Developing environmental innovations: a study of cooperation and greening supply chains

This research investigates the way buyers interact with their suppliers over the challenge of developing environmental innovations. Through analysing survey results and conducting interviews with senior managers, this research shows that successful development of environmental innovations requires close cooperation between buyers and suppliers. Although some incremental changes may occur if buyers enforce suppliers to adopt green practices, systemic innovations are more likely to be developed if buyers engage their suppliers. This research also demonstrates the importance of internal organisational factors (e.g., the perspective of managers and the sufficiency of resource) over the external factors (regulations and consumer expectations).