Investments in Green Intangibles Among Slovenian Firms
Abstract
This study investigates investments in green intangibles among Slovenian companies, with a particular focus on the role of intangible assets in supporting the green transition and sustainable business transformation. Green intangibles are understood as non-physical strategic resources and capabilities related to sustainability, including organizational practices, green innovation capabilities, employee skills and competencies, digitalization, environmental management systems, research and development, data-driven solutions, and managerial capabilities that enable firms to improve environmental performance and adapt to climate-related challenges. The research aims to examine the prevalence, structure, and determinants of investments in green intangibles across firms of different sizes, sectors, and technological profiles in Slovenia. Particular attention is devoted to understanding how firms combine investments in intangible resources with broader green transition activities, including energy efficiency, cleaner technologies, circular economy practices, sustainable organizational transformation, and digital solutions supporting environmental sustainability. Empirical data was collected through a questionnaire survey conducted among Slovenian companies. The survey gathered information on firms’ investments in different categories of green intangible assets, perceived barriers and drivers of green transformation, organizational readiness, managerial capabilities, financing conditions, and expected impacts on firm performance, competitiveness, innovation, and resilience. The analysis combines descriptive statistics with multivariate econometric approaches to identify the key determinants of green intangible investments and the relationships between intangible capabilities and firms’ green transition outcomes. The study contributes to the literature by extending the concept of intangible capital into the domain of sustainability and green transition. It provides empirical evidence on how intangible assets support environmentally sustainable transformation at firm level and offers insights into the structural and organizational factors shaping green investment behaviour among Slovenian firms.