Prof. Dr. David Bendig (l.), Dr. Thomas Schäper (m.l.), Dr. Manfred Strehlow (m.r.), and Prof. Dr. J. Nils Foege (r.) from the University of Münster.

How can companies use digital partnerships to become greener? The study, published in the European Journal of Information Systems (VHB-JOURQUAL3: A), shows that digital alliances – strategic collaborations between firms to share and develop digital technologies – are a powerful driver for green innovations and the creation of a green corporate culture.

• Firms that build more digital alliances develop more green innovations, such as energy-saving technologies, waste reduction systems, or environmentally friendly product designs.
• These innovations do more than reduce environmental impact – they gradually transform how employees think and act, fostering a stronger green culture inside the company.
• Even companies without large IT departments can benefit, as partnerships provide access to digital expertise and tools that would otherwise be out of reach (“Citizen Developer” effect).
• Firms in less digitalized industries profit disproportionately from alliances, while in highly digitalized industries IT complexity can actually limit the benefits.

The study highlights that working with external digital partners helps firms access knowledge and tools that they could not easily develop alone. By combining expertise in fields like artificial intelligence, blockchain, or big data, companies can accelerate ecological innovations and embed sustainability into daily routines. At the same time, successful innovations create tangible benefits such as cost savings, reputation gains, and regulatory compliance, which further reinforce a sustainable corporate mindset.

For managers, the findings underline the importance of looking outside the company for digital expertise when pursuing sustainability. Instead of trying to solve everything internally, forming alliances with digital partners can lower risks, spread costs, and speed up the transition to greener business models. Importantly, companies in less IT-intensive industries have a unique opportunity to achieve particularly strong gains.

The study “Leveraging digital alliances for green innovations: a pathway to becoming green” was written by Prof. Dr. David Bendig, Dr. Thomas Schäper, Dr. Manfred Strehlow, and Prof. Dr. J. Nils Foege from the University of Münster.

Read the full open-access article here.
 

Contact for inquiries:
Prof. Dr. David Bendig
Universität Münster
Institut für Entrepreneurship
Leonardo-Campus 9, 48149 Münster
E-Mail: dbendig@uni-muenster.de