Sustainable innovation: a review focusing on the

Latin American J. Management for Sustainable Development, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2018

Sustainable innovation: a review focusing on the Brazilian contribution Andriele De Prá Carvalho*, Paula Regina Zarelli and Bruna Madey Dalarosa UTFPR – Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Santa Bárbara Street, 85.601-000, Francisco Beltrão, PR, Brazil Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] *Corresponding author Abstract: Considering the importance of the topic for future generations, this article aims to analyse studies on sustainable innovation that have been published in Brazilian journals, and through these studies, identify current knowledge, trends and scope for future research, in order to understand the gap of this research, which is the contribution of Brazilian studies in this area, since Brazil has a large scientific community in management and sustainability, according to a research carried out in the journals. The journals researched are those classified within the Qualis-journals and that deal with the theme of sustainable innovation within the fields of business, accounting and tourism. Using systematic review, the main journals, authors, development of the articles and methodology were gathered. The evidence report provided of the articles are dealing directly with sustainability and also enabled analysis of the studies which resulted in identifying new objectives and possibilities of future research. Keywords: eco innovation; empirical study; systematic review; Brazilian journals; sustainable innovation; innovation; sustainability; sustainable management; Brazilian contribution. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: De Prá Carvalho, A, Zarelli, P.R. and Dalarosa, B.M. (2018) ‘Sustainable innovation: a review focusing on the Brazilian contribution’, Latin American J. Management for Sustainable Development, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp.111–140. Biographical notes: Andriele De Prá Carvalho completed her PhD in Business Administration from the Universidade Positivo. She also completed her Master in Production Engineering, with emphasis in Management of Technological Innovation by the UTFPR of Ponta Grossa, PR, specialised in business management by Unioeste of Francisco Beltrão, PR. She graduated in Business Administration from the UTFPR of Pato Branco, PR. She is a researcher in the area of eco-innovation, innovation and sustainability. She is also a reviewer of periodicals and congresses, Actua as a Professor at the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Francisco Beltrão campus. She is a member of the research group Laboratory of Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Knowledge registered at the Federal Technological University of Paraná Francisco Beltrão campus.

Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

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A. De Prá Carvalho et al. Paula Regina Zarelli is an Administrator. He completed his Master and PhD in Engineering and Knowledge Management at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. For more than ten years, he has been teaching and consulting in people management. Currently, he is dedicated to research on people management, intellectual capital, dynamic capabilities, knowledge management and related topics. She works as a teacher of higher education and in the various functions related to innovative entrepreneurship in innovation habitats of the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – Campus Francisco Beltrão. She is a member of the research group Laboratory of Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Knowledge registered at the Federal Technological University of Paraná Francisco Beltrão campus. Bruna Madey Dalarosa received her Academic Engineering at the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR. She is a researcher in the area of eco-innovation, innovation and sustainability. She began his studies at UTFPR in 2013. Her research is in the areas of sustainable innovation and eco-innovation. She has articles published in this area. She will get the title of Chemical Engineer in 2018/2019. She is dedicated to research on people management, intellectual capital, dynamic capabilities, knowledge management and related topics. She is a researcher in the area of eco-innovation, innovation and sustainability. She is a member of the research group Laboratory of Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Knowledge registered at the Federal Technological University of Paraná Francisco Beltrão campus.

1

Introduction

Innovation is a broad topic and can be considered a complex process. According to the Manual de Oslo (1997), there are four types of innovation: product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation and organisational innovation. One of the main aims of innovation is the implementation of a new product that generates economic growth without impacting the environment (Manual de Oslo, 1997). According to Sachs (1993), the concept of sustainability has various dimensions and can be divided according to eight criteria: social, cultural, ecological, environmental, economic, territorial, political on a national level and political on an international level. Of these eight sustainability criteria, the following four were considered in this study: x

Social: actions aiming at reducing social inequalities, enabling full access to citizenship and improving the quality of life of the population.

x

Cultural: the diversity of customs and traditions of a people group, such as its agricultural production methods and its balance between innovation and a respect for tradition.

x

Environmental: respecting the capacity of natural ecosystems to self-purify and finding innovative ways to minimise the impact on the environment.

x

Economic: balancing economic development, profit, income, food security, the capacity for continuous modernisation of the means of production and entering the international economy.

Sustainable innovation

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Considering that Brazil has a large scientific community of management and sustainability in the world, justified by the number of articles with this theme in all the journals of greater national relevance, as well as by the importance of the theme for future generations, this article aims to analyse studies on sustainable innovation that have been published in Brazilian journals and to identify knowledge, trends and the research gap that is: what is the contribution of Brazilian studies on sustainable innovation? Thus, this research gap is justified as the main reason for analysing the theme of sustainable innovation in Brazilian journals, in addition to contributing with future research that may complement areas not yet covered or potential not yet visualised. Some studies on sustainable innovation indicate the main aspects studied in the global literature, which also served as a point of support for this article, since it indicates the relevance of this theme. Among them, Horbach et al. (2012) discusses the types of environmental impact agreements, Triguero et al. (2013), which studies the types of innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises. It is also possible to cite the studies of Antonioli et al. (2013), which shows the importance of human resources for the environmental strategy, Zanirato and Rotondaro (2016), which explains gap in the consumption of sustainability and Morioka and Carvalho (2016) sustainability in project management. These studies demonstrate how sustainable innovation is a theme that encompasses many studies of global scope, being relevant to understand what the Brazilian contribution in this process.

2

Sustainability drivers

Sustainable innovation involves actions and activities that aim to develop and meet the needs of current generations without jeopardising future generations. It combines innovation with sustainability in potential environmental changes (Desai, 2012). Thus, within an organisational context, it is essential to broaden the understanding gained through the theory of innovation and connect this knowledge to management practices (Schumpeter, 1985). Carrillo-Hermosilla et al. (2009) emphasise that extensive research has been done on innovation within the field of management; however, very little of this research has been linked to sustainability, which is vital to safeguard resources for future generations. According to Antonioli et al. (2013), a topic that needs to be elaborated on and studied across various academic fields is the integration of innovation with environmental protection to bring creative and beneficial solutions. In addition to technological changes, these studies must incorporate the change and reorganisation of social, economic and environmental structures. The studies should also seek ways to contribute to the environment and to development through the management of sustainable innovation, involving the social, organisational, systemic, institutional and technological dimensions (Hermans et al., 2013). According to Barbosa (2008), “sustainability consists of finding means of producing, distributing and consuming existing resources in a more cohesive, economically efficient and ecologically viable way.” Moreover, as sustainability is essentially systemic, no person, company or nation can achieve it alone. Rather, it will always be the result of the dynamic processes of building and restoring relationships (Kranz, s/a).

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According to Corazza (2003), technological innovation must seek to discover efficient ways of preserving the environment. Understanding the relationship between society, the economy and the environment with innovative growth influences how to think about world in terms of sustainability. In defining sustainable development, sustainability is also considered. However, there is no conclusive definition for sustainable development. According to Barbosa (2008), the term sustainable development emerged from United Nations’ climate change studies that were conducted as a response to the future of humanity in the face of the social and environmental crises over the second half of the twentieth century.

2.1 Sustainable innovation Sustainable innovation, a new paradigm that is growing in importance, views sustainability as being integrated with innovation where innovative technologies promise to meet the demand for continued economic growth while reconciling the urgent need for environmental, economic and social protection. Thus, there is a need to regulate modernisation models, which demonstrate the importance of sustainable growth, by aligning the need for innovation with sustainability (Weber and Hemmelskamp, 2005). In Schumpeter’s view (1985), innovation is a rupture in the economic system that unbalances and changes the standards in order to create differentiation on the part of the companies. Freeman and Soete (1997) argue that there are a number of understandings on this theme that can be allied with sustainability and sustainable practices involving the social, environmental and economic dimensions (Elkington, 2012). In this way, sustainable innovation can be conceptualised as innovation that guarantees the resources for future generations (Nakata and Viswanathan, 2012). Thus, a sustainable innovative organisation “is not one that introduces novelties of any kind, but which is systematically based and has positive results for the multiple dimensions of sustainability for the organisation itself, society and the environment” [Barbieri et al., (2010), p.105}. That is, it is not enough for companies to only innovate constantly, but to consider the three dimensions of sustainability. What characterises the vision of a sustainable company, therefore, is the focus of its actions from the products it manufactures to the processes of production. Thus, products obtained from renewable or recyclable raw materials, which do not harm the environment and have low energy consumption should be preferred by organisations engaged in the environmental cause, says Donaire (1999). So, the environmental pillar of innovation is also presented as relevant by Liboni et al. (2016), as it addresses sustainability as a managerial trend that plays an important role in contemporary organisational strategy. Similarly, Cancino et al. (2018) presents sustainable innovation as a new requirement to manage innovations and growth. As options for enterprises to improve, eliminate or substitute the product, Schmidheiny (1992) suggests the elimination or reduction of harmful components; the substitution of materials or processes for other environmentally appropriate ones; the reduction of weight or reduction of the volume of products; manufacturing of concentrated products; large-scale production, combining functions of more than one product; production of fewer models or styles; redesign of the product for more efficient use; increased product life; reduction of packaging that is subject to waste; improving the ease of repair of the product; redesign of the product for reuse by the consumer; and


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refurbishment of the product. These are initiatives that aim to make the product more sustainable. Markets have increasingly sought sustainable innovations, which are conceptualised as actions linked to innovations. These actions are focused on empirical evidence of research, experiences and observations intended to create economically and socially significant ventures in a sustainably innovative manner, to benefit present and future generations (Nakata and Viswanathan, 2012). In this context, in search of sustainable innovation, companies can anticipate, understand and respond more quickly to changes in the business environment, with creative and beneficial solutions for future generations. Reinventing the way to contribute to the well-being of the social and natural environment and managing in a sustainable manner is what sustainable innovation is about (Ayuso et al., 2011). The innovation-to-sustainability approach aims to promote and meet the needs of today’s generations without compromising future generations (Desai, 2012). Thus, integration of sustainability and innovation takes place through organisational initiatives, which are implemented in stages and take forms of recent research in the academic field (Arnold and Hockerts, 2011). Changes in the environment can require the emergence of technological innovations to compensate for the changes, in this way the environment co-evolves with a set of appropriate institutions. Therefore, it is important that the responsibility for its regulation must be shared by all sectors, regions, national and international institutions, so that the environment leverages decisive factors for sustainable innovation (Weber and Hemmelskamp, 2005). Sustainable innovation, also called eco-innovation, presents four structural dimensions, named by Carrillo-Hermosilla et al. (2009) as eco design, users, products and services and governance, which can be driven by internal and external factors. These factors, depending on the specific context, may also be barriers to the development and adoption of eco innovations, a subject that will be developed in Section 3.

3

Methodology

This study is bibliographical in nature and, after conducting a systematic literature search, uses systematic analysis to address the objectives, methodology, results and recommendations of the final portfolio of selected articles. For Denyer and Tranfield (2009), a systematic literature review is conducted to outline the subject under review. It is a specific methodology that locates the studies, selects and evaluates the contributions, analyses and synthesises the data, and finally, reports the evidence in such a way as to permit reasonably clear conclusions to be reached. The selection of the analysed literature was restricted to Brazilian journals in the fields of business, accounting and tourism, classified in categories A1, A2 and B1 according to the Qualis-Journals system in May 2016, without temporal cut, that is, all years were considered in the search. Within the fields of business, accounting and tourism there are a total of 334 journals, of which 62 are Brazilian. To select the articles from Brazilian journals, searches were conducted using the keywords ‘sustainable innovation’ on each of the journal websites. From the selected

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journals, a filter with the keyword ‘innovation’ was also applied to compare these publications with those on ‘sustainable innovation’. To determine which articles actually address the theme of sustainable innovation, 119 titles and abstracts of the 15 journals were examined. Of the 119 titles, 29 articles were found dealing with sustainable innovation. The articles were studied and a systematic analysis was conducted to obtain theoretical reflections on the subject. The selected articles were analysed mainly looking for the following contents: authors of the articles, year of publication, innovation concepts, concepts of sustainable innovation, pillars of sustainable innovation (economic, social and environmental), methodologies used in Brazilian research, main objectives and conclusions. All these contents were analysed motivated by the search to analyse the contributions of the Brazilian publications on sustainable innovation as well as the concept coming from the Brazilian scientific community.

3.1 Selection and evaluation of studies The Brazilian journals on business, accounting and tourism totalled 62. Of these, 13 were classified as category A2, 49 as category B1 and none was classified as A1. The result of the research on the sucupira platform (Qualis-Journals) follows as Table 1. Table 1

Result of the search in the Qualis-Journals1 2014 system

Result

Quantity

Total number of journals

334

Total number of foreign journals

272

Total number of Brazilian journals

62

Total number of journals using the keyword ‘sustainable innovation’

15

Total number journals that really address the issue of sustainable innovation

10

Notes: 1Qualis-Journals is a system used to classify scientific articles produced within postgraduate studies, which are published in scientific journals. It is designed to meet the specific needs of the method of evaluation and is based on the information provided by the data collection application. As a result, the system provides a list classifying the means used by the postgraduate programs to share their work [online] http://www.capes.gov.br/avaliacao/instrumentos-de-apoio/ classificacao-da-producao-intelectual. Source: Research data (2016)

Figure 1 shows the comparison of the search carried out in journals with the keywords ‘sustainable innovation’ and ‘innovation’. ‘Innovation’ was found in 726 publications and ‘sustainable innovation’ in 124. The majority of articles dealing with the topic were found in the RAE and RAE e-journals, the Brazilian journal for business administration and the RAUSP and RAUSP e-journals, the business journal of the University of São Paulo.

Sustainable innovation Figure 1

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Search with the keywords ‘sustainable innovation’ and ‘innovation’ in journals (see online version for colours)

Source: Research data (2016)

To select the articles that truly address the theme of sustainable innovation, 125 titles and abstracts of articles in the 15 journals were analysed. Of this total, only 29 articles were found that dealt with sustainable innovation as the main theme of the article and that adhere to the concept of innovation linked to the preservation of resources to protect future generations. Through application of the filter, it was noticed that of the 15 journals, five of them did not present articles with the proposed theme, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2

Articles that address the theme ‘sustainable innovation’


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The inclusion criteria were the studies that dealt with the concepts of sustainability. The exclusion criteria were those studies that did not consider sustainable innovation as a theme and/or presented no evidence. Taking into account these criteria, the results of the studies are presented in Section 4.

4

Results and discussions

4.1 Data analysis and synthesis After reading the 29 articles that were directly related to the theme of this study, different sustainability concepts that aligned with the environmental, social, economic and cultural pillars were identified. In this regard, of the 29 articles, two articles focused on environmental sustainability (6.9%), two articles developed studies on economic sustainability (6.9%), two on social sustainability, one on cultural sustainability (3.45%) and another article on environmental and social sustainability (3.45%). Of the remaining articles, three expanded the discussion on environmental and economic sustainability (10.35%), three on economic and social sustainability (10.35%) and the other 15 articles focused on the three pillars of social, environmental and economic sustainability (51.7%), as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3

Percentage graph of the sustainability concepts covered in the 29 articles that were studied


Sustainable innovation Figure 4

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Most frequently used approach in the articles


In terms of the predominant approach taken in the articles, a qualitative approach was the most frequently used. A qualitative approach analyses in greater depth the cases studied, since it involves the use of case studies, experiences, descriptions of actions, intentions and shared visions. Figure 4 shows the number of articles referring to each approach. Figure 5 shows the methodologies that were used in the 29 publications. It is possible to note that the most commonly used method among the selected articles is the case study, which can be considered a research strategy that covers everything from data collection to analysis. Figure 5

Methodologies used in articles


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Figure 6 shows the authors who wrote two or more of the journal articles that were selected because they dealt with the theme of ‘sustainable innovation’. Altogether, there were 254 authors, but the vast majority only presented one publication. In this regard, José Carlos Barbieri was the author who contributed the most articles. Figure 6

Authors who have two or more publications in the journals surveyed


In analysing Figure 7, it is evident that there was an increase in the number of publications from 2008 to 2012, thus showing that articles on sustainable innovation were gaining ground in the academic environment over the years. The publications ranged from 1974 to 2016. Figure 7

Change in the number of articles on sustainable innovation per year


After analysis and synthesis of the articles, authors and methodology, an analysis of the objectives and results was carried out, by means of an evidence report.


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4.2 Evidence report In this study, 29 articles relating to the topic of sustainable innovation were analysed with the aim of identifying the objectives, results and recommendations for future studies, found in the literature. In terms of the objectives, Rodrigues and Barbieri (2008) discussed concepts related to social technology in a globalised world, in contrast to the view that advocate the adoption, by multinational companies, of organisational strategies focused on the base of the social pyramid. Silva (1993) summarised the environmental problems and aimed to pursue sustainable development and the general well-being of humanity. Through sustainable development, Delazaro and Barbieri (1994) presented alternative solutions to the problem of unemployment caused by technical progress. Scott and Cooper (2010) examined strategic initiatives that have been developed by Queensland Tourism, a state-owned tourism organisation in Australia, to promote tourism, in particular, tourism destination networks. Merino and Pastorino (2013) contributed to a better understanding of how to implement social responsibility courses in universities. Rodrigues and Duarte (2011) presented the links between sustainable development and business sustainability carried out by socially responsible organisations and showed the social responsibility reporting models of the most well-known companies. Filho et al. (2012) reflected on the opportunities and challenges of community development banks as a model of innovative socio-economic organisation in managing microcredit among the most impoverished populations. Fischer and Comini (2012) considered the theoretical and empirical relations between the challenge of development and the emergence of enterprises centred on the creation of both economic value and social value. Spink (2000) encouraged Brazilian states, municipalities and indigenous governments to share with each other the approaches they are using to solve public issues and respond to the needs of the community and to assess and identify the main characteristics of these innovations and to create mechanisms for the broad dissemination of practical approaches for effective government. Among the objectives of these articles on social sustainability, they agree that it is necessary to expand the possibilities of adjustments and proposals of projects that incorporate the human factor. However, they only further exemplify the lack of tools or a specific taxonomy for social sustainability, since it is still very much linked to the image of the organisation, as emphasised by Teles et al. (2016) in their study on socio-environmental sustainability assessment. Scandelari and Cunha (2013) studied the relationship between ambidexterity and the socio-environmental performance of organisations. Oliveira (2002) contributed to the topic of logistics through the construction of new performance indicators. Silva et al. (2011a) analysed the formation of convergence clubs in the Amazon from 1985 to 2007, conditioned by socioeconomic, institutional and environmental factors. Mori (1999) pointed to causes that supported the development of a system that made the queues for medical appointments disappear without an increase in the number of doctors or consultations. Lévesque (2007) addressed the possible contribution of the new economic sociology to a sociology of sustainable development. In these studies, it is evident that the objectives are specific to everyday problems, that is, the study of social sustainability demonstrates its importance in all aspects of society. However, the social practices that interact and lead to sustainability were not emphasised in any of these studies.

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Demajorovic (1995) analysed the main changes in solid waste management policy, based on changes in the countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Veiga (2007) analysed the various aspects related to the efficiency of the Basel Convention as a regulating treaty for the international trade of hazardous waste. These are studies that address the management of waste, but do not consider special waste, such as mining waste (Deus et al., 2015). Vilha and Carvalho (2005) explored the implications that the search for progress based on sustainable technologies and products brings to the process of innovation management and the accumulation of associated competences. Palma et al. (2014) investigated the relationship between the adoption of sustainable management strategies and the export performance of industrial companies in the gems and jewels sector. Oliveira and Ipiranga (2011) identified potential innovation with the introduction of the cleaner production approach, reflecting on the improvement of the local agribusiness system of cashew nuts in the Ceará region. Kiperstok et al. (2002) reviewed the perspectives of several authors on innovation, seeking to clarify the influence of environmental regulation on the innovative process and the need for greater coherence between environmental and technological development policies. With reference to institutional theory, Barbieri et al. (2010) analysed the relationship between sustainability and innovation. Medeiros et al. (2012) investigated the dimensions and factors that, according to the perception of business managers, drive success in the market of environmentally sustainable products. Inhan et al. (2013) examined innovation paradoxes within the wine cluster of a traditional European wine region, characterised by the so-called model of terroir in wine, in which the question of tradition versus innovation emerges. In studies that combine innovation and environmental sustainability, Silva et al. (2011b) and Martine and Alves (2015) agree that it is an initiative that focuses on profitability and also, acts as a form of marketing to promote the organisational image, which are the main goals when adopting these values in the organisation. Vasconcelos et al. (2015) relate the concept of sustainable innovative organisation to the concept of organisational resilience. Horlings and Marsden (2011) describe some of the consequences of rural bio-economic development in agri-food and regional innovation based on a specific definition of ecological modernisation. Souza (1993) discusses key environmental issues, seeking to point out that ecological concern should be the main macro-environmental factor to be considered in a company’s strategic planning. Thus, the importance of including sustainability in the organisation’s strategic planning is stressed as this will ensure that motivation and efforts to achieve it within the organisation are maintained (Oliveira et al., 2012). Pedroso and Zwicker (2007) discuss corporate sustainability where the reverse supply chain is concerned, based on a case study of the Plasma Project. The project integrated the supply chain of three companies to carry out the recycling of aseptic packaging cartons. Slomski et al. (2012) analyse and debate beliefs, values and practical aspects, taking into account that the internalisation of costs resulting from the disposal of the product and/or packaging should guide the management of production costs of a company. Brito and Berardi (2010) investigate whether the social environmental strategies applied to the supply chain converge for stakeholder management and the development of dynamic capabilities and whether they represent a source of competitive advantage for the companies investigated. In view of the above objectives, there was a focus on both environmental and innovation management and a concern for business longevity and innovation from a sustainable


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perspective in diverse contexts. Studies on the three pillars of sustainability have been conducted widely and have broadened organisational vision and direction, but according to Munck (2015), specific studies are critical for each sustainability driver. Regarding the results and recommendations for future studies, Rodrigues and Barbieri (2008) note that the theme addressed by various technology initiatives had been placed back on the discussion agenda of both governmental and academic entities, but now from a new perspective, incorporating the concepts of social technology, solidarity economy and social capital. Thus, social technology can be more productive and produce products of higher quality than conventional industrial technology operated by large companies. Silva (1993) concludes with the evidence that a planetary pact is now essential. Scandelari and Cunha (2013) found that the organisations categorised as ambidextrous presented superior environmental and social performances, proving the positive relationship between ambidexterity and socio-environmental performance. They recommend that the research be complemented by surveys conducted in other industrial sectors, preferably using probability sampling methods, which would allow for statistical inference based on more robust data. Oliveira (2002) points out that the combination of the slowdown in economic growth and increased competition causes companies to focus more attention on the effective positioning of logistics resources. Silva et al. (2011a) confirm that deforestation and institutional variables were not significant for the economic growth of the municipalities of the Amazon. The results also revealed the importance of investing in education as an incentive for economic growth of the municipalities in the region. According to Mori (1999), the success in eliminating queues, without increasing human resources or overloading the doctors with work, demonstrates that cultural aspects and lack of order are more determinant in the formation of queues for medical consultations than the lack of doctors. Lévesque (2007) concludes that new economic sociology engages in an ecological effort that is less concerned with taking the power of the state and more focused on changing everyday behaviour and performing a series of micro-ruptures. Demajorovic (1995) reveals that the new priorities of current waste management policy incorporate sustainability for two main reasons: minimising the process of environmental degradation and managing the production of waste in all phases of the economic system, ensuring in the long-term, a stabilisation in the demand for natural resources and the final volume of waste, which are critical factors in sustainable development. Vilha and Carvalho (2005) show that Natura has been able to identify technological and market opportunities by developing products for untapped niche markets. They also reveal that the company is fit for the task of implementing entirely new routines. Palma et al. (2014) demonstrate that the sustainability dimensions are related to the export performance of companies in the gems and jewels sector, especially with regard to regional development indicators and strategies that integrate a greater social and environmental awareness in the products and processes, with two measures of export performance: improvements in companies and response to pressure from competitors. To deepen the studies presented, further attempts can be made to expand the number of participating companies to allow greater coverage of Brazilian exporting companies of various sizes and industry sectors. Furthermore, an evaluation of the sector by product types and their respective challenges in the international market is proposed to more accurately detail how each of the three pillars of sustainability can influence export performance. Oliveira and Ipiranga (2011) verify that the mobilisation of the local system

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involves increasing interactions among participating agents, facilitating the spread of sustainable innovations from the complete use of cashew, thus enlarging economic spaces with new business and market opportunities. Delazaro and Barbieri (1994) note that significant potential for job creation can occur through local solutions to waste, both in large urban centres, as well as in the interior and more distant rural areas. Using waste, recycling, leveraging biomass, constructing and conserving productive infrastructure and protecting environmental reserve areas are some of the ways to simultaneously protect the environment and boost employment. In addition, activities such as these contribute to providing the productive system with more efficient conditions so that companies can gain competitiveness in their areas of activity. Veiga (2007) concludes that it is not yet possible to eliminate international trade in hazardous waste, since there are countries that rely on this raw material to sustain their economies. To successfully develop more rigorous legislation over hazardous waste hazardous waste, which would require countries and companies responsible for the waste to develop socially and environmentally safer and healthier management systems, it would be necessary to create mechanisms that stimulate the internalisation of social and environmental costs in the decision-making processes of all social actors involved, which is not the case of the Basel Convention. Scott and Cooper (2010) suggest that the development of sustainable urban tourism requires a generic approach to improving sustainable tourism operations amongst all suppliers in an urban area. Sustainable urban tourism aims to reduce the impact of tourism on the global environment, sustain the local environment and serve both the host community and visitors. In addition, the study suggests that best practices in marketing and policy development can be adopted to attract tourists to a sustainable destination. The authors also provide examples of strategic initiatives used in Australia to improve tourism in general. These initiatives can be used in other destinations around the world to improve or develop sustainable urban tourism, providing a logical area for future research. Kiperstok et al. (2002) argue that innovations in supply depend on the company understanding its technological and managerial situation and comparing it with what exists or what could exist. To overcome the difficulties associated with both innovation and environmental responsibility, innovation and environment policies must be articulated. One way to achieve this in practice is to create environmental innovation clusters. Barbieri et al. (2010) identified that production operational systems, as well as innovations in products and processes, by meeting the three requirements of sustainability, are likely to generate gains for the environment in terms of resource use and pollutant emission reduction, a production increase driven by the demand for new products could neutralise or even surpass those gains. Therefore, the enhancement of sustainable organisation models, the various forms of its institutionalisation on a global level, the development of sustainable technologies and the management of innovation for sustainable development, will become increasingly relevant subjects for future studies. When investigating what factors are perceived by the managers of the transformation industry as drivers of market success of environmentally sustainable innovation, Medeiros et al. (2012) confirm the relevance of the following dimensions: 1

market knowledge

2

interfunctional collaboration

3

knowledge integration mechanisms

4

generative learning.


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In addition, a new dimension emerged, which was called: 5

technological domain.

Based on the generated list of factors, it is recommended that further studies be carried out to measure the impact of the factors and dimensions of the success of green products. Furthermore, quantitative studies can verify if there are considerable differences in the relevance of dimensions and factors by area of activity and by type of business. Another area to be explored would be the investigation of cause and effect relationships between the factors that were mapped. Inhan et al. (2013) demonstrates entrepreneurs’ perceptions of innovation, tradition and how their companies are associated with the history of the region. Such linkages are essential for the recognition of the uniqueness of the Douro region, with implications for the competitiveness of the cluster. For future studies, it is possible to investigate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the occurrence of spin-offs and spillover dynamics. A more in-depth study on the management of intrinsic values by entrepreneurs can also give insight into the value placed on port wine over other wines and how much of this value can be promoted without the region, which is the sole producer of this type of wine, losing its distinctive qualities. Merino and Pastorino (2013) conclude that university students, regardless of their university course, have a low perception concerning the social responsibility activities carried out by micro and small enterprises. In this context, it is suggested that universities incorporate courses on social responsibility in the curricula to enrich the education and encourage new research on the topic. Rodrigues and Duarte (2011) sought to sensitise managers to the need to keep their organisations working within win-win situations, which protects the sustainability of the business and preserves the future for the next generation. It is necessary to learn how to develop new concepts about the meaning of performance for an organisation that incorporates new evaluation metrics that are not all limited to financial terms. There will be no sustainable development or sustainability in business if organisations themselves are not sustainable. Vasconcelos et al. (2015) state that the Brazilian energy company EBE S.A. is a resilient sustainable innovative organisation because it has been able to develop an HR department that creates practices and personnel management policies that enable the organisation to respond quickly, efficiently and effectively to technological, organisational or systemic breakdowns caused by radical reengineering (innovation with rupture) produced by the research and development department, thus generating sustainable competitive advantage. Horlings and Marsden (2011) identify emerging advances related to the ecological modernisation of rural/regional spaces and review the main currents of literature that have begun to outline the competing processes of bioeconomics and eco-economics. According to Souza (1993), the compatibilisation of industrial activity with the preservation of the environment is a responsibility which no company can escape today. If this was once a matter of conscience on behalf of the businessmen, today environmental preservation has become a key part of the business strategy, as companies are responding both to the law and to society for the environmental harm that they cause. In addition, environmental control has become an economic issue, since minimising the generation of failings lead to economic benefits for companies. However, it is necessary for Brazilian society to organise itself politically and demand that the technology with low environmental impact that is used in first world countries be adopted in Brazil as well. However, this organisation will only occur with increasing information and

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environmental education, which are the only factors that will encourage the use of green products and the expansion of this market. Filho et al. (2012) report that the residents of Conjunto Palmeiras pride themselves on Banco Palmas (Brazil’s pioneer development bank) and agree that not only has it brought visibility to the neighbourhood, but that it has also substantially changed how the rest of the city sees the neighbourhood. Banco Palmas’s contributions range from increasing residents’ self-esteem to the impact of increased local consumption and circulation of wealth in the neighbourhood. Fischer and Comini (2012) report that one of the main challenges of social environmental business management is remaining sustainable in all areas; such as sustainability resulting from the company’s ability to achieve results; sustainability resulting from stakeholder recognition, which gives legitimacy to the organisation and sustainability that gives the company financial strength and survival in the face of crises experienced in its life cycle, including competition from other initiatives and the pressures of external turbulent contexts. Pedroso and Zwicker (2007) establish five aspects of sustainability in the Plasma Project that are consolidated into four critical success factors, namely: technological innovation, a factor associated with innovation management initiative; the actions integrated in the supply chain, a factor associated with chain management initiative; economic viability, a factor associated to generating economic value; and the motivation for corporate sustainability, a factor associated with environmental responsibility and social responsibility of the companies involved. Slomski et al. (2012) conclude that a company should be concerned with the final disposal of the product, since all industrialised products produce waste, either from the packaging or at the end of its useful lifespan. Therefore, an industry for the final disposal of waste needs to be created urgently. One of revenues of this industry will arise from the internalisation of private costs through the sale of financial securities, called the private costs internalisation credits. The objective of the industry is to make the collection process all household waste in cities viable, through the full participation of companies that contribute to producing the product, either in the packaging or the product itself. Brito and Berardi (2010) realise that the theoretical approach focuses on strategic aspects that are not verified in the empirical analysis. Thus, further studies should address the differences between theory and practice, as elaborating on this research will help to clarify the motivations of companies to their stakeholders and identify difficulties in developing joint solutions.

4.3 Research gaps Based on the analysis of the evidence, the following gaps were identified by the authors: x

Technology initiatives to be placed back on the discussion agenda addressing both governmental and academic entities, but from a new perspective, incorporating the concepts of social technology, solidarity economy and social capital.

x

Studies that analyse ambidexterity and socio-environmental performance, through surveys conducted in other industrial sectors, preferably using probability sampling methods.

x

Studies that aim to create significant forms for the economic growth of the municipalities of the Amazon.

x

Studies on how organisational practices can interfere with sustainable development.


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x

Studies on how to incorporate sustainability into all waste management processes, to ensure stabilisation of the demand for natural resources and to reduce the final volumes of waste.

x

Studies in various economic activities to perceive technological and market opportunities and to discover untapped niche markets, prioritising economic sustainability.

x

Analyses on sustainability at the national level in exporting companies, targeting distinct types of products.

x

Studies focused on the productive and economic benefits of the use of the variety of waste produced in society.

x

Studies on sustainable management opportunities for hazardous waste.

x

Studies on sustainable management opportunities for tourism.

x

Analyses on how environmental innovation clusters can contribute to sustainable practices.

x

Studies on sustainable innovation models and their institutionalisation.

x

Analyses on new tools and action plans for sustainable development.

x

Studies to measure the impact of factors and dimensions on the success of green products.

x

Analyses concerning the occurrence of spin-offs and dynamic spillovers.

x

Studies on methods that make sustainability of an enterprise feasible beyond its financial makeup.

x

New empirical studies to clarify the business motivations to expand its stakeholders.

Thus, considering the gaps presented by the authors, the research objectives listed in Table 2 were raised. These objectives take into account the work covered in this article, its main objectives and the identified research gaps. Table 2

Research objectives and gaps after studying the evidence

Goals raised x What are the social practices that drive sustainability? x What tools can lead to a taxonomy for social sustainability? x How is it possible to reconcile sustainability with profitability? x Which guiding directive or motivational factor contributes to the inclusion of sustainability in the organisation’s strategic planning? x Studies that interconnect sustainability for family agriculture. x Studies that analyse the different taxonomies for sustainability. Source: Own authorship (2016)

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5


Conclusions

Innovation expands knowledge and leverages the competitive capacity of organisations. To ensure this continued growth for future generations, it is important that new theoretical bases incorporate the concept of sustainable innovation, which is sustainability, linked to innovation where actions that do not harm the environment are engaged in economic and social causes. Thus, through bibliometric and systematic analysis, this study aimed to explore articles that were published in Brazilian journals classified by the Qualis-Journals 2014 system and which address the theme of sustainable innovation within the area of business, accounting and tourism. Emerging from this study, it is evident that the topic of sustainable innovation has faced challenges in gaining academic ground and showing its importance. Innovation studies have typically focused only on economic implications and demands for competitiveness and profit, leaving aside sustainability. The growth of publications in the area opens a window of opportunity for further research, which can aid organisations on sustainability and development. It is essential to conduct studies that analyse sustainable innovation through a properly designed approach that emphasises the reality of organisations and that shows concern for the environment, the economy and society. In addition to developing an overview of the articles, the study also helps to identify research gaps that may lead to a more sustainable approach for organisations. It is noted in the publications that there are no common authors or bases among the articles or partnerships for sustainability. This study confirm the Brazilian academic community addresses the sustainability theme much more in terms of financial profitability and is focused on the image of the organisation than on environmental and social issues. This refers to the reduction of research on cultural issues or practices of institutionalisation of sustainability. It is also noticed that the researches in the global scope, in comparison with the Brazilian researches, have many similarities with respect to the base authors and the concepts used. In Brazil, through the result of this research, one can see how this topic is of great interest to the academic community, since it involves many researchers and relevant periodicals of the area. Despite this great influence, sustainable innovation still requires many studies and practices, mainly in the cultural and legal issues, demonstrating many challenges for its application, mainly for its incorporation in the different areas of knowledge. Thus, through the research of these studies, it is possible to identify the existing gaps and to take advantage of the concepts and guidelines raised, which build onto the knowledge-base of the different areas. This will encourage the belief in the importance of sustainability being extended to all areas of knowledge.


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To summarise the environmental problems and to pursue sustainable development and the general well-being of humanity.

To study the relationship between ambidexterity and the socio-environmental performance of organisations.

To contribute to the topic of logistics, primarily the evaluation of logistics performance through the construction of new performance indicators.

To analyse the formation of convergence clubs in the Amazon from 1985 to 2007, conditioned by socioeconomic, institutional and environmental factors.

Silva (1993)

Scandelari and Cunha (2013)

Oliveira (2002)

Silva et al. (2011a)

Central aim of the article

To discuss concepts related to social technology in a globalised world, in contrast to the views that advocate the adoption, by multinational companies, of organisational strategies focused on the base of the social pyramid.

Rodrigues and Barbieri (2008)

Authors

Results or conclusions

The results confirmed the hypothesis of convergence, great dynamics of intersecting income and the formation of three convergence clubs among the municipalities of the Amazon. Human capital appears as an important constraint and the cattle herd and livestock area have low significance in the conditioning of municipal relative income. Deforestation and institutional variables were not significant for the economic growth of the municipalities of the Amazon. The results also reveal the importance of investing in education as an incentive for the economic growth of the municipalities in the region.

Logistical competence has become a critical factor in creating and maintaining competitive advantage, which has become increasingly important as the margin between profitable and unprofitable operations becomes increasingly smaller. The combination of the slowdown in economic growth and increased competition means that companies focus more attention on the effective positioning of logistics resources. And the fact that the measurement of activities pertaining to logistics, as well as their comparison with goals and standards, is necessary to improve performance and motivate people.

The 44 organisations categorised as ambidextrous presented superior environmental and social performances, proving the positive relationship between ambidexterity and socio-environmental performance.

Further studies

No

No

Recommendation that the research be complemented by surveys conducted in other industrial sectors, preferably using probability sampling methods, which would allow for statistical inference based on more robust data.

No

No

Table A1

Concludes with the evidence that a planetary pact is now essential.

The theme addressed by various technology initiatives, which had its culmination in the 1960s and 1970s, had been placed back on the discussion agenda of both governmental and academic entities, but now from a new perspective, incorporating the concepts of social technology, solidarity economy and social capital. The case study showed the feasibility of social technology and its innovative potential to meet the needs of the most needy populations, in this case specifically, in terms of income generation. Thus, social technology can be more productive and produce products of higher quality than conventional industrial technology operated by large companies.

Sustainable innovation 133

Appendix

Supplementary data Analytical framework of the aims of the studies as seen in the evidence

To address the possible contribution of the new economic sociology (NES) to a sociology of sustainable development.

To analyse the main changes in solid waste management policy in the countries of the OECD in the light of the new environmental policy objectives.

To analyse the implications that the search for progress based on sustainable technologies and products brings to the process of innovation management and the accumulation of associated competences.

Lévesque (2007)

Demajorovic (1995)

Vilha and Carvalho (2005)


To point to causes that supported the development of a system that made the queues for medical appointments disappear without an increase in the number of doctors or consultations.


Natura has been able to identify technological and market opportunities by developing products for untapped niche markets. They also revealed that the company is fit not only for the task of implementing entirely new routines, but also of mobilising resources and skills in its process of managing technological innovation.

The new priorities of current waste management policy incorporate sustainability for two main reasons. First, it is possible to minimise the process of environmental degradation before this occurs, as the production of certain waste is avoided, a portion is reused and the rest is treated for inertisation. Second, in managing the production of waste in all phases of the economic system, and not only considering the final treatment, the current waste management policy aims to ensure in the long-term, a stabilisation in the demand for natural resources and the final volume of waste, which are critical factors in sustainable development.

Through its various currents, the NES seeks to demonstrate that the economy is social. The NSE shows quite explicitly that economics, as conceived by neoclassical economists, is a crippled economy that makes policy more problematic by prioritising only state redistribution and international aid to restore balance, a fortiori to think about sustainable development. The NES engages in an ecological effort that is less concerned with taking the power of the state and more focused on changing everyday behaviour and performing a series of micro-ruptures, or ‘a molecular revolution that will never be completed’.

The success in eliminating queues, without increasing human resources or overloading the doctors with work, demonstrates that cultural aspects and lack of order are more determinant in the formation of queues for medical consultations than the lack of doctors.

No

No

No

No

Further studies

Table A1

Mori (1999)

Authors

134 A. De Prá Carvalho et al.

Analytical framework of the aims of the studies as seen in the evidence (continued)

To investigate the relationship between the adoption of sustainable management strategies and the export performance of industrial companies in the gems and jewels sector.

To identify potential innovation with the introduction of the cleaner production approach, reflecting on the improvement of the local agribusiness system of cashew nuts in the Ceará region.

To present alternative sustainable development solutions to the problem of unemployment caused by technical progress.

To analyse the various aspects related to the efficiency of the Basel Convention as a regulating treaty for the international trade of hazardous waste.

Oliveira and Ipiranga (2011)

Delazaro and Barbieri (1994)

Veiga (2007)


Palma et al. (2014)

Authors

It is not yet possible to eliminate international trade in hazardous waste, since there are countries that rely on this raw material to sustain their economies. To successfully develop more rigorous legislation over hazardous waste, which would require countries and companies responsible for the waste to develop socially and environmentally safer and healthier management systems, it would be necessary to create mechanisms that stimulate the internalisation of social and environmental costs in the decision-making processes of all social stakeholders involved, which is not the case of the Basel Convention.

No

No

No

The mobilisation of the local system involves increasing interactions among participating agents, facilitating the spread of sustainable innovations from the complete use of cashew, thus enlarging economic spaces with new business and market opportunities.

Table A1

Great potential for job creation can occur through local solutions to waste, both in large urban centres, as well as in the interior and in the more distant rural areas. Using waste, recycling, leveraging biomass, construction and conserving productive infrastructure, and protecting environmental reserve areas are some of the ways to simultaneously protect the environment and boost employment. In addition, activities such as these contribute to providing the productive system with more efficient conditions so that companies can gain competitiveness in their areas of activity. This concern for the environment and the level of employment must be part of the search for systemic competitiveness within a sustainable development approach.

It is suggested that further attempts be made to expand the number of participating companies to increase the awareness of concepts and their advantages in the implementation of business strategic planning. In addition, the evaluation of the sector by product types and their specific challenges in the international market should be examined in more detail.

Further studies

The sustainability dimensions are related to the export performance of companies in the gems and jewels sector, especially with regard to regional development indicators and strategies that integrate a greater social and environmental awareness in the products and processes, with two measures of export performance: improvements in companies and response to pressure from competitors. Regarding the characterisation of the international performance of the companies surveyed, it was possible to observe that the companies act, mainly, through direct exports or agents in Brazil.




To examine strategic initiatives that have been developed by Queensland Tourism (QT), a state-owned tourism organisation in Australia, to promote tourism, in particular, tourism destination networks.

To review the perspectives of several authors on innovation, seeking to clarify the influence of environmental regulation on the innovative process and the need for greater coherence between environmental and technological development policies.

To analyse the relationship between sustainability and innovation, with reference to institutional theory.

To investigate the dimensions and factors that according to the perception of the business managers, drive the success in the market of environmentally sustainable products.

Kiperstok et al. (2002)

Barbieri et al. (2010)

Medeiros et al. (2012)


Scott and Cooper (2010)

Authors

No

Therefore, the enhancement of sustainable organisation models, the various forms of its institutionalisation on a global level, the development of sustainable technologies and the management of innovation for sustainable development, will become increasingly relevant subjects for future studies.

Innovations in supply depend on the company understanding its technological and managerial situation and comparing it with what exists or what could exist. To overcome the difficulties associated with both innovation and environmental responsibility, innovation and environment policies must be articulated.

The sustainable development movement is one of the most important movements of our time and judging by the vitality of the institutional factors present all over the world, it is likely that it will continue to spread for many decades. The authors identified that the production operational systems, as well as innovations in products and processes, by meeting the three requirements of sustainability, are likely to generate gains for the environment in terms of resource use and pollutant emission reduction, a production increase driven by the demand for new products could neutralise or even surpass those gains.

interfunctional collaboration knowledge integration mechanisms generative learning.

2 3 4

In addition, a new dimension emerged, which was called the technological domain.

market knowledge

1

Based on the generated list of factors, it is recommended that further studies be carried out to measure the impact of factors and dimensions of the success of green products. Furthermore, quantitative studies can verify if there are considerable differences in the relevance of dimensions and factors by area of activity and by type of business. Another area to be explored would be the investigation of cause and effect relationships between the factors that were mapped.

These initiatives can be used in other destinations around the world to improve or develop SUT. A starting point to develop SUT is a study of the structure of tourism in a destination, providing a logical area for future research.

Suggest that the development of sustainable urban tourism (SUT) requires a generic approach to improving sustainable tourism operations amongst all suppliers in an urban area. SUT aims to reduce the impact of tourism on the global environment, sustain the local environment and serve both the host community and visitors. In addition, the study suggests that best practices in marketing and policy development can be adopted to attract tourists to a sustainable destination.

Table A1

When investigating what factors are perceived by the managers of the transformation industry as drivers of market success of environmentally sustainable innovation, the following relevant dimensions were confirmed:

Further studies




To contribute to a better understanding of how to implement social responsibility courses in universities

To present the links between sustainable development and business sustainability carried out by socially responsible organisations, and showed the social responsibility reporting models of the most well-known companies.

Merino and Pastorino (2013)

Rodrigues and Duarte (2011)


To examine innovation paradoxes within the wine cluster of a traditional European wine region, characterised by the so-called model of terroir in wine, in which the question of tradition versus innovation emerges.

Inhan et al. (2013)

Authors


Sought to sensitise managers to the need to keep their organisations working within win-win situations, which protects the sustainability of the business and preserves the future for the next generation. It is necessary to learn how to develop new concepts about the meaning of performance for an organisation that incorporates new evaluation metrics that are not all limited to financial terms. There will be no sustainable development or sustainability in business if organisations are not themselves sustainable.

Further studies

No

No

For future studies, it is possible to investigate, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the occurrence of spin-offs and dynamic spillovers. A more in-depth study on the management of intrinsic values by entrepreneurs can also give insight into the value placed on port wine over other wines and how much of this value can be promoted without the region, which is the sole producer of this type of wine, losing its distinctive qualities.

Table A1

Del estudio, se puede concluir de manera general que los estudiantes universitarios independientemente del tipo de gestión de universidad a la que pertenezcan tienen una baja percepción en las actividades de responsabilidad social que realizan las MYPE, lo que indica que van acorde con las tendencias señaladas por los académicos de las pocas acciones que realizan las MYPE con relación a la responsabilidad social. En este contexto se sugiere que las universidades incorporen en la malla curricular cursos sobre responsabilidad social que enriquezcan la enseñanza y posibiliten nuevas investigaciones que generen producción de nuevos conocimientos; debido a que los alumnos demuestran una percepción de la RSE, pero no una formación académica sobre el tema que les permitiría sentar las bases para la aplicación de la responsabilidad social en las distintas áreas funcionales de la empresa (interdisciplinaridad). Esa situación, posibilitaría la implementación de políticas y estrategias empresariales en las MYPE, las cuales involucrarían a alumnos y gestores de MYPE. De esta forma, estas se beneficiarían del talento de los estudiantes universitarios en labores productivas (BARROSO, 2007), por medio de las prácticas profesionales (transdisciplinaridad). En consecuencia, se reconoce la necesidad de plantear un enfoque interdisciplinario para su teoría y transdisciplinario para la práctica que podría asegurar el desarrollo sostenible.

The author demonstrates entrepreneurs’ perceptions of innovation, tradition and how their companies are associated with the history of the region. Such linkages are essential for the recognition of the uniqueness of the Douro region (DR), with implications for the competitiveness of the cluster. Although the DR is composed of the same characteristics of the other wine clusters, it has some unique features regarding its history, legislation and the inherent commercialisation with the international market. There is an intrinsic value of the region, which entrepreneurs identify and emphasise in the media.



To describe some of the consequences of rural bio-economic development in agri-food and regional innovation based on a specific – and in our opinion weak – definition of ecological modernisation.

To discuss key environmental issues, seeking to point out that ecological concern should be the main macro-environmental factor to be considered in a company’s strategic planning.

Horlings and Marsden (2011)

Souza (1993)


To relate the concept of sustainable innovative organisation to the concept of organisational resilience.

No

No

Identified emerging advances related to the ecological modernisation of rural/regional spaces and reviewed the main currents of literature that have begun to outline the competing processes of bio-economics and eco-economics. A key question is how these competing contingencies between the bio-economy and the eco-economy will present themselves in rural spaces. It is argued that ongoing discussions need to be informed by the concepts and debates covered in this article, especially as to how a more vibrant rural-based eco-economy can be stimulated by future policies in Latin America. The compatibilisation of industrial activity with the preservation of the environment is, today, a responsibility which no company can escape. If this was once a matter of conscience on behalf of the businessmen, today environmental preservation has become a key part of the business strategy, as companies are responding to the law and society for environmental damages that they cause. In addition, environmental control has become an economic issue, since minimising the generation of failings lead to economic benefits for companies. However, it is necessary for Brazilian society to organise itself politically and demand that the technology with low environmental impact that is used in first world countries be adopted in Brazil as well. However, this organisation will only occur with increasing information and environmental education, which are the only factors that will encourage the use of green products and the expansion of this market.

No

Results or conclusions The Brazilian energy company EBE S.A. is a resilient sustainable innovative organisation because it has been able to develop an HR department that creates practices and personnel management policies that enable the organisation to respond quickly, efficiently and effectively to technological, organisational or systemic breakdowns caused by the radical reengineering (innovation with rupture) produced by the research and development department, thus generating sustainable competitive advantage.

Further studies

Table A1

Vasconcelos et al. (2015)

Authors



To reflect on the opportunities and challenges of community development banks (CDB) as a model of innovative socio-economic organisation in managing microcredit among the most impoverished populations.

To understand the theoretical and empirical relations between the challenge of development and the emergence of enterprises centred on the creation of both economic value and social value.

To discuss corporate sustainability where the reverse supply chain is concerned, based on a case study of the Plasma Project, which integrated the supply chain of three companies to carry out the recycling of aseptic packaging cartons.

Fischer and Comini (2012)

Pedroso and Zwicker (2007)


Filho et al. (2012)

Authors

No

The five aspects of sustainability in the Plasma Project are consolidated into four critical success factors, which in no particular order are: x technological innovation, a factor associated with innovation management x the actions integrated in the supply chain, a factor associated with chain management initiative x economic viability, a factor associated to generating economic value x motivation for corporate sustainability, a factor associated with environmental responsibility and social responsibility of the companies involved.

Further studies

Based on these reflections on the identification of principles shared by the framework of multidimensional sustainable development and the emergence of socio-environmental businesses, this publication is open to the studies and analyses of authors from different parts of the world, who, using various nomenclatures and different theoretical frameworks, are poring over the issues and the dilemmas that relate to this topic.

No

Table A1

Both are based on the concept of sustainability. One of the main challenges of social environmental business management is remaining sustainable in all areas; such as sustainability resulting from the company’s ability to achieve results; sustainability resulting from stakeholder recognition, which gives legitimacy to the organisation and sustainability that gives the company financial strength and survival in the face of crises experienced in its life cycle, including competition from other initiatives and the pressures of external turbulent contexts. Turning development into a process is important if it is to be sustainable.

Nowadays, the residents of Conjunto Palmeiras pride themselves on Banco Palmas (Brazil’s pioneer development bank) and agree that not only has it brought visibility to the neighbourhood, but that it has also substantially changed how the rest of the city sees the neighbourhood, which, currently, is more often quoted in the economic section of the newspaper than in the crime section. Banco Palmas’s contributions range from increasing residents’ self-esteem to the impact of increased local consumption and circulation of wealth in the neighbourhood. It should be required to consult credit protection systems which selecting a target audience, thus excluding a large part of the public, especially people of low-income.




To encourage Brazilian states, municipalities and indigenous governments to share with each other the approaches they are using to solve public issues and respond to the needs of the community, in order to assess and identify the main characteristics of these innovations and to create mechanisms for the broad dissemination of practical approaches for effective government. To investigate whether the social environmental strategies applied to the supply chain converge for stakeholder management and the development of dynamic capabilities and whether they represent a source of competitive advantage for the companies investigated.

Spink (2000)

Brito and Berardi (2010)

Central aim of the article To analyse and debate beliefs, values and practical aspects, taking into account that the internalisation of costs resulting from the disposal of the product and/or packaging should guide the management of production costs of a company.

Slomski et al. (2012)

Authors


The research developed here differs from that previously made by Seuring and Müller (2008) in terms of both the focus on the strategic approach of the supply chain, as well as the interest in finding, in the empirical findings, support to theories of competitive advantage in supply chain management. This last issue is especially relevant because in the review of the articles it is noticed that the theoretical approach focuses on strategic aspects that are not verified in the empirical analysis.

Further studies

Further studies should address the differences between theory and practice, as elaborating on this research will help to clarify the motivations of companies to their stakeholders and identify difficulties in developing joint solutions. In this way, sustainable supply chain management is aligned with the company’s strategic priorities, both in terms of legal requirements and market competitiveness.

No

Other studies may develop this theoretical study further by focusing on: creation of methodologies that contribute to the mapping of the CO2 emission/neutralisation that companies emit into the atmosphere; creation and diffusion of low carbon technologies; other measures that neutralise the environmental impact generated by their products and services; environmental management and, in this context, the generation of account statements that show not only economic-financial results, but environmental and social results so as to move towards more sustainable ways of economic development. Other studies may be further developed based on eco-efficiency, eco-environmental management practices and sustainability.

Table A1

The initial conclusions point to a new approach to public administration centred on individual and collective rights and to the importance of involving other public agencies and civil society organisations in the process of building viable paths.

A company should be concerned with the final disposal of the product, since all industrialised products produce waste, either from the packaging or at the end of its useful lifespan. Therefore, an industry for the final disposal of waste needs to be created urgently. One of revenues of this industry will arise from the internalisation of private costs through the sale of financial securities, called the private costs internalisation credits. The objective of the industry is to make the collection process all household waste in cities viable, through the full participation of companies that contribute to producing the product, either in the packaging or the product itself.

