Exploring external knowledge networks for catalysing material and energy eco-innovations in spanish firms

Abstract

Several studies have suggested that collaborations between partners could be a key factor in obtaining eco-innovation results. However, there is still an unresolved question regarding the combinations of external knowledge networks that could stimulate eco-innovation. Using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) on a sample of Spanish firms in 2020, we found evidence that collaborations between different partners could affect eco-innovation and that those partnerships differ depending on the green goal (material or energy). This leads to three main results: (1) For material, six possible paths of collaboration were found, while for energy, we found five paths. (2) Only one common path has been found for both goals: the absence of collaboration with Customers, Competitors and Universities and Research Centres, simultaneously. (3) Among all possible paths, one partner was most repeated: Universities and Research Centres, appearing in four out of six paths for material and two out of five for energy eco-innovation.