Distinctive Features of Environmental Innovators: An Econometric Analysis

Abstract

This paper analyzes the main determinants influencing environmental innovators (i.e. firms developing or adopting environmental innovations) in Spain with respect to non-environmental innovators. Similarly to other contributions in the literature, our results show that Spanish environmental innovators respond to regulatory stimulus in the form of demand-pull and technology-push instruments. They have a high internal technological capability and combine internal and external information sources, mostly in cooperation with knowledge institutions. Environmental innovators are more concentrated in mature, traditionally highly polluting sectors, but new firms are not more environmentally innovative than incumbents. Most importantly, in contrast to other environmental innovation studies, mostly carried out in a German context, we have not found evidence of a market pull from either the domestic or international markets. Furthermore, cost savings are not found to be a distinctive driver for environmental innovators. These differential results are possibly related to the special features of Spain regarding its national innovation system and the degree of stringency of environmental regulation and environmental consciousness of its consumers.

Differences of Corporate Environmental Responsibility in Small and Medium Enterprises: Spain and Norway

“…Using the Flash Eurobarometer survey 315 [22] as their main source of data, this paper finds that even though Romania is significantly under the EU average when it comes to eco-innovation adoption, there is an increasing interest on eco-innovative activities, due to the changes in demand towards green products/services both in multinationals or SMEs. Del Rio et al [23] analyse the main determinants influencing SMEs' environmental innovators compared to general innovators in Spain, as it has a weaker green innovation system than in other European countries (e.g., Germany). Using annual data obtained from the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel database (PITEC) 2009, and similarly to other countries, results show that Spanish environmental innovators respond to demand-pull and technology push factors, mainly in high-polluting sectors.…”

The Effects of Locational Factors on the Performance of Innovation Networks in the German Energy Sector

“…However, empirical studies have shown inconsistent results. This holds for studies investigating (stricter) regulations and the creation and adoption of environmental innovations by firms [82,83], but also with regard to R&D subsidies [84]. With regard to government support (e.g., from business development corporations, local authorities, job centres and the state government), Lejprcas et al could only confirm a positive effect on innovative and financial performance for less-innovative firms [50].…”

What are the determinants of investment in environmental R&D?

“…Although many of the determinants of environmental innovation are expected to be similar to those of general innovation (Rennings, 2000;Del Río, 2009), the empirical literature has in fact identified quite distinctive features in the case of ecoinnovation (Hojnik and Ruzzier, 2015;Del Río et al, 2016). Specifically, and as a result of this double externality problem, regulation makes eco-innovation different (Del Río et al, 2015).…”