Technology meets agriculture: will green knowledge management and green intellectual capital be the game changer for sustainable farming among rural women

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of agricultural technology (AgriTech) innovations and green strategic orientations in enhancing green market success among rural women farmers in Ghana. Green strategic orientations in this context comprise two key dimensions: green market-oriented strategies, which focus on responding to environmentally conscious consumer demands, and green entrepreneurial orientation, reflecting farmers’ proactive commitment to adopting sustainable and eco-friendly practices. The study also examines how social capital influences these relationships, aiming to promote rural poverty alleviation and entrepreneurial sustainability. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 398 rural women farmers across three ecologically diverse regions of Ghana (i.e. Eastern, Northern and Upper East regions) using a purposive sampling technique. Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that AgriTech innovations significantly facilitate the adoption of green strategic orientations by rural women farmers. Both green market-oriented strategies and green entrepreneurial orientation positively affect green market success. Moreover, green strategic orientation serves as an important link connecting AgriTech innovations to market success. Social capital strengthens the positive impact of green entrepreneurial orientation on green market success but does not significantly influence the effect of green market-oriented strategies. Originality/value This study advances theoretical understanding by integrating dynamic capabilities theory, resource-based view and social capital theory to explain how technology, green strategic behaviour and social networks collectively contribute to entrepreneurial success and sustainable development among rural women in emerging economies. The findings reveal unique gender-related challenges faced by women, such as limited access to resources and social support, as well as opportunities including strong community networks that facilitate adoption of AgriTech and green strategies. However, the results are specific to rural women farmers in the three selected ecologically diverse regions in Ghana and may not be directly generalisable to other regions, farmer groups or broader populations. Nevertheless, the study provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to empower women entrepreneurs and promote sustainable agriculture in developing countries.

Purpose Rising environmental degradation and increasing stakeholder scrutiny are prompting organizations to use corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a strategic tool to enhance environmental performance. However, empirical evidence on the mechanisms through which CSR drives environmental sustainability in the hospitality industry of developing countries remain limited. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to investigate the effect of CSR on environmental performance in Pakistan's hospitality industry. Drawing on the natural resource-based view, stakeholder theory and the dynamic capabilities view, the study further explores the serial mediating role of green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) and green intellectual capital (GIC) in this relationship. Additionally, it examines if artificial intelligence (AI) change readiness strengthens the CSR–GEO relationship and whether green value co-creation enhances the influence of GIC on environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach This study used a time-lagged, multi-respondent dataset of 371 hotels collected over 3 waves. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Findings The results confirm that CSR not only exerts a significant direct positive effect on environmental performance but also influences it indirectly through the serial mediation of GEO and GIC. Moreover, AI change readiness positively moderates the relationship between CSR and GEO, indicating that digital adaptability strengthens the relationship between CSR and green strategic orientation. Conversely, green value co-creation does not moderate the GIC–environmental performance link, suggesting its limited boundary-spanning effect in this context. Originality/value This study offers novel insights by empirically validating a serial mediation pathway – via GEO and GIC – between CSR and environmental performance in an underexplored service sector context. It emphasizes the strategic significance of internal green capabilities, including GEO and GIC, as well as AI change readiness, in advancing environmental objectives within the hospitality industry.

Purpose This study aims to investigate how green intellectual capital (GIC) contributes to sustainable business performance (SBP) in Vietnam’s hospitality sector by examining the mediating roles of green human resource management (GHRM) and green innovation (GI), as well as the enabling influence of environmental regulations (ERs) and green transformational leadership (GTL). It extends the resource-based view, the natural resource-based view and institutional theory by focusing on Vietnam’s hospitality industry, which is characterized by labor intensity, uneven regulatory enforcement and cultural barriers to sustainability adoption. Design/methodology/approach A survey was distributed to 436 departmental and general managers from hotels and resorts located in major tourist destinations across Vietnam. The proposed relationships among green capabilities, organizational practices and sustainable outcomes were tested using partial least squares–structural equation modeling. Findings The results show that GIC significantly influences GI and GHRM, which in turn enhance SBP, ERs and GTL exert both direct and indirect effects on performance outcomes. The mediation analysis confirms the complementary roles of GI and GHRM in translating GIC into sustainability outcomes. Although these overall effects are generally positive, the findings also reveal boundary conditions related to financial and technical resources that may constrain the implementation of advanced sustainability initiatives in the hospitality sector. Originality/value This study enriches sustainability research by illustrating how context-specific dimensions of GIC, including frontline environmental behaviors, organizational processes and stakeholder collaboration, are mobilized through ERs and GTL in an emerging economy characterized by weak institutional enforcement. The findings offer practical knowledge for hospitality managers seeking to integrate sustainability into human resource and innovation systems and provide policymakers with evidence on how regulatory alignment and leadership commitment can jointly accelerate sustainable transformation in the hospitality industry.

Purpose The paper aims to focus on reflective-formative disjoint two stages to investigate the relationship between green core competencies (GCC) and green intellectual capital (GIC), mediated by green absorptive capacity (GAC) and moderated by environmental regulation (ER), on green innovation performance (GIP) to examine the firm competitive advantage (FCA). Design/methodology/approach The paper uses partial least squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to analyze symmetric and asymmetric data. It integrates the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and institutional theory (IT) to enhance understanding of how organizations leverage their resource endowments and respond to external institutional pressures to drive green innovation and achieve FCA. Findings The results underscore the significance of GCC, GIC and GAC in enhancing GIP and shaping the FCA of SMEs in the manufacturing sector. The study also highlights the role of the ER in influencing the relationship between GCC, GIC and GIP. Practical implications For managers, this research highlights the importance of developing GCC and intellectual capital while aligning with environmental regulations. By integrating green capabilities into their strategic frameworks, SMEs can not only ensure regulatory compliance but also leverage these regulations to enhance innovation and competitive advantage. Originality/value This research is novel in its integration of NRBV and IT to explore complex interactions between GCC, GIC, GAC and GIP. It provides new insights into how SMEs can strategically integrate green competencies and respond to environmental regulations to secure a competitive advantage.

This study aimed to analyze how Sustainability Performance enhanced Green Competitive Advantage through Environmental Consciousness and Green Intellectual Capital in Indonesia's agricultural manufacturing sector. The Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV), Stakeholder, and Knowledge-Based theories were integrated to address a literature gap on this mediation mechanism in developing countries. A quantitative, explanatory causality method was adopted to collect data through surveys of 183 senior and middle managers from relevant companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The study used a cross-sectional time horizon and individual unit of analysis, then, data were processed using Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS software. The results showed that both Environmental Consciousness and Green Intellectual Capital significantly positive influence on Sustainability Performance, thereby enhancing Green Competitive Advantage. Furthermore, Sustainability Performance fully mediated the relationships between Environmental Consciousness and Green Competitive Advantage, as well as between Green Intellectual Capital and Green Competitive Advantage. These results showed that Sustainability Performance was important for converting environmental awareness and intellectual resources into competitive advantage by improving resource efficiency, stimulating green innovation, and enhancing corporate image. This study contributes theoretically by expanding NRBV and Stakeholder theories through incorporating Sustainability Performance as a mediator. It was practically recommended that companies should internalize Environmental Consciousness through training, develop Green Intellectual Capital, and implement sustainability management systems like ISO 14001. For regulators, the results supported policies promoting ESG transparency and green practice incentives. This study also addressed global challenges, such as the EU's CBAM, showing the need to adapt to sustainability standards for the maintenance of market competitiveness.

The present study is undertaken to investigate the underlying mechanism of the relationship between three dimensions of Green Intellectual Capital (GIC), which include Green Human Capital (GHC), Green Structural Capital (GSC), and Green Relational Capital (GRC), with green product innovation (GPDI) and green process innovation (GPRI) within the context of Pakistani manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This investigation aims to elucidate the function of green knowledge sharing (GKS) as a mediating mechanism among GHC, GSC, GRC, GPDI, and GPRI by incorporating concepts from the natural resource based view (NRBV) and the knowledge based view (KBV) theories. A quantitative study design was used, with survey data collected from 381 owners and managers of manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used to examine the proposed relationships among these variables. Results show that all components of GIC considerably influence both GPDI and GPRI, directly and indirectly through GKS. GKS has a significant impact on the development of intangible green competencies, resulting in innovative outcomes. This research contributes to the literature by applying NRBV and KBV theories in the context of green innovation within resource constrained SMEs. The study found that these firms can enhance their green innovation performance by leveraging green intellectual capital and cultivating a culture of green knowledge sharing. The study has significant implications for policymakers and business leaders in developing regions, promoting and encouraging the adoption of sustainable approaches.

Purpose Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV), stakeholder theory and contingency theory, the present investigation examines the significance of green intellectual capital (GIC) – which encompasses green human capital (GHC), green structural capital (GSC) and green relational capital (GRC) – as a strategic asset for the enhancement of sustainable performance. This study addresses a critical gap in current research by extending the analysis of GIC from manufacturing to the underexplored hotel industry. Additionally, it explores the moderating influences of hotel star rating, geographic location, workforce diversity and regulatory environment. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data were collected from a sample of 520 hotel professionals across Thailand and subsequently examined using a second-order construct framework through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate both first- and second-order constructs. Findings The results substantiate that GIC markedly augments economic, social and environmental performance. Moreover, the research elucidates the moderating effects of contextual factors, such as hotel star rating, workforce diversity and regulatory environment, in shaping the relationship between GIC and sustainable performance. However, geographic location was found to be an insignificant moderator, likely due to uniform regulatory practices within the country. Practical implications Hotel managers should realize the strategic significance of GIC in optimizing resource efficiency, fortifying stakeholder collaboration and advancing sustainability-driven innovation. Given the study’s focus on large hotels in Thailand, caution is advised when generalizing the findings to smaller-scale or international contexts. Originality/value This study offers theoretical contributions by extending the discourse on GIC beyond manufacturing contexts into service industries. It further demonstrates how integrating RBV, stakeholder theory and contingency theory can enrich our understanding of how GIC contributes to sustainable performance within dynamic organizational environments. It also provides practical implications for hotel managers and policymakers, advocating for the integration of sustainability-oriented intellectual resources into organizational strategies and decision-making processes.

In the rapidly evolving business environment, organizations must balance environmental sustainability with economic performance to maintain competitiveness. This study investigates the influence of Green Intellectual Capital (GIC) on Green Innovation Performance (GIP) within the Spanish wine industry, emphasizing the mediating roles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Knowledge Management (KM). Drawing from the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV), Intellectual Capital-Based View (ICV), and Knowledge-Based View (KBV) frameworks, the research analyzes data from 202 Spanish wineries. Results indicate that GIC significantly enhances GIP, with CSR and KM serving as partial mediators. These findings contribute to the understanding of how environmental intangibles drive eco-innovation, providing actionable insights for winery managers aiming to improve sustainable practices. The study underscores the need for a holistic approach to managing GIC, integrating CSR initiatives and KM processes to achieve superior green innovation outcomes.

Purpose Grounded on the natural resource-based view (NRBV) theory, this study aims to analyze the impact of five green strategies – environmental regulations, corporate environmental ethics, green dynamic capability, top management support and green intellectual capital, on green innovation and its impact on sustainability performance of manufacturing firms in Egypt; in addition, the mediating role of circular economy practices on the relationship between green innovations and firms’ sustainability performance was assessed. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 394 responses from Egyptian manufacturing firms by using purposive sampling method. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was mainly employed to analyze the data. Findings The study finds that environmental regulations, corporate environmental ethics, green dynamic capabilities and top management support significantly enhance green innovations of Egyptian manufacturing firms, while green intellectual capital is found insignificant. The relationship between green innovations and sustainability is found to be positive. The results reveal that circular economy practices partially mediate the relationship between green innovations and sustainable practices in Egyptian manufacturing firms. Practical implications To ensure sustainable business performance in Egypt, a long-term strategy focusing on green innovations is essential. The government should enforce strict regulations, while firms adopt sustainable practices, support managers and train young employees to drive green supply chain innovations and enhance business performance. Originality/value This study focuses on manufacturing firms, exploring the impact of green business processes on green innovation and sustainability performance. It uniquely examines the mediation role of the circular economy and provides insights applicable to developing countries like Egypt.

PurposeAchieving sustainability goals for manufacturing firms depends on green human resource management practices and green intellectual capital. This study explores how sustainable approaches, such as green human resource management practices, green intellectual capital, sustainable leadership and green innovation, enhance sustainable performance. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether green intellectual capital and innovation mediate between green human resources management practices and sustainable performance in Pakistan’s manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 458 executives representing 155 (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector in Pakistan using a self-administered questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed for the data analysis.FindingsThe results indicated that green human resource management practices positively impact green intellectual capital, green innovation and sustainable performance. Additionally, green intellectual capital significantly affects both green innovation and sustainable performance. Furthermore, green intellectual capital and innovation mediate the relationship between green human resource management practices and sustainable performance. Results also reveal that sustainable leadership significantly moderates the relationships between green human resource management practices, green intellectual capital and green innovation.Practical implicationsThe results of this study assist practitioners in appreciating and assessing the significance of green intellectual capital and green human resource management techniques. It also emphasizes the importance of green innovation and sustainable leadership in fostering sustainable performance.Originality/valueThis study guides managers and policymakers on how green human resource management practices, intellectual capital, innovation and sustainable leadership enable firms to achieve sustainable performance goals.

This research explores the critical role of Green Intellectual Capital (GIC) in fostering business sustainability within the Indian hotel industry, with a particular focus on the mediating effect of dynamic capabilities. GIC comprises three key components such as Green Human Capital (GHC), Green Relational Capital (GRC), and Green Structural Capital (GSC). Dynamic capabilities, which enable organizations to sense, seize, and transform resources in response to environmental changes, play a crucial role in enhancing the relationship between GIC and sustainability outcomes. Using a quantitative approach, a survey was conducted with 400 professionals from the Indian hotel sector. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to examine the relationships between GIC, Dynamic capabilities, and Business sustainability. The findings reveal that GHC and GRC have significant direct effects on business sustainability, while GSC's impact is primarily mediated by dynamic capabilities. The results emphasize that dynamic capabilities allow hotels to adapt and innovate in the face of sustainability challenges, ensuring long‐term business viability. This work addresses a gap in the existing literature by focusing on the hospitality sector in a developing economy, offering practical insights for hotel managers to leverage GIC and dynamic capabilities to improve sustainability. It also contributes to theoretical frameworks by integrating the Resource‐Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities theories. Future research could expand to other sectors and explore additional mediating variables.

PurposeGiven the importance of environmental protection and the crucial role of manufacturing firms in environmental degradation, the purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of green intellectual capital (GIC) on firms' green performance (GP), mediating effects of ambidextrous green innovation (GI) and moderating role of technological turbulence (TT).Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative research approach with the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology to assess the proposed relationships among the constructs on a sample of 334 executives from 134 medium and large-sized manufacturing firms.FindingsThe findings show that GIC significantly impacts different aspects of GP, including green management, green process and green product performance. Moreover, exploitative and exploratory GI serves as mediators between GIC and firms' GP. Finally, the findings demonstrate that TT moderation enhanced the effects of GIC on exploratory GI, while decreasing the effects of GIC on exploitative GI.Practical implicationsThe research offers valuable insights and a novel strategy for manufacturing firms and policymakers to mitigate environmental degradation and attain sustainable GP by stimulating ambidextrous GI through green intangible resources.Originality/valueThis research adds to the current GIC, GI and GP literature by focusing on green environmental issues using the resource-based view (RBV) theory. This research also provides a significant theoretical and practical justification for explaining the relationships by differentiating ambidextrous GI between exploitative and exploratory GI's mediating effects and TT's moderating effects.

This study investigates the mechanisms through which green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) influences sustainable performance (SuP) in Chinese manufacturing enterprises, focusing on the mediating role of green intellectual capital (GIC) and the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty (EU). Drawing on the Resource-Based View and Natural Resource Base View, we develop and test a moderated mediation model using data from 486 Chinese manufacturing firms. Results from partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) reveal that GEO positively influences SuP both directly and indirectly through GIC. Moreover, EU negatively moderates the relationship between GIC and SuP. These findings contribute to the literature on green entrepreneurship and sustainable performance by elucidating the complex relationships among GEO, GIC, EU, and SuP in the context of Chinese manufacturing. The study offers important implications for theory development and managerial practice in promoting sustainable development in manufacturing industries.

Climate change and its negative environmental impacts have prompted many companies to adopt more environmentally friendly policies, including carbon emission mitigation. In this context, Top Management Green Commitment (TMGC) is a key factor in encouraging companies to integrate sustainability practices focusing on carbon emission reduction into their business strategies. This study aims to analyze the role of TMGC in supporting carbon emission mitigation and sustainability, the impact of GIC in reducing carbon footprints to create sustainability and to understand how Green Intellectual Capital (GIC) can mediate the relationship between TMGC and sustainability.This study involved 220 respondents from energy and manufacturing sector companies in Indonesia, with analysis using PLS second order to test the relationship between variables. The study results indicate that TMGC significantly encourages carbon emission mitigation practices that contribute directly to sustainability. GIC has been proven to significantly affect sustainability and mediates the impact between TMGC and sustainability.The study's findings generally support the Upper Echelon Theory (UET), which states that top management's strategic decisions are influenced by their commitment to sustainability. The study also supports the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV) theory, which emphasizes the importance of GIC in creating sustainable competitive advantage. TMGC and GIC are important elements in reducing carbon emissions and increasing long-term sustainability for companies.

Within the evolving landscape of contemporary business, where sustainability and innovation intertwine, our study explores a strategic gap, presenting the rationale behind choosing green intellectual capital (GIC), absorptive capacity (AC), green innovation (GI), environmental regulations (ERs), and competitive advantage (CA) as main constructs. This model investigates the complex nature of the competitive landscape of SMEs within the vibrant manufacturing sector using the latest version of SmartPLS 4 for analyzing complex data. Drawing upon the theory of the natural resource-based view (NRBV), this study uncovers that GIC advances GI and AC, driving SMEs toward sustainable CA, particularly within the context of ER. These findings propose vital insights for SMEs looking to leverage their valuable resource, contributing to greening operations and reaching sustainable competitiveness while also contributing to theoretical developments in understanding resource-based perceptions on greening the manufacturing of SMEs. Findings reveal the significant impact of GIC on AC and GI and their subsequent impact on CA. Furthermore, ER uncovers the essential role in shaping the link between GIC and AC, thus enhancing SMEs’ capacity to achieve sustainable competitiveness. This study discloses how SMEs utilize GIC to identify ER and achieve CA and how the NRBV develops an understanding of SMEs utilizing their unique resource endowments to drive GI and achieve CA. This study examines the mediating role of AC and GI in this relationship.