The role of demographic changes and digitalization in eco-innovations and their effects on the growth of companies

Auer Antončič, Jasna (author), Hojnik, Jana (author), Ruzzier, Mitja (author), Konečnik Ruzzier, Maja (author), Soltwisch, Brandon William (author)

This research explores the role of demographic changes and digitalization in fostering eco- innovations and their subsequent effects on company growth. Employing a quantitative approach, the study investigates how shifts in demographics and the adoption of digital technologies influence eco-innovative practices across companies. The findings reveal that demographic changes are driving the adoption of various eco-innovations, which indirectly contributes to company growth. Additionally, digitalization shows a significant positive relationship with organizational eco-innovations, but its impact on product and process innovations is less pronounced. These results underscore the importance of both demographic factors and strategic digitalization in promoting eco-innovations that yield environmental and economic benefits. This research addresses a crucial gap in the existing literature by uncovering how demographic and digital changes influence eco-innovation and growth, specifically within the context of Slovenian enterprises.

• Language: English
• Keywords: growing company, digitalization, innovations, demographic structures, eco-innovation, demographic changes, growth, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 14 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, iss. 14, article no. 6203
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-170324
• UDC: 658
• ISSN on article: 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su16146203
• COBISS.SI-ID: 202825987
• Publication date in RUL: 03.07.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sustainability
• Shortened title: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: rastoče podjetje, digitalizacija, inovacije, demografske strukture

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J5-3106
• Name: Eko inovacije in krožno gospodarstvo – pot do bolj trajnostne in vključujoče prihodnosti: vloga demografskih sprememb in digitalizacije

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0049
• Name: Management izobraževanja in zaposlovanja v družbi znanja