Eco-innovation is an important factor not only for the competitiveness of companies in the face of the greening of markets but also as one of the primary means on the road to sustainable development. However, there is a remarkable conceptual diversity in the subject given the theoretical perspective from which eco-innovation is analyzed. Therefore, this research aims to establish an integrating concept of eco-innovation, based on elements of acceptance in the scientific literature, for its application in SMEs. To this end, 40 articles from recognized scientific databases such as ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) were reviewed, resulting in a concept that covers the economic approach, definition, dimensions and drivers of eco-innovation. It was found that the implementation of eco-innovation is dependent on the degree of formalization in each element according to the institutional context in question.

Promoting good business practices as a competitiveness strategy reveals continuous improvement tools to add value in the social economy. The contribution of the sector, the environment of commerce and the governmental levels, are established as key components for the sustainability of organizations in the market. The present work was oriented to analyze the incidence of Corporate Social Responsibility as an axis of strengthening the competitiveness of micro-enterprises. A mixed methodology was designed supported by a case study that applied semi-structured surveys to 136 businesses located in one of the oldest and most representative shopping centers in the city of Popayán, Cauca, Colombia called: Anarkos Plaza; a focus group was also applied to members of the municipal administration. The findings contribute to business management where the importance of state accompaniment is specified and opens the way for future research with the possibility of replication to organizations interested in strengthening this topic. It is concluded that there is a positive impact when entrepreneurs can improve the business capacity to assume the demands of interest groups.

La investigación presenta una reflexión sobre los desafíos de las MiPYMES colombianas durante la pandemia del Covid-19. Para el análisis se adoptó el enfoque de Responsabilidad Social Empresarial como una cuestión de negocio, bussiness case, y la racionalidad estratégica implícita. De tipo cualitativo, descriptivo, se empleó en el estudio una metodología basada en la revisión bibliográfica con el uso de categorías teóricas a las cuales se adaptó el análisis empírico inductivo. Los resultados mostraron prácticas innovadoras avanzadas en parte de las MiPYMES colombianas que se correlacionan con buenos resultados en el desempeño para la satisfacción de los stakeholders.

Las organizaciones en mercados emergentes están adoptando la innovación social para enfrentar crisis económicas, abordar retos sociales y ambientales, generando así valor compartido. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar los elementos de gestión empresarial comunitaria que pueden contribuir a la sostenibilidad de experiencias de innovación social. Este estudio tuvo un enfoque cualitativo y una metodología de acción participación, aplicando los principios del estudio de caso, específicamente dos asociaciones cafeteras adscritas a la Federación Campesina del Cauca. Los hallazgos ayudan a comprender cómo los diferentes componentes del modelo de negocio pueden ajustarse para mantener su propósito organizacional y garantizar su permanencia en el tiempo; por tanto, abre la puerta a futuras investigaciones orientadas a medir el impacto de estos elementos. Se concluye que la sostenibilidad de las experiencias de innovación social son mecanismos transformadores que impacta positivamente en las dinámicas internas de las organizaciones, así como en el territorio.