Innovations in Engineering, Technology, and Applied Sciences for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This study used systematic quantitative research design for the study of sustainable development through the innovations of engineering, technology and applied sciences. Technological innovation, engineering innovation, resource efficiency, clean technologies and sustainable production were the predictor variables, while the SDO was environmental and social sustainability. Data were gathered by a structured questionnaire administered to 175 professionals in engineering companies, technology institutions, research and applied-science fields sampled using a purposive sampling strategy that aimed at targeting respondents with professional or technical experience in sustainable innovation. The items of measurement were adapted from the validated research instruments and evaluated based on five-point Likert scale. The reliability of the instrument was determined by Cronbach's alpha and construct validity was examined by exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were employed to identify the relationship between innovation practices and outcomes of sustainable development. The six factors emerged from exploratory factor analysis with a clean, and all constructs showed a satisfactory degree of reliability. The results of the Pearson correlation revealed significant positive correlations between all five factors related to innovation and environmental and social sustainability. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the five predictors accounted for a significant amount of variance in the sustainable development outcomes, with clean technologies and resource efficiency as the top individual predictors; sustainable production, technological innovation, and engineering innovation followed. The findings suggest that engineering and technological innovation practices play an important role in sustainable development and emphasize the special role of clean technology introduction and resource efficiency within the organizational sustainability strategies.