TY - CHAP
T1 - Supplier Engagement in the Sustainable Innovation Process: A Qualitative Analysis of Austrian SMEs
AU - Bachner, C.
N1 - Funding Information: The research was being conducted as part of the project “CSR and Innovation” which is funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) (2013–2018). While the case study research presented in this paper is part of the first phase, the overall aim of this project is to analyse practices used in a CSR-driven innovation process and to develop a model for CSR-driven innovation in SMEs. Publisher Copyright: © 2018, Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2018/9/22
Y1 - 2018/9/22
N2 - In order to capitalize on the opportunities offered by changing dynamics and structures, companies need to innovate constantly and sustainably. Despite the fact that opening up the innovation process to include stakeholders can increase companies’ innovation performance and reputation, the concepts of stakeholder engagement and innovation have so far remained rather isolated from each other (Gould, J Technol Manage Innov 7:1–11, 2012). As little is known about how stakeholder engagement is used in the innovation process of SMEs, this study is focused on the importance of supplier engagement for creating sustainable innovations. The analysis shows that suppliers play a stimulating role for SMEs and are increasingly becoming a valuable partner in their innovation process. Collaborating with suppliers is a means to exchange experiences and information on best practices and offers benefits such as operational cost savings, further partnership opportunities along with a better approach to emerging consumer concerns. Technological, social and environmental innovation is necessary to bring about sustainability, and a supplier partnership approach is critical for achieving results.
AB - In order to capitalize on the opportunities offered by changing dynamics and structures, companies need to innovate constantly and sustainably. Despite the fact that opening up the innovation process to include stakeholders can increase companies’ innovation performance and reputation, the concepts of stakeholder engagement and innovation have so far remained rather isolated from each other (Gould, J Technol Manage Innov 7:1–11, 2012). As little is known about how stakeholder engagement is used in the innovation process of SMEs, this study is focused on the importance of supplier engagement for creating sustainable innovations. The analysis shows that suppliers play a stimulating role for SMEs and are increasingly becoming a valuable partner in their innovation process. Collaborating with suppliers is a means to exchange experiences and information on best practices and offers benefits such as operational cost savings, further partnership opportunities along with a better approach to emerging consumer concerns. Technological, social and environmental innovation is necessary to bring about sustainability, and a supplier partnership approach is critical for achieving results.
KW - Austrian SMEs
KW - Provider Engagement
KW - Small And Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
KW - Supplier Engagement
KW - Sustainable Innovation Process
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-319-93629-1_19
DO - 10.1007/978-3-319-93629-1_19
M3 - Chapter in edited volume
SN - 9783319936284
T3 - CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance
SP - 335
EP - 345
BT - Innovation Management and Corporate Social Responsibility
A2 - Altenburger, Reinhard
PB - Springer International Publishing AG
CY - Cham
ER -