Green Innovation Strategy and Ambidextrous Green Innovation: The Mediating Effects of Green Supply Chain Integration

Although the importance of green innovation strategy has been recognized, in the existing literature the relationship between green innovation strategy and corporate competitive advantage, as well as the relationship between green innovation strategy and green innovation are still unclear. Based on the resource dependence theory, this paper proposes a mediation model to promote ambidextrous green innovation. The relationship between green innovation strategy and ambidextrous green innovation is discussed, and the mediating role of green supply chain integration is investigated. Based on the questionnaire data from manufacturing companies in three developed economic zones in China, a structural equation model is established to verify our hypotheses. The empirical results show that the green innovation strategy has a positive impact on both exploitative and exploratory green innovation, and the impact on exploratory green innovation is greater than that on exploitative green innovation. Green supply chain integration plays a partial intermediating role in green innovation strategy and ambidextrous green innovation. The implementation of green innovation requires not only internal cross-department integration, but also integration with external supply chain partners such as suppliers and customers. By emphasizing the importance of green innovation strategy in the context of sustainable development, this research helps provide effective strategic directions and required capacity structures for companies to successfully implement green innovation practices, and reduces the uncertainty of green innovation. This study expands previous studies and enriches existing green innovation research.