Mediating effects of green innovations on interfirm cooperation

Abstract

Previous empirical research has largely neglected the mediating role of green innovations on the top management commitment-customer cooperation relationship. This study examines effects of green process innovation and green managerial innovations on this relationship. An empirical analysis with a sample of 181 ISO 14001 Turkish manufacturing firms suggests that top management commitment positively affects customer cooperation, process innovation and managerial innovation. Green process innovation mediates the positive association between top management commitment and customer cooperation, whereas green managerial innovation does not. These findings suggest that green process innovation facilitates business partners to mitigate the external negative impact on environment. By contrast, green managerial innovation has a stronger in-house orientation and facilitates business firms to minimize their carbon footprints.