An open-minded strategy towards eco-innovation: A key to sustainable growth in a global enterprise

This study examines the extent to which business performance in global enterprises can be influenced by three key factors in the current dynamic, socio-economic context. These are: (1) an open organisational culture derived from an open-mindedness attitude, (2) an organisation's investments in innovation in environmentally friendly and health-conscious products and services, and (3) customers' perception of risk of information security and privacy concerns derived from their engagement with the organisation and its products and services. Taking Apple as the basis for our study, an empirical investigation of 161 of its customers from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, our results indicate that a culture of open mindedness relates, indirectly and though environmental product innovation, to the way the firm addresses the privacy concerns of end users. This, in turn, helps addressing the privacy concerns of the customer base and, simultaneously improves firms' performance, offering a mix-blended source of strategic advantage. Based on a leading innovation company in the U.S. and globally, and one of the most important names in the technology industry, lessons can be learned from our study both for further theoretical developments and for management practice in a variety of knowledge-intensive, global enterprises.