Title: Innovation policy and environmental sustainability as strategic tools for reaching higher performances. A regional empirical analysis to find the best practice

Authors: Cecilia Casalegno; Anna Claudia Pellicelli; Michela Pellicelli; Chiara Civera

Addresses: University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica, 218 bis – 10100, Torino, Italy ' University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica, 218 bis – 10100, Torino, Italy ' Faculty of Economics, University of Pavia, Via San Felice, 5 – 27100 Pavia, Italy ' Faculty of Economics, University of Turin, Corso Unione Sovietica, 218 bis – 10100, Torino, Italy

Abstract: Despite the sector or the company's size, the choice of the strategies is worth; it is about a set of different aspects included by firms into their own strategic and operating procedures. The general aim of this study is to analyse how Italian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are tackling the challenges by adopting more responsible and sustainable strategies and tools in order to create social and economic value and to compete successfully. Moreover, the paper is focused on setting up a rulebook for family business SMEs in which are specified suggestions about overcoming the crisis and achieving the success.

Keywords: innovation policy; CSR; corporate social responsibility; entrepreneurship; SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; family firms; family businesses; environmental sustainability; best practice; sustainable development; Italy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2014.057896

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2014 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.170 - 188

Published online: 25 Oct 2014 *

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