The role of innovation for performance improvement through corporate social responsibility practices among small and medium‐sized suppliers in China

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emergent countries have been motivated to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, whereas innovation is needed or even necessary to gain performance. This paper develops a conceptual model to explore if three types of innovation (technology, management, and marketing) have moderation and mediation effects on relationships between CSR practices and performance. Using 494 samples collected from Chinese SMEs, hierarchical regression analysis results show that technology innovation can improve environmental performance together with employee efforts, and it can also improve social image together with environmental practices and community involvement. Management innovation is necessary to improve stakeholders' satisfaction, and itcan also help bring environmental performance through employees' efforts and improve social image through organizational governance. Marketing innovation is necessary to gain economic performance. Meanwhile, marketing innovation can improve stakeholders' satisfaction together with organizational governance, and it can help to improve environmental performance through community involvement.

The influence of CEO characteristics on corporate environmental performance of SMEs: Evidence from Vietnamese SMEs

“…Some scholars suggest that SMEs can improve their environmental performance by developing strategic approaches, appropriating with their capacities (Aragón-Correa et al, 2008). An example of this is the study carried out by Zhu et al (2019), who argued that investing in technology, management, and marketing innovation can help SMEs enhance positive environmental practices.…”

Do environmental, economic and reputational advantages strengthen green practices' impact on environmental performance?

“…Generally, perceived advantage refers to a perception that a new or modified practice is more beneficial than other practices (Gledson & Greenwood, 2017). In this sense, GPs are considered new practices because they require the adoption of new processes or the adjustment of existing techniques, technologies and systems to protect the environment (Lin & Ho, 2011;Zhu, Zou, & Zhang, 2019). From this perspective, when an organisation is convinced that GPs result in a cleaner environment, better profits and an enhanced reputation, adopting GPs can enhance EnvP.…”

Incidencia de la innovación en marketing en el rendimiento empresarial: una aplicación basada en modelamiento con ecuaciones estructurales

“…Por su parte, Kim-Soon, Ahmad, Kiat y Sapry (2016), en una muestra de pymes malasias, determinaron que la innovación en marketing afecta el desempeño organizacional, pero no el desempeño financiero. Mientras que, para el caso chino, Zhu et al (2019) encontraron que la innovación en marketing incide en el performance económico y en la creación de satisfacción en los stakeholders.…”

“…De igual manera, la práctica experimental encontrada en la revisión de la literatura apunta a que la innovación está empatada con el rendimiento empresarial (Aksoy, 2017;Estrada, Cuevas-Vargas y Cortés, 2015;Van Auken, Madrid-Guijarro y García, 2008;Zhu, Zou y Zhang, 2019). En contraste, Jeng y Pak (2016), Mothe y Nguyen (2010), Sok, O'Cass y Miles (2016) y Vilaseca-Requena, Torrent-Sellens y Jiménez-Zarco (2007) han encontrado resultados negativos de la innovación en las pymes.…”