Green innovation output in the supply chain network with environmental information disclosure: An empirical analysis of Chinese listed firms

Abstract

Supply chain networks affect the ability of firms to obtain resources, and to meet the requirements of sustainable development, firms further seek green innovation from supply chain networks. Based on this context, we construct a supply chain network system, explore the influence of supply chain network power and network cohesion on corporate green innovation output, and discuss the potential moderating effect of corporate environmental information disclosure. We use an empirical sample comprising 1048 A-share listed firms in China from 2012 to 2019 to construct a supply chain network for focal firms. We also develop the focal firms' environmental information disclosure index via the environmental information revealed in the firms' annual and corporate social responsibility reports. Negative binomial model regression is adopted to analyse how supply chain network structures affect green innovation output. Our results show that both the network power and cohesion of the supply chain network positively influence corporate green innovation output, but the interaction of network power and cohesion negatively affects corporate green innovation, which suggests that excessive green knowledge and information can overload focal firms and reduce the efficiency of knowledge and information search. Furthermore, the empirical results indicate that environmental information disclosure positively moderates the relationship between network power and green innovation output as well as that between network cohesion and green innovation output. By analysing the factors influencing corporate green innovation output from a network perspective, we provide new guidance for sustainable corporate development.