Environmental Foe or Friend: The Impact of Intellectual Capital and Ambidextrous Innovation on Environmental Performance

Abstract

This study was conducted to address the question of whether the existence of green intellectual capital, ambidextrous green innovation, and pro-environmental behaviors promotes environmental performance in 320 enterprises in Vietnam. Evidence obtained from the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) shows that: (i) Employees’ pro-environmental behavior positively contributes to improving enterprises’ environmental performance; (ii) The more extensive the green intellectual capital, the more efficient the environmental improvement through measures such as reducing hazardous waste and increasing the use of renewable inputs. As a result, environmental quality can be improved. In addition, as a moderator, green intellectual capital positively affects the relationship between ambidextrous green innovation and environmental performance. Based on the study’s findings, the authors suggest some governance implications for promoting sustainable environmental development in some Vietnamese enterprises.