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Greening the Nexus Between Managerial Innovativeness and Innovation Performance of Manufacturing SMEs: The Mediating Role of Green Ambidexterity

Author

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  • Enoch Adusei
  • Tilo Halaszovich
  • Leonhard Gebhardt

Abstract

The current business environment increasingly requires firms to adopt sustainable innovation strategies to improve their performance. Drawing from the dynamic capability theory and supported by upper echelons perspectives, this study examines the synergistic relationship between green managerial innovativeness and green ambidexterity on green innovation performance among manufacturing small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. This study employed a purposive sampling technique to obtain cross‐sectional survey data from 359 manufacturing SMEs. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses revealed that green managerial innovativeness positively affects both green innovation performance, and green exploitative–exploratory ambidexterity. In addition, the effect of green managerial innovativeness on green innovation performance is mediated by both exploitative and exploratory ambidexterity. This is one of the earliest studies to green the framework of managerial innovativeness, ambidexterity, and innovation performance concerning manufacturing SMEs in emerging markets, and thus, its findings contribute to establishing firms' competitive green strategy.

Suggested Citation

  • Enoch Adusei & Tilo Halaszovich & Leonhard Gebhardt, 2025. "Greening the Nexus Between Managerial Innovativeness and Innovation Performance of Manufacturing SMEs: The Mediating Role of Green Ambidexterity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 7016-7032, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:6:p:7016-7032
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.4335
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yin Wang & Renyong Hou & Shu Yang & Xintao Yu, 2026. "Dynamic ambidextrous capability in the high-quality development of Chinese SMEs: evidence from the auxiliary material products manufacturing industry," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Sebastian Ion Ceptureanu & Eduard Gabriel Ceptureanu & Giovanna Ferraro & Antonio Thomas, 2026. "Investigating the Link Between Eco‐Innovation Ambidexterity and Performances in Low‐End Markets. Does Frugal Innovation Matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 1022-1038, January.

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