Green Innovation Practices and Organizational Performance

Abstract

Green innovation has emerged as a critical pathway for firms seeking to reconcile environmental responsibility with competitive performance. While a growing body of research examines the relationship between green innovation and organizational outcomes, the literature remains fragmented, particularly with respect to emerging economies. This paper critically reviews the conceptual foundations, theoretical perspectives, and empirical evidence on green innovation practices and organizational performance. It synthesizes research across developed and developing contexts, with particular attention to the limited but expanding body of work from Nigeria and Africa. The review identifies four key dimensions of green innovation practices: green management practices, green process adherence, green product offering, and green marketing adoption; and evaluates their individual and joint effects on performance. Major gaps are highlighted in theoretical integration, contextual coverage, methodological approaches, and the operationalization of green innovation constructs. The paper concludes by proposing an integrated conceptual framework and a research agenda to guide future empirical investigations, especially in emerging market settings where institutional pressures and resource constraints shape the green innovation performance relationship differently from developed economies.