Jul 2026· The Journal of Environment & Development· 0 citations· 86 references
Abstract
The growing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance has become a critical focus for companies striving for sustainability and competitive advantage, particularly in the high-tech manufacturing sector. This study investigates how coopetition capabilities and market orientation shape ESG performance, emphasizing the mediating roles of innovation capabilities, digital infrastructure, and data analytics capabilities (DAC). The research focuses on Chinese SMEs within the high-tech manufacturing industry. The findings reveal that coopetition capabilities positively influence digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities but do not significantly impact DAC. Similarly, market orientation enhances digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities but does not impact DAC. Moreover, digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities contribute significantly to ESG performance, whereas DAC remains decoupled from sustainable outcomes. The interplay between coopetition, market orientation, and ESG outcomes is mediated exclusively through digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities. In this framework, firm size and age emerge as important contextual factors that positively impact ESG performance. This study contributes to the ESG literature by integrating the concepts of coopetition and market orientation, showcasing their pivotal roles in cultivating strategic and technological capabilities geared toward sustainable value creation. The insights underscore that high-tech SMEs can leverage coopetition and market alignment strategies to strengthen innovation and infrastructure, enabling improved ESG performance and supporting long-term sustainable growth.
This study investigates how organizations in Vietnam achieve sustainable performance through green knowledge management (GKM), digital tools (DKM), leadership and culture (LOC), and institutional support (INS). Drawing on the Knowledge‐Based View, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, Institutional Theory, and Leadership Theory, we develop and test a model in which innovation capabilities (IC) mediate the link between organizational enablers and sustainability outcomes. Rather than treating these theories as interchangeable explanations, the study maps each theoretical lens onto a distinct capability‐building mechanism: knowledge conversion, dynamic reconfiguration, behavioral and cultural activation, and legitimacy‐enabled institutional support. Survey data from 350 firms across the manufacturing and service sectors were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results show that all dimensions of GKM, DKM, LOC, and INS significantly enhance IC. Knowledge application emerged as the strongest GKM predictor, while AI‐based platforms were the most influential among DKM. Process eco‐innovation was the most powerful driver of sustainable performance across financial, environmental, and social dimensions. Mediation tests confirmed IC as a key mechanism translating organizational resources into sustainability outcomes. The study integrates multiple theoretical perspectives and validates the mediating role of eco‐innovation. It contributes to Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management research by explaining how firms convert sustainability‐oriented knowledge, digital tools, leadership practices, and institutional pressures into innovation capabilities that generate triple‐bottom‐line performance. From a practical perspective, the findings guide managers in leveraging green knowledge, digital tools, and leadership culture, and inform policymakers about the role of incentives, regulations, and certifications in supporting sustainability transformation.
Mingqiang He, Van Kien Pham, Thi Thuy Dung Pham et al.· Corporate Social Responsibil...· 0 citations
This study investigates the relationship between ESG performance and firm performance among Chinese A-share listed companies during 2014–2024. As ESG practices become integral to corporate governance and quality-oriented management, they increasingly shape organizational resilience and sustainable competitiveness. The findings reveal that stronger ESG performance is associated with improved firm performance and greater green innovation, with green innovation acting as an important pathway linking ESG initiatives to superior organizational outcomes. These results highlight the value of policy environments that encourage ESG adoption while enabling firms to tailor sustainability strategies to their organizational capabilities. Sustained investment in green innovation, capability development, and continuous improvement enhances organizational adaptability, strengthens operational effectiveness, and supports long-term value creation, providing practical guidance for firms pursuing sustainable competitive advantage in an evolving business landscape.
Shun-Chi Yu· Total Quality Management &am...· 0 citations
In today's business world, organizations that lack innovation capabilities face substantial barriers to achieving sustainable performance. In manufacturing firms operating in the sports industry, sustainable performance increasingly depends on a strong understanding of digitalization. Accordingly, this study examines the effects of digitalization, analytics capabilities (AC) and digital leadership (DL) on sports firms' sustainable performance (SFSP), with particular.
Data for this study were collected through a structured survey administered to 339 managers and executives from Chinese sports companies. A purposive sampling technique was employed. Statistical software packages SPSS and SmartPLS were used for data analysis. In addition, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, regression analysis and moderation analysis were conducted to examine the relationships among the variables.
The results indicate that digitalization, AC and DL have significant positive effects on innovation capabilities (IC) and business intelligence (BI). In turn, both IC and BI positively contribute to the sustainable performance of sports firms. These findings suggest that strengthening digital and analytical capabilities can enhance sustainable performance through improved innovation and intelligence mechanisms.
The present study provides valuable implications for a range of stakeholders, including sports firms, technology developers, policymakers and practitioners. It assists these stakeholders in formulating and implementing strategies to enhance SFSP. Furthermore, the study underlines the nexus between digital transformation and sustainability by explaining how dynamic capabilities drive innovation and support sustainable performance in sports companies.
The knowledge gained from this study is important to navigate the evolving challenges of sports companies in the manufacturing sector. Its significant contribution to the dynamic capability theory offers a fresh insight into how sports firms can develop, build and seize IC and business intelligence to improve SFSP, which is the uniqueness of our study.
This study examines how digital capability, innovation capability, and entrepreneurial orientation jointly shape the business performance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging economies. Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, the study adopts a qualitative approach using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). A total of 35 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025 were systematically selected from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that digital capability provides the foundation for business performance but generates greater value when mediated by innovation capability and reinforced by entrepreneurial orientation. Innovation capability transforms digital resources into value-creating innovations, while entrepreneurial orientation strengthens organizational adaptability and opportunity recognition in dynamic business environments. The review also identifies contextual barriers, including resource limitations, digital competency gaps, and institutional constraints, which influence digital transformation outcomes in emerging economies. Overall, the study concludes that sustainable MSME performance depends on the strategic integration of organizational capabilities rather than technology adoption alone
S. Muhrami, Dwiyanti, Nurul haeriyah Ridwan· International Journal of Adv...· 0 citations
Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the digital economy, how enterprises can improve their ESG performance through digital capabilities has become a vital topic for high-quality development. This paper constructs a mediating effect model focusing on the correlations among corporate digital capabilities, low-carbon innovation and corporate ESG performance, and empirically tests the influencing mechanism of digital capabilities on corporate ESG performance. The research results show that corporate digital capabilities can significantly boost corporate ESG performance, which indicates that the accumulation of data assets and the improvement of digital capabilities help enterprises elevate their ESG performance; digital capabilities can prominently facilitate corporate low-carbon innovation, and low-carbon innovation exerts a partial mediating effect in the process where digital capabilities affect corporate ESG performance. From the perspective of low-carbon innovation, this paper reveals the internal path through which digital capabilities empower corporate ESG performance, and provides references for enterprises to advance the coordinated development of digitalization and green transformation.
Xiaoyuan Feng· Advances in Economics, Manag...· 0 citations
With the advent of Industry 4.0, digital transformation has been accelerating, driving significant changes in the business environment. Technical challenges and the distinct characteristics of individual firms present obstacles to their successful digital transformation. Moreover, a firm’s operational focus may shape the relationship between digital transformation and firm performance. This study examines the impact of key digital transformation capabilities on firms’ financial performance.
Using regression analysis on survey data from 2,038 South Korean companies, it empirically validates the effect of digital transformation capabilities on firm revenue. The study also investigates whether this effect differs according to the firm’s operational strategy, categorized as productivity-oriented, quality-oriented or diversified.
The findings confirm that managerial and technological capabilities positively influence financial performance. However, their effects vary depending on the direction of operational strategy. This study highlights the challenges faced by SMEs, especially how resource constraints and technological complexity can hinder successful digital transformation. Given these challenges, aligning digital transformation capabilities with operational strategy emerges as essential for maximizing benefits.
The study underscores the importance of operational strategy alignment and provides guidance on digital transformation capabilities that firms should prioritize based on their goals. These insights carry valuable implications for practitioners and policymakers seeking a roadmap for effective digital transformation.
Sung-hee Jung, Soo Jung Oh· Management Decision· 0 citations
