Intra-family succession motivating eco-innovation: A study of family firms in the German and Italian wine sector

Abstract

Despite the increasing relevance of environmentally friendly practices in the wine industry, which are mainly shaped by family firms, research has yet to examine in detail the internal drivers of eco-innovation in such firms. Intra-family succession as a driver of eco-innovation is an intriguing topic of study, as prior studies indicate that it may create new opportunities. Accordingly, a field study of 28 family firms was conducted to examine the internal drivers of eco-innovation in depth, with a specific focus on family firms and intra-family succession. The results revealed that intra-family succession encourages family firms to engage in eco-innovation, to different extents, in three ways: (i) becoming a facilitator in the community; (ii) fostering environmental consciousness; and (iii) developing environmental passion. Overall, this study widens the examination of internal factors influencing eco-innovation, improves the understanding of eco-innovation among family firms, and provides evidence of how to support next-generation members to develop their future orientation and consciousness about the importance of protecting natural resources and their responsibility towards stakeholders and the community.