Short answer

To foster eco-innovations, prioritize engagement with secondary stakeholders; for product and process improvements, focus on primary stakeholders.

Field
Innovation & Markets
Source
Journal of Business Research (2023)
Method
Empirical analysis using survey data.
Evidence
Strong effect

Collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders, particularly secondary ones, significantly increases the likelihood of developing eco-innovations, while primary stakeholders are more associated with product and process innovations. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Journal of Business Research. Using Empirical analysis using survey data., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: To foster eco-innovations, prioritize engagement with secondary stakeholders; for product and process improvements, focus on primary stakeholders.

Study
Innovation & MarketsRecentStrong effect

Diverse Stakeholder Engagement Drives Eco-Innovation and Product/Process Advancements

Collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders, particularly secondary ones, significantly increases the likelihood of developing eco-innovations, while primary stakeholders are more associated with product and process innovations.

Journal of Business Research · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01Collaborations with secondary stakeholders are associated with the likelihood of developing eco-innovations.
  • 02Collaborations with primary stakeholders are associated with product and process innovations.
  • 03Access to diverse information sources is linked to collaborating with primary stakeholders.
02

Application

Design takeaway

To foster eco-innovations, prioritize engagement with secondary stakeholders; for product and process improvements, focus on primary stakeholders.

How to apply

When planning a new product development or improvement project, map out potential primary and secondary stakeholders and consider their unique perspectives and motivations to guide the innovation process.

Project actions

  • 01When defining your project scope, consider who your primary and secondary stakeholders are.
  • 02Think about how engaging different stakeholders might influence the type of design solutions you explore.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow does the diversity of stakeholder interests and motives influence the development of collaborative innovation?
MethodEmpirical analysis using survey data.
ProcedureThe study analyzed data from the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel (2015–2016) to assess the relationship between stakeholder diversity and innovation outcomes.
ContextTechnological innovation within organizations.

Variables

IVStakeholder diversity (primary vs. secondary), access to diverse information sources.
DVLikelihood of developing eco-innovations, product innovations, and process innovations; demand for skilled workers.
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +The study provides empirical evidence for theoretical propositions.
  • +It differentiates between types of stakeholders and their impact on specific innovation types.

Limitations

It can be challenging to clearly categorize all stakeholders as strictly 'primary' or 'secondary' in a real-world design project.

Reliability & validity

The study's reliance on survey data and specific panel data might influence its generalizability and the robustness of causal claims.

Think critically

To what extent can a single design project effectively cater to the diverse and potentially conflicting interests of both primary and secondary stakeholders?

05

Design Principles

"Strategic stakeholder engagement is a catalyst for specific innovation types."

Understanding the distinct contributions of different stakeholder groups is crucial for strategic innovation management. By intentionally engaging with diverse stakeholders, organizations can tailor their innovation efforts to achieve specific outcomes, such as environmental sustainability or market-leading product development.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Working with different kinds of people (stakeholders) helps create different kinds of new ideas (innovations). Some people help more with green ideas, while others help more with making products better.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the impact of user or stakeholder feedback on the direction of your design project, especially if exploring eco-friendly or process-oriented innovations.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The research by Ozdemir et al. (2023) highlights that engaging with diverse stakeholders can significantly impact innovation outcomes. Specifically, collaborations with secondary stakeholders are linked to eco-innovations, while primary stakeholders are more associated with product and process innovations. This suggests that for design projects aiming for environmental sustainability, a focus on secondary stakeholder input is beneficial, whereas for improvements in core product functionality or manufacturing processes, primary stakeholder engagement is more critical.

09

Source

Journal of Business Research

Stakeholder diversity and collaborative innovation: Integrating the resource-based view with stakeholder theory

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about diverse stakeholder engagement drives eco-innovation and product/process advancements?
To foster eco-innovations, prioritize engagement with secondary stakeholders; for product and process improvements, focus on primary stakeholders. Evidence: Journal of Business Research (2023).
Why does "Diverse Stakeholder Engagement Drives Eco-Innovation and Product/Process Advancements" matter for design?
Understanding the distinct contributions of different stakeholder groups is crucial for strategic innovation management. By intentionally engaging with diverse stakeholders, organizations can tailor their innovation efforts to achieve specific outcomes, such as environmental sustainability or market-leading product development.
How can designers apply this research?
To foster eco-innovations, prioritize engagement with secondary stakeholders; for product and process improvements, focus on primary stakeholders.
What were the main findings?
Collaborations with secondary stakeholders are associated with the likelihood of developing eco-innovations.. Collaborations with primary stakeholders are associated with product and process innovations.. Access to diverse information sources is linked to collaborating with primary stakeholders.
What research method was used?
Empirical analysis using survey data..
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from Journal of Business Research.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When planning a new product development or improvement project, map out potential primary and secondary stakeholders and consider their unique perspectives and motivations to guide the innovation process.
What are the limitations?
The study is based on data from a specific time period and geographical region, which may limit generalizability.