EmprendimientoSostenible2

Business Strategy and the Environment
Bus. Strat. Env. 20, 222–237 (2011)
Published online 5 July 2010 in Wiley Online Library
(wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/bse.682

Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Sustainability
Innovation: Categories and Interactions
Stefan Schaltegger1 and Marcus Wagner2*
1

2

Leuphana University of Leuneburg – Centre for Sustainability Management, Lueneburg,Germany
University of Wuerzburg – Chair for Entrepreneurship and Corporate Growth, Wuerzburg, Germany
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework to position sustainable entrepreneurship in relation to sustainability innovation. The framework builds on a typology of sustainable entrepreneurship, develops it by including social and institutional entrepreneurship,
i.e. the application ofthe entrepreneurial approach towards meeting societal goals and
towards changing market contexts, and relates it to sustainability innovation. The framework provides a reference for managers to introduce sustainability innovation and to pursue
sustainable entrepreneurship. Methodologically, the paper develops an approach of qualitative measurement of sustainable entrepreneurship and how to assessthe position of a
company in a classification matrix. The degree of environmental or social responsibility
orientation in the company is assessed on the basis of environmental and social goals and
policies, the organization of environmental and social management in the company and
the communication of environmental and social issues. The market impact of the company
is measured on the basis ofmarket share, sales growth and reactions of competitors. The
paper finds conditions under which sustainable entrepreneurship and sustainability innovation emerge spontaneously. The research has implications for theory and practitioners in
that it clarifies which firms are most likely under specific conditions to make moves towards
sustainability innovation. The paper makes a contribution in showing thatextant research
needs to be expanded with regard to motivations for innovation and that earlier models of
sustainable entrepreneurship need to be refined. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
and ERP Environment.

Received 16 September 2009; revised 17 April 2010; accepted 28 April 2010
Keywords: sustainability; innovation; institutional; sustainable; social

Introduction

C

OMPANIES ARECONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE MAIN PLAYERS CREATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS

and thus to be the source of a lack of sustainability in society. From this perception government and
non-government organizations have to create and control a tight regulatory framework for business. As
a consequence, management is challenged to comply with regulations and requirements and to keep the

* Correspondenceto: Marcus Wagner, University of Wuerzburg – Chair for Entrepreneurship and Corporate Growth, Stephanstrasse 1, 97070
Wuerzburg, Germany. E-mail: marcus.wagner@uni-wuerzburg.de; Stefan Schaltegger, Leuphana University of Lueneburg – Centre for Sustainability Management, Scharnhorststr. 1, 21335 Lueneburg, Germany. E-mail: schaltegger@leuphana.de
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERPEnvironment

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unwanted, negative impacts under control. However, while this view tends to overestimate the possibilities of
political programmes, legal regulations and NGOs, it underestimates and distorts the role of companies in society.
For many years and with increasing visibility the managements ofleading companies have been core drivers of
sustainable development. With their innovations sustainable entrepreneurs and sustainability managers are
shaping markets and society substantially. Probably, cars, computers and the internet have changed the world
more fundamentally than most political programs. To be innovative means to provide organizational and technical
improvements that can be sold...