Sustainable competitive advantage and green innovation: a review of joint scale propositions

Ribeiro, Olívia Carolina de Resende; Steiner Neto, Pedro José

doi:10.1590/1806-9649-2021v28e5669

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Gest. Prod. 28 (3) • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9649-2021v28e5669 copy

Sustainable competitive advantage and green innovation: a review of joint scale propositions

Vantagem Competitiva Sustentável e Inovação Verde: Uma revisão sobre proposições de escalas conjuntas.

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract:

The objective of this work was to present the analysis instruments of Green Innovation that seek to relate it to Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Determining the research instruments through which we can analyze the relations between Organizational Capacity, Green Innovation, and Performance can enlighten us in what contributes with the levels of competitiveness of a specific industry, i.e., the sustainable competitive advantage. To do this, we focused on articles indexed in Thomson Reuters, ´Web of Science databank. We analyzed the articles have been most cited and which had presented scales for the analysis and understanding of Green Innovation instruments. We explored three of the most cited articles. These works address innovation from the perspective of Green Innovation and seek to analyze the superior performance of environmental innovations through specific scales. The studies in question adopt quantitative research approaches and operationalized through surveys. According to our analysis, the instruments can represent significant advances concerning the problem addressed in this study.

Keywords:
Green Innovation; Green Innovation Performance; Capabilities; Competitiveness; Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Stage		Procedure	Description
Database	(1)	1.1	Choice of scientific basis or journals
	Field of study	1.2	Delimitation of terms representing the field
		1.3	Delimitation of other terms to determine results
	(2)	2.1	Download references - EndNote software
	Selection procedures (database)	2.2	Download references in spreadsheet format
		2.3	Organization of references in EndNote
		2.4	Organization of analysis matrix in electronic spreadsheet
	(3)	3.1	Elimination of articles through floating reading
	Adequacy and organization of data	3.2	Elimination through polysemy analysis of terms
	Adequacy and organization of data	3.3	Search for complete articles in PDF
Analysis and interpretation	(4)	4.1	Analysis of research instruments
	Scientific production analysis	4.2	Scales analysis
		4.3	Analysis of concepts
		4.4	Analysis of methodological elements
		4.5	Analysis of the relations between research instruments

Search systematization	Filters
(a) Search field	Title: (green innovation) OR Title: (sustainable innovation) OR Title: (eco-innovation) OR Title: (environmental innovation)
(b) Document types	Articles
(c) Web of Science categories	All categories
(d) Allotted time	From the beginning
(f) Research date	March 20, 2018

To explore whether the performance of green innovation has had a positive effect on competitive advantage.		Degree of relevance
		1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)
		1	2	3	4	5
Green Product Innovation Performance	The company defines the raw materials and inputs in the development or design of the product, which generates less pollution.
	The company defines the raw materials and inputs in the development or project of the product that consumes the least amount of energy and resources.
	The company uses the least amount of materials to compose the product in order to conduct the development or design of the product.
	It is prudent for the company to start a product development project if it will be easy to recycle, reuse and decompose.
Green Process Innovation Performance	The company's manufacturing process effectively reduces the emission of hazardous substances or waste.
	The company's manufacturing process recycles waste and emissions that allows be treating and reusing.
	The company's manufacturing process reduces the consumption of water, electricity, coal or oil.
	The company's manufacturing process reduces the use of raw materials.
Corporate Competitive Advantage	The company has the competitive advantage of low cost compared to other competitors.
	Quality of the products or services offered by the company is better than other competitors’ products or services.
	The company is more capable of R&D and innovation than its competitors are.
	The company has better management skills than its competitors have.
	The company's profitability is better.
	The company's growth exceeds that of its competitors.
	The company is a pioneer in some important fields and occupies an important position.
	The company's corporate image is better than the other competitors are.

Relations between Green Competence, Green Innovation Performance and Green Image		Degree of relevance
		1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree)
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Green Central Competence	The company's environmental capabilities, technologies or ‘know-how’ are rare in the market.
	The company's environmental capabilities, technologies or ‘know-how’ are less imitated by competitors.
	The company's environmental capabilities, technologies or ‘know-how’ are difficult to replace.
	The company's environmental capabilities, technologies or 'know-how' offer potential access to meet a large variety of environmental needs in the market.
	The company's environmental capabilities, technologies or ‘know-how’ contribute to customer benefits (Prahalad & Hamel, 1990Prahalad, C. K., & Hamel, G. (1990). The core competence of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68(3), 79-91.).
Green Product Innovation Performance	The company defines the raw materials and inputs in product development or design that generate less pollution.
	The company defines the raw materials and inputs in the development or project of the product that consumes the least amount of energy and resources.
	The company uses the least amount of materials to compose the product, to conduct product development or design.
	It is prudent for the company to start a product development project if it is easy to recycle, reuse and decompose. (Chen et al., 2006Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902... ).
Green Process Innovation Performance	The company's manufacturing process effectively reduces the emission of hazardous substances or waste.
	The company's manufacturing process recycles waste and emissions that allows them to be treating and reusing.
	The company's manufacturing process reduces the consumption of water, electricity, coal or oil.
	The company's manufacturing process reduces the use of raw materials (Chen et al., 2006Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902... ).
Green Image	The company is considering the best reference in environmental management.
	The company is professional in relation to environmental management.
	The company is well-succeed in environmental management.
	The company is well involved in environmental management.
	The company's reputation for environmental management is stable.
	The company is reliable in relation to environmental management.
	The company is reliable in relation to environmental management.
	The company is concerned with customers in relation to environmental management (Keller & Aaker, 1992Keller, K. L., & Aaker, D. A. (1992). The effects of sequential introduction of brand extensions. JMR, Journal of Marketing Research, 29(1), 35-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002224379202900104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00222437920290... ; Weiss et al., 1999Weiss, A. M., Anderson, E., & Maclnnis, D. J. (1999). Reputation management as a motivation for sales structure decisions. Journal of Marketing, 63(4), 74-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002224299906300407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00222429990630... ).

The influence of greening suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitiveness		Degree of relevance
		1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)
		1	2	3	4	5
Greening the supplier	Selection of suppliers by environmental criteria.
	Require and assist suppliers to obtain third party certification of the environmental management system.
	Provide environmental awareness seminars and training for suppliers.
	Provide technical environmental advice to suppliers and contractors in order to help suppliers meet environmental criteria.
	Invite suppliers to participate in the development and design stage.
	Sending an internal auditor to assess the supplier's environmental performance.
Green product innovation	Use less polluting / toxic materials. (Use ecological material).
	Improve and design environmentally friendly packaging (example: use less paper and plastic) for existing and new products.
	Recover products, at the end of the company's life, adopting recycling.
	Use eco-labeling.
Green process innovation	Low energy consumption, such as water, electricity, gas and gasoline, during production / use / disposal.
	Recycle, reuse and remanufacture material.
	Use cleaner technology to save and prevent pollution (such as energy, water and waste).
Green management innovation	Redefine operational and production processes to ensure internal efficiency, which can help to implement supply chain management.
Green management innovation	Redesign and improve the product or service to obtain new environmental criteria or guidelines.
Environmental performance	Reduction of hazardous waste, emission, and so on.
	Less water, electricity, gas and gasoline consumption.
	Improvement of environmental compliance.
Competitive advantage	Customer response.
	Product design and innovation.
	Quality of product and service.
	Low production cost.

Green Innovation Concept
Chen et al. (2006)Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008)Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011)Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
Green innovation is innovation that is related to products or processes, including innovation in technologies that are involved in energy saving, pollution prevention, waste recycling, green product projects or corporate environmental management.	Green innovation is innovation that is related to products or processes, including innovation in technologies that are involved in energy saving, pollution prevention, waste recycling, green product projects or corporate environmental management (Chen et al., 2006Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902... , p. 4).	Green innovation is innovation made up of green product innovation, green process innovation and green management innovation.
Constructs Used
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
- Green Product Innovation Performance.	- Green Central Competence.	- Greener supplier.
- Performance of Green Process Innovation.	- Green Product Innovation Performance.	- Green Product Innovation.
- Corporate Competitive Advantage.	- Green Process Innovation Performance.	- Green Process Innovation.
	- Green image.	- Green Managerial Innovation.
		- Environmental performance.
		- Competitive advantage.

Objective
Chen et al. (2006)Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008)Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011)Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
Explore whether the performance of green innovation has had a positive effect on competitive advantage.	Propose a new construct, green core competence, to explore its positive effects on green innovation and green company images.	Analyze the relations between greening the supply chain, green innovation, environmental performance and competitive advantage.
Number of Variables
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
16	21	22
Sample Size
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
300 companies in the information and electronics industry.	300 companies in the information and electronics industry.	124 companies from eight industry sectors.
Data Sources
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
Taiwan	Taiwan	Taiwan
Scale
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
Likert (5 pontos)	Likert (7 pontos)	Likert (5 pontos)
Techniques used for analysis
Chen et al. (2006) Chen, Y. S., Lai, S. B., & Wen, C. T. (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-9025-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-006-902...	Chen (2008) Chen, Y. S. (2008). The driver of green innovation and green image–green core competence. Journal of Business Ethics, 81(3), 531-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9522-1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-952...	Chiou et al. (2011) Chiou, T. Y., Chan, H. K., Lettice, F., & Chung, S. H. (2011). The influence of greening the suppliers and green innovation on environmental performance and competitive advantage in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review, 47(6), 822-836. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05....
- Cronbach's Alpha	- Correlation analysis	- Confirmatory Factor Analysis
- Linear Regression	- Simple Regression	- Structural Equation Modeling
- ANOVA One-way	- Cronbach's Alpha	- Cronbach's Alpha
- Paired t test	- Exploratory Factor Analysis	- Item-total correlation
		- Composite Reliability
		- Average Variance extracted

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