Dear Colleagues,

The challenges of sustainable/eco-product innovation are heightened in small and medium-sized enterprises, which remain consistently under-researched in comparison to multinational companies and large firms [1,2]. In particular, SMEs face problems as a result of a scarcity of internal resources to innovate [3], the low munificence of their business environment [4] and the priority of social sustainability concerns over environmental sustainability [5]. Despite these challenges, our understanding of challenges and opportunities for sustainable/eco-product innovation in SMEs remains under-researched [6–9]. Therefore, this Special Issue aims seeks to advance our knowledge and provide space for a better understanding of the drivers and outcomes of sustainable/eco-innovation in small medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In particular, the Special Issue will comprise a selection of papers that address sustainability and sustainable/eco-innovation in SMEs. We seek both theoretical and empirical papers that may address but are not limited to issues linked to: (1) sustainable innovation and small firm growth/performance; (2) the relationship between corporate sustainability and product quality concerns/strengths; (3) sustainable innovation strategies in SMEs; stakeholder pressures and environmental management in SMEs; (4) challenges of implementing environmental/suitability strategies in SMEs; (5) formal and informal sources of finance and sustainable innovation performance; (6) slack resources and sustainability expenditure; corporate sustainability and access to finance by SMEs; (7) the influence of culture on the sustainability in SMEs; (8) sustainable/eco-innovation and social innovation; and (9) non-profit SMEs and sustainable innovations.

The Special Issue is aligned with goals 9 and 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim at highlighting innovation, responsible consumption and production. Indeed, this Special Issue presents a unique opportunity for scholars to examine these issues in greater detail. The guest editors do not have any methodological preference. Papers submitted to this Special Issue will undergo a rigorous peer review procedure in line with the requirements of this journal.

References: 

1. Jahanshahi, A.A.; Brem, A. Sustainability in SMEs: Top Management Teams Behavioral Integration as Source of Innovativeness. 2017, 9, 1899, doi:10.3390/su9101899.
2. Jamali, D.; Karam, C. Corporate Social Responsibility in Developing Countries as an Emerging Field of Study. J. Manag. Rev. 2016, 20, 32–61, doi:10.1111/ijmr.12112.
3. Amankwah‐Amoah, J.; Danso, A.; Adomako, S. Entrepreneurial orientation, environmental sustainability and new venture performance: Does stakeholder integration matter?. Strat. Environ. 2018, 28, 79–87, doi:10.1002/bse.2191.
4. Konadu, R.; Owusu‐Agyei, S.; Lartey, T.; Danso, A.; Adomako, S.; Amankwah-Amoah, J. CEOs’ reputation, quality management and environmental innovation: The roles of stakeholder pressure and resource commitment. Strat. Environ. 2020, 29, 2310–2323, doi:10.1002/bse.2504.
5. Idemudia, U. Environmental Business-NGO Partnerships in Nigeria: Issues and Prospects. Strat. Environ. 2017, 26, 265–276, doi:10.1002/bse.1915.
6. Adomako, S.; Ning, E.; Adu‐Ameyaw, E. Proactive environmental strategy and firm performance at the bottom of the pyramid. Strat. Environ. 2020, 1–10, doi:10.1002/bse.2629.
7. Lartey, T.; Yirenkyi, D.O.; Adomako, S.; Danso, A.; Amankwah‐Amoah, J.; Alam, A. Going green, going clean: Lean‐green sustainability strategy and firm growth. Strat. Environ. 2020, 29, 118–139, doi:10.1002/bse.2353.
8. Danso, A.; Adomako, S.; Lartey, T.; Amankwah-Amoah, J.; Owusu-Yirenkyi, D. Stakeholder integration, environmental sustainability orientation and financial performance. Bus. Res. 2019, doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.02.038.
9. Boso, N.; Danso, A.; Leonidou, C.; Uddin, M.; Adeola, O.; Hultman, M. Does financial resource slack drive sustainability expenditure in developing economy small and medium-sized enterprises? Bus. Res. 2017, 80, 247–256, doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.06.016.

Dr. Samuel Adomako
Dr. Albert Danso
Guest Editors

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• sustainable innovation
• SMEs
• eco-innovation
• sustainability
• sustainable performance
• social innovation
• environmental strategy