Purpose This study aims to examine how employee- and organisation-level enablers of digital agility contribute to different states of business resilience in Indian educational technology (EdTech) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), the study investigates the capability configurations associated with four analytically distinct resilience states: Sense, Adapt, Thrive, and Transform. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected online using a structured questionnaire, yielding 765 valid responses. An integrated approach combining Rough Set Theory (RST) and Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) was employed to identify capability configurations and derive decision rules associated with different business resilience states. Findings Digital leadership was associated with all four resilience states, while digital self-efficacy, digital mindset, and digital fluency were more prominent in the sense and adapt states. Digital innovation capability and organisational mindfulness were more strongly associated with the thrive and transform categories. These findings indicate that digital agility supports resilience through different capability configurations. Originality/value The study extends DCT by conceptualising digital agility as a higher-order dynamic capability enacted through distinct employee-level and organisation-level capability configurations across different resilience states. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of integrating Rough Set Theory and Formal Concept Analysis to explain business resilience in digitally intensive and uncertain environments.
Purpose This study aims to examine how firms manage competing performance objectives by analysing the trade-offs associated with financial structure, sustainability engagement and export activity. The study explores how strategic decisions intended to improve specific performance dimensions may simultaneously constrain others in resource-intensive firms. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on an unbalanced panel of 362 Portuguese firms operating in the wholesale trade of metals and metal ores during 2015–2024. To account for endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity and performance persistence, the study employs the system generalised method of moments (System GMM) estimator. Findings The results reveal significant performance trade-offs. Firm size positively affects all performance measures, whereas leverage exerts a consistently negative effect. Environmental expenditures increase return on equity but reduce earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin, while social expenditures reduce return on assets and return on equity. Export activity improves return on assets but negatively affects return on equity and EBITDA margin. These findings demonstrate that environmental and social sustainability dimensions generate contrasting performance outcomes and that performance improvement depends on balancing financial, sustainability and internationalisation objectives. The results have implications for business competitiveness, environmental sustainability and the strategic allocation of resources to social initiatives. Originality/value Unlike previous studies that examine financial structure, sustainability and internationalisation separately, this study analyses these dimensions simultaneously as competing objectives within a multidimensional performance management framework. The study contributes by revealing an environmental, social and governance asymmetry whereby environmental initiatives are associated with improved shareholder returns, while social expenditures are linked to lower short-term profitability, highlighting the trade-offs involved in sustainability-oriented decision-making.
Purpose Additive manufacturing (AM) is gaining strategic importance for decentralized production, improving customer satisfaction by providing customized products. It affects the supply chain and brings sustainability to the entire business process. Considering diversified applications in various industries, this study aims to understand the benchmarked practices of AM in achieving sustainability in the supply chain operations and define a future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach The study has reviewed articles on AM and sustainable supply chains and conducted a review based on topic modeling and scientometric analysis of 172 articles. The ADO-TCM framework was also used for content analysis and constructive discussion on existing knowledge to identify benchmarked practices across industry and set the future research agenda. Findings The research has identified six key priority areas of AM, sustainability and supply chain: (1) Supply Chain and Business Design, (2) Technology and Economic Costs, (3) Sustainability in Production Processes, (4) Additive Manufacturing and Environmental Impact, (5) Manufacturing and Future Development and (6) Systems in Energy and Construction. The study listed the benchmarked practices, the maturity grid and the checklist for adopting AM. These are align with the four sustainability pillars: design, production, supply chain and business models, demonstrating how AM supports circularity, efficiency and innovation. Frequent keywords such as Industry 4.0, sustainability and circular economy highlight growing interest in leveraging technology for resilient, sustainable and future-ready business practices. Originality/value The paper is an early attempt to use topic modeling, the ADO-TCM framework, in reviewing current studies and developing a sustainable AM adoption framework, along with an implementation checklist and assessment with maturity level.
Purpose Modern factories are adopting a new data-driven system to reshape their manufacturing operations, known as smart manufacturing. This new system incorporates Industry 4.0 technologies to customize products and services as per constantly evolving market dynamics. This study investigates the impact of Industry 4.0 technologies on enhancing the performance of manufacturing operations. Design/methodology/approach We performed a systematic literature review of 151 articles over the span of 34 years to thoroughly understand the evolution in manufacturing systems. A conceptual framework of a smart manufacturing system based on three operations management theories, namely resource-based view theory, socio-technical system theory and system management theory, is proposed in this study. This framework derived three dimensions of smart manufacturing systems based on each theory, including people, process and technology. The significance of collaboration among stakeholders is discussed in the people dimension. The effect of Industry 4.0 technologies on various processes involved in the manufacturing organization is addressed in the process dimension. The technology dimension elaborates on the key role of data in decision-making within the system. Findings The results of this study indicate that integrating people, process and technology dimensions leads to improved performance of manufacturing organizations. We identified eight key research gaps that will offer researchers a pathway for future studies. Originality/value This study highlights the critical role of Industry 4.0 technologies in transitioning to smart manufacturing, paving the road for society's future development.
Purpose This study addresses the longstanding ambiguity in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) research regarding the effectiveness of institutional pressures. Using two decades of empirical evidence, it benchmarks how coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures influenced environmental practices during the pre-2019 foundational period. We provide a baseline for theory and policy development, and for evaluating how sustainability drivers and actions evolve amid the post-2019 disruptions. Design/methodology/approach Using the Schmidt and Hunter (2015) meta-analysis approach, we synthesize findings from 47 empirical studies, yielding a cumulative sample of 9,622 firm-level observations and 30,840 firm-level pressure-practice pairings. We examine relationships at the aggregate practice-category level (e.g. internal and external practices) and the fully disaggregated pressure-practice pair level. Findings Normative pressures appear as the strongest and most consistent associations with environmental practice. Mimetic pressures, while weaker, meaningfully support selective adoption, highlighting the strategic role of competitive imitation. Coercive pressures show little to no effect on specific practices. Exploratory moderator analyses reveal substantial contextual heterogeneity, with economy type (developed vs. emerging) and temporal shifts (pre- vs. post-Paris Agreement) shaping observed relationships. Originality/value This study offers the first comprehensive meta-analytic benchmark of institutional pressures on environmental practices during the pre-disruption era. By systematically disaggregating and reconsolidating pressures and practices, we clarify longstanding inconsistencies, highlight context-specific dynamics and establish a critical baseline for evaluating how sustainability drivers may change under new global disruptions and rising regulatory and societal expectations.
PurposeThis study tests an adapted six-dimensional framework of performance indicators in a business-to-business (B2B) setting on service provider satisfaction (in a sales role). The proposed nomological network is grounded in the meta-analysis of indicators of sales performance in B2B sales. However, it is applied in this study as an indicator of service provider satisfaction. As such, the study purports a framework of dimensions that motivates the overall level of B2B service provider satisfaction. Design/methodology/approachThis research study adopted a deductive approach, utilising a structured questionnaire survey methodology. The sample comprised 389 service-orientated firms in Norway, selected to represent diverse industries and firm sizes across the B2B sector. FindingsMotivation was established as the primary and most influential indicator category of service provider satisfaction, with skill and aptitude playing foundational but largely indirect roles via their association with motivation and role perception. Practical implicationsThe findings can assist in B2B markets to better understand how managers who focus on developing skills, clarifying roles and unlocking intrinsic motivation will be best positioned to foster satisfaction, retention and performance in service-based B2B sales environments. Such guidance also enhances strategic workforce planning, employee engagement and long-term organisational competitiveness. Originality/valueThis study is original in proposing and empirically validating a six-dimensional service provider satisfaction framework tailored to B2B service contexts, integrating internal marketing, relationship marketing and service-dominant logic and demonstrating the central, direct role of motivation over the indirect ones of aptitude, skill and role perception.
PurposeThis paper aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis of sustainable lean six sigma (SLSS) research, focusing on recent developments, emerging trends, and potential applications across various industry sectors. Design/methodology/approachThe study follows a systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis approach for analysing 342 peer-reviewed articles published between 2001 and 2023 in Scopus-indexed journals. It further follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework, ensuring a structured and replicable selection process. The shortlisted articles were classified according to several criteria, which include the publication year, research methodologies, industry sector applications, the multi-criteria decision-making approach, etc. The adopted design assists in the critical evaluation of SLSS advancements and their implications across diverse industry sectors. FindingsThe study reports a transitional shift of SLSS research from conceptual and case-study-based research toward data-driven decision-making models. It is further captured that researchers have strongly utilized mathematical models, MCDM approaches and Industry 4.0 technologies to improve SLSS adoption and performance. The study also highlights the strong SLSS implementation in the manufacturing and healthcare sectors as compared to the service industries, highlighting a major research gap. Additionally, integration challenges between lean six sigma and sustainability metrics pose significant barriers to adoption. Practical implicationsThe findings of this study offer valuable insights for practitioners and researchers seeking to adopt SLSS methodologies within their organizations. By highlighting emerging trends, key research methods and successful case applications, this research equips practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary to enhance organizational performance and achieve sustainable outcomes. Originality/valueThe present study contributes a novel perspective on the SLSS domain by synthesizing multidisciplinary insights and bridging gaps among different sustainability aspects, Industry 4.0 and other emerging digital technologies. Unlike previous reviews that focus solely on SLSS advantages and barriers analysis, this study critically examines the barriers, industry-specific adoption trends and future research directions. It offers a new analytical framework that links SLSS with advanced decision-making models.
PurposeThe logistic service quality (LSQ) model is a staple for evaluating key performance factors such as satisfaction and improving business performance. Given the lack of a universally accepted LSQ model, this paper aims to develop an integrated framework that measures the service quality of contactless delivery, incorporating both customer and LSP perspectives. Design/methodology/approachThis was done through Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), and six focus group discussion sessions were used to identify existing and new LSQ dimensions that were processed through triangulation. A total of 10 LSQ grouped dimensions with 46 specific sub-dimensions were validated and subsequently used in the survey questionnaire development that was further validated by a group of experts and through exploratory factor analysis. FindingsA total of 30 unique dimensions are found to enhance satisfaction of stakeholders in contactless last-mile delivery, with respect to the perspective of both the customers and logistics service providers (LSPs). Originality/valueThis paper is the first to provide a set of validated logistics service quality framework which can be used to measure the level of quality that a service provider embodies. This framework covers the perspectives of both the service providers and customers, which is unique compared to previous works in the literature.
PurposeThe need to optimize the triangle formed by “quality, cost and time” culminated in increasing the focus from product to process quality. By analyzing the evolution of quality and the impact of Industry 4.0 on it, this research seeks, through a technical point of view, to comprehend the state of the art of quality 4.0 and intelligent quality management (IQM) by defining concepts, technologies, challenges and applications. Design/methodology/approachThe review was conducted only in English, on IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Engineering Village and Web of Science databases with a backward citation analysis, having technology and quality as main concepts. In total, 109 papers were reduced to 24, and 11 characteristics were extracted. FindingsAlthough many authors point to the same 4.0 technologies and the importance of quality for Industry 4.0, they differ in the concept of quality 4.0 and the implementation frameworks to achieve it. Originality/valueThis paper is one of the few studies that have searched for the roots of quality 4.0 and IQM. The work also seeks to identify their differences and their relationship with Industry 4.0.
Purpose As supply chains confront major structural disruptions, effective information sharing has become essential to enhance coordination and resilience across partners who must respond quickly to volatile conditions. This study examines how firms can effectively integrate resources and processes within the upstream supply chain to achieve and sustain competitive advantages. In addition, it discusses the critical role of information sharing in enhancing upstream integration and leveraging firms' performance. Design/methodology/approach A survey was employed to gather information on research variables. A multi-method approach combining partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary conditions analysis (NCA) was used to analyze the data. The results were discussed in the light of contingency and resource-based theories. Findings Supplier integration plays an essential role in mediating internal integration to increase the focal firm's operational performance and achieve competitive advantages. Information sharing across the supply chain was found not to be a critical resource for the competitiveness of focal firms. Research limitations/implications This study addresses essential issues regarding competitive advantage in the upstream supply chain, but is limited to the Brazilian context. Future studies should address different organizations and cultural environments. Practical implications This study sheds light on which upstream supply chain resources are critical for improving operational performance, enabling practitioners to focus on these resources and the development levels they must address to sustain competitive advantages. Originality/value This study closes research gaps regarding the role of supplier integration and information-sharing resources across the supply chain. Combining sufficiency and necessity conditions analyses, it extends contingency and resource-based theories regarding these subjects.
Purpose The objective of the proposed research is to identify and assess the main barriers that hinder the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) for managing the complexity in the process of e-waste recycling and reverse supply chain (RSC) activities for sustainable value creation. The aim is to analyze the interrelationship between adoption barriers and their impact in decision-making for BCT adoption. Design/methodology/approach In this study, extensive literature review was done to collect barriers to BCT adoption, which further verified by industry experts, and a list of 16 barriers was developed. Further, Grey decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (Grey DEMATEL) method was applied to analyze the shortlisted barriers and categorized in cause-and-effect group barriers. Findings The shortlisted barriers were grouped into four categories, namely technology, infrastructure, financial and regulatory barriers. From Grey DEMATEL, the study found that infrastructure limitations, high energy consumption, fear of technology failure and risk aversion and lack of blockchain-compatible tools and apps for remanufacturing are the most critical barriers to adopting BCT in e-waste management. Research limitations/implications This study not only highlights the critical barriers but also helps in categorizing them into cause-and-effect group barriers and developing a causal model. The insights from this study will help the decision maker to prioritize critical barriers and develop strategies to mitigate those barriers in order to successfully implement BCT in e-waste management. Practical implications This study will help the policymaker to develop stable regulatory policies across different jurisdictions to support implementation of BCT. Industry practitioners should focus on developing required necessary skills and compatibility tools for successful implementation of BCT. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing body of literature on blockchain-enabled circular economy systems by developing a causal understanding of barriers affecting BCT adoption in e-waste recycling. Unlike prior studies that primarily focus on identifying or ranking adoption barriers, this research employs Grey DEMATEL to uncover the underlying causal relationships among barriers and distinguish between root causes and effect-based barriers within the e-waste RSC context. By focusing specifically on developing economies such as India, the study provides a systemic perspective on how infrastructural, technological and institutional constraints interact to shape blockchain adoption outcomes in circular economy operations.
Purpose This study argues that ICT Investments positively and significantly improve the Indian MSME Manufacturing firm's performance. Design/methodology/approach We employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), a statistical technique for testing and estimating complex relationships, to examine the impact of ICT on the firm performance paradox. Specifically, how internal and external factors influence ICT investment decisions concerning firm performance. Findings ICT investments positively impact Return on Assets (ROA). Our analysis shows a surprising downside: ICT investment negatively mediates the relationship between short-term borrowing and ROA. The New-age firms are cautious about adopting ICT. MSMSs need robust Government support for digitalisation. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to the Indian context. Practical implications This research does more than fill a gap; it breaks the ICT performance paradox in the emerging market. On a practical level, MSME stakeholders can use these results to fine-tune their ICT strategies, even when capital is tight. Because these findings act as a realistic benchmark for Indian MSMEs, they benefit from replication in similar economies. This study offers a roadmap for scalability. Social implications When MSMEs make informed ICT investments, the ripple effects improve broader economic growth and productivity within the geography. Originality/value This paper presents original work not previously studied in the Indian context, examining the complex relationship between ICT and other influential factors and their impact on firm performance.
Purpose This study investigates how hospitality businesses in Vietnam operationalise supply chain due diligence through local agricultural sourcing, with a particular focus on how sustainability values are identified, assessed and measured within supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative multiple-case study design, the research examines four leading hospitality businesses. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with managers, suppliers and other key stakeholders involved in procurement and supply chain management.Findings The findings reveal that resource-oriented due diligence, transparency and traceability assurance, stakeholder governance, and cascading compliance function as key focuses of due diligence in hospitality supply chains. These practices generate multi-dimensional sustainability values - economic, social, environmental and cultural - that enhance resilience and enable transitions toward circular and sustainable food systems.Originality/value This study extends the literature on sustainable supply chain management by reframing local agricultural sourcing as a form of supply chain due diligence. It contributes theoretically by integrating the natural resource-based view and circular economy perspectives within a due diligence framework. Our research also provides hospitality businesses with actionable insights into how due diligence can strengthen accountability, generate sustainability value and build resilience in food supply chains.
Purpose In the era of Industry 4.0, conventional manufacturing supply chains are evolving into data-centric supply chains. Apart from it, organizations are facing a highly complex and dynamic market environment. Consequently, data analytics is emerging as a crucial tool for effective decision-making. Therefore, this study aims to explore the antecedents for the adoption of Big Data Analytics (BDA) in manufacturing firms and to examine its effect on organizational flexibility and supply chain resilience. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from a comprehensive review of existing literature, a research framework has been created to explore the antecedents for BDA adoption and its impact on flexibility and resilience. Study is based on Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Hypotheses are framed considering different constructs of the proposed research framework. Questionnaire-based survey was used to collect responses from organizations based in India. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings Findings show that technological, organizational and environmental factors significantly influence the adoption of BDA. Further, it is also observed that the successful adoption of BDA helps in improving the flexibility and resilience of organizations during disruptions. Research limitations/implications Survey data was obtained from organizations based in India, which restricts the generalizability of results. Therefore, future studies may be carried out across different sectors and countries to compare and validate findings for robust managerial implications. Practical implications Study has explored major antecedents for BDA adoption in organizations. Management may formulate a strategy based on insights for successful BDA adoption. Originality/value Based on insights from study, organizations may improve their flexibility and resilience to sustain in a dynamic market environment and under various disruptions.
Purpose The study is a systematic and critical analysis of the influence of generative artificial intelligence on consumer behaviour. It investigates the specific effects of purchase intention on the influence of psychological drivers, trust, cultural influences and digital literacy through theory of planned behaviour (TPB), unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and diffusion of innovations (DOI). Although the review has been taken in a global view and with contextual insight into emerging markets where evidence supports the same, the same is discussed. Design/methodology/approach The article is based on the PRISMA 2020 methodology and summarises 25 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2018 and 2026. Structured Boolean queries were used in the search in Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Emerald. Methodological rigour was achieved through a dual-reviewer screening process and a CASP quality appraisal. Findings were synthesised using thematic analysis. Findings The findings show that large language models, image generators, and conventional AI systems (e.g. recommender systems and predictive analytics) have a substantial impact on consumer cognition, emotions, and decision-making. Among 25 studies reviewed, a reduced percentage are those that specifically analyse generative AI systems, and most of the reviews analyse traditional AI applications, an emerging yet developing evidence base. Generative AI indirectly influences purchase intention, mediated by attitude, perceived behavioural control and social influence, with trust as a key mediator. Adoption is further influenced by cultural context and digital literacy, as it not only serves as a boundary condition that impacts trust formation and behavioural results. Research limitations/implications The research also relies on secondary data, and this could restrict its generalisability in different contexts. Moreover, generative AI technologies are changing rapidly, which might affect the temporal relevance of findings. Practical implications In the banking industry, Gen AI chatbots can help in investment guidance, personalised financial education and fraud alerts. In the education sector, AI tutors and content generators offer vernacular, personalised learning support. The overall acceptance of this technology depends upon the perceived capability, accuracy, trust and parents' influence. From the retail perspective, AI-enabled customisation, virtual try-ons and in-store smart kiosks are very effective. Originality/value This research is novel as it incorporates TPB, UTAUT and DOI into a single model that separates between the generative and traditional AI as a means of influencing consumer behaviour. It presents a framework for governance that incorporates responsible research and innovation (RRI), which connects ethical implications to mechanisms of trust and adoption in AI-driven consumer contexts.
Purpose The study, anchored in the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), aims to investigate how organizational ambidexterity (AMB) drives financial performance (FP) by examining the serial mediating roles of dynamic capabilities (DC) (strategic routines) and quality systems (QS) (operational micro-foundations).Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and September 2023, collecting 308 valid responses from senior managers in the Palestinian business sector (comprising both manufacturing and service firms). The hypothesized relationships were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.Findings The analysis confirms that both DC and QS mediate the AMB-FP relationship, with AMB positively influencing DC. Specifically, DC acts as a partial mediator, while QS performs no mediating effect in terms of variance-accounted-for estimation. Crucially, the serial mediation path combining DC and QS is fully supported, showing the sequential effect of operational stability enabling strategic agility.Research limitations/implications This research emphasizes the significance of AMB and DC in the enhancement of FP in the business domain. It brings to the fore the role of QS as a foundational and operational mediator, while in a similar vein serving as a guide for managers of businesses who seek to enhance FP by controlling their DC while relying on a foundation of QS.Originality/value The research made a maiden attempt, especially in the emerging economy setting, to empirically test a holistic model of the interlinking relationship between AMB, DC and QS, as drivers of FP. It adds to the domain of DCV by shedding light on the role of operational stability as a required foundational mediator for the achievement of strategic agility in the pursuit of ambidextrous financial gains.
Purpose Benchmarking enables Facilities Management (FM) professionals to identify performance gaps within FM functions. However, FM professionals have not effectively adopted systematic performance benchmarking models for their applications. This study focused on developing a robust model for benchmarking FM performance in buildings and proposed best practices for performance gaps. Design/methodology/approach The existing benchmarking models, such as the Xerox model, Kulikowski's model, Adewunmi's benchmarking framework and various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), were thoroughly studied and applied with modifications in the proposed FM benchmarking model. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data to benchmark FM functions in buildings using the developed model. Furthermore, the best practices adopted in buildings were studied to propose good practices for underperforming buildings. Findings Twelve KPIs were integrated into the design of the proposed model. After studying the critical FM functions in hotels, apartments and office buildings, utilities, janitorial, housekeeping and security were selected to be benchmarked. Results show that financial benchmarks of utilities, janitorial and housekeeping and security metrics have increased in hotels, apartments and office buildings, while non-financial KPIs remain unchanged over the 4 years. Eight best practices are suggested to enhance FM performance in each building type. Originality/value The facility managers can use this proposed FM benchmarking model to compare the FM performance of their buildings with other similar buildings in the competitive business. Further, they can optimize the FM performance of their buildings, considering the benchmark values.
Purpose This study investigates how supplier collaboration and customer collaboration influence service operations flexibility and how digital technology strengthens these relationships. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), supplier collaboration is conceptualised as a seizing capability, customer collaboration as a sensing capability and digital technology as a reconfiguring capability. The study further integrates a benchmarking orientation, positioning these capabilities as measurable indicators of adaptive performance in service operations. Design/methodology/approach A web-based survey was conducted among managers from UK service firms. The study employed a moderated mediation model to test the sequential and contingent relationships between supply chain collaboration, digital technology and service operations flexibility. Findings Results show that customer collaboration significantly enhances service operations flexibility, while supplier collaboration contributes indirectly through customer collaboration, confirming a full mediation effect. Moreover, digital technology positively moderates the mediating role of customer collaboration, amplifying its impact on flexibility. Practical implications The findings provide benchmarking indicators for managers to assess supply chain collaboration and flexibility performance. UK service firms can use measures such as the speed of customer feedback processing, supplier strategic partnership intensity and digital interactions across supply chain partners to compare performance against sectoral benchmarks. Originality/value The study extends the DCV by showing that sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring capabilities operate across inter-firm relationships rather than within a single organisation. It introduces a benchmarking framework for evaluating collaboration and flexibility performance, bridging dynamic capability theory with comparative performance assessment in the UK service sectors.
PurposeThe aim of the research is to examine the application of environmental organizational awareness (EOA) in improving organizational sustainability (OS) via green supply chain practices (GSCP) which places green human resource management (GHRM) in a benchmarking system as an influencing factor and a moderation means.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis has been carried out on manufacturing companies of Jordan and the results were obtained by applying the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The performance-based benchmarking strategy categorized firms as sustainability leaders and laggards by objective indicators of sustainability.FindingsThe findings indicate that EOA has a positive and significant impact on GSCP and OS. GSCP mediates the between EOA and OS, which means that environmental awareness is considered to be converted to sustainability performance first of all when integrated in supply chain practices. According to the benchmarking analysis, there are evident performance differences between the certified sustainability leaders and the laggard firms, which can be improved by taking necessary actions and proving the usefulness of comparative analysis in determining best-in-class practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has a limitation in the fact that it is cross-sectional making it impossible to infer causation and the use of five-point Likert scales since five-point scales are not as fine-grained as seven-point scales used in benchmarking studies. Future research needs to utilize longitudinal designs, more detailed measures and superior benchmarking methods and apply the analysis to industries and nations.Practical implicationsThe results provide empirically-based recommendations to managers that would wish to bridge sustainability performance gaps and enhance ongoing efforts to improve the environment.Originality/valueThe research provides a boost to sustainability research because it combines benchmarking logic and moderated mediation model and demonstrates that sustainability leadership is motivated by alignment of environmental awareness and implementation of green supply chain as opposed to the effects of GHRM contingency.
PurposeWith the increasing importance of environmental sustainability, green intellectual capital (GIC) has emerged as a critical element for enterprises striving toward sustainable development. This study aims to explore the multi-dimensional driving mechanisms of GIC by considering technological, organizational, and environmental factors, addressing the limitations of prior studies that typically focus on isolated factors.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and resource orchestration theory, this study identifies green information systems (GIS), green human resource management (GHRM), and environmental regulations (ER) as key drivers of GIC. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was applied to 252 survey responses to identify configuration paths leading to high levels of green human, structural, and relational capital.FindingsThe results reveal multiple configurations through which high GIC can be achieved. Specifically, the combination of GHRM and GIS is instrumental in fostering green human and structural capital, while a balanced configuration of GHRM, GIS, and ER facilitates the development of green relational capital. GHRM and GIS emerge as core conditions across most configurations.Practical implicationsThe findings offer practical guidance for managers seeking to build GIC by emphasizing the strategic alignment of internal resources and external pressures. Organizations can select and orchestrate green strategies based on their unique resource endowments and environmental contexts.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by moving beyond the analysis of single-factor influences, offering a configurational perspective on the formation of GIC. It demonstrates the synergistic interplay among technological, organizational, and regulatory elements, enriching theoretical understandings of sustainable organizational practices.
