Nexus between IT capability and green intellectual capital on sustainable businesses: evidence from emerging economies

This study aims to determine the moderating role of IT capability between green intellectual capital (GIC) and business sustainability in China’s manufacturing sector. A quantitative analysis approach is applied to the primary data collected through a close-ended survey questionnaire from 1000 supply chain employees of China’s manufacturing industry. Results revealed that the association and effect of GIC on the business sustainability of Chinese manufacturing companies were statistically significant, while the moderating role of IT capability between GIC and business sustainability was also found. Notably, all variables indicating GIC (i.e., green human capital (GHC), green structural capital (GSC), and green relationship capital (GRC)) affected business sustainability positively and significantly, whereas the moderation of IT capability was specific to GSC and GRC. Hence, it has been recommended to the Chinese manufacturing companies to integrate IT infrastructure in their firms to enhance business sustainability. However, this research was limited to the Chinese manufacturing sector and cannot be generalized to other sectors or countries.