Green Innovation Practices and Organizational Performance
A Critical Review and Research Agenda for Emerging Economies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63996/njte.v25i2.102Abstract
Green innovation has emerged as a critical pathway for firms seeking to reconcile environmental responsibility with competitive performance. While a growing body of research examines the relationship between green innovation and organizational outcomes, the literature remains fragmented, particularly with respect to emerging economies. This paper critically reviews the conceptual foundations, theoretical perspectives, and empirical evidence on green innovation practices and organizational performance. It synthesizes research across developed and developing contexts, with particular attention to the limited but expanding body of work from Nigeria and Africa. The review identifies four key dimensions of green innovation practices: green management practices, green process adherence, green product offering, and green marketing adoption; and evaluates their individual and joint effects on performance. Major gaps are highlighted in theoretical integration, contextual coverage, methodological approaches, and the operationalization of green innovation constructs. The paper concludes by proposing an integrated conceptual framework and a research agenda to guide future empirical investigations, especially in emerging market settings where institutional pressures and resource constraints shape the green innovation performance relationship differently from developed economies.
References
Aliani, K., Borgi, H., Alessa, N., Hamza, F., & Albitar, K. (2024). The impact of green innovation and renewable energy on CO, emissions in G7 nations. Journal of Cleaner Production
Arevalo, J. A., Aravind, D., Ayuso, S., & Roca, M. (2011). The advent of corporate environmentalism in the business curriculum: A Spanish perspective Journal of Management Education
Awan, U., Arnold, M. G., & Gölgeci, 1 (2021). Enhancing green product and process innovation: Towards an integrative framework of knowledge acquisition and environmental investment. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(4), 1831-1845
Baneliene, R., & Strazdas, R. (2023) Green innovation for competitiveness: Impact on GDP growth in the European Union Sustainability
Baquero, A. (2021) Linking green entrepreneurial orientation and ambidextrous green innovation to stimulate green performance: A moderated mediation approach Business Strategy and the Environment
Chen, Y.-S., Lai, S.-B. & Wen, CT (2006). The influence of green innovation performance on corporate advantage in Taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics, 67(4), 331-339
DiMaggio, P. 1. & Powell. W W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160
Dupuit. 1. (1844). On the measurement of the utility of public works. Annales des Ponts et Chaussées
Fedulov, D. & Pobedin, A. (2021). Theoretical aspects of innovation management. Journal of Innovation Management
Gutterman, A. S. (2023). Organizational performance. Sustainability and Corporate Governance
Hermundsdottir, F., & Aspelund, A. (2020). Sustainability innovations and firm competitiveness A review Journal of Cleaner Production, 280, 124715
Hraiga, R., & Abbas, A. (2023). Green process innovation and its impact on operational efficiency. Journal of Environmental Management
Jaluza, D., Camila, M., & Duterval, S. (2024). Social, economic and competitiveness aspects of green innovation among BRICS nations. Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Fia, J., Lin, H., Chim, T., & Hu, D. (2018), The continuous mediating effects of GHRM on employee’s green passion via transformational leadership and green creativity, Sustainability. 10(9), 3237
Kemp, R., & Foxon, T. (2007) Eco-innovation from an innovation dynamics perspective Measuring Eco-innovation Project (MEI).
Khalid, S., Pradeep, K., Sachin, K. Ahsan, A., & Yigit, K. (2021) Navigating a net-zero economy future: Antecedents and consequences of net-zero economy-based green innovation, Business Strategy and the Environment.
Kropp, C (2018) Sustainable innovations: Theories, conflicts and strategies. Journal of Sustainable Development
Kushwaha, G. S. & Sharma, N. K (2016) Green initiatives: A study of the impact of green marketing strategies on consumer behaviour. Journal of Cleaner Production.
Linder, M. Bjorkdahl, J., & Ljungberg, D. (2019), Environmental orientation and economic performance: A quasi-experimental study of small Swedish firms. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(5), 763-774
Love. J. H., & Roper, S. (2009). Organizing innovation: Complementarities between cross- functional teams. Technovation, 29(3), 192-203
Managem Mumba, A. S. Khawar, A., Khan, K. A. Haider, S. & Rehman. A (2024) Analyzing the impact of green marketing strategies on the environmental performance and market performance of companies in the consumer goods sector. Sustainability
Matlo Wang Xingdong Y, Lmaan, Faraz N. & Hay, N. (20/24) Exploring green creativity. The efforts of green transformational leadership, green innovations management, and green economy Journal of Cleaner Production
Michael, U (2024) Sustainable waste management and organizational performance of food and beverage firms in Nigeria, Journal of Environmental Management
Millar. C Hmi P & Magala, S. (2019), Sustainability and the need for change Organizational change and transformational vision Journal of Organizational Change
Okamuga, A Amos-Fidelis, N., & Dogo, E. (2022) Green manufacturing and operational cost of selected fast-moving consumer goods companies in Lagos State, Nigeria Journal of Cleaner Production
Olayiwola. P. O., Itohan, L., & Abiodun, S A. (2023), Waste management administration and environmental sustainability in Nigeria. Environmental Management
Paraschos, M. (2016). Environmentally friendly products and sustainable manufacturing Journal of Cleaner Production
Qureshi, M. A. Ahsan, 1., & Gull, A. A. (2022). Green products and sustainable supply chain management Business Strategy and the Environment
Richard, P. J., Devinney, T. M., Yip. G. S., & Johnson, G (2009). Measuring organizational performance. Towards methodological best practice. Journal of Management, 35(3), 718-804
Rupasinghe, R., Maldenayage, P., & Perera, H. (2023). Systematic literature review on grown innovation, Sustainability
Rustiarma, N. W. Bhegawan. D. & Mendra, N. (2022) Does green innovation improve SME performance? Journal of Cleaner Production
Schumpeter. 1 A. (1934). The theory of economic development. Harvard University Press
Sellitto, M. A., Camfield, C. G. & Buzuku, S. (2020). Green innovation and competitive advantages in a furnnure industrial cluster: A survey and structural model Journal of Cleaner Production, 251, 119721
Seman, N. A. A., Zakuan, N., Jusoh, A. Anf. M. S. M. & Saman. M. Z. M. (2019). The relationship of green supply chain management and green innovation concept. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences
Shahbaz, M., Ahmad. S., & Malik, S. (2024). Green intellectual capital heading towards green innovation and environmental performance. Business Strategy and the Environment
Sulich, A., & Rutkowska, M. (2020) Green management in the context of sustainable development. Sustainability
Talha, K., Ali, A., Khattak, M. S., Arfeen, M. 1, Chaudhary, M. A. I., & Syed. A. (2024). Green supply chain management practices and sustainable organizational performance in construction organizations. Journal of Cleaner Production
Thuyen. T., & Bich, L. (2024) Green innovation practices: A case study of Vietnamese manufacturing companies. Sustainability
Udodingwa. M. 1. (2022) Social sustainability and productivity enhancement of plastic firms in Anambra State, Nigeria Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
Wang, J (2023) Green innovation culture: Traceability path, current research and future prospects Journal of Cleaner Production
Wang, Y, et al. (2021) Green innovation and firm performance: The role of organizational culture, Business Strategy and the Environment
Yao. X., et al. (2021), Green shared values and green innovation culture. Sustainability
Zhu, Q., & Sarkis, J. (2007). The moderating effects of institutional pressures on emergent green supply chain practices and performance. International Journal of Production Research, 45(18- 19), 4333-4355
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Chinedu Nwagwu, Patrick OYINKARI, Akintokunbo ODUNAYO, Adegbenga OMOLOLA, Olusola OLUBOBOKUN, Ramat OMOLOLA, Samuel EDET
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
