Collaborating Beyond Borders: The Role of Social Ties in International Eco-Innovation Partnerships

Abstract

We examine the impact of international social ties on international eco-innovation partnerships. Promoting eco-innovation partnerships or collaboration is crucial for environmental sustainability, which has been a global, pressing concern in the last decade due to the detrimental effects of global warming, climate change, and greenhouse gas emissions. This type of collaboration can be facilitated and enhanced by international knowledge spillovers through interpersonal networks. While previous studies explore the role of inter-organizational collaborative networks on different innovation outcomes at a regional level, there is a research gap regarding the impact of social ties across countries on international collaboration, especially within the context of eco-innovation partnerships. Our findings suggest that more socially connected countries are more likely to partner in eco-innovation activities. Our study advances our understanding of the role of social ties in facilitating collaborative eco-innovation efforts and expands the knowledge on cross-regional interpersonal networks and their implications for socio-economic outcomes.