The meaning of eco-innovation: a systematic review and an ecocentric framework for restoration, regeneration, and respect

This study critically examines how eco-innovation is conceptualized and measured in the business and management literature, addressing persistent conceptual and methodological ambiguities that call into question its status as a genuinely distinct paradigm. Drawing on a systematic literature review of 313 peer-reviewed studies indexed in the Web of Science, the analysis evaluates dominant definitions and empirical approaches to assess whether eco-innovation reflects an ecocentric orientation or merely rearticulates earlier human-centered innovation frameworks under a greener label. The findings reveal substantial conceptual overlap between eco-innovation and related constructs such as green, environmental, and sustainable innovation, resulting in blurred conceptual boundaries and limited theoretical distinctiveness. Moreover, eco-innovation is predominantly defined in terms of relative reductions in environmental harm and assessed using firm-centered economic and operational indicators, reinforcing an anthropocentric orientation that prioritizes efficiency, competitiveness, and compliance over ecological integrity. Existing measurement approaches—ranging from surveys and patent data to secondary databases—rarely capture whether innovations contribute meaningfully to ecosystem restoration, regeneration, or respect for nature’s intrinsic value. To address these limitations, this study advances an ecocentric framework for conceptualizing and measuring eco-innovation grounded in strong ecological ethics. The framework is structured around three interrelated dimensions—Restoration, Regeneration, and Respect—and is supported by outcome-oriented ecological and governance-based indicators. By integrating critical conceptual analysis with practical measurement guidance, this research enhances theoretical clarity and empirical rigor and provides scholars, sustainability managers, and policymakers with a robust basis for evaluating innovation based on its ecological consequences rather than solely on its economic returns.