Disentangling Technical and Behavioral Green Supply Chain Management Practices: The Mediating Role of Green Innovation Culture in Logistics Firms’ Triple-Bottom-Line Performance

Abstract

Background: Although green supply chain management (GSCM) has been widely examined, prior studies have often treated it as a homogeneous construct and have paid limited attention to how different types of GSCM practices operate in logistics firms. This study addresses this gap by distinguishing between technical GSCM practices and behavioral GSCM practices and examining how both dimensions influence organizational performance through green innovation culture (GIC). Methods: Drawing on data from a cross-sectional survey of 426 logistics practitioners involved in supply chain, operations, and sustainability-related functions in Guangzhou, China, the study tested the proposed model using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Both technical and behavioral GSCM practices positively influence GIC, with behavioral practices having a stronger effect. GIC significantly improves organizational performance. Technical and behavioral GSCM practices also directly enhance organizational performance, indicating partial mediation. The indirect effect of behavioral GSCM practices through GIC is stronger, suggesting that behavioral governance is especially important for developing an innovation-oriented green culture. Conclusions: The study advances GSCM and green innovation literature and suggests logistics firms can achieve more sustainable performance improvements by combining technological upgrading with leadership support, employee involvement, stakeholder collaboration, and an innovation-oriented green culture.