This paper investigates how maximizing or satisficing decision styles and cultural orientation influence individuals' entrepreneurial intentions. With a growing interest in social entrepreneurship, ...it also measures if these factors encourage individuals to start ventures with a social mission. Two studies are conducted to compare students' entrepreneurial intentions in the U.S. and in Slovenia. By identifying that maximizing decision styles are associated with an individualistic cultural orientation in both the U.S. and Slovenia, the current study indicates that the maximizing - individualism connection spans national and cultural boundaries. In the U.S. sample, individualism mediated the relationship between decision styles and entrepreneurial intentions, suggesting that in individualistic cultures, such as the U.S., those who maximize their decision efforts and apply a more individualistic cultural perspective are especially inclined to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. Similarly, individualism mediated the relationship between maximizing and social entrepreneurial intentions in the U.S. sample; suggesting that maximizers who are less individualistic may be more likely to start social enterprises over traditional ventures. Among the Slovenian sample, there was a marginally significant relationship between maximizing and entrepreneurial intentions and no relationship with social entrepreneurial intentions. These cross-cultural differences are discussed in relation to the economic and social conditions in each country.
This study endeavors to explore the driving forces of process eco-innovation and its effect on company performance by adopting an integrative approach. We focus on process eco-innovation, which ...pertains to technological and non-technological solutions that result in a reduction of material and energy costs for companies. In this regard, the study sheds light on the drivers and outcomes of process eco-innovation adoption, using data collected from 223 Slovenian companies. The results reveal that certain determinants (i.e., competitive pressure, customer demand, managerial environmental concern, command-and-control instrument, and economic incentive instrument) are conducive to the deployment of process eco-innovation. Empirical evidence reveals competitive pressure as the most influential driving force of process eco-innovation, followed by managerial environmental concern and customer demand. Effectiveness in spurring process eco-innovation is also found to be a command-and-control instrument and an economic incentive instrument, while expected benefits do not spur process eco-innovation. Pertaining to the outcomes of process eco-innovation adoption, we can conclude that it pays to be eco; process eco-innovation is worthwhile in terms of company profitability, growth, and competitive benefits. These findings suggest several courses of action for both policy makers and companies. Hence, we conclude by providing implications for both.
•We explore the drivers and outcomes of process eco-innovation.•Competitive pressure is the strongest driver of process eco-innovation.•Several other drivers are conducive to process eco-innovation implementation.•Process eco-innovation results in gain in competitive benefits.•Process eco-innovation leads to higher company growth and profitability.
The primary objective of this study is to delve into transnational projects conducted between 2014 and 2020, with a strong emphasis on environmental quality. Our focus is directed toward projects ...that encompass either eco-innovation or feature elements intrinsic to a circular economy. To achieve this goal, we introduce a pioneering analytical framework tailored to dissect transnational projects, which intricately interweaves the diverse dimensions of environmental quality and innovation, facilitating a comparative assessment across various program classifications. Our approach aligns with the overarching mission of the four flagship initiatives, in which we evaluate the combined impacts on sustainability and innovation. This evaluation considers three fundamental factors: (1) resource allocation, (2) innovation type, and (3) infusion of eco-innovation or circular economy elements. Our methodology unfolds through a systematic, step-by-step progression. First, we meticulously handpick programs, specifically Interreg, Horizon, and Life projects, within the scope of TSG3 (Environmental Quality). Each of these programs corresponds to one of the following four flagship initiatives: (1) overseeing and managing marine species, (2) fostering sustainable development in coastal and maritime zones, (3) safeguarding and elevating natural habitats and terrestrial ecosystems, and (4) formulating transnational contingency strategies for maritime accidents. Through an exhaustive review, we identify projects that either directly or indirectly champion eco-innovation or other facets of the circular economy. Concurrently, we uncover broader manifestations of innovation, eco-innovation, and circular economy principles. Employing the Oslo Manual as a guide, we methodically categorize these innovations into the product, process, organizational, and marketing domains. In the timeframe under scrutiny, a relatively modest subset of projects embraced eco-innovations and practices aligned with the circular economy. Our findings culminate in the formulation of practical implications to invigorate the integration of these dimensions.
Eco-innovation has become an important instrument to help companies reduce their environmental impact and gain a competitive advantage in increasingly competitive environments. Despite recent ...research conducted in this field, findings concerning the relationship between eco-innovation and firm performance remain conflicting, inconclusive and incomplete. This study aimed to clarify this relationship by incorporating competitive benefits as a mediator between eco-innovation and firm performance. Three core questions are examined: How does eco-innovation influence competitive benefits and firm performance? Do competitive benefits mediate the relationship between eco-innovation and firm performance? How does ISO14001 influence competitive benefits and firm performance? The study finds that competitive benefits mediate and strengthen the relationship between eco-innovation and firm performance. In addition, the results reveal that ISO14001 positively affects competitive benefits and thus leads to greater competitive benefits, while the association between ISO14001 and firm performance is not found to be statistically significant. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for policy makers and companies, limitations, and future research directions.
•Adoption of eco-innovation (EI) leads to greater competitive benefits.•EI positively and significantly affects firm performance.•Competitive benefits mediate the relationship between EI and firm performance.•ISO14001 exerts a positive effect on competitive benefits.•The aforementioned relationships are tested and valid for different types of EI.
The Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (acer) was launched in 2011 to contribute to the establishment and functioning of the eu's internal energy market. This study aims to evaluate ...acers success in establishing and ensuring the functioning of the internal energy market, both from acers and its stakeholders' (energy regulators and energy traders in the eu member states) perspective. The paper includes the results of interviews with nine national regulatory authorities (nras) and ten energy traders from the eu member states. This research revealed that, based on their perception, acer is actually crucial for the operation of the internal market. In addition, nras and energy traders mostly agree that the eu has a nearly functional internal energy market and that acer is vitally important for the functioning of the internal market.
This study explores the relationship between internationalization and firm economic performance by investigating the mediating effect of eco-innovation. Using data from 151 Slovenian ...internationalized companies and structural equation modeling, we find that internationalization is significantly and positively associated with firm-level economic performance and that eco-innovation partially mediates this effect. These findings strongly indicate that environmental sustainability and the adoption of eco-innovation cannot be neglected when serving foreign markets. Thus, our study emphasizes the role of eco-innovation and speaks to whether or not eco-innovation should be adopted and integrated in firm-level strategies in order to improve economic performance.
•Adoption of eco-innovation is an effective strategy to improve firm performance.•Companies that operate in foreign markets are more likely to adopt eco-innovation.•Eco-innovation translates internationalization into improved firm performance.
Prior studies revealed that government is key factor influencing firms' decisions about the implementation of environmental innovations and pursuit of sustainable development as well as shaping their ...environmental orientation. However, the role of firms' R&D within these processes remains unclear. This paper explores the relationship between firms' environmental regulation, R&D, environmental orientation, and environmental outputs to better understand the relationships and dynamics among them. We used the World Bank Enterprise Survey 2019 data on 737 firms from the Czech Republic and Slovenia and employed structural equation modeling. The results indicate that environmental orientation positively influences R&D and environmental outputs. Moreover, environmental regulations spur firms' environmental orientation as well as environmental outputs. On the other hand, the findings reveal that R&D is neither a key factor nor plays a key role as a mediator of environmental regulations and environmental orientation affecting environmental outputs based on the sample of selected countries pertaining to Central and Eastern Europe.
Renewable energy has become an important objective especially for fighting climate change and improving energy security. This study has employed two methods for data analysis (i.e., regression ...analysis and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis) in order to seize the complexity of the phenomenon and explore antecedents of willingness to pay for green energy. The results derived from fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis indicate that knowledge and/or social norms and moral obligations are present in all configurations when we have high willingness to pay for green energy. Furthermore, we conducted linear regression analysis, which revealed that acceptance of green energy, social norms and moral obligations and knowledge about green energy exert a significant positive impact on willingness to pay for green energy and, thus, work as drivers of willingness to pay for green energy. We have also examined the differences among socio-demographic characteristics of consumers (e.g., gender, education, income, and age) related to their environmental concern, consumers' commitment, acceptance of green energy, perceived risk, social norms and moral obligations, knowledge about green energy, and consumers’ willingness to pay for green energy. Use of different methods allowed us to better understand the issue pertaining to antecedents of willingness to pay for green energy.
•This study employed two methods for data analysis (regression analysis and fsQCA).•Knowledge is always linked to high willingness to pay for green energy (GE).•Social norms, moral obligations are always linked to high willingness to pay for GE.•Regression analysis identified drivers of willingness to pay for green energy.•Differences among socio-demographic characteristics of consumers were explored.
Sustainable development has gained attention in recent years not only among academics but has also become widespread among enterprises, which have realized that their operation should address ...environmental and societal prosperity as well as economics. However, something cannot be managed without measuring it, and this also applies to sustainability. When conducting a systematic literature review on sustainability indicators (SIs) for the yachting industry, their absence is observed; this must be rectified if enterprises from the yachting industry wish to operate sustainably. Therefore, the research question posited in this research is following: which are the most suitable SIs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the yachting industry and its related three business sectors (i.e., yacht-related service sector, yacht-related manufacturing, and yacht-related maritime infrastructure)? After collecting the sustainable indicators evidenced in the literature, a literature review was completed with indicators from other international initiatives and provided a restricted list to be first verified through peer review (expert judgment) with academics from France, Italy, and Slovenia. Afterward, the list of SIs was tested by conducting interviews with 18 SMEs from the yachting industry in Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain, asking them about the appropriateness and relevance of the proposed SIs. According to their feedback, the proposed SIs were revised and adapted to suit their needs and specific aspects. The final list of SIs for the yachting industry consists of 33 SIs for the yacht-related service industry, 38 for the yacht-related manufacturing industry and 38 for the yacht-related maritime infrastructure industry. The SIs were finally categorized based on both Triple-Bottom-Line (TBL) concept and an operational typology of indicators: input, process, output, and outcome. By suggesting the SIs for the yachting industry, this study aims at helping SMEs in identifying “hot spots” by developing their own sustainability assessment system, being able to develop relevant sustainability reports and increase stakeholders’ engagement.
•Literature on sustainability indicators (SIs) is systematically reviewed.•The final list of SIs is verified and validated by expert judgment & SMEs.•TBL concept & operational indicator typologies are applied for SIs categorization.•Sustainability indicators vary according to a sector within yachting industry.
For our research, which aims to provide a thorough approach to assessing the development of the retail electricity market in the EU, we tested the hypotheses that the number of suppliers in the ...retail markets of EU member states has increased significantly over the past decade, and that in the same period, the number of suppliers entering the retail markets of EU member states increased significantly with market liberalisation. We also collected data on the number of electricity suppliers to end-consumers in EU member states between 2010 and 2017, and used the Kruskal-Wallis test for verification, which was also used to establish the ratio between electricity consumers and suppliers between 2010 and 2017. A thorough overview of current scientific findings led us to contemplate a possible combination to measure the dynamics and assess the energy market development, since several authors indicate that no method has been fully accepted as standardised for a thorough assessment of the energy market development. Therefore, a combination of indicators to measure the dynamics and assess the energy market development is proposed in the conclusion of this article, which brings important implications for science and specifically for politics and experts.
PDF
