Resumo

Firms need to be aware of environmental issues when developing their strategy. Many of them have changed their strategy from reactive to proactive. Thus, a theory highlighting a proactive environmental strategy has been developed. Considered a type of Dynamic Capability, this theory is relatively new, and the results related to Proactive Environmental Strategy (PES) and its outcomes are still inconsistent. Regarding that R&D plays a crucial role in eco-innovations, studies on PES as DC have yet to consider the complementarity between PES and R&D in their construct.

To fill in the gaps pointed out by the literature, related to the Proactivie Environmental Strategy (PES) and the possible complementarity of internal R&D, this study aims to deepen the knowledge about the benefits of PES from a DC theory. To better comprehend the phenomenon, we investigate the PES outcomes adding the R&D as a condition for better results of PES; moreover, beyond environmental results, we deepened our analysis introducing business performance in the model.

Proactive Environmental Strategy (PES) is based on the principle that firms develop environmental strategies not only to comply with regulations or to respond to external pressures (Garcés-Ayerbe & Cañón-de-Francia, 2017) but they act anticipating regulations and detecting environmental issues as opportunities (Aragón-Correa & Sharma, 2003). Defined as a Dynamic Capability (Aragón-Correa & Sharma, 2003) it is a relevant strategy for those firms that operate in contexts permeated by constant changes, it is positively related to innovation capability.

Quantitative Research. Database: Community Innovatio Survey (cis) Only innovative firms were considered. The sample consisted of 4,346 observations from 9 European countries. Method of analysis: bayesian network Variables of this study are related to proactive environmental strategy, business performance, internal R&D, product, process, market and organizational innovation, benefits from eco-innovation, and firm size.

The main benefits for environmentally proactive firms are material, energy, and pollution reduction, as well as recycling. We found evidence that when firms are environmentally proactive and invest in internal R&D, they provide benefits for end users. Another result is related to competitive advantage in costs by reducing materials, and energy consumption. Our findings did not evidence the relationship between PES and business performance. The benefits of PES are more evinced for firms, independent of the size. Considering end user, the benefit is basically for large firms with internal R&D.

We indicate further qualitative studies aiming to deepen the knowledge about the effect of proactive environmental strategies in periods of turbulence, for example: if firms environmentally proactive have a better performance during this periods. We also suggest research that investigates the micro-foundations of PES as DC, mainly in times of high levels of uncertainty, and to understand how these capabilities could be complemented by other organizational capabilities.

Aragón-Correa, J. A., & Sharma, S. (2003). A contingent resource-based view of proactive corporate environmental strategy. Academy of management review, 28(1), 71-88. Garcés-Ayerbe, C., & Cañón-de-Francia, J. (2017). The relevance of complementarities in the study of the economic consequences of environmental proactivity: analysis of the moderating effect of innovation efforts. Ecological Economics, 142, 21-30.