Title: Drivers of environmental trajectories: a case study of Poitou-Charentes companies

Authors: Adeline Alonso Ugaglia; Marie Ferru

Addresses: Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Scientific Institute for Vine and Wine (ISVV), University of Bordeaux, 1, cours du Général de Gaulle, CS40201, 33175 Gradignan cedex, France ' Laboratoire CRIEF (EA2249), University of Poitiers, 2 rue Jean Carbonnier, 86000 Poitiers, France

Abstract: Empirical studies face difficulties verifying the Porter and van der Linde (1995) hypothesis about the drivers of environmental innovations (EIs) and, even more so, the drivers in the firms' environmental trajectories. In this context, we propose a dynamic analysis of these drivers. From original data based on interviews about around 400 EIs realised by companies in the Poitou-Charentes region, we first describe the limited role of regulation as a driver of firms' environmental trajectory and reveal the link between the drivers and the precise nature of the EIs. Finally, we shed light on a dominant environmental trajectory for companies that is blocked by cognitive constraints and in which the supply determinants are the main driver along this trajectory.

Keywords: environmental innovation; trajectory; corporate strategy; drivers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2017.083487

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2017 Vol.20 No.1/2, pp.92 - 110

Received: 01 Jul 2015
Accepted: 21 Mar 2016

Published online: 08 Apr 2017 *

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