ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Interorganizational Cooperation,
Knowledge Sharing, and Technological
Eco-Innovation: the Role of Proactive
Environmental Strategy – Empirical Evidence
from Poland
Adam Ryszko
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Faculty of Organization and Management, Silesian University of Technology,
Roosevelt 32, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
Submission date: 2015-12-21
Final revision date: 2016-01-20
Acceptance date: 2016-01-22
Publication date: 2016-03-17
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2016;25(2):753-764
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ABSTRACT
Although previous research has suggested that interorganizational cooperation and knowledge sharing
may affect technological eco-innovation or proactive environmental strategy, there is little understanding
of the interconnectedness of these variables. This paper investigates the links between interorganizational
cooperation, knowledge sharing, proactive environmental strategy, and technological eco-innovation. In
particular, it examines the infl uence of interorganizational cooperation and knowledge sharing on technological
eco-innovation and explores these relationships through proactive environmental strategy.
A research model has been developed and tested on a sample of 292 fi rms operating in Poland. In order to
test the proposed research model and hypotheses, structural equation modeling using partial least squares
has been applied. The fi ndings indicate direct effects of interorganizational cooperation and knowledge
sharing on proactive environmental strategy. However, the obtained results do not prove that interorganizational
cooperation directly affects technological eco-innovation. Nevertheless, the study has shown the
signifi cant mediating role of proactive environmental strategy in relationships between interorganizational
cooperation, knowledge sharing, and technological eco-innovation. Since proactive environmental strategy
powerfully fuels technological eco-innovation and signifi cantly mediates links between interorganizational
cooperation, knowledge sharing, and technological eco-innovation, this research proves that it constitutes a
unique organizational capability that may improve transformation of knowledge into better environmental
and economic performance.