Sustainable Innovations in Small Enterprises for the Transformation of the Primary Healthcare Sector

Abstract

Small enterprises face multiple and complex challenges when developing digital technologies. The aim of this article is to explore the role of sustainable innovation in small enterprises in relation to the ongoing transformation of the primary healthcare sector. The purpose is to gain understanding of innovation processes within the framework of sustainable development, applied to a local primary healthcare center. Data were collected through seven semi-structured interviews. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted. Five themes appeared in relation to the ongoing transformation of the primary healthcare sector: (1) The process of sustainable innovation in a long-term perspective; (2) the companies’ views on innovations in healthcare; (3) effects of innovations in healthcare; (4) sustainable product or service development, and (5) the role of collaboration in the innovation process. The companies expressed a positive attitude to new innovations, as a natural part of developing the companies. The article concludes that incremental development of tools in small businesses supports the transformation of processes and services in the primary healthcare sector. Cross-disciplinary teams in collaboration facilitates the necessary learning and the required creation and sharing of knowledge.

Addressing responsibility in innovation processes for sustainability: Lessons for responsible management of sustainable innovation form a systematic literature review

“…Furthermore, the table indicates that the integration of responsibility dimensions in innovations processes for sustainability does not necessarily make the process more complicated. This is supported by some of the reviewed empirical SI paper, such as those connected to health innovations, which highlight that certain responsibility aspects are already unknowingly part of the sustainability-oriented innovations (Emilsson et al, 2020). Instead, the integration of RRI principles can even be beneficial.…”

“…The first category that emerged is the reconciliation of economic profit and sustainability. SI represents an option for businesses to link profit with the desire to contribute to sustainability (Ligardo-Herrera et al, 2018 ; Emilsson et al, 2020 ). Kennedy et al ( 2017 ) underline this by focusing on the effects of radical sustainable innovation on the innovation process and thereby highlight sustainability metrics as an important factor.…”

“…First, innovations are considered under a long-term perspective to enable an early response to possible movements in order to create long-term economic value. Second, Emilsson et al ( 2020 ) emphasize the importance of networking in order to acquire external knowledge and thus increase the chances of success. Thereby, competition is seen as an important driver for creating high-quality networks, finding potential clients, as well as acquiring financial resources.…”

“…The SI literature provides the setting to derive concrete management practices that can be seen as a foundation for influencing customs at socio-technical system level (Boons et al, 2013 ; Keskin et al, 2013 ; Berkhout, 2014 ). However, there are studies that question the assumption that SI sufficiently incorporates all aspects of sustainability, such as the responsibility about future consequences to ensure social sustainability (Hallstedt et al, 2013 ; Cuppen et al, 2019 ; Emilsson et al, 2020 ). This poses the risk that innovation processes for sustainability contribute to partially-sustainable socio-technical systems in which not all sustainability aspects are equally considered.…”

Intuition and rationality in intrapreneurship and innovation outputs: The case of health professionals in primary health care

“…Innovation is not only about reforming the work at one single primary health care organization, but it is about developing services and new work methods that can be more broadly diffused and implemented at several primary health care organizations (Côté-Boileau et al, 2019 ). Innovations should lead to higher efficiency, be safe and convenient for patients, therefore must be sustainable over time, consequently contributing to an improved environment, as well as economically sound and supportive of the society (Emilsson et al, 2020 ).…”