Behavioural and institutional drivers of green technology adoption: an extended technology acceptance model for sustainability transitions

Farmers' adoption of agriculture green production technologies: perceived value or policy-driven?

Purpose Prior research has shown the usefulness of the technology acceptance model (TAM) in what drives firms’ green technology adoption; however, it lacks predictions about how external factors dictate expected outcomes. We complement technology acceptance model (TAM) with organisational identity theory and develop a framework to understand how manufacturers’ environmentally responsible behaviour relates to the link between technology acceptance model (TAM) and intention to adopt green technology. Design/methodology/approach Using the cross-sectional design, 540 data from manufacturing firms in Punjab of Pakistan were engaged, which provided useful findings as follows. Findings The results illustrate that perception variables: value, ease of use, and usefulness positively correlate with intention to adopt green technology (IAGT). Environmental responsible behaviour (ERB) insignificantly negatively moderates the link between perceived value and intention to adopt green technology. Environmental responsible behaviour significantly positively moderates (1) perceived ease of use and intention to adopt green technology and (2) insignificantly positively moderates perceived usefulness and intention to adopt green technology. Practical implications Manufacturers’ HR departments should focus on their firms’ external image by appraising their environmentally friendly performance or otherwise to shape firms’ decision makers’ (e.g. the board of directors) perceptions of investing in green technologies. Originality/value By merging organisational identity theory with technology acceptance model, we clarify how and when external factors facilitate manufacturers’ perceptions of green technology, stressing the essence of firms’ green image as the locus of change.

Climate change, resource scarcity, and rising societal expectations have made sustainability a strategic imperative for firms worldwide. To address these global challenges, organizations are increasingly embedding environmental principles into their operations and adopting green technologies as a pathway to balance economic growth with ecological responsibility. This study examines the factors influencing green technology adoption among small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, focusing on Türkiye, and explores how such adoption contributes to economic, social, and environmental sustainability performance. Guided by the TOE framework, dynamic capabilities theory, and institutional theory, survey data from 368 SME owners and managers were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). The findings show that green technology adoption significantly enhances sustainability outcomes. This study contributes to the limited literature on SME‐focused green technology adoption. It contributes original empirical evidence from an emerging economy and highlights the mediating roles of green behavioral intention and green technology adoption. Practically, the study implies that managers should view green technology not merely as compliance but as a strategic tool for resilience. By demonstrating how adoption drives multi‐dimensional performance, the findings valorize the role of SMEs as foundational pillars in building sustainable communities, suggesting that policymakers must foster mimetic ecosystems where green success stories can be easily replicated.

Adoption of green technologies in construction of buildings is one of the strategies of climate change mitigation and reducing the negative effects of urbanization to the environment. The adoption of green technologies is critical for achieving low carbon development. However, it is not clear what factors determine the uptake of different types of green technologies in the construction of buildings in the study area, an issue that this study sought to investigate. The study adopted a mixed research design. The target population was 1191 households, with a sample study size of 153 (13%) households obtained from Milimani, Section 58 and Naka Estates in Nakuru City. Primary data was collected using structured household questionnaires and key informant interviews. The data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, where: percentages, frequencies and multiple linear regression analysis test were computed. The study observed that education level, employment status, and monthly household income had a significant influence in adoption of green building technologies. The results of the study provide a basis that can be used for the formulation of policies that can enhance the adoption of green building technologies in Nakuru City.

Global manufacturing sectors are progressively using state-of-the-art green technologies (GTs) to alleviate the detrimental effects of production on the environment. Adoption of GTs is motivated by a number of variables referred to as drivers. Although a variety of drivers and GTs are described in the literature, few models demonstrate the intricate relationships that occur between them. Although there are evidences that drivers might be distinctive for every particular GT in a given business, there is a dearth of empirical study on how and to what extent the drivers are influencing the adoption and implementation of GTs. To address these gaps, this study first categorizes drivers and GTs based on existing literature. Subsequently, a theoretical framework is developed grounded in natural resource-based view (NRBV), establishing the link between adoption of specific GTs and their potential drivers through the development of enabling key resources. A case study of an Indian steel manufacturing company is conducted to empirically test the framework by analyzing various implemented green initiatives. Observed compliances and deviations to the framework are examined. Additionally, this research offers valuable insights to manufacturing managers for GT selection and recommends avenues for future research in this domain.

There have been numerous studies on the adoption of green technology, particularly in the manufacturing industry. Nevertheless, the evidence of green technology being used by firms in Malaysia is still limited. The research objective is to investigate green technology adoption in Malaysia from the literature in order to understand what green technology has been adopted. This study performed a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis to answer the research objective. The database chosen to undertake this study is Scopus, Web of Science and Lens.org. Findings show that i) most studies in the literature is still focusing on the adoption or acceptance of green technology by firms, ii) most studies are written for management focus, and iii) energy and construction industry being the most investigated area of research. The literature gaps are showing that Malaysia green technology adoption is still in the infant stage. Currently, the literature is stagnant with many conceptual papers only contributing to the first level of green technology perception. Future research should focus on providing empirical evidence of green technology adoption.

E-commerce operations and technology perceptions in promoting farmers' adoption of green production technologies: Evidence from rural China

This study investigates the critical roles of green innovation adoption (GIA) and green technology adoption (GTA) in advancing the digital economy (DE). It explores how creative enterprises (CE) and financial capability (FC) mediate and moderate the relationships between green innovation, technology adoption, and the digital economy. Data were collected from 400 respondents in the automotive industry in China through a structured survey questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted using Smart PLS 4.0 to analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses. The findings indicate that green innovation and technology adoption significantly and positively impact the digital economy. Moreover, these factors positively influence creative enterprises, enhancing the digital economy. Creative enterprises were also found to mediate the relationship between green innovation/technology adoption and the digital economy. In addition, financial capability significantly moderated the link between creative enterprises and the digital economy. This research contributes to the literature by examining the synergistic effects of environmental sustainability, innovation adoption, and technological integration within the digital economy. It provides actionable insights into embedding sustainable practices in the evolving digital landscape while highlighting the intricate dynamics among innovation, technology adoption, and financial resources in driving economic transformation. This study contributes to the literature by exploring the synergistic effects of green innovation, technology adoption, and financial capability in driving the digital economy, focusing on creative enterprises as a mediating factor. It provides actionable insights for integrating sustainability into the digital landscape, offering a novel framework for economic transformation in the automotive industry.

Farmland size and green technology have a significant impact on agricultural carbon emissions. However, more research needs to consider the impact of their interaction on agricultural carbon neutralization. In this paper, the impact of farmland size on the net carbon effect and its underlying mechanisms from the perspective of green agricultural technology adoption were empirically examined using a tracking survey of 2600 farming households. The results show that farmland size expansion at both household and plot levels can increase the net carbon effect of the planting industry, which is more pronounced for grain crops than cash crops. Specifically, a 1% increase in the total area of household farmland or the largest contracted plot area can increase the net carbon effect by more than 3%. Green technology also plays a mediation effect in their relationship. Increasing farmland size can generate sufficient economic incentives to encourage green technology adoption, contributing to carbon sequestration and emissions reduction and increasing the crop's net carbon effect. Furthermore, we find that farmland expansion can significantly encourage the adoption of efficiency-enhancing technologies but not environmentally friendly technologies. Our findings suggest that promoting farmland expansion and green technology extension is effective for the low-carbon transformation of Chinese agriculture. The government should make distinct promotion policies for various green agricultural technologies and differentiating incentives and support policies for different-sized farmers. Our study provides insights into the path to Chinese-style agricultural modernization in the context of a smallholder economy.

Amid the global push for agricultural green transformation, sustainable agriculture requires not only technological innovation but also market mechanisms that effectively incentivize green practices. Agricultural e-commerce is increasingly viewed as a potential driver of green technology diffusion among farmers. However, the extent and mechanism of e-commerce’s influence on farmers’ green production remain underexplored. Using survey data from 346 rural households in Inner Mongolia, China, this study develops a conceptual framework of “e-commerce participation–green cognition–green adoption” and employs propensity score matching (PSM) combined with mediation analysis to evaluate the impact of e-commerce participation on green technology adoption. The empirical results yield four main findings: (1) E-commerce participation significantly promotes the adoption of green production technologies, with an estimated 29.52% increase in adoption. (2) Participation has a strong positive effect on water-saving irrigation and pest control technologies at the 5% significance level, a moderate effect on straw incorporation at the 10% level, and no statistically significant impact on plastic film recycling or organic fertilizer use. (3) Compared to third-party sales, the direct e-commerce model more effectively promotes green technology adoption, with an increase of 21.64% at the 5% significance level. (4) Green cognition serves as a mediator in the relationship between e-commerce and green adoption behavior. This study makes contributions by introducing e-commerce participation as a novel explanatory pathway for green technology adoption, going beyond traditional policy-driven and resource-based perspectives. It further highlights the role of cognitive mechanisms in shaping adoption behaviors. The study recommends that policymakers subsidize farmers’ participation in e-commerce, invest in green awareness programs, and support differentiated e-commerce models to enhance their positive impact on sustainable agricultural practices.

This research aims to elucidate the background and theoretical framework underlying the adoption of green technology by MSMEs to achieve sustainable performance. This study employs the PRISMA systematic review methodology to analyze 40 empirical publications regarding the mediating factors influencing green technology adoption by MSMEs in achieving sustainable performance, spanning from 2017 to 2024 and encompassing diverse nations. A concise summary and recommendations for future research goals are provided for each applicable theory. This study indicates that, despite extensive prior research, the majority of studies examine sustainable performance through factors that mediate the adoption of green technologies. Additionally, the employed theories include the Resource-Based View (RBV), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Innovation Theory, and Sustainability Theory. This research aids policymakers in formulating policies and incentives that promote the use of green technology by MSMEs. For MSMEs, these findings offer pragmatic direction on enhancing green innovation capabilities and leveraging green technology to attain sustainable performance.

IntroductionLand fragmentation remains a critical barrier to sustainable agriculture, as it reduces efficiency and hinders the adoption of modern green technologies, particularly in smallholder farming systems.PurposeThis study explores the impact of land fragmentation on farmers' adoption of green technologies and examines how organizational integration can moderate these adverse effects.MethodsPrimary data were collected from 420 crop farmers across four districts of Balochistan, Pakistan. A binary probit model was employed to analyze the effects of land fragmentation and organizational integration on adoption behavior, with controls for education, training participation, land characteristics, and household factors.ResultsThe findings reveal that land fragmentation significantly decreases the likelihood of adopting green technologies, while organizational integration strongly promotes adoption and offsets the negative effects of fragmentation. Moreover, education, participation in training, and machinery acquisition positively influence adoption, whereas high dependence on agricultural income, land transfer, and risk perception serve as barriers.ConclusionPolicies that encourage land consolidation and strengthen cooperative networks are essential. Promoting organizational integration through farmer cooperatives can alleviate the constraints of fragmented farmland, enhance sustainable agricultural practices, and improve rural livelihoods.

Mobile Internet refers to a new mode of information interaction through mobile terminals and the use of wireless communication to access information services. The mobile Internet has provided a new model for the traditional information circulation mode, rural economic structure, and social transformation. With an association between the mobile Internet and farmers’ adoption behavior of new green technology, this paper investigated the impact of mobile Internet application on farmers’ adoption of green technology through a mediating effect model. From the perspective of new agricultural technology diffusion and based on the perspective of factor substitution, we decompose the mechanism that mobile Internet applications affect the adoption of new wheat varieties. Along the path of information transmission, evaluation, and adoption of new wheat varieties, we deeply explored the impact of the mobile Internet on the adoption of new wheat varieties by different types of wheat growers. The results show that there is a significant mediating effect of information acquisition ability, risk attitude, and expected return on the influence of the mobile Internet on green technology adoption. For the adoption mechanism of new green varieties, there was a distinct difference among various farmers.

A state-of-the-art review on facilitating sustainable agriculture through green fertilizer technology adoption: Assessing farmers behavior

Environmental pollution is one of the major problems that has become an increasing area of concern globally, leading to the emergence of green energy technology. Research has been conducted on green technology adoption mainly in developed countries. However, there is noticeably limited knowledge about technology adoption and energy consumption in developing countries, for example, Zimbabwe. Thus, this paper seeks to analyze the impact of green technology adoption on energy sector performance in Zimbabwe. The results established that green technology adoption, energy pricing, energy sector investment, and capital structure significantly influence energy consumption efficiency. These results showed a positive relationship between green technology adoption and energy consumption efficiency based on the argument of the substitution possibility effect between green technology and energy demand. The study recommends adopting and identifying the type of green technology to utilize and the timing of investment in green technology. In addition, alternative estimation methods can be adopted to test the robustness of the findings.