How green intellectual capital influences environmental performance: The mediating role of green knowledge sharing and green innovation

Abstract

This research investigates into how efficiently green intellectual capital (GIC) impacts environmental performance (EP) by integrating the mediators green knowledge sharing (GKS) and green innovation (GI), using the theories of Intellectual Capital based View (ICV) and Knowledge Management. The study was conducted quantitatively using a questionnaire-based survey through judgmental and snowball sampling methods with a sample of 508 respondents from SMEs across two sectors (manufacturing and commerce-service) in Vietnam. For analysis of data, the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was employed. The findings show that EP can be directly attributed to GIC, and that GIC positively influences GKS and GI which would consequently positively contribute to EP. This means that GIC can simultaneously make impact on EP directly, and make indirect impacts through mediators GKS and GI. The study is the first to combine GKS and GI as mediators using PLS-SEM approach to deepen the understanding of GIC on EP and to make significant contributions toward an expanded theory of intellectual capital. Furthermore, the understanding is extended regarding the mediating mechanisms of GKS and GI in the GIC-EP relationship in the CSR context in Vietnam