Organizational unlearning and inclusive innovation: The moderating role of green control ambidexterity

Abstract

Inclusive innovation is critical for poverty eradication and literature has identified several factors affecting inclusive innovation. However, our understanding of how organizational unlearning affects inclusive innovation is still limited. This study explores how organizational unlearning affects two dimensions of inclusive innovation (i.e., symbolic and substantive) via supply chain green learning and the moderating role of green control ambidexterity. We develop hypotheses based on organizational learning theory and organizational control theory and test hypotheses using survey data from 217 Chinese firms. The results indicate that supply chain green learning mediates the impacts of non-environmental forgetting and environmental change on symbolic and substantive inclusive innovation. The results also reveal that the balanced dimension of green control ambidexterity strengthens the positive impact of supply chain green learning on substantive inclusive innovation, while the combined dimension of green control ambidexterity weakens the positive impact of supply chain green learning on symbolic inclusive innovation. This study enriches the literature and practice in the field of inclusive innovation and organizational control.

How eco‐control systems enhance carbon performance via low‐carbon supply chain collaboration? The moderating role of organizational unlearning

“…When enterprises disclose carbon information to customers through ECS and communicate with them, enterprises with higher organizational unlearning can capture the customers' ideas more quickly, improve process design, and promote CLCC (Awan & Sroufe, 2020; Rogge & Schleich, 2018; Villena & Dhanorkar, 2020). Furthermore, enterprises with high organizational unlearning can improve their internal low‐carbon management practices and obtain customer support through the release of ECS (Henri & Journeault, 2010; Zhao et al, 2021), which enables enterprises to have more resources to develop leading‐edge products to meet customers' low‐carbon needs and strengthen cooperation with customers (Awan, Kraslawski, & Huiskonen, 2018; Cronin et al, 2011). In addition, enterprises adopting organizational unlearning are more open and inclusive, which can reduce the loss of morale after failure due to the research and development of new products and improve the success rate of low‐carbon transformation (Klammer & Gueldenberg, 2018; Zhang & Zhu, 2021).…”

“…Entrepreneurs are interested in organizational unlearning because it promotes innovation (Lyu et al, 2020), improves adaptability (Cegarra‐Navarro & Cepeda‐Carrion, 2013; Klammer & Gueldenberg, 2018), strengthens customer relationship (Hislop et al, 2014), increases enterprise agility (Zhang & Zhu, 2021), and reduces cultural misunderstandings (Pattnaik et al, 2021; Theien et al, 2014). Existing studies consider organizational unlearning as an important situational factor of corporate behavior (Bekki & Turker, 2022; Klammer & Gueldenberg, 2018; Zhang & Zhu, 2021; Zhao et al, 2021). However, studies on the background factor of ECS are limited.…”

“…Organizational unlearning breaks the established shortcut brought about by the thinking set, adjust the cognitive bias, and avoid the ability trap (Klammer & Gueldenberg, 2018;Lyu et al, 2020). The use of organizational unlearning by enterprises helps them abandon traditional beliefs, learn of knowledge types, and deepen the alignment of organizational environment objectives (Zhao et al, 2021).…”

“…The use of organizational unlearning by enterprises helps them abandon traditional beliefs, learn of knowledge types, and deepen the alignment of organizational environment objectives (Zhao et al, 2021). Based on organizational learning theory, high organizational unlearning helps enterprises dig deep into low‐carbon knowledge and enrich the content of information disclosure of ECS (Bessant et al, 2003; Zhao et al, 2021). This reduces the differences among partners in carbon emission reduction goals, improves the effectiveness of knowledge exchange, and promotes low‐carbon supply chain collaboration (Awan, Kraslawski, & Huiskonen, 2018; Martignoni & Keil, 2020).…”

“…Organizational unlearning breaks the established shortcut brought about by the thinking set, adjust the cognitive bias, and avoid the ability trap (Klammer & Gueldenberg, 2018; Lyu et al, 2020). The use of organizational unlearning by enterprises helps them abandon traditional beliefs, learn of knowledge types, and deepen the alignment of organizational environment objectives (Zhao et al, 2021). Based on organizational learning theory, high organizational unlearning helps enterprises dig deep into low‐carbon knowledge and enrich the content of information disclosure of ECS (Bessant et al, 2003; Zhao et al, 2021).…”