Green supply chain knowledge networks and corporate ESG performance: the role of green technology innovation and knowledge integration capability

This paper examines the relationships between knowledge networks and corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance within the context of green supply chain management (GSCM). While knowledge accumulated by enterprises implementing GSCM can effectively enhance ESG performance, constructing knowledge networks among these enterprises may lead to more significant performance improvements. On the basis of the knowledge-based theory, social network theory, and dynamic capabilities theory, this paper adopts the structure-conduct-performance framework, selects Chinese A-share listed enterprises implementing GSCM as its research subjects, and utilises these enterprises’ green patents to construct green supply chain knowledge networks. It empirically investigates the relationships among green supply chain knowledge networks, green technology innovation, knowledge integration capability, and ESG performance. The results show that the structural characteristics of the knowledge network positively affect ESG performance and that the relational characteristics exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship with ESG performance. Green technology innovation mediates the relationship between knowledge network characteristics and ESG performance. Furthermore, knowledge integration capability positively moderates the relationship between knowledge network characteristics and green technology innovation. These findings enrich the research on social network theory and other related theories, providing new insights for enterprises to improve ESG performance.