Lean production systems, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness: the mediating roles of green technology adoption and green product innovation
Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology
ISSN: 1726-0531
Article publication date: 26 July 2021
Issue publication date: 19 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the interrelationships between lean production, green technology adoption, green product innovation, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness. The study further investigates the mediation roles of green technology adoption and green product innovation between lean production systems, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative research approach is used for the study. Data for the study is garnered from 197 managers of manufacturing firms in Ghana via a self-administered questionnaire. Structural equation modeling, specifically partial least square is applied as the methodological tool to test all hypotheses.
Findings
Results of the study suggest that lean production systems have a significant positive impact on green technology adoption, green product innovation and green competitiveness. However, lean production systems are found to have an insignificant impact on social performance. The results further confirm the mediation roles of both green technology adoption and green product innovation between lean production systems, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness; thus indicating that lean production systems create an efficient condition for firms to adopt green technologies and produce innovative green-based products to leverage superior social sustainability performance and green competitiveness.
Originality/value
This study proposes and develops a comprehensive research model that is supported by the natural resource-based view theory to investigate the link between lean production systems, green technology adoption, green product innovation, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness from an emergent country perspective.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work is supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61304179, 71501021, 71871036, 71431001, 71831002, 71672016); the Program for Innovative Research Team in University (IRT_17R13); the Humanity and Social Science Youth foundation of Ministry of Education (19YJC630151); the International Association of Maritime Universities (20200205_AMC); the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province (2020-HYLH-32); the Dalian Science and Technology Innovation Fund (2020JJ26GX023).
Citation
Afum, E., Sun, Z., Agyabeng-Mensah, Y. and Baah, C. (2023), "Lean production systems, social sustainability performance and green competitiveness: the mediating roles of green technology adoption and green product innovation", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 206-227. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-02-2021-0099
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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