JSR

Over the past decades, environmental issues have become a central global policy and economic development axis. In response, strategies grounded in innovation and technological change have been promoted to address these challenges while striving to preserve social well-being. However, effectively integrating these dimensions constitutes a complex challenge that requires, as a starting point, a deep theoretical understanding of how these concepts can facilitate the transition toward sustainable societies. This article presents a literature review of the theoretical foundations of the concepts of innovation, eco-innovation, and eco-design, using search engines across various scientific publishers, such as Elsevier, to address the following research questions: How is innovation defined and conceptualized from a theoretical perspective? How is eco-innovation conceptualized in academic literature? What are the main definitions of eco-design present in academic literature? Can eco-innovation be considered a case study of innovation? Through this review, the relationships between these notions are identified, the role of design in innovation processes is examined, and the concept of technology as a fundamental element of innovation is introduced. The findings of this study may help researchers, particularly those new to the field, navigate a broad and sometimes fragmented research landscape on eco-design and eco-innovation. Ultimately, the article contributes to academic literature by expanding the discussion beyond the application of these concepts in specific areas.

theoretical concepts; innovation; eco-innovation; eco-design; technology; society; environment