Study of eco-innovation dynamics: the case of Grundfos A /S Denmark

Further theoretical development and empirical study are in need on eco-innovation dynamics research. This paper discloses how firms integrate environmental problems into its innovation strategies and practices by a case study of a large pump manufacturer in Denmark-Grundfos A/S. It is found that, eco-innovation is a dynamic learning process that firms identify the changing environmental problems and then adjusting its perceptions as well as targets and green solutions toward these environmental problems. In terms of organizational learning path and mode, there are not distinguished differences between eco-innovation and general innovation. The slight difference is that external stakeholders are more important at the stage of knowledge diffusion (commercialization) in eco-innovation. Besides, eco-innovation underlines the importance of higher environmental awareness and the employment of product life cycle assessment perspective. China, as a latecomer, thinking of how to make the civil society groups such as NGOs important supporters of green business is crucial for the winning out in the global green growth competition today