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Sustainable Development, Sustainable Policy, and Innovation: A Scholarly Inquiry into Corporate Brands and Investor Behavior

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 22 July 2026 | Viewed by 3322

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Economic and Business Studies, Open University of Catalunya. 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: enterpreneurship; innovation; cooperation; performance; brand equity
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Guest Editor
School of Management Science and Engineering, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: economics

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Guest Editor
College of Artificial Intelligence (CUIT Shuangliu Industrial College), Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, China
Interests: natural language processing; large language models; business intelligence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled ‘Sustainable Development, Sustainable Policy, and Innovation: A Scholarly Inquiry into Corporate Brands and Investor Behavior’, is meticulously curated to shine a spotlight on the multifaceted and intertwined relationships among sustainable development, sustainable policies, innovation, corporate brands, and investor behavior.

The central focus lies in comprehensively dissecting the underlying mechanisms. How do sustainable development endeavors, bolstered by well-crafted sustainable policies and innovative strategies collaborate to mold corporate brands? And how do these brand transformations, in turn, act as pivotal influencers in intricate investor decision-making processes? This exploration is not just about identifying correlations, but is also about understanding the causal relationships that drive this complex ecosystem.

The scope of this Special Issue is both broad and deep, encompassing a diverse range of research methodologies. Empirical studies will be at the forefront, leveraging real-world data to provide evidence-based insights. Theoretical analyses will delve into conceptual frameworks, offering a solid foundation for understanding the phenomena. Additionally, in-depth case investigations will bring these concepts to life, showcasing how they play out in actual business scenarios. Topics to be covered include the profound impact of eco-friendly innovation on investors’ brand perception, the role of sustainable policies in guiding corporate brand strategies, and how socially responsible business models, coupled with innovative approaches, enhance brand value and secure long-term investor commitment.

The overarching purpose of this Special Issue is twofold: to advance academic knowledge, and to offer practical guidance. Academically, it aims to deepen the understanding of these complex interactions, pushing the boundaries of existing theories. Practically, it endeavors to provide a comprehensive and actionable framework for businesses looking to build sustainable and appealing brands, for investors seeking to make informed decisions, and for researchers aiming to contribute to this dynamic field.

This Special Issue is set to make a significant and unique contribution to the existing body of literature. Historically, research has often compartmentalized these aspects, studying them in isolation. However, this Special Issue breaks new ground by emphasizing the interconnections between these aspects. By bridging the gaps between sustainable development, sustainable policies, innovation, corporate brands, and investor behavior, this Special Issue will present a more holistic view. Through the presentation of novel research findings and fresh theoretical insights, this Special Issue will not only enrich this interdisciplinary field, but also serve as a valuable resource for future research, practice, and policy-making.

Prof. Dr. Ana Isabel Jiménez Zarco
Prof. Dr. Jun Wang
Dr. Ling Lin
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • sustainable development
  • sustainable policy
  • innovation
  • investor behavior
  • corporate brands

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

30 pages, 1283 KB  
Article
Trading Quality for Quantity? Export Control and Innovation Dilemma: Evidence from Chinese Listed Manufacturing Firms
by Shengkai Zhou, Fanghao Chen and Meng Tan
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010349 - 29 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1506
Abstract
The recent rise of trade protectionism has complicated the relationship between trade and innovation in some countries. This paper evaluates the impact of U.S. export control on the innovation performance of Chinese manufacturing listed firms. Based on firm-level invention patent data from 2015 [...] Read more.
The recent rise of trade protectionism has complicated the relationship between trade and innovation in some countries. This paper evaluates the impact of U.S. export control on the innovation performance of Chinese manufacturing listed firms. Based on firm-level invention patent data from 2015 to 2023, we find that firms subject to export control substantially expand their patent application activities. However, the quantitative expansion coincides with a deterioration in patent quality, as evidenced by the fast-track granted rate. Further analysis suggests that the divergence between firms’ internal innovation preferences, as reflected in management’s innovation awareness, knowledge width and technological trajectory, and their external R&D investment, underlies the innovation quantity–quality tension. Moreover, the decline in innovation quality is primarily concentrated in technological fields not favored by Chinese industrial policy and among state-owned enterprises, suggesting strategic balancing of innovation decisions in response to government intervention. This study provides further insights into the comprehensive impact of trade shock on innovation and contributes to the literature on the potential technological externalities of the U.S.–China trade conflict. Full article
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34 pages, 1294 KB  
Article
Green Fiscal Policy and Brand Development Potential: Evidence from China’s Comprehensive Demonstration Cities for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction
by Lu Yu, Qingqing Zou, Jiménez-Zarco Ana Isabel, Zhu Mao and Jinghua Jiang
Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9817; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219817 - 4 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1082
Abstract
High-quality brand development requires both innovation and legal protection. Although innovation and branding reinforce each other, companies must also prioritize legal safeguards to prevent brand image damage caused by infringement. Therefore, a city’s level of innovation and intellectual property protection jointly shapes its [...] Read more.
High-quality brand development requires both innovation and legal protection. Although innovation and branding reinforce each other, companies must also prioritize legal safeguards to prevent brand image damage caused by infringement. Therefore, a city’s level of innovation and intellectual property protection jointly shapes its brand development potential. Green fiscal policies can incentivize enterprises to invest in eco-friendly technological R&D, thereby providing foundational support for brand development. This study utilizes trademark data (2005–2018) from 299 prefecture-level cities in China and employs a quasi-natural experiment based on the pilot program of “Comprehensive Demonstration Cities for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction.” A multi-period DID model is utilized to assess whether such fiscal policies enhance urban brand development potential. According to the findings, the policy substantially improves brand potential by raising awareness of intellectual property and restricting industrial energy use. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger policy effects in western and eastern urban areas, particularly in cities with more “Time-Honored Chinese Brands,” increased research and development investment, lower fiscal pressure, greater marketization, and non-resource-based economies. These results add to the literature on brand innovation and protection and provide empirical support for the role of green fiscal policy in promoting brand growth potential. Full article
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