The innovation bait: how environmental knowledge and climate change anxiety influence crowdshipping adoption

Sustainability has remained a consistent concern within the business environment. Even with the development of different technologies, there remains room for growth. Innovation in this area is ever growing, and as businesses propose novel measures, the call is on others to follow suit and try these solutions. It can be difficult to obtain early adopters as the cost of making a mistake can be almost irreversible. Therefore, there is always some caution involved in this regard. Nonetheless, as innovations continue to be made, there is also development within the sustainability field that can help alleviate some of the issues that are still plaguing the market. The supply chain is a recurring agent that contributes to the current state of things; therefore, interventions focused on this area are particularly useful. This is where crowdshipping comes into play. This is the idea of leveraging the sharing mindset with the supply chain, specifically in the delivery of goods, for example using excess space in transport vehicles to deliver goods headed to the same direction. This offers cost savings as there is no need to source additional transportation, thus eliminating some of the pollutants that arise from these delivery methods as well. In essence, it offers a best-of-both-worlds scenario where the transport vehicle makes efficient use of their space and redundancies are minimised. This may seem like an easy fix, but there are still risks involved that could hinder business performance. That is why some businesses may be reluctant to engage in these activities. To further understand how crowdshipping can be encouraged, it is essential to identify what factors can influence its adoption. Aboelmaged et al. (2026) investigated the elements that influence crowdshipping adoption, including environmental knowledge and climate change anxiety.As individuals continue to monitor the trends within the sustainability sphere, it can lead to growing concerns and anxieties. Progress may seem slow, and there may be a pessimistic outlook on the matter. This anxiety can influence individuals and even businesses to make certain decisions. Climate change anxiety refers to the level of concern about climate change. The anxieties may be rational or irrational, and their severity can also differ greatly. Those who are worried about climate change may be more likely to experiment with environmentally focused innovations. Their worry may push them to try a novel way of solving a consistent problem. These are likely individuals who have noticed that the current interventions are not addressing challenges at the pace at which they emerge and evolve. The need to find a solution may encourage them to step outside of box for answers. However, this is not a direct cause-and-effect relationship as there are still certain factors that can further influence these decisions. Whether these individuals or businesses have suitable profit margins to support the potential loss if interventions fail can also have an impact. Organisations that may not survive if they venture into wrong innovations are less likely to take risks than those with a profit buffer. Those who are free to experiment may have more profit streams that can make up for any losses. The type of leadership and strategy chosen can also have an influence. A risk-averse leader will reflect their ideology in the decisions they make. Therefore, even though the initial anxiety may cause people to become interested, whether they follow through is another story.To combat the risk factor, having the right environmental knowledge can ease some of the concerns related to new ventures. This involves not only understanding the solution but also recognizing the severity of the issue and the potential impacts if no changes are made, which is also an important indicator. With crowdshipping, individuals who are aware of the environmental burden associated with separate transportation activities may be more receptive to solutions that address this issue; they may be more open to ideas that resolve this. Those who are unaware of the issues are less likely to recognize the urgency of the situation and therefore be more inclined to maintain familiar practices. Those who are knowledgeable can also appreciate the value of innovations made and support their success even at the risk of becoming early adopters. Knowledge is power and possessing the right knowledge can either propel innovation forward or hinder its progress. It is also about how that knowledge is used. None of these elements work on their own. They rely on other supporting elements before a decision is finally made. Therefore, knowledge is of limited value without the means to implement it in ways that can benefit innovation. This is where many organisations may encounter challenges. They are fully aware of the issues and their impacts but are powerless in one way or another to resolve them.Overall, the outcome depends on how individuals assess the situation and utilize the resources available to them. Innovation is the way forward, and there will always be individuals willing to make the first move to improve things. These individuals are likely to drive the development of innovative solutions and contribute to long-term sustainability.This review is based on the study “Greener minds on the move: do climate anxiety and environmental knowledge drive early adoption of crowdshipping?” by Mohamed Aboelmaged, Gharib Hashem, Ahmad Jamal Bani-Melhem, Khalid Mady, Muhammad Usman and Mohamed Dawood Shamout, published in The International Journal of Logistics Management.