Benchmarking organisational innovativeness types for sustainability: a study of Indian firms

PurposeThe paper aims to explore the attributes and systemic characteristics of organisational innovativeness types in sustainability oriented firms in India. In dynamic business environment amid sustainability challenges, benchmarking organisational innovativeness of sustainability oriented firms may pave a way for many other firms to develop suitable strategies. The paper also presents the role of innovativeness in risk-management.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire-based survey was conducted to gather the responses from 689 managers of 60 firms operating in India and displaying traits of sustainability orientation. Generic organisational innovativeness characteristics of these firms are presented based on result of factor analysis and variances explained by respective factors. Innovativeness characteristics have been discussed in context of sustainability and environmental management.FindingsStudy provides the glimpse of variability in steps taken by firms to remain competitive in current and future markets. The paper also offers a new factor of organisational innovativeness as “risk-innovativeness” and presents its role in disruptive and sustainable innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThe study adds to existing literature by providing a measure of organisational innovativeness types and proposes a definition of “risk-innovativeness” and opens a new avenue for further exploration.Practical implicationsThe study may help organisations operating in emerging economies to benchmark and develop attributes of organisational innovativeness types considering sustainability challenges and uncertain market conditions.Social implicationsThe study may guide other firms to benchmark their current innovativeness standing and may help in developing suitable attributes leading to combat negative impacts of climate change by developing sustainable innovations.Originality/valueThere are no existing studies which offer organisational innovativeness types of sustainability oriented firms, especially in emerging and developing economies context.