Eco-Innovation in the Corporations Operating in the International Market

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing which is the eco-innovation level of the companies operating in the international market according to the Sustainability Innovation Cube (SIC) model developed by Hansen, Grosse-Dunker, & Reichwald (2009), so as to reveals an element of competitiveness in international market; at wit, BRF, Bunge, Docol, Intelbrás and Tigre. Also, identify how the issues of sustainability and innovation are understood in the corporations operating in the international market and review the motivations to the main programs and existing eco-innovation projects in the corporations studied. In this regard, a qualitative study of exploratory nature was carried out together with the five companies, by means of semi-structured interviews, observations, websites, internal documents, public notice, regulations, among others, which were reviewed using the technique of content analysis in depth. Data assessment was elaborated through the correlation of the theoretical background, of SIC tool and the information collected from the field. The outcomes enables to confirm that the companies surveyed have a high rate of eco-innovation, which exception of BRF, and discloses that eco-innovation contributes to enhance competitiveness in the operations of the companies in international market too.