Green Supply Chain Network Embeddedness, Resource Orchestration Capability, and Enterprise Sustainability Performance

Abstract

With increasingly stringent environmental regulations and the growing demand for green consumption, firms have become progressively aware of the critical importance of green supply chain management (GSCM). Although existing studies have partially explored the relationship between GSCM and enterprise sustainability performance, empirical research from the perspectives of network embeddedness and resource orchestration remains relatively limited. To address this gap, grounded in network embeddedness theory and resource orchestration theory, this article selects Chinese A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen that implemented GSCM from 2012 to 2022 as the sample to empirically examine the relationships among green supply chain network embeddedness, resource orchestration capability, and sustainability performance. The findings reveal that structural embeddedness (SE) of green supply chain networks exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with sustainability performance, whereas relational embeddedness (RE) exerts a positive impact. Additionally, green resource absorption capacity and green resource allocation capability mediate the relationship between green supply chain network embeddedness and sustainability performance. The influence of SE on sustainability performance is particularly pronounced in heavily polluting industries and large enterprises, while the positive effects of RE are more evident in nonpolluting industries and small enterprises. This article broadens the theoretical perspectives in the fields of supply chain management and sustainability, offering theoretical support for firms to optimize GSCM practices and achieve sustainable development.