A Methodological Literature Review of Eco-Innovation

Abstract

Eco-innovation is the name used to characterize the introduction of sustainability into products, services and management practices. There are many works in the eco-innovation area which are mainly literature reviews. However, studies about methodological procedures on eco-innovation are inconsistent or not found, according to Scopus search. The methodological choices of the researchers make are responsible for their articles’ results. Therefore, it is necessary to know what these choices are and whether there is a predominance of some method; since the use of new methods enriches the elaboration of theories and research problems. The purpose of the present study is to provide information on the research methods on the theme of eco-innovation theme and consequently expand the discoveries for the area. The literature review followed the classification system of Jabbour (2013.) The results showed few eco-innovation studies use quantitative and qualitative approaches together, which demonstrates the opportunity for future studies. Also, retrospective studies on eco-innovation are considered as possible avenues in future studies. Regarding the collection methods, there is a high presence of secondary data and the survey served as a predominant source of primary data collection. Primary data collection methods, such as focus group and observation, are opportunities for future eco-innovation studies. The lack of cross-country studies suggests a profound knowledge about possible divergences between countries. The article presents perspectives of eco-innovation to explore the new possibilities of research methods in future studies.