Rural entrepreneurs behaviors towards green innovation: Empirical evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the effects of dimensions on the adoption of green innovation in order to design a clean energy strategy and eco-friendly SMEs among rural entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. The study also strives to evaluate if these interactions are mediated by the intention to use green energy technology. Using Smart PLS 3.3.9 (SEM) and SPSS V25, data from a sample of 288 rural Bangladeshi SMEs entrepreneurs were studied using a positivist approach to hypothetic deductive observation. Examining the effects of environmental concern, perceived ease of use, and attitude on adoption of green innovation in the direction of sustainable green SMEs and cities was the goal. The indirect impacts of these three factors have also been examined through the mediating prism of the intention to use green energy technology. The findings show that environmental concern and perceived ease of use are positively and significantly associated with adoption of green innovation. The data also supports the assumption that the intention to use green energy technology, namely solar energy, mediates the relationships between environmental concern and attitude with the adoption of green innovation. However, the intention to use green energy technology does not play a mediating role in the association between the perceived ease of use and adoption of green innovation. The findings of this study on green innovation add to the body of existing literature on rural green innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of information systems and help to pinpoint potential for rural green entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital age. Green innovation is still a relatively new concept in Bangladesh, hence there isn't much talked about it among rural entrepreneurs there. Lastly, the study discusses in some detail how important it is to take into account sustainability factors and eco-innovations that might encourage green innovation practices among rural entrepreneurs.