Adoption of green innovations in project-based firms: An integrating view of cognitive and emotional framing

Abstract

It has been observed that project-based firms (PBFs) cause serious environmental problems. In order to reduce the negative impact on the environment, PBFs pay more attention to green innovations. This study investigated how top management team (TMT) cognitive framing (i.e. capability development, organizational identity, and corporate social responsibility) and emotional framing (i.e. threat, ambivalence and opportunity) influence the adoption of green innovations in PBFs. Using the method of multi-value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (mvQCA), the research analyzed the data from 29 cases in China. The results showed that in PBFs, the TMT with an expanded cognitive framing and an ambivalent emotional framing and the TMT with a moderately flexible cognitive framing and an opportunity emotional framing will adopt green innovations. On the contrary, the TMT with a moderately flexible cognitive framing and a threat emotional framing and the TMT with a contracted cognitive framing will not adopt green innovations. Six propositions were proposed based on the results. Findings contribute to theory and research on environmental management by highlighting the configurational effects of TMT cognitive framing and emotional framing on adoption of green innovations in PBFs.