Green intellectual capital and green supply chain integration: the mediating role of supply chain transformational leadership

Purpose Drawing upon social capital theory, this research aims to explore the influence of three dimensions of green intellectual capital (GIC) (i.e. green human capital [GHC], green structural capital and green relational capital) on green supply chain integration (GSCI) (i.e. green supplier, internal and customer integration), and the mediating effect of supply chain transformational leadership (SCTL). Design/methodology/approach To verify the hypothesized relationships, the authors conduct hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping method with two-waved survey data collected from 317 Chinese manufacturing firms. Findings The findings suggest that both green structural and relational capital positively influence three dimensions of GSCI, while GHC only positively affects green internal and customer integration. In addition, SCTL mediates the impacts of green structural and relational capital on three dimensions of GSCI and mediates the impacts of GHC on green supplier and internal integration. Originality/value This research contributes to the GSCI literature and practice by deeming GIC as an intangible resource that can enhance GSCI and revealing the mediating role of SCTL.