IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i2p517-d1564527.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of Green Innovation Appropriability and Firm Performance: Evidence from the Chinese Manufacturing Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Qihang Zhang

    (School of Intellectual Property, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China)

  • Jie Jiang

    (Executive Business Centre, University of Greenwich, London SE10 9LS, UK)

Abstract

The growing concern over environmental degradation has pushed firms towards green innovation—technological progress that reduces environmental impact, especially in the manufacturing regime. In this context, appropriability, or the ability of firms to protect and profit from their innovations, particularly green technological innovation, becomes crucial. This paper investigates the role of appropriability in the relationship between green innovation and a firm’s performance and the circumstances in which that effect will be strengthened or lessened. To conduct this study, we examined 618 Chinese manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2021 and found that stronger green innovation appropriability (GIA) leads to better firm performance. Furthermore, that positive effect is superior in discrete technology regimes than in cumulative technology regimes; nonetheless, increasing the shareholding of national institutional investors can intensify GIA’s force. This study contributes to the literature on green innovation management and provides practical insight for Chinese manufacturing firms aiming to pursue sustainable production processes as well as improve their economic performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Qihang Zhang & Jie Jiang, 2025. "The Role of Green Innovation Appropriability and Firm Performance: Evidence from the Chinese Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-25, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:517-:d:1564527
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/517/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/517/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guang Liu & Hong Yi & Chih-Ping Yu, 2023. "Shareholding Network of Institutional Investors and the Information Efficiency of Capital Market: Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.
    2. Luka Ursić & Godfrey Baldacchino & Željana Bašić & Ana Belén Sainz & Ivan Buljan & Miriam Hampel & Ivana Kružić & Mia Majić & Ana Marušić & Franck Thetiot & Ružica Tokalić & Leandra Vranješ Markić, 2022. "Factors Influencing Interdisciplinary Research and Industry-Academia Collaborations at Six European Universities: A Qualitative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-24, July.
    3. Lv, Chengchao & Shao, Changhua & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2021. "Green technology innovation and financial development: Do environmental regulation and innovation output matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. Bronwyn H. Hall & Vania Sena, 2017. "Appropriability mechanisms, innovation, and productivity: evidence from the UK," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1-2), pages 42-62, February.
    5. Ching-Hsun Chang, 2020. "Green Open Innovation Activities and Green Co-Innovation Performance in Taiwan’s Manufacturing Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-15, September.
    6. Paul Lanoie, 2008. "When And Why Does It Pay To Be Green?," CIRANO Papers 2008n-02a, CIRANO.
    7. Andrey Abadzhiev & Alexandre Sukhov & Antti Sihvonen & Mikael Johnson, 2022. "Managing the complexity of green innovation," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(6), pages 850-866, July.
    8. Ray, Subhash C & Desli, Evangelia, 1997. "Productivity Growth, Technical Progress, and Efficiency Change in Industrialized Countries: Comment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(5), pages 1033-1039, December.
    9. Jincheng Li & Qian Wang, 2024. "Effect of Financial Support on the Green Technology Innovation of China’s Equipment-Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-26, September.
    10. Perkmann, Markus & Tartari, Valentina & McKelvey, Maureen & Autio, Erkko & Broström, Anders & D’Este, Pablo & Fini, Riccardo & Geuna, Aldo & Grimaldi, Rosa & Hughes, Alan & Krabel, Stefan & Kitson, Mi, 2013. "Academic engagement and commercialisation: A review of the literature on university–industry relations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 423-442.
    11. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Jeffrey A. Martin, 2000. "Dynamic capabilities: what are they?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 1105-1121, October.
    12. Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2016. "Green Product Innovation: Where we are and Where we are Going," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8), pages 560-576, December.
    13. Wagner, Marcus, 2007. "On the relationship between environmental management, environmental innovation and patenting: Evidence from German manufacturing firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1587-1602, December.
    14. Yu‐Shan Chen & Shu‐Hsien Lin & Chun‐Yu Lin & Shu‐Tzu Hung & Chih‐Wei Chang & Ching‐Wen Huang, 2020. "Improving green product development performance from green vision and organizational culture perspectives," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 222-231, January.
    15. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    16. Fare, Rolf & Grosskopf, Shawna, 1992. "Malmquist Productivity Indexes and Fisher Ideal Indexes," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(410), pages 158-160, January.
    17. Sunali Bindra & Rohit Bhardwaj & Sanjay Dhir, 2023. "Integrating knowledge management and dynamic capabilities through TISM modeling and meta-analysis," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(4), pages 534-556, February.
    18. Xie, Xuemei & Huo, Jiage & Zou, Hailiang, 2019. "Green process innovation, green product innovation, and corporate financial performance: A content analysis method," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 697-706.
    19. Stefan, Ioana & Bengtsson, Lars, 2017. "Unravelling appropriability mechanisms and openness depth effects on firm performance across stages in the innovation process," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 252-260.
    20. Teece, David J., 2006. "Reflections on "Profiting from Innovation"," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1131-1146, October.
    21. W. Cooper & L. Seiford & K. Tone & J. Zhu, 2007. "Some models and measures for evaluating performances with DEA: past accomplishments and future prospects," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 151-163, December.
    22. David B Audretsch & Maksim Belitski, 2022. "The knowledge spillover of innovation [Resource and output trends in the United States since 1870]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(6), pages 1329-1357.
    23. El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser & Singh, Sanjay Kumar, 2019. "Green innovation and organizational performance: The influence of big data and the moderating role of management commitment and HR practices," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 483-498.
    24. Richard C. Levin & Alvin K. Klevorick & Richard R. Nelson & Sidney G. Winter, 1987. "Appropriating the Returns from Industrial Research and Development," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 18(3, Specia), pages 783-832.
    25. Sidney G. Winter, 2003. "Understanding dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 991-995, October.
    26. Stephen Oduro & Alessandro De Nisco, 2023. "From Industry 4.0 adoption to innovation ambidexterity to firm performance: a MASEM analysis," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(8), pages 3060-3082, June.
    27. Jiahui Xu & Chee-Pung Ng & Toong Hai Sam & Asokan Vasudevan & Poh Kiong Tee & Alex Hou Hong Ng & Wong Chee Hoo, 2023. "Fiscal and Tax Policies, Access to External Financing and Green Innovation Efficiency: An Evaluation of Chinese Listed Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    28. Dugoua, Eugenie & Dumas, Marion, 2021. "Green product innovation in industrial networks: a theoretical model," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108570, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    29. Dugoua, Eugenie & Dumas, Marion, 2021. "Green product innovation in industrial networks: A theoretical model," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    30. Anastasia Semenova & Konstantin Semenov & Maxim Storchevoy, 2023. "One, Two, Three: How Many Green Patents Start Bringing Financial Benefits for Small, Medium and Large Firms?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, May.
    31. Fare, Rolf & Grosskopf, Shawna & Norris, Mary, 1997. "Productivity Growth, Technical Progress, and Efficiency Change in Industrialized Countries: Reply," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(5), pages 1040-1043, December.
    32. Balaji S. Chakravarthy, 1986. "Measuring strategic performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(5), pages 437-458, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Marco-Lajara, B. & Úbeda-García, M. & Zaragoza-Sáez, P. & Manresa-Marhuenda, E., 2023. "The impact of international experience on firm economic performance. The double mediating effect of green knowledge acquisition & eco-innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    2. Lu Qiu & Xiaowen Jie & Yanan Wang & Minjuan Zhao, 2020. "Green product innovation, green dynamic capability, and competitive advantage: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 146-165, January.
    3. Tariq, Adeel & Badir, Yuosre F. & Tariq, Waqas & Bhutta, Umair Saeed, 2017. "Drivers and consequences of green product and process innovation: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future outlook," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 8-23.
    4. Achi, Awele & Adeola, Ogechi & Achi, Francis Chukwuedo, 2022. "CSR and green process innovation as antecedents of micro, small, and medium enterprise performance: Moderating role of perceived environmental volatility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 771-781.
    5. Lingli Qing & Dongphil Chun & Abd Alwahed Dagestani & Peng Li, 2022. "Does Proactive Green Technology Innovation Improve Financial Performance? Evidence from Listed Companies with Semiconductor Concepts Stock in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    6. 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.
    7. Alpana Taneja & Vinay Goyal & Kunjana Malik, 2023. "Sustainability‐oriented innovations – Enhancing factors and consequences," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2747-2765, November.
    8. Fengsheng Chien & Hafiz Waqas Kamran & Muhammad Atif Nawaz & Nguyen Ngoc Thach & Pham Dinh Long & Zulfiqar Ali Baloch, 2022. "Assessing the prioritization of barriers toward green innovation: small and medium enterprises Nexus," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1897-1927, February.
    9. Yousaf, Umair Bin & Ullah, Irfan & Jiang, Junchen & Wang, Man, 2022. "The role of board capital in driving green innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    10. Jim Andersén, 2023. "Green resource orchestration: A critical appraisal of the use of resource orchestration in environmental management research, and a research agenda for future study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5506-5520, December.
    11. Kalaivani Jayaraman & Sreenivasan Jayashree & Magiswary Dorasamy, 2023. "The Effects of Green Innovations in Organizations: Influence of Stakeholders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-13, January.
    12. Cricelli, Livio & Mauriello, Roberto & Strazzullo, Serena, 2023. "Preventing open innovation failures: A managerial framework," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    13. Anastasia Semenova & Konstantin Semenov & Maxim Storchevoy, 2024. "Green Patents or Growth? European and the USA Firms’ Size Dynamics and Environmental Innovations Financial Gains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-26, July.
    14. 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.
    15. Lu Zhang & Shuang Zhao & Li Cui & Lin Wu, 2020. "Exploring Green Innovation Practices: Content Analysis of the Fortune Global 500 Companies," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(1), pages 21582440209, March.
    16. Han Long & Gen-Fu Feng & Chun-Ping Chang, 2023. "How does ESG performance promote corporate green innovation?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2889-2913, August.
    17. Zhang, Cheng & Yu, JiaQi & Bai, Yiyi & Ho, Kung-Cheng, 2024. "The impact of CEO's green experience on digital transformation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    18. Cristina Fernandes & João J. Ferreira & Mário L. Raposo & Cristina Estevão & Marta Peris-Ortiz & Carlos Rueda-Armengot, 2017. "The dynamic capabilities perspective of strategic management: a co-citation analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(1), pages 529-555, July.
    19. Parvez Alam Khan & Satirenjit Kaur Johl & Shireenjit K. Johl, 2021. "Does adoption of ISO 56002‐2019 and green innovation reporting enhance the firm sustainable development goal performance? An emerging paradigm," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 2922-2936, November.
    20. Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Pia & Yang, Jialei, 2022. "Distinguishing between appropriability and appropriation: A systematic review and a renewed conceptual framing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).

    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:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:517-:d:1564527. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.