IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v32y2023i7p4907-4923.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Green intellectual capital and green business strategy: The role of green absorptive capacity

Author

Listed:
  • Saira Begum
  • Muhammad Ashfaq
  • Kaveh Asiaei
  • Khuram Shahzad

Abstract

This study builds on the natural resource‐based view to propose a mediation moderation framework by exploring the influence of green intellectual capital (GIC) on green business strategy through the mediating and moderating impact of green absorptive capacity (GAC) and corporate environmental ethics (CEE), respectively. The data were collected from 268 participants from large manufacturing industries in Pakistan to test the suggested model and analyzed using structural equation modeling (variance‐based). The findings show that GIC positively influences GAC and green business strategy in organizations. The results further indicate that the relationship between GIC and green business strategy is mediated and moderated by GAC and CEE. Moreover, a multi‐group analysis (MGA) shows no statistically significant differences across the industry groups. These results reveal the theoretical underpinning for environmental business strategy and provide a deep understanding of knowledge‐based resources and environmental regulations as important antecedents of green business strategy in manufacturing firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Saira Begum & Muhammad Ashfaq & Kaveh Asiaei & Khuram Shahzad, 2023. "Green intellectual capital and green business strategy: The role of green absorptive capacity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4907-4923, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:7:p:4907-4923
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3399
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3399
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3399?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pernilla Gluch & Mathias Gustafsson & Liane Thuvander, 2009. "An absorptive capacity model for green innovation and performance in the construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 451-464.
    2. Wahab, Hamza Kaka Abdul & Tao, Meng & Tandon, Anushree & Ashfaq, Muhammad & Dhir, Amandeep, 2022. "Social media celebrities and new world order. What drives purchasing behavior among social media followers?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Yu-Shan Chen, 2008. "The Positive Effect of Green Intellectual Capital on Competitive Advantages of Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 77(3), pages 271-286, February.
    4. Singh, Sanjay Kumar & Chen, Jin & Del Giudice, Manlio & El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser, 2019. "Environmental ethics, environmental performance, and competitive advantage: Role of environmental training," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 203-211.
    5. Leonidas C. Leonidou & Paul Christodoulides & Lida P. Kyrgidou & Dayananda Palihawadana, 2017. "Erratum to: Internal Drivers and Performance Consequences of Small Firm Green Business Strategy: The Moderating Role of External Forces," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 607-607, February.
    6. Yu-Shan Chen & Ching-Hsun Chang, 2013. "Utilize structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the influence of corporate environmental ethics: the mediation effect of green human capital," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 79-95, January.
    7. Erik Andreas Saether & Ann Elida Eide & Øyvind Bjørgum, 2021. "Sustainability among Norwegian maritime firms: Green strategy and innovation as mediators of long‐term orientation and emission reduction," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2382-2395, July.
    8. Dawit Bahta & Jiang Yun & Md Rashidul Islam & Muhammad Ashfaq, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility, innovation capability and firm performance: evidence from SME," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(6), pages 840-860, July.
    9. Kaveh Asiaei & Nick Bontis & Raziye Alizadeh & Mehdi Yaghoubi, 2022. "Green intellectual capital and environmental management accounting: Natural resource orchestration in favor of environmental performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 76-93, January.
    10. Theresa M. Welbourne & Manuela Pardo-del-Val, 2009. "Relational Capital: Strategic Advantage for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (SMEs) Through Negotiation and Collaboration," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 483-497, September.
    11. Banerjee, Subhabrata Bobby, 2002. "Corporate environmentalism: the construct and its measurement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(3), pages 177-191, March.
    12. Kaveh Asiaei & Ruzita Jusoh & Omid Barani & Arash Asiaei, 2022. "How does green intellectual capital boost performance? The mediating role of environmental performance measurement systems," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1587-1606, May.
    13. Abdul Raheman & Talat Afza & Abdul Qayyum & Mahmood Ahmed Bodla, 2008. "Estimating Total Factor Productivity and Its Components: Evidence from Major Manufacturing Industries of Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 47(4), pages 677-694.
    14. Niamh Brennan & Brenda Connell, 2000. "Intellectual capital : current issues and policy implications," Open Access publications 10197/2916, Research Repository, University College Dublin.
    15. Subhabrata Bobby Banerjee, 2001. "Managerial perceptions of corporate environmentalism: interpretations from industry and strategic implications for organizations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 489-513, June.
    16. Yu-Shan Chen & Yu-Hsien Lin & Ching-Ying Lin & Chih-Wei Chang, 2015. "Enhancing Green Absorptive Capacity, Green Dynamic Capacities and Green Service Innovation to Improve Firm Performance: An Analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-19, November.
    17. Fraj, Elena & Matute, Jorge & Melero, Iguácel, 2015. "Environmental strategies and organizational competitiveness in the hotel industry: The role of learning and innovation as determinants of environmental success," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 30-42.
    18. Larissa Marchiori Pacheco & Marlon Fernandes Rodrigues Alves & Lara Bartocci Liboni, 2018. "Green absorptive capacity: A mediation‐moderation model of knowledge for innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1502-1513, December.
    19. Xiaoyu Qu & Adnan Khan & Salman Yahya & Abaid Ullah Zafar & Mohsin Shahzad, 2022. "Green core competencies to prompt green absorptive capacity and bolster green innovation: the moderating role of organization’s green culture," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 65(3), pages 536-561, January.
    20. Leonidas C. Leonidou & Paul Christodoulides & Lida P. Kyrgidou & Daydanda Palihawadana, 2017. "Internal Drivers and Performance Consequences of Small Firm Green Business Strategy: The Moderating Role of External Forces," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 585-606, February.
    21. Sultana, Nasrin & Turkina, Ekaterina, 2020. "Foreign direct investment, technological advancement, and absorptive capacity: A network analysis," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    22. Jianming Zhang & Gongqian Liang & Taiwen Feng & Chunlin Yuan & Wenbo Jiang, 2020. "Green innovation to respond to environmental regulation: How external knowledge adoption and green absorptive capacity matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 39-53, January.
    23. Xinran Wang & Michael Young, 2014. "Does Collectivism Affect Environmental Ethics? A Multi-level Study of Top Management Teams from Chemical Firms in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(3), pages 387-394, July.
    24. Ching-Hsun Chang, 2011. "The Influence of Corporate Environmental Ethics on Competitive Advantage: The Mediation Role of Green Innovation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 361-370, December.
    25. Chao Hung Wang & Wei‐Jr Juo, 2021. "An environmental policy of green intellectual capital: Green innovation strategy for performance sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3241-3254, November.
    26. Usama Awan & Marlen Gabriele Arnold & Ismail Gölgeci, 2021. "Enhancing green product and process innovation: Towards an integrative framework of knowledge acquisition and environmental investment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1283-1295, February.
    27. Chipo Mukonza & Ilze Swarts, 2020. "The influence of green marketing strategies on business performance and corporate image in the retail sector," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 838-845, March.
    28. Michael Lenox & Andrew King, 2004. "Prospects for developing absorptive capacity through internal information provision," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 331-345, April.
    29. Chengli Shu & Kevin Z. Zhou & Yazhen Xiao & Shanxing Gao, 2016. "How Green Management Influences Product Innovation in China: The Role of Institutional Benefits," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 471-485, February.
    30. Moxi Song & Morgan X. Yang & Kevin J. Zeng & Wenting Feng, 2020. "Green Knowledge Sharing, Stakeholder Pressure, Absorptive Capacity, and Green Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1517-1531, March.
    31. Won-Moo Hur & Tae-Won Moon & Sung-Hoon Ko, 2018. "How Employees’ Perceptions of CSR Increase Employee Creativity: Mediating Mechanisms of Compassion at Work and Intrinsic Motivation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 629-644, December.
    32. Surajit Bag, 2016. "Green strategy, supplier relationship building and supply chain performance: total interpretive structural modelling approach," International Journal of Procurement Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(4), pages 398-426.
    33. Syed Ahsan Ali Shah & Gordhan Das Valasai & Asif Ali Memon & Abdul Nasir Laghari & Nabi Bux Jalbani & Jody L. Strait, 2018. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Solar PV Electricity Supply to Rural Areas of Balochistan, Pakistan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-19, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mohsin, Muhammad & Jamaani, Fouad, 2023. "Unfolding impact of natural resources, economic growth, and energy nexus on the sustainable environment: Guidelines for green finance goals in 10 Asian countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    2. Sheikh Farhan Ashraf & Cai Li & Muhammad Umair Wattoo & Majid Murad & Babak Mahmood, 2024. "Green horizons: Unleashing green innovation through green business strategies and competencies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4233-4251, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Colin B. Gabler & Omar S. Itani & Raj Agnihotri, 2023. "Activating Corporate Environmental Ethics on the Frontline: A Natural Resource-Based View," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(1), pages 63-86, August.
    2. Tulin Dzhengiz & Eva Niesten, 2020. "Competences for Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Review on the Impact of Absorptive Capacity and Capabilities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 881-906, April.
    3. Lu Chen & Ming Yuan & Han Lin & Yilong Han & Youyou Yu & Caihui Sun, 2023. "Organizational improvisation and corporate green innovation: A dynamic capability perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5686-5701, December.
    4. Ali Saleh Alshebami, 2023. "Green Innovation, Self-Efficacy, Entrepreneurial Orientation and Economic Performance: Interactions among Saudi Small Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Chotia, Varun & Cheng, Yue & Agarwal, Reeti & Vishnoi, Sushant Kumar, 2024. "AI-enabled Green Business Strategy: Path to carbon neutrality via environmental performance and green process innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    6. Wei Zhang & Xiuli Zhong & Xue Li, 2024. "The impact of degree of internationalization of MNEs on green innovation performance: The moderating role of absorptive capacity and global dynamic management capability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 659-675, January.
    7. Thac Dang‐Van & Tan Vo‐Thanh & Jianming Wang & Ninh Nguyen, 2023. "Luxury hotels' green practices and consumer brand identification: The roles of perceived green service innovation and perceived values," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4568-4583, November.
    8. Sheikh Farhan Ashraf & Cai Li & Muhammad Umair Wattoo & Majid Murad & Babak Mahmood, 2024. "Green horizons: Unleashing green innovation through green business strategies and competencies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4233-4251, July.
    9. Yang, Yang & Jiang, Yan, 2023. "Does suppliers’ slack influence the relationship between buyers’ environmental orientation and green innovation?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    10. Zeeshan Ullah & Ahmad Arslan & Vesa Puhakka, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility strategy, sustainable product attributes, and export performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1840-1853, November.
    11. Na Wang & Jinshan Zhang & Xiue Zhang & Wei Wang, 2022. "How to Improve Green Innovation Performance: A Conditional Process Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-18, March.
    12. Na Wang & Shan Jin Zhang & Wei Wang, 2022. "Impact of Environmental Innovation Strategy on Green Competitiveness: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-17, May.
    13. Arnaldo Coelho & Jorge Ferreira & Catarina Proença, 2024. "The impact of green entrepreneurial orientation on sustainability performance through the effects of green product and process innovation: The moderating role of ambidexterity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3184-3202, May.
    14. Zhou, Min & Govindan, Kannan & Xie, Xiongbiao & Yan, Liang, 2021. "How to drive green innovation in China's mining enterprises? Under the perspective of environmental legitimacy and green absorptive capacity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    15. Mohammad Wasiq & Mustafa Kamal & Nazim Ali, 2023. "Factors Influencing Green Innovation Adoption and Its Impact on the Sustainability Performance of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, January.
    16. Luca Marrucci & Fabio Iannone & Tiberio Daddi & Fabio Iraldo, 2022. "Antecedents of absorptive capacity in the development of circular economy business models of small and medium enterprises," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 532-544, January.
    17. Wenjie Li & Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Idrees Waris & Tianyang Hu, 2023. "The Nexus between Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Intellectual Capital and Green Innovation towards Business Sustainability: An Empirical Analysis of Chinese Automobile Manufactur," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-20, January.
    18. Jianming Zhang & Gongqian Liang & Taiwen Feng & Chunlin Yuan & Wenbo Jiang, 2020. "Green innovation to respond to environmental regulation: How external knowledge adoption and green absorptive capacity matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 39-53, January.
    19. Papadas, Karolos-Konstantinos & Avlonitis, George J. & Carrigan, Marylyn & Piha, Lamprini, 2019. "The interplay of strategic and internal green marketing orientation on competitive advantage," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 632-643.
    20. Lin, Han & Chen, Lu & Yu, Mingchuan & Li, Chao & Lampel, Joseph & Jiang, Wan, 2021. "Too little or too much of good things? The horizontal S-curve hypothesis of green business strategy on firm performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:7:p:4907-4923. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.