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Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2021) | Viewed by 57441

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Politecnico di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
Interests: innovation; technology management; strategy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanics Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Bari, Italy
Interests: innovation management; project management; industrial symbiosis

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanics Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Bari, Italy
Interests: finance; business planning

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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Meccanica, Matematica e Management, Politecnico di Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: operations and supply chain management; project management; business sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to contribute to this Special Issue titled “Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability”.

Technological innovation and sustainability are becoming more and more intertwined. Indeed, new, innovative technologies can provide a relevant contribution to the reduction of environmental burden and/or the improvement of social conditions, while fostering economic growth. However, there are gaps in the extant literature regarding, on the one hand, what drives the development of “sustainable” technological innovations and what fosters their development, and, on the other hand, what drives the adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations by organizations, what fosters their implementation, and what are the subsequent effects on performance (economic, environmental, and social). The objective of this Special Issue is to invite novel research to fill these gaps. We welcome theoretical, empirical, conceptual, and experimental studies that offer fresh and critical insights. We are open to a wide range of research methods as long as they are consistent with the aims and scope of this Special Issue.

In detail, we welcome submissions that focus on, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Which individual-level factors (e.g., values and beliefs) lead to the development/adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations? How?
  • Which organizational factors (strategic orientations, organizational structure, top management composition, knowledge management practices, etc.) lead to the development/adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations? How?
  • Is the institutional context, e.g., through regulations, the main factor leading to the development/adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations?
  • Do open innovation (OI) practices lead to the development/adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations? Which OI practices are the most relevant?
  • How do we develop “sustainable” technological innovations that favor subsequent technological development?
  • How does technological innovation sustain circular economy initiatives?
  • To what extent is sustainability performance improved by adopting “sustainable” technological innovations?
  • Does the development/adoption of “sustainable” technological innovations reconcile the tensions between sustainability objectives?
  • How do we assess the “sustainability level” of technological innovation?
  • Are digital technologies sustainable?
  • Does digital transformation favor/hamper sustainability performance?
  • Are digital solutions enabling technologies for the development of “sustainable” technological innovations?

Suggested readings

Adams, R., Jeanrenaud, S., Bessant, J., Denyer, D., & Overy, P. (2016). Sustainability-Oriented Innovation: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 18(2), 180-205.

Ardito, L., Carrillo-Hermosilla, J., del Río, P., & Pontrandolfo, P. (2019). Sustainable Innovation: Processes, Strategies, and Outcomes. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(5), 1009-1011.

Ardito, L., & Dangelico Rosa, M. (2018). Firm Environmental Performance under Scrutiny: The Role of Strategic and Organizational Orientations. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 25(4), 426-440.

Ardito, L., Messeni Petruzzelli, A., & Albino, V. (2016). Investigating the Antecedents of General Purpose Technologies: A Patent Perspective in the Green Energy Field. Journal of Engineering and technology management, 39), 81-100.

Ardito, L., Messeni Petruzzelli, A., Pascucci, F., & Peruffo, E. (2019). Inter-Firm R&D Collaborations and Green Innovation Value: The Role of Family Firms' Involvement and the Moderating Effects of Proximity Dimensions. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(1), 185-197.

Ardito, L., Petruzzelli, A.M., & Ghisetti, C. (2019). The Impact of Public Research on the Technological Development of Industry in the Green Energy Field. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 144), 25-35.

Cheng, C.C.J. (2020). Sustainability Orientation, Green Supplier Involvement, and Green Innovation Performance: Evidence from Diversifying Green Entrants. Journal of Business Ethics, 161(2), 393-414.

Cillo, V., Petruzzelli, A.M., Ardito, L., & Del Giudice, M. (2019). Understanding Sustainable Innovation: A Systematic Literature Review. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 0(0.

Fraccascia, L., Albino, V., & Garavelli, C.A. (2017). Technical Efficiency Measures of Industrial Symbiosis Networks Using Enterprise Input-Output Analysis. International Journal of Production Economics, 183), 273-286.

Gasparin, M., Green, W., Lilley, S., Quinn, M., Saren, M., & Schinckus, C. (2020). Business as Unusual: A Business Model for Social Innovation. Journal of Business Research.

Ghisetti, C., Marzucchi, A., & Montresor, S. (2015). The Open Eco-Innovation Mode. An Empirical Investigation of Eleven European Countries. Research Policy, 44(5), 1080-1093.

Kiefer, C.P., Carrillo-Hermosilla, J., Del Río, P., & Callealta Barroso, F.J. (2017). Diversity of Eco-Innovations: A Quantitative Approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 166(Supplement C), 1494-1506.

Kohler, T., & Chesbrough, H. (2019). From Collaborative Community to Competitive Market: The Quest to Build a Crowdsourcing Platform for Social Innovation. R&D Management, 49(3), 356-368.

Osburg, T., & Lohrmann, C. (2017). Sustainability in a Digital World: New Opportunities through New Technologies. Springer International Publishing.

van der Have, R.P., & Rubalcaba, L. (2016). Social Innovation Research: An Emerging Area of Innovation Studies? Research Policy, 45(9), 1923-1935.

Dr. Lorenzo Ardito
Prof. Vito Albino
Prof. Achille Claudio Garavelli
Prof. Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • technology management
  • innovation management
  • sustainable development
  • environmental sustainability
  • environmental innovation
  • social sustainability
  • social innovation
  • digital transformation

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 5884 KiB  
Article
Adaptation of Innovations in the IT Industry in Poland: The Impact of Selected Internal Communication Factors
by Józef Ober and Anna Kochmańska
Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010140 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3457
Abstract
Adaptation of innovations by employees, especially in hi-tech industries, is very important from the perspectives of both implementing new technologies and maintaining competitiveness in today’s dynamic market. The paper analyzes selected internal communication factors in terms of their potential impacts on the adaptation [...] Read more.
Adaptation of innovations by employees, especially in hi-tech industries, is very important from the perspectives of both implementing new technologies and maintaining competitiveness in today’s dynamic market. The paper analyzes selected internal communication factors in terms of their potential impacts on the adaptation of innovations in information technology (IT) companies in Poland. These factors were determined on the basis of a literature analysis, opinions of panel participants (experts), and pilot studies that have been conducted. The undoubtedly innovative element is the study of the impact of the above-mentioned factors on the individual stages of innovation. The aim of the study was to identify and assess the perception of the influence of selected factors related to internal communication in a company on the adaptation of innovation by employees of the IT industry in Poland, taking into account the different stages of the implementation. The hypothesis of the study was that selected internal communication factors have different effects on innovation adoption at different stages of the innovation process. The study combined expert opinions and a literature analysis with a diagnostic survey (questionnaire) and a statistical analysis. The questionnaire survey allowed the examination of the opinions of the respondents about the impacts of 12 factors related to internal communication in the company on the adaptation of innovation. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis and allowed the formulation of theoretical and practical conclusions that can be applied when introducing innovations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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22 pages, 1385 KiB  
Article
Impact of Green Innovation Efficiency on Carbon Emission Reduction in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA
by Lingming Chen and Congjia Huo
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13450; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313450 - 05 Dec 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2692
Abstract
Climate change has become a global issue of general concern to human society. It is not only an environmental issue, but also a development issue. As the second largest economy in the world, China has adhered to its commitments in the Paris Agreement [...] Read more.
Climate change has become a global issue of general concern to human society. It is not only an environmental issue, but also a development issue. As the second largest economy in the world, China has adhered to its commitments in the Paris Agreement and formulated a series of autonomous action targets. In this context, scholars have done a lot of research focusing on carbon emission reduction, but have neglected the spatial correlation of carbon emission, and lack of research on carbon emission reduction in urban agglomerations. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has been at the forefront of China in terms of economy, politics, ecology, and civilization by taking advantage of the “one country, two systems” policy. This article innovatively proposes that there is a non-linear relationship between the efficiency of green innovation and the carbon emission intensity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA, and has passed quantitative verification. Based on the panel data of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA from 2009 to 2019, we used the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model to measure the efficiency of green innovation. We used the global Moran index and Theil index to discuss the spatial correlation of carbon emissions and regional differences in carbon emission intensity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA, respectively. Then, we used the threshold model to verify the nonlinear relationship between the efficiency of green innovation and the intensity of carbon emissions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA. The results of the study found that the green innovation efficiency of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA is increasing overall, carbon emissions have a certain spatial correlation, and the correlation is low overall. The impact of green innovation efficiency on carbon emission intensity has a non-linear relationship and there is an “inverted U” pattern between the two, and there is an inflection point in green innovation efficiency. Based on this, this article proposes carbon emission reduction measures within a reasonable range, and looks forward to future research directions and complement the research deficiencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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40 pages, 1637 KiB  
Article
Digital Transformation Models for the I4.0 Transition: Lessons from the Change Management Literature
by Nicola Bellantuono, Angela Nuzzi, Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo and Barbara Scozzi
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 12941; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132312941 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 14484
Abstract
The growing diffusion of digital technologies, especially in production systems, is leading to a new industrial paradigm, named Industry 4.0 (I4.0), which involves disruptive changes in the way companies organize production and create value. Organizations willing to seize the opportunities of I4.0 must [...] Read more.
The growing diffusion of digital technologies, especially in production systems, is leading to a new industrial paradigm, named Industry 4.0 (I4.0), which involves disruptive changes in the way companies organize production and create value. Organizations willing to seize the opportunities of I4.0 must thus innovate their processes and business models. The challenges that companies must face for the transition towards I4.0 paradigm are not trivial. Several digital transformation models and roadmaps have been lately proposed in the literature to support companies in such a transition. The literature on change management stresses that about 70% of change initiatives—independently of the aim—fail to achieve their goals due to the implementation of transformation programs that are affected by well-known mistakes or neglect some relevant aspects, such as lack of management support, lack of clearly defined and achievable objectives and poor communication. This paper investigates whether and to what extent the existing digital transformation models (DTMs) and roadmaps for I4.0 transition consider the lessons learnt in the field of change management. To this aim, a Systematic Literature Review to identify existing models and roadmaps is carried out. The results obtained by the review are discussed under the lens of the change-management literature. Based on that, the shortcomings and weaknesses of existing DTMs are pinpointed. Extant DTMs mainly focus on digital transformation initiatives carried out in manufacturing companies; they do not cover all the phases of the digital transformation process but rather focus on the definition of the I4.0 vision, strategy and roadmap. Little attention is devoted to the implementation and consolidation of digital change. Change management lessons are considered to a limited extent, based on which, some suggestions for better dealing with digital transformation initiatives are discussed. The paper contributes to advancing knowledge on models and approaches to support organizations in managing digital transformation. The identification of change management activities that a digital transformation initiative should involve as well as the suggestions on how to effectively deal with it can be used by managers to successfully lead the I4.0 transition journey in their organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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24 pages, 1184 KiB  
Article
An Analysis on the Influence of R&D Fiscal and Tax Subsidies on Regional Innovation Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from China
by Weijiang Liu and Yue Bai
Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12707; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212707 - 17 Nov 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2263
Abstract
To promote the National Mid-andLong-Term Scientific and Technical Development Program, utilizing the technical innovation data from 30 provinces of China from2002–2016, this paper evaluates the inter-provincial differences of China’s regional innovation efficiency from four aspects of technical efficiency, efficiency index change, returns to [...] Read more.
To promote the National Mid-andLong-Term Scientific and Technical Development Program, utilizing the technical innovation data from 30 provinces of China from2002–2016, this paper evaluates the inter-provincial differences of China’s regional innovation efficiency from four aspects of technical efficiency, efficiency index change, returns to scale, and projection analysis by using the DEA-Malmquist index method and constructs of the DEA-Tobit random response model to explore the impact of government funding on regional innovation efficiency. The research results show that: (1) The local development of regional innovation efficiency in China is unbalanced, and the level of pure technical efficiency restricts the improvement of innovation efficiency. (2) In the prophase of the scientific and technical development plan, technological progress has led to the growth of total factor productivity, resulting in the formation of scale effect; in the later stage, the scale return shows an overall increasing trend, and the continuous expansion of technological scale and opportunities has improved the regional innovation efficiency. (3) The R&D fiscal and tax subsidies have policy sustainability, and the direct government funding can significantly improve innovation efficiency, while the enterprises investment is opposite, and the pretax additional deduction has a negative but not significant impact. The government should give priority to direct subsidy and supplemented by tax preference, making reasonable policy allocations to expand the policy effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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17 pages, 708 KiB  
Article
The Mediating Role of Resistance to Innovative Technology between the Characteristics of Innovative Technology and Sustainable Use of Innovative Payment Service
by Jaepil Yoo
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10984; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910984 - 03 Oct 2021
Viewed by 1995
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to verify the structural relationship between innovative technology characteristics (recognized usefulness, ease of use, perceived risk), resistance to innovative technologies and acceptance intentions in order for unmanned order payment services to become a sustainable industry. A survey [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to verify the structural relationship between innovative technology characteristics (recognized usefulness, ease of use, perceived risk), resistance to innovative technologies and acceptance intentions in order for unmanned order payment services to become a sustainable industry. A survey was conducted on experienced users of unmanned order payment services residing in Seoul, and the main analysis results are as follows: first, after verifying the effect of innovative characteristics of unmanned order payment services on resistance to innovative technology, the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of unmanned order payment services negatively affect resistance to innovative technology, and perceived risk has a significant positive effect on resistance to innovative technology. Second, after verifying the effect of resistance to innovative technology to unmanned order payment services on acceptance intention, consumers’ resistance to unmanned order payment services negatively affects acceptance intention. Third, verifying the effect of characteristics of innovative technology of unmanned order payment services on acceptance intention, the perceived usefulness of unmanned order payment services directly had a positive effect on acceptance intention, but the perceived ease of use and perceived risk. Fourth, verification of the mediating effect of resistance to innovative technology in the relationship between the characteristics of innovative technology of unmanned order payment services and the acceptance intention proved significant mediating effects of all of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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16 pages, 1717 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Decision Making in Sustainable Project Selection Between Literature and Practice
by Rakan Alyamani, Suzanna Long and Mohammad Nurunnabi
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8216; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158216 - 22 Jul 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2457
Abstract
A robust project selection process is critical for the selection of sustainable projects that meet the needs of an organization or community. There are multiple factors or criteria that can be considered in the selection of the appropriate sustainable project, but it can [...] Read more.
A robust project selection process is critical for the selection of sustainable projects that meet the needs of an organization or community. There are multiple factors or criteria that can be considered in the selection of the appropriate sustainable project, but it can be challenging to find sufficient depth of expert opinion to perform a strong evaluation of these criteria. Several researchers have turned to the sustainable project literature as a source of expert opinion to evaluate the criteria used in sustainable project selection and rank them based on importance using different multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodologies. However, using the literature as a source of expert opinion poses a different set of challenges and may not accurately represent the actual opinions of sustainable project subject matter experts (SMEs) and practitioners. In this study, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) methodology is used to determine the importance of project cost, project maturity, skill and experience, uncertainty, and technology information transfer as selection criteria using collected opinions from academic sustainable project experts and practitioners. The results are then compared with previous research that used the literature to rank these five criteria based on importance when selecting between multiple sustainable project alternatives. The results show that project cost is still considered the major driver of decision making in sustainable project selection by both the literature and practice. However, unlike the literature-as-experts approach, SMEs prioritize skill and experience and technology information transfer over project maturity and uncertainty. Project managers and decision makers can use these findings to best prioritize the types of challenges that may occur depending on inputs for the FAHP analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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17 pages, 302 KiB  
Article
Workforce Composition of Public R&D and Performance: Evidence from Korean Government-Funded Research Institutes
by Sangyun Han, Soo Kyung Park and Kyu Tae Kwak
Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3789; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073789 - 29 Mar 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1789
Abstract
How do the organizational attributes of public R&D organizations affect their performance? Recent researchers have focused on the relationship between R&D investments and performance or efficiency, and others suggest that performance may be affected by organizational factors. However, we focus on the attributes [...] Read more.
How do the organizational attributes of public R&D organizations affect their performance? Recent researchers have focused on the relationship between R&D investments and performance or efficiency, and others suggest that performance may be affected by organizational factors. However, we focus on the attributes of R&D workforce excellence and diversity of R&D workforce, which can affect the performance of public R&D organizations. Therefore, we conduct a panel negative binomial regression and a focus group interview after empirical analysis to derive interpretations and implications. The results show that the effects of the diversity and excellence of an R&D workforce can vary depending on the type of performance: scientific, technological, or social. Overall, we call for a human resources and resource-based approach to consider the importance of R&D workforce composition, specifically diversity and excellence, in evaluating the performance of public R&D organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
18 pages, 1730 KiB  
Article
Spatial Dynamics between Firm Sales and Environmental Responsibility: The Mediating Role of Corporate Innovation
by Jiafeng Gu
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1684; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041684 - 04 Feb 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2230
Abstract
Corporate environmental responsibility (CER) is increasingly gaining interest among researchers and practitioners. Despite this extensive interest, systematic research regarding the effect of sales on environmental performance remains scarce. In this study, an empirical analysis on a sample of 909 Chinese listed companies from [...] Read more.
Corporate environmental responsibility (CER) is increasingly gaining interest among researchers and practitioners. Despite this extensive interest, systematic research regarding the effect of sales on environmental performance remains scarce. In this study, an empirical analysis on a sample of 909 Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2016 showed that sales positively impact environmental performance. This study also showed that corporate innovation mediates the relationship between sales and environmental performance. Furthermore, this study showed that environmental performance has a positive spatial spillover effect. Enterprises appear to promote their own environmental performance as a response to a rise in the environmental performance of their neighbors. The external control theory of organization has important reference significance and explanatory power for CER behavior in emerging economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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28 pages, 2337 KiB  
Article
Towards Rail-Road Online Exchange Platforms in EU-Freight Transportation Markets: An Analysis of Matching Supply and Demand in Multimodal Services
by Anuradha Jain, Rob van der Heijden, Vincent Marchau and Dirk Bruckmann
Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10321; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410321 - 10 Dec 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3545
Abstract
The European Union (EU) is confronted with too low a share of inland rail freight transport. The implementation of two-sided online exchanges for rail-road freight transport could increase this share. However, such exchanges focusing on the EU market are mainly designed for single [...] Read more.
The European Union (EU) is confronted with too low a share of inland rail freight transport. The implementation of two-sided online exchanges for rail-road freight transport could increase this share. However, such exchanges focusing on the EU market are mainly designed for single modes of transport. Their matching of supply and demand for multimodal services, especially including rail, is still in its infancy. This paper applies a maturity growth framework to speed up the implementation of such multimodal online exchanges. The framework integrates insights from industrial organization theory, platform economy theory, and maturity growth theory. Online exchanges, summarized in a new taxonomy, are compared to study their practices on matching supply with demand on the exchange, especially for multimodal services. Data is collected from case studies, exchange websites and semi-structured interviews. The analysis shows the emergence of new market actors and business models, including digital freight forwarders. These offer a variety of transport mode solutions for EU inland and EU related global freight transport. Maturity in matching supply and demand appears to result from clear objectives to provide benefits to the exchange participants, notably by digitizing the data for transaction completion and providing real time support for operational issues. In this context of rising online exchanges, especially in road and global multimodal transport (air, ocean, and road), the competition to capture a fragmented freight market seems to steadily increase. A similar maturity analysis of exchanges could not be found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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22 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Financing Channels on Enterprise Innovation and Life Cycle in Chinese A-Share Listed Companies: An Empirical Analysis
by Shixian Ling, Guosheng Han, Dong An, Armigon Akhmedov, Hui Wang, Hui Li and William Cannon Hunter
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6704; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12176704 - 19 Aug 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3210
Abstract
This paper offers an empirical analysis of the effects of financing channels on innovation and the regulatory effect of the enterprise life cycle based on data published from 2008 to 2017 on publicly traded companies in China. The results show that government subsidies, [...] Read more.
This paper offers an empirical analysis of the effects of financing channels on innovation and the regulatory effect of the enterprise life cycle based on data published from 2008 to 2017 on publicly traded companies in China. The results show that government subsidies, tax preferences, self-owned funds, and equity financing have significant positive incentives for enterprise innovation, and the incentive intensity is gradually weakened while bank loans will hinder enterprise innovation. The impacts of various financing channels on enterprise innovation vary with the different stages of the enterprise life cycle, and the overall performance is weakened with the advancement of the life cycle. According to the grouping research of property rights, it is found that the impacts of various financing channels on the innovation of non-state-owned enterprises are more significant than those of state-owned enterprises. Further research finds that the influence of each financing channel on enterprise innovation is U-shaped or inverted U-shaped, indicating that there is a moderate range of each financing channel. This study is of great significance to fully understand the impacts of various financing channels on enterprise innovation and the regulatory role of the enterprise life cycle and to optimize the allocation of innovation resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
17 pages, 1668 KiB  
Article
The Influence of the Knowledge-Based Network Structure Hole on Enterprise Innovation Performance: The Threshold Effect of R&D Investment Intensity
by Jiajia Hao, Chunling Li, Runsen Yuan, Masood Ahmed, Muhammad Asif Khan and Judit Oláh
Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6155; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156155 - 30 Jul 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3058
Abstract
The purpose of innovation is to consume fewer natural resources in order to create sustainable performance; therefore, innovation can ease the pressure of the ecological load and promote the sustainable development of the economy. Taking the 269 enterprises listed on the main board [...] Read more.
The purpose of innovation is to consume fewer natural resources in order to create sustainable performance; therefore, innovation can ease the pressure of the ecological load and promote the sustainable development of the economy. Taking the 269 enterprises listed on the main board of the electronic information industry from 2010 to 2019 as samples, using the threshold panel data model, the nonlinear relationship between the knowledge-based network structure hole and the short-term and long-term innovation performance of the enterprises were studied, and the threshold effect of R&D investment intensity was discussed. When the R&D investment intensity is from 1.96% to 15.96%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive impact on short-term innovation performance. When the R&D investment intensity is from 5.72% to 10.64%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive effect on long-term innovation performance. Lower R&D investment intensity can make the knowledge-based network structure hole promote the increase of short term innovation performance, but to make the knowledge-based network structure hole have a positive impact on long term innovation performance, the R&D investment intensity should be increased by more than 5.72%. When R&D investment intensity is not higher than 15.96%, the knowledge-based network structure hole has a significant positive impact on short term innovation performance, but to make the knowledge-based network structure hole maintain the positive effect on long term innovation performance, R&D investment intensity should not exceed 10.64%. Therefore, enterprises should be guided to optimize the knowledge-based network structure according to the R&D investment intensity in order to improve the short term and long-term innovation performance of an enterprise. These research results can help enterprises to save resources and promote the sustainable development of the economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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20 pages, 298 KiB  
Article
An Institutional Approach to Digitalization in Sustainability-Oriented Infrastructure Projects: The Limits of the Building Information Model
by Ermal Hetemi, Joaquin Ordieres-Meré and Cali Nuur
Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3893; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093893 - 10 May 2020
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4212
Abstract
The transport sector accounts for a large share of global Co2 emissions. To mitigate the impact of climate change, several sustainability-oriented large-scale infrastructure projects such as electric road systems and expanding rail systems have recently been on the policy agenda. A parallel development [...] Read more.
The transport sector accounts for a large share of global Co2 emissions. To mitigate the impact of climate change, several sustainability-oriented large-scale infrastructure projects such as electric road systems and expanding rail systems have recently been on the policy agenda. A parallel development that is expected to accelerate the transition of the transport sector is digitalization, which, although ongoing for many decades, has recently been augmented by concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city technologies. The integration of these digitalization tools at the organizational level poses not only opportunities but also some challenges for the actors involved in infrastructure projects. An approach that is currently promoted in the infrastructure sector is the Building Information Model (BIM), which is a decision-making instrument that leverages various digitalization tools and applications. However, although the economic implications of BIM are widely discussed in the literature, the (inter-) organizational dynamics involving multiple actors in infrastructure projects are not fully grasped. Large infrastructure projects are sociotechnical endeavors embedded in complex institutional frames; hence the institutional norms, practices and logics in them are significant. Responding to this, this paper adopted an institutional analysis and put the BIM approach in the (inter-) organizational context in infrastructure delivery. Drawing on empirical data from three organizations in infrastructure delivery in Spain, this paper analyzed the tensions among actors during BIM adoption and implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
13 pages, 1066 KiB  
Article
Innovation Mode and Optimization Strategy of B2C E-Commerce Logistics Distribution under Big Data
by Yingyan Zhao, Yihong Zhou and Wu Deng
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3381; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083381 - 21 Apr 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 8437
Abstract
With the advent of big data era and rapid development of Internet technology, e-commerce has had a strong development tendency that causes many problems, such as redundant and complex business processes, low efficiency and a high cost for e-commerce logistics in the distribution [...] Read more.
With the advent of big data era and rapid development of Internet technology, e-commerce has had a strong development tendency that causes many problems, such as redundant and complex business processes, low efficiency and a high cost for e-commerce logistics in the distribution sector. It is not difficult to conclude that the key to improving logistics distribution efficiency—and reduce logistics distribution costs—is to optimize logistics distribution under big data. In this study, the management model, influence factors and development status of B2C e-commerce logistics distribution under big data are analyzed in detail. Then big data processing, business process and route optimization strategies for B2C e-commerce logistics distribution under big data are deeply studied. Furthermore, an optimization model of product sales and logistics distribution of B2C e-commerce by big data platform is discussed in order to propose an innovative optimization strategy for B2C e-commerce logistics distribution under big data. Big data technology is applied in B2C e-commerce logistics business management, which is studied in detail. These findings achieve the optimal distribution of B2C e-commerce, reduce the B2C e-commerce logistics distribution cost and improve the B2C e-commerce logistics distribution efficiency under big data. In addition, enhanced competitiveness of B2C e-commerce logistics distribution is examined in this study. This study provides a reference for follow-up big data studies in the field of e-commerce. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation and Technology Management and Sustainability)
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