A0990
Title: Innovators network and green firms: An analysis on the propensity of becoming a green innovator
Authors: Claudia Sartirana - University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy) [presenting]
Maria Luisa Mancusi - University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milan (Italy)
Bart Baesens - KU Leuven (Belgium)
Abstract: Environmental and green technologies research are fundamental pillars of sustainable growth. In particular, green innovations, more than other innovations, result from the combination of knowledge and competencies related to different domains. Hence, it is important to explore the knowledge flows and the network effects in green innovation dynamics. The contribution to the literature is via a focus on the effect of network centrality measures originating from a network of innovators on the propensity of firms to innovate in green technologies, using patent data and their citations as a measure of innovative activity and source of knowledge. Combining network analysis and statistical models, the results show that being closely connected to firms who previously invested in green technologies has a positive effect on becoming green. Moreover, being central in a network of innovators has a significant impact on the propensity to become green. More specifically, firms that can get easy access to other firms' knowledge have a higher probability of filing green patents, while firms holding highly cited patents, meaning they are already a key reference in their field, have a lower probability of starting patenting in green technologies.
