Abstract
The development of eco-innovation activities performed by enterprises remains one of the key challenges of sustainable development. In modern economies, the implementation of innovative technological solutions should also take into account performing eco-innovation activities by enterprises. The aim of the research was to assess the involvement level of small and medium-sized enterprises in eco-innovation activities, regarding the implementation of actions for the effective management of resources and the implementation of sustainable products, against the background of their involvement in innovation activities related to the implementation of product innovations and business processes, as well as the assessment of spatial-temporal diversity and trends for changes in this regard. The spatial scope of the research addresses 27 European Union countries, and the time scope of the research covers the years 2013–2020. The methods of multivariate statistical analysis, with particular emphasis on classification methods, were used in the research. The main finding of the research is the division of the European Union countries into three types of classes, including the countries assessed as: (1) poor eco-innovators and moderate innovators; (2) moderate eco-innovators and poor innovators; and (3) leaders of eco-innovation and innovation. The conducted research shows that SMEs in the European Union countries are much less involved in eco-innovation activities than in innovation ones; the level of involvement in eco-innovation can be divergent from that of involvement in innovation. Moreover, the involvement in eco-innovation does not show an upward trend.
Highlights
The economic development of mankind reveals various correlations occurring between a human being and the surrounding nature
In the times of gathering and hunting, we were completely dependent on the natural environment
The research covered eco-innovation activities—indicators developed by the EcoInnovation Observatory, the initiative financed by the European Commission’s DirectorateGeneral for the Environment, which defines the extent to which companies in a given country are active in eco-innovation: REA—implementation of resource efficiency actions in SMEs as % of SMEs with no following actions, few actions, some actions, many actions
Summary
The economic development of mankind reveals various correlations occurring between a human being and the surrounding nature. Cultivation of land and animal husbandry initiated the process of subordinating nature to human needs. This interference gained importance in the industrial era. The information age—initiated, i.e., by the invention of the Internet—resulted in geometric technological progress, did not contribute to satisfactory slowdown in the natural environment destruction, even though due measures were taken up in this respect (sustainable development). Research Institute on Innovation and Technology: Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2004; p. In Employment Impacts of Cleaner Production; Rennings, K., Zwick, T., Eds.; ZEW Economic Studies (Publication Series of the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), Mannheim, Germany); Physica: Heidelberg, Germany, 2003; Volume 21, pp. The Integrated Product Policy and the Innovation Process: An Overview; CIRANO: Montreal, QC, Canada, 2003; pp. 1–39
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
