showing 8 related works from this author
How different policy instruments affect green product innovation : A differentiated perspective
2018
Based on representative firm-level data for the three countries Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we investigate the effects of energy-related regulations, taxes, voluntary agreements, and subsidies on the creation of green energy products, and analyze through which channels policy affects green product innovation and which factors mediate the observed effects. Policy may affect green product innovation by directly stimulating the supply of green products/services, or more indirectly by stimulating the demand for green products/services. Our data set allows us to distinguish between the two channels, which improves our understanding of the frequently observed positive net effect of policie…
Technological and organizational capital : Where complementarities exist
2018
This study analyzes the complementarities between technological and organizational capital within enterprises. Different components of technological and organizational capital exert distinct—and often opposed—forces on each other. Our empirical results show that greater employee voice promotes firm productivity when combined with information technology, but harms firm productivity when combined with communication technology. On the other hand, flexible work design is positively associated with communication technology and negatively associated with information technology. peerReviewed
How do policies for efficient energy use in the household sector induce energy-efficiency innovation? : An evaluation of European countries
2017
Abstract Research on innovation induced by climate-mitigation policy has been focused predominantly on the supply side of the energy system. Despite considerable climate-mitigation potential on the demand side, less attention is given to the innovation effect of policies addressing the household sector. Based on a comprehensive data set, including 550 policy measures over 30 years (1980–2009) and covering 21 European countries, we find—based on econometric estimations—that policies targeting efficient energy use in the household sector significantly increase the number of patented energy-efficiency inventions. A comparison of the different policy types reveals a particularly strong influenc…
The adoption of green energy technologies: The role of policies in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland
2017
We contribute to the existing research about policy-induced technology adoption in several ways. First, we suggest a new survey design to measure the energy-related policy environment. Second, we simultaneously estimate the policy effects for the adoption propensity and the adoption intensity simultaneously and, third, we compare the policy effects in the three countries, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Based on a representative sample of firms for all three countries we find that policies essentially promote the adoption of technologies and they are practically ineffective for the intensity, which poses a great challenge to future policy designs. Voluntary agreements or demand-related f…
Competitive Pressure and Diversification into Green R&D
2019
Based on representative firm-level survey data for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we investigate the relationship between quick obsolescence of products, unpredictable technological development, and easy substitution of products and the probability to diversify into green R&D. We find that product obsolescence and technological uncertainty are positively related with green R&D diversification. These types of competition are usually positively related with low barriers to market entry. Hence, policies that support open markets should stimulate diversification into green R&D. peerReviewed
What hampers green product innovation: the effect of experience
2019
Based on representative firm-level survey data for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, this study systematically analyzes the relevance and drivers of barriers to green product innovation using the example of green energy technologies. “Low willingness to pay”, “high development costs”, “high commercial uncertainty”, and “lack of favorable political framework” are identified as the most important barriers. Moreover, we find that the firms’ innovation experience is an important driver of the level of green innovation barriers. Green innovation barriers are more accentuated for firms with green innovation activity than for firms with no green innovation activity. However, experience from diffe…
Which firms benefit from investments in green energy technologies? : The effect of energy costs
2019
Firms will invest in green energy technologies only if these investments have an economic payoff. Based on unique firm-level data from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we find that the marginal effect of investments in green energy technologies on productivity is positive only for the 19% of firms with the highest energy costs. These results have major implications for companies and policy makers regarding the design of green energy policies and incentives. peerReviewed
Which firms benefit from investments in green energy technologies? : The effect of energy costs
2019
Abstract Firms will invest in green energy technologies only if these investments have an economic pay-off. Based on unique firm-level data from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, we find that the marginal effect of investments in green energy technologies on productivity is positive only for the 19% of firms with the highest energy costs. These results have major implications for companies and policy makers regarding the design of green energy policies and incentives.