Ruth Rama

Despite substantial growth in eco-innovation (EI) research, most studies rely on cross-sectional data, limiting understanding of the temporal dynamics of EI and its determinants under varying macroeconomic conditions. This study addresses this gap by analysing panel data from Spanish manufacturing firms across three phases of the business cycle: pre-crisis expansion (2004–2007), the global financial crisis (2008–2013), and recovery (2014–2016). We investigate the drivers of two distinct types of eco-innovation: efficiency EI (energy and material savings) and environmental EI (reducing environmental harm), focusing on the role of regulation, institutional interventions, and firm-level innovation capacities. Using a random-effects panel probit model that accounts for unobserved firm heterogeneity, we examine how these drivers operate across different macroeconomic contexts. Our findings reveal that regulation consistently fosters EI, while the influence of subsidies, R&D capacity, and collaborative networks is more context-dependent, particularly during economic downturns. The results highlight the cumulative, path-dependent, and cyclical nature of EI, providing novel insights into the conditions that enable firms to sustain green innovation over time. Drivers of eco-innovation differ systematically between efficiency- and environment-oriented strategies, and these differences remain stable over the business cycle, implying distinct underlying mechanisms and policy implications. Accordingly, policy design—particularly during economic downturns—should distinguish between reinforcing incentives for internal efficiency improvements and sustaining regulatory and financial support for environmental EI.

Despite substantial growth in eco-innovation (EI) research, most studies rely on cross-sectional data, limiting understanding of the temporal dynamics of EI and its determinants under varying macroeconomic conditions. This study addresses this gap by analysing panel data from Spanish manufacturing firms across three phases of the business cycle: pre-crisis expansion (2004–2007), the global financial crisis (2008–2013), and recovery (2014–2016). We investigate the drivers of two distinct types of eco-innovation: efficiency EI (energy and material savings) and environmental EI (reducing environmental harm), focusing on the role of regulation, institutional interventions, and firm-level innovation capacities. Using a random-effects panel probit model that accounts for unobserved firm heterogeneity, we examine how these drivers operate across different macroeconomic contexts. Our findings reveal that regulation consistently fosters EI, while the influence of subsidies, R&D capacity, and collaborative networks is more context-dependent, particularly during economic downturns. The results highlight the cumulative, path-dependent, and cyclical nature of eco-innovation, providing novel insights into the conditions that enable firms to sustain green innovation over time.

This study explores the role of persistence in eco-innovative (EI) activities in enhancing firms’ resilience during crises, focusing on the Spanish food and beverage industry. It distinguishes between two types of eco-innovators: efficiency-focused eco-innovators, who aim to reduce material and energy usage, and environmental eco-innovators, who seek to minimize direct harm to the environment. Additionally, the analysis evaluates the impact of regulation and institutional interventions on fostering eco-innovation during economic downturns. Using panel data from Spanish food and beverage companies between 2004 and 2016, we adopt a longitudinal approach to study how long-term commitments to EI influence green technology adoption. We identify three distinct periods: 2004–2007 (boom), 2008–2013 (crisis), and 2014–2016 (recovery). Finally, the study analyses the most effective institutional interventions and corporate green strategies for fostering the green transition during challenging times. The analysis provides theoretical insights and tailored managerial and policy recommendations.

This study explores the role of persistence in eco-innovative activities (EI) in enhancing firms' resilience during crises, focusing on the Spanish food and beverage industry. It distinguishes between two types of eco-innovators: efficiency-focused eco-innovators, who aim to reduce material and energy usage, and environmental eco-innovators, who seek to minimize direct harm to the environment. Additionally, the analysis evaluates the impact of regulation and institutional interventions on fostering eco-innovation during economic downturns. Using panel data from Spanish food and beverage companies between 2004 and 2016, we adopt a longitudinal approach to study how long-term commitments to EI influence green technology adoption. We identify three distinct periods: 2004–2007 (boom), 2008–2013 (crisis), and 2014–2016 (recovery). The analysis provides theoretical insights and tailored managerial and policy recommendations.

In today’s fast-paced and globally interconnected business environment, digitalization has emerged as a cornerstone of competitiveness. In this paper, we study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the adoption of digital technologies among German industrial and service sector firms. Our findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for the integration of digital technologies and that the adoption triggered by the pandemic has had a sustained, rather than transitory, impact. Furthermore, a firm’s size and available resources, coupled with its market characteristics, play pivotal roles in shaping its response. Most notably, however, digital technology adoption is closely linked to the concurrent strategies deployed by the firm to mitigate a crisis’s impact.

Cooperation for innovation, not only enhances the innovative and economic performance of companies but also fosters growth and strengthens the resilience of firms in the realm of innovation activities. In this study, we delve into the cooperative activities of innovative Spanish companies with their European counterparts. We employ six logit models using panel data to scrutinize the impact of ownership on innovation cooperation and the determinants of collaboration across different phases of the business cycle, spanning from 2004 to 2016, which we divide into three sub-periods: the pre-crisis (2004–2007), the crisis (2008–2013), and the recovery (2014–2016). Throughout the businesses cycle, state-owned enterprises are the most prone to engage in cooperative innovation with European partners, while unaffiliated domestic firms are the least prone. Foreign subsidiaries clearly outperform unaffiliated domestic firms and slightly outperform domestic business groups in prosperous times, but do not outperform state-owned enterprises even during crises. The drivers of cooperation for innovation with European partners evolve over time, becoming particularly challenging during crises. The factors influencing cooperation with European universities exhibit distinct characteristics. The results contain policy and management implications.

Cities and regions are facing diverse challenges, and the transformation to a digital economy is a core issue. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had widespread impacts on business, and it has heightened the need for digitalization. We analyse if and to what degree the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the metropolitan region of Madrid. Our research strategy is based on a quantitative analysis of survey data at the company level. Our results show that a large share of SMEs invested in digital technologies as a response to the pandemic, but there are also important differences between basic and more advanced digital technologies and between manufacturing and service sector firms. SMEs’ previous knowledge and technological resources and capabilities, as well as their collaboration networks with providers are found to trigger adoption of digital technology. Implications for postpandemic policies are highlighted.

Cooperation for innovation, not only enhances the innovative and economic performance of companies but also fosters growth and strengthens the resilience of firms in the realm of innovation activities. In this study, we delve into the cooperative activities of Spanish companies with their European counterparts. We employ three logit models using panel data to scrutinize the impact of ownership on innovation cooperation and the determinants of collaboration across different phases of the business cycle, spanning from 2004 to 2016, which we divide into three sub-periods: the pre-crisis (2004–2007), the crisis (2008–2013), and the recovery (2014–2016). State-owned enterprises are the most prone to engage in cooperative innovation with European partners, while unaffiliated domestic firms are the least prone. Foreign subsidiaries outperform unaffiliated domestic firms but not domestic business groups nor state-owned enterprises. Drivers of cooperation for innovation with European partners evolve, with cooperation becoming particularly challenging during times of crisis. The results contain policy and management implications.

This research examines the possibility of food and beverage (F&B)-processing multinational corporations serving as a viable conduit for the international diffusion of technology. It utilises existing literature to analyse three potential avenues through which technology transfer occurs from these corporations to host sectors: contract farming, domestic collaboration for innovation, and spillover effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In specific instances, these firms might provide support to local innovators through financial assistance or complementary resources. Additionally, they may actively facilitate technology transfers to particular types of local partners and they may generate demonstration effects. Nevertheless, the prevailing evidence consistently indicates that the impact of FDI on the host sector is generally limited or selective. The findings of this study cast doubt on the overly optimistic views held by international organizations and host governments regarding FDI in the food sector as a major source of cutting-edge technology for host countries. The incentives offered to food and beverage multinationals should be carefully calibrated to strike a balance between acknowledging potential benefits to the sector's innovation system and maintaining a realistic perspective on the actual outcomes. This study combines and analyses three separate empirical lines of research in parallel to offer factual elements for a policy debate. By integrating these different research approaches, the study aims to contribute to a well-informed discussion on relevant policy matters.© 2023 The Author(s). Published by RITHA Publishing. This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.