The sources of green management innovation: Does internal efficiency demand pull or external knowledge supply push?

Abstract

Compared with the abundant achievements of technological innovation, management innovation is still under-researched in academia. Putting management innovation in the context of environmental issues, this paper seeks to answer two key questions: (1) what factors stimulate green management innovation and (2) how can green management innovation affect firm performance. On the basis of literature review an operational definition of green management innovation is given. Then the relationships between green management innovation, its antecedents and consequences are hypothesized. A total of 267 valid questionnaires from mining industry in China are used. Different from the market pull and technology push of technological innovation, green management innovation is mainly pushed by external knowledge supply, while the internal efficiency demand does not play a significant role in our findings. Moreover, green management innovation has a positive effect on firm economic performance and internal efficiency demand moderates the effect. Our findings provide complementary insights to green management innovation.