The role of green process innovation translating green entrepreneurial orientation and proactive sustainability strategy into environmental performance
Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
ISSN: 1462-6004
Article publication date: 24 December 2021
Issue publication date: 9 August 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper analyzes the mediating role of green process innovation in the relationships of green entrepreneurial orientation and proactive sustainability strategy with environmental performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyze data from 81 Brazilian agriculture technology startups (AgTechs) using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).
Findings
The results show that the green process innovation assumes an important role in AgTechs, promoting full mediations between green entrepreneurial orientation and proactive sustainability strategy with environmental performance. There are two ways for AgTechs to achieve high environmental performance. In both, green process innovation is a central condition, while green entrepreneurial orientation or proactive sustainability strategy is a complementary condition.
Research limitations/implications
This study demonstrates how internal elements (green entrepreneurial orientation, proactive sustainability strategy and green process innovation) improve environmental performance. This answers calls to explore which elements translate green entrepreneurial orientation and proactive sustainability strategies into environmental performance, by highlighting the mediating role of green process innovation.
Practical implications
The findings are useful for founders and managers of AgTechs to find ways to manage sustainable technological advancement and cleaner production in agribusiness.
Originality/value
This study analyses the interface between sustainable entrepreneurship, strategy and innovation in promoting environmental performance of AgTechs from an emerging economy country.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions. This study was financed in part by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.
Citation
Frare, A.B. and Beuren, I.M. (2022), "The role of green process innovation translating green entrepreneurial orientation and proactive sustainability strategy into environmental performance", Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 789-806. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-10-2021-0402
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited