Knowledge-Based Dynamic Capabilities for Sustainable Innovation: The Case of the Green Plastic Project

Abstract

A large number of recent studies show that sustainable innovation requires specific and new dynamic capabilities related to a new form of collaboration with suppliers, customers, research institutes and other related partners. These sources and external knowledges and competences require new skills in managing relationships and knowledge integration. Considering this gap, the purpose of this paper is to identify how knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDCs) influence the process of developing sustainable innovations. To meet this objective, we use a procedural approach from the reconstruction of the green plastic project, in its R&D trajectory, from retrospective interviews and secondary data. Our results point to a set of practices (microfoundations) essential in the development process of sustainable innovations. We also identify the changes experienced in the knowledge capabilities of the company throughout the development of the project; this component provides the originality of this paper.

Incumbents in the Transition Towards the Bioeconomy: The Role of Dynamic Capabilities and Innovation Strategies

“…These dynamic capabilities processes can be crucial in enabling them to develop innovation strategies [71,72]. Recent studies have proven the significant role of dynamic capabilities in developing sustainable innovations [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. However, further research is needed to increase our understanding of how DCs are generated and how organizations utilize these capabilities [19,25].…”

“…The relationship between dynamic capabilities and sustainability has drawn great scholarly attention lately. Recent studies posit that sustainable innovation requires specific and new dynamic capabilities due to the complexity and uncertainty of new technological and market domains and regulations, see among others [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. Nevertheless, our understanding of which dynamic capabilities are developed and how companies leverage and deploy these capabilities is currently insufficient [19,25].…”

Identified necessary skills to establish a center of excellence in vocational education for green innovation

“…Specific and dynamic capabilities are required to ensure green and sustainable innovation with collaborators such as suppliers, customers, higher education institutions, and other relevant actors (Beuter Júnior et al, 2019). To maintain an effective collaborative environment among partners there needs to be external knowledge and competencies.…”

The evolution of sustainable innovation: from the past to the future

“…Theme 5, “The interplay between policy, regulations and the green innovation” revealed that the literature is now focusing on firm-specific characteristics, the policies for each type of eco-innovation and the need to trigger firms to invest actively in green innovation (Borghesi et al , 2015; Castellacci and Lie, 2017). Eco-innovations are becoming more and more prevalent, and stakeholders are increasingly demanding that firms develop those internal strategic capabilities to drive desired eco-innovation outcomes (Beuter Júnior et al , 2019). Scholars are experimenting with mechanisms to engage with stakeholders on eco-innovation strategies such as communication and cooperation (Garcés-Ayerbe et al , 2019).…”