in the Global South, through the design and execution of computer simulation scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
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Review

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25 pages, 1813 KiB  
Review
Factors That Influence Sustainable Innovation in Organizations: A Systematic Literature Review
by Praveen Kumar Saxena, Arumugam Seetharaman and Girija Shawarikar
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 4978; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124978 - 11 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2770
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to navigate the intricate balance between innovation and sustainability, pinpointing facilitating factors for their harmonious coexistence. It aims to guide firms toward a future where innovation drives progress while safeguarding the planet’s and its inhabitants’ well-being. Synthesizing [...] Read more.
The purpose of this article is to navigate the intricate balance between innovation and sustainability, pinpointing facilitating factors for their harmonious coexistence. It aims to guide firms toward a future where innovation drives progress while safeguarding the planet’s and its inhabitants’ well-being. Synthesizing the existing research, this study explores the impacts of various factors on sustainable innovation performance. The results highlight the positive associations of leadership roles, dynamic capabilities, stakeholder engagement, and social and environmental aspects with the firm’s innovation, providing insights for fostering sustainable innovation practices. This study proposes a framework that illustrates how factors impacting sustainable innovation intersect with theories studied in this article, such as the triple bottom line (TBL) and sustainability development theory (SDT). A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology is adopted to synthesize the knowledge and validate the research outcome to reach a conclusion. It will be beneficial to include sustainability both as a critical strategy for any firm’s growth and as a key part of the academic curriculum to create knowledge that will develop responsible leaders for a sustainable world. Future studies may utilize quantitative methods, like surveys, to empirically validate outcomes, offering numerical insights into factors influencing sustainable innovation within firms and enriching understanding of their impact and relationships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation Management and Sustainability)
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