Green coops: Drivers of innovation for circular strategies among Italian cooperatives

IF 6.6 2区经济学 Q1 ECOLOGY

Ecological Economics Pub Date : 2024-10-28 DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108432

Asia Guerreschi , Emy Zecca

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The distinct characteristics of cooperatives, grounded in values such as self-help, selfresponsibility, etc. (ICA) make them a distinctive form of enterprise that necessitates examination. As other forms of enterprise, cooperatives bear the same onus of ensuring sustainability. To comprehend the social and economic contribution of cooperatives, we investigate their impact and role in attaining environmental sustainability, focusing on circular strategies. Preliminary literature in EI finds that cooperatives facilitate the implementation of some circular economy (CE) processes with general cooperation as an EI driver. After reviewing the literature on the drivers behind the introduction of EI in SMEs, we sought to investigate the specific drivers for cooperatives. To do this, we employed an econometric model to examine CES behaviour in a sample of over 280 Italian cooperatives across various regions and sectors in Italy. The findings underscore the role of cooperation and key managerial factors as drivers for implementation of circular economy innovative strategies. While innovation drivers have been researched for SMEs, the absence on research focusing on the cooperative model, makes this paper strongly relevant to investigate how a specific firms structure would lead to their transition to be a circular innovative cooperative or rather “green” cooperative.

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绿色合作社：意大利合作社循环战略创新的驱动力

合作社以自助、自我负责等价值观为基础，具有鲜明的特点（国际合作社联盟），使其成为一种独特的企业形式，有必要对其进行研究。与其他形式的企业一样，合作社同样肩负着确保可持续发展的重任。为了理解合作社的社会和经济贡献，我们调查了它们在实现环境可持续性方面的影响和作用，重点是循环战略。环境创新方面的初步文献发现，合作社促进了一些循环经济（CE）进程的实施，而一般合作是环境创新的驱动力。在回顾了有关中小企业引入环境创新背后驱动因素的文献后，我们试图调查合作社的具体驱动因素。为此，我们采用计量经济学模型，对意大利不同地区和行业的 280 多家合作社的 CES 行为进行了抽样调查。研究结果强调了合作和关键管理因素对实施循环经济创新战略的推动作用。虽然已经对中小企业的创新驱动力进行了研究，但缺乏针对合作社模式的研究，这使得本文与研究特定企业结构如何促使其转型为循环创新合作社或 "绿色 "合作社密切相关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ecological Economics 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

12.00

自引率

5.70%

发文量

313

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Ecological Economics is concerned with extending and integrating the understanding of the interfaces and interplay between "nature''s household" (ecosystems) and "humanity''s household" (the economy). Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field defined by a set of concrete problems or challenges related to governing economic activity in a way that promotes human well-being, sustainability, and justice. The journal thus emphasizes critical work that draws on and integrates elements of ecological science, economics, and the analysis of values, behaviors, cultural practices, institutional structures, and societal dynamics. The journal is transdisciplinary in spirit and methodologically open, drawing on the insights offered by a variety of intellectual traditions, and appealing to a diverse readership. Specific research areas covered include: valuation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and development, ecologically integrated technology, integrated ecologic-economic modelling at scales from local to regional to global, implications of thermodynamics for economics and ecology, renewable resource management and conservation, critical assessments of the basic assumptions underlying current economic and ecological paradigms and the implications of alternative assumptions, economic and ecological consequences of genetically engineered organisms, and gene pool inventory and management, alternative principles for valuing natural wealth, integrating natural resources and environmental services into national income and wealth accounts, methods of implementing efficient environmental policies, case studies of economic-ecologic conflict or harmony, etc. New issues in this area are rapidly emerging and will find a ready forum in Ecological Economics.