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Innovation for Sustainability: Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

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Abstract

In this chapter, Albareda and Hajikhani propose a literature review and bibliometric analysis on innovation for sustainability (IfS). Applying the Network Analysis Interface for Literature Studies (NAILS) toolkit, we study the impact and dissemination of five key IfS goal-oriented discussions: strategic, operational, organizational, collaborative and systemic. The strategic and operational discussions are the most cited, including major papers on strategic concepts and the development of operational changes structuring the research. Our bibliometric analysis shows how, since 2002, IfS has expanded from business management, strategy, innovation and operations connecting to the main discussion in environmental sciences, environmental engineering and ecology. The main challenge for researchers is to build scientific knowledge that has a real impact in organizations and businesses. Managers and entrepreneurs can use these five-oriented goals of IfS to understand how to apply IfS goals into real practices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland

    Laura Albareda

  2. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espoo, Finland

    Arash Hajikhani

Authors
  1. Laura Albareda
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  2. Arash Hajikhani
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Correspondence to Laura Albareda .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Nancy Bocken

  2. Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland

    Paavo Ritala

  3. Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta, Finland

    Laura Albareda

  4. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Robert Verburg

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Albareda, L., Hajikhani, A. (2019). Innovation for Sustainability: Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis. In: Bocken, N., Ritala, P., Albareda, L., Verburg, R. (eds) Innovation for Sustainability. Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97385-2_3

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