Does ICT contribute to bootstrapping SOSI? Evidence in retailing

Purpose

The objective of this work is to respond to the calls for research that, in retail and from the company’s perspective, support the importance of retaining a vision towards sustainability-oriented service innovation (SOSI), delving into the nature of this construct and examining its possible antecedent variables (information and communication technologies or ICT) and its consequent variables (volume and radicalness of innovation).

Design/methodology/approach

To contrast the proposed hypotheses and respond to the main objective of the research, an empirical study was carried out through face-to-face interviews with 200 managers of retail commercial establishments.

Findings

Empirical evidence highlights the important role that SOSI plays in fostering innovative capacity and disrupting innovative practices within the retail sector, particularly from the perspective of store managers, catalysed by the influence of ICT. The findings underline SOSI’s clear contribution to innovation dynamics in retail.

Originality/value

This research analyses SOSI from the perspective of the retail manager within the unique context of the current permacrisis. It contributes to progress in the conceptualisation of SOSI, offering a comprehensive understanding of the construct and its accompanying elements. It provides valuable insights for academics and policy development practitioners navigating the changing landscape of SOSI in the retail sector.