IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i19p8703-d1759726.html

Sustainable Product Innovation in SMEs: The Role of Digital–Green Learning Orientation and R&D Ambidexterity

Author

Listed:
  • Shuhe Zhang

    (School of Business and Management, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Guangping Xu

    (School of Economics and Management, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China)

  • Zikang Zheng

    (School of Economics and Management, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, China)

Abstract

As digitalization and environmental sustainability advance globally, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing transformative pressures as well as emerging opportunities. Rapid digital innovation promotes intelligent production, cost reduction, efficiency gains, and improved management practices, while green development mandates emphasize energy conservation, emissions reduction, and sustainable supply chains. Amid concurrent digital and green transformations, SMEs are leveraging digital technologies to bolster green learning and enhance sustainable product development. This study investigates the digital–green learning orientation (DGLO) and its influence on ambidextrous research and development (R&D) capabilities, which in turn shape sustainable product development performance (SPDP). Drawing on survey data from 306 SMEs in eastern and southern China, multiple regression analysis was employed to assess the relationships between DGLO, ambidextrous R&D capabilities, and SPDP. The findings reveal that DGLO significantly enhances SPDP. Moreover, DGLO promotes SPDP through both exploitative and exploratory R&D capabilities, with each playing a complementary role.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuhe Zhang & Guangping Xu & Zikang Zheng, 2025. "Sustainable Product Innovation in SMEs: The Role of Digital–Green Learning Orientation and R&D Ambidexterity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8703-:d:1759726
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8703/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8703/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shi Yin & Yuanyuan Yu & Nan Zhang, 2024. "The Effect of Digital Green Strategic Orientation On Digital Green Innovation Performance: From the Perspective of Digital Green Business Model Innovation," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, June.
    2. Eller, Robert & Alford, Philip & Kallmünzer, Andreas & Peters, Mike, 2020. "Antecedents, consequences, and challenges of small and medium-sized enterprise digitalization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 119-127.
    3. Camila Silva Mattos & Giustina Pellegrini & Geoffrey Hagelaar & Wilfred Dolfsma, 2024. "Systematic literature review on technological transformation in SMEs: a transformation encompassing technology assimilation and business model innovation," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 74(2), pages 1057-1095, June.
    4. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    5. Qian Li & Hui Gao, 2023. "How External Knowledge Acquisition Contribute to Innovation Performance: A Chain Mediation Model," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    6. Ghiyoung Im & Arun Rai, 2008. "Knowledge Sharing Ambidexterity in Long-Term Interorganizational Relationships," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(7), pages 1281-1296, July.
    7. Antonio Miceli & Birgit Hagen & Maria Pia Riccardi & Francesco Sotti & Davide Settembre-Blundo, 2021. "Thriving, Not Just Surviving in Changing Times: How Sustainability, Agility and Digitalization Intertwine with Organizational Resilience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    8. Daohai Zhang & Xianqiao Hou & Jiayuan Guo, 2023. "How does digital transformation improve new product development performance from the perspective of resource orchestration?—Analysis based on configuration," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(11), pages 1-17, November.
    9. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    10. Pedro Rodrigues Ribeiro & Patrícia Batista & Francisco Mendes-Palma & Manuela Pintado & Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, 2023. "Consumers’ Engagement and Perspectives on Sustainable Textile Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-23, November.
    11. Qianqian Zhang & Chunzi Jiang & Xiaomei Zhang, 2023. "Exploration or exploitation? A study on equity incentive design, dynamic decision making, and economic consequences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(1), pages 1-21, January.
    12. Sebastian Raisch & Julian Birkinshaw & Gilbert Probst & Michael L. Tushman, 2009. "Organizational Ambidexterity: Balancing Exploitation and Exploration for Sustained Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 685-695, August.
    13. Martina Glogar & Slavenka Petrak & Maja Mahnić Naglić, 2025. "Digital Technologies in the Sustainable Design and Development of Textiles and Clothing—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-26, February.
    14. Olga Kassotaki, 2022. "Review of Organizational Ambidexterity Research," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gianzina, Olga & Paroutis, Sotirios, 2025. "Ambidextrous leadership: A systematic review and roadmap for future research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Partanen, Jukka & Kohtamäki, Marko & Patel, Pankaj C. & Parida, Vinit, 2020. "Supply chain ambidexterity and manufacturing SME performance: The moderating roles of network capability and strategic information flow," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    3. Massimo Colombo & Liliana Doganova & Evila Piva & Diego D’Adda & Philippe Mustar, 2015. "Hybrid alliances and radical innovation: the performance implications of integrating exploration and exploitation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 696-722, August.
    4. Úbeda-García, Mercedes & Claver-Cortés, Enrique & Marco-Lajara, Bartolomé & Zaragoza-Sáez, Patrocinio, 2020. "Toward a dynamic construction of organizational ambidexterity: Exploring the synergies between structural differentiation, organizational context, and interorganizational relations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 363-372.
    5. Olli-Pekka Kauppila & Michiel P. Tempelaar, 2016. "The Social-Cognitive Underpinnings of Employees’ Ambidextrous Behaviour and the Supportive Role of Group Managers’ Leadership," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 1019-1044, September.
    6. Juan A. Martínez-Román & Javier Gamero & Juan A. Tamayo & María L. Delgado-González & David B. Audretsch, 2026. "Technological ambidexterity and firm growth: analyzing synergies between exploitation and exploration of technological knowledge," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 1-34, March.
    7. Ana María Serrano-Bedia & Marta Pérez-Pérez, 2021. "Knowledge Ambidexterity within a Business Context: Taking Stock and Moving Forward," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    8. Zachary R. Steelman & Taha Havakhor & Rajiv Sabherwal & Sanjiv Sabherwal, 2019. "Performance Consequences of Information Technology Investments: Implications of Emphasizing New or Current Information Technologies," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(1), pages 204-218, March.
    9. Varandas, Cristina & Fernandes, Cristina I. & Veiga, Pedro Mota, 2024. "Human resource management in ambidextrous organisations – A systematic literature review," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    10. Jeoung Yul Lee & Vasyl Taras & Alfredo Jiménez & Byungchul Choi & Chinmay Pattnaik, 2020. "Ambidextrous Knowledge Sharing within R&D Teams and Multinational Enterprise Performance: The Moderating Effects of Cultural Distance in Uncertainty Avoidance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 387-425, June.
    11. Martin, Alexander & Horvat, Djerdj & Jäger, Angela & Pilav-Velić, Amila, 2025. "The impact of top management team's innovation orientation on organizational ambidexterity in transitional economies: Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    12. Jun-You Lin, 2021. "Collaboration exploitation and exploration: does a proactive search strategy matter?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(10), pages 8295-8329, October.
    13. Vahlne, Jan-Erik & Jonsson, Anna, 2017. "Ambidexterity as a dynamic capability in the globalization of the multinational business enterprise (MBE): Case studies of AB Volvo and IKEA," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 57-70.
    14. Telma Mendes & Vítor Braga & Carina Silva & Vanessa Ratten, 2023. "Taking a closer look at the regionally clustered firms: How can ambidexterity explain the link between management, entrepreneurship, and innovation in a post-industrialized world?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 2007-2053, December.
    15. Revilla, Elena & Villena, Verónica H., 2012. "Knowledge integration taxonomy in buyer–supplier relationships: Trade-offs between efficiency and innovation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(2), pages 854-864.
    16. Pereira, Vijay & Giudice, Manlio Del & Malik, Ashish & Tarba, Shlomo & Temouri, Yama & Budhwar, Pawan & Patnaik, Swetketu, 2021. "A longitudinal investigation into multilevel agile & ambidextrous strategic dualities in an information technology high performing EMNE," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    17. Arman Avadikyan & Gilles Lambert & Christophe Lerch, 2016. "A Multi-Level Perspective on Ambidexterity: The Case of a Synchrotron Research Facility," Working Papers of BETA 2016-44, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    18. Carolina Rojas-Córdova & Amanda J. Williamson & Julio A. Pertuze & Gustavo Calvo, 2023. "Why one strategy does not fit all: a systematic review on exploration–exploitation in different organizational archetypes," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(7), pages 2251-2295, October.
    19. Chang, Kuo-Hsiung & Gotcher, Donald F., 2020. "How and when does co-production facilitate eco-innovation in international buyer-supplier relationships? The role of environmental innovation ambidexterity and institutional pressures," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(5).
    20. Amalesh Sharma & V. Kumar & Jun Yan & Sourav Bikash Borah & Anirban Adhikary, 2019. "Understanding the structural characteristics of a firm’s whole buyer–supplier network and its impact on international business performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(3), pages 365-392, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8703-:d:1759726. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.