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One increasingly important driver for innovation is sustainability, a concept which aims to integrate ecological and social dimensions into conventional management. Whereas prior research on sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI) has often dealt with innovation processes in large companies, the last decade has also generated broad knowledge on SOI in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The paper aggregates this scattered knowledge through a systematic literature review. Through consulting research databases we have identified and analyzed 82 key journal articles. The subsequent thematic analysis focuses on SOI practices with regard to product and process innovations, on the one hand. On the other, we highlight the role of different parties that may facilitate or are involved in innovation processes in the context of SOI in SMEs. One increasingly important driver for innovation is sustainability, a concept which aims to integrate ecological and social dimensions into conventional management. Whereas prior research on sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI) has often dealt with innovation processes in large companies, the last decade has also generated broad knowledge on SOI in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The paper aggregates this scattered knowledge through a systematic literature review. Through consulting research databases we have identified and analyzed 82 key journal articles. The subsequent thematic analysis focuses on SOI practices with regard to product and process innovations, on the one hand. On the other, we highlight the role of different parties that may facilitate or are involved in innovation processes in the context of SOI in SMEs.

This is a report from an on-going research project within design research. The project involves a collaborative partner from the textile industry working with fabrics for upholstery. The author - herself a textile designer, is affiliated with the design unit in the company and the project has a very strong relation to design practice. Focusing on so-called emotional values the project investigates how stakeholders and end-users can actively contribute to the design process. Even though that the collaborating company has an in-house design unit responsible for certain emotional as well as functional aspects in the development process it is a highly technical and functional trade. It is therefore assumed that there is a ‘sleeping' potential which can be released investigating emotional values.