Future Innovation Unleashed for Sustainability in Longitudinal Research in Micro- and Small-Sized Enterprises

Abstract

The research reveals how micro- and small-sized enterprises can unleash future innovation to pursue sustainability. This empirical participatory action research is conducted from 2018 to 2022 in 18 multi-case micro- and small-sized enterprises. The findings reveal that these enterprises pursue sustainability through instrumental, moral and intrinsic value creation in combination. Despite the experienced uncertainty and resource limitations of the participating enterprises, they can pursue future innovation to create value for customers and society addressing, respectively, UN SDGs No. 3, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 17. None of the hitherto noted entrepreneurial literature branches can alone support micro- and small-sized enterprises to pursue future innovation. However, the literature branches illustrate individual useful strengths. Furthermore, they illustrate limitations for value creation. The illustrated useful strengths and the accompanying limitations call for context-dependent use in micro- and small- sized enterprises through the integration of the relevant specific extant literature branches to support their innovation aims, respectively, utilising opportunities, their own and others’ heterogeneous behaviours and reorganising resources to unleash future sustainable innovation in an action learning approach. Further collaborative participatory action research is needed to support and enable the practical implication potential for value creation in micro- and small-sized enterprises.