Towards Digital Sustainability
Digital Intelligence Transformation, Sustainable Business Model Innovation, and ESG Performance
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22418165 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Li Sun (0000-0002-9084-1318, Jilin University), Lulu Sun (0000-0001-5851-6593, School of Business and Management Jilin University Changchun China), Xiumei Zhu (0000-0002-6102-8985, Guangdong University of Technology), Shengliang Deng (0000-0003-1602-064X, Goodman School of Business Brock University St. Catharines ON Canada) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-09 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Business Strategy and the Environment (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0964-4733 • E-ISSN: 1099-0836 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/bse.71110 |
| OpenAlex | W7164170789 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 45 |
Although prior studies have examined the relationship between digital transformation and ESG performance, they have yet to systematically uncover the non‐linear impact of digital intelligence transformation on ESG performance, making it difficult to fully explain how digital intelligence transformation translates into ESG performance across different contexts. To address this gap, this study investigates how digital intelligence transformation can enhance ESG performance through sustainable business model innovation, thereby extending the existing literature. Grounded in the natural resource‐based view and disruptive innovation theory, this study empirically examines panel data from Chinese A‐share‐listed firms from 2011 to 2021. The results reveal a significant U‐shaped relationship between digital intelligence transformation and ESG performance, with this effect more pronounced in large non‐state‐owned enterprises. Further analysis shows that sustainable business model innovation mediates this relationship, while green absorptive capacity positively moderates the relationship between sustainable business model innovation and ESG performance. Overall, this study unveils the non‐linear mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying the impact of digital intelligence transformation on ESG performance, offering new theoretical insights and practical implications for firms pursuing digital sustainability.
Business Intelligence · Business model · Business transformation · Digital transformation · Sustainable Business · Sustainable development · Big Data and Business Intelligence · Competitive and Knowledge Intelligence · Digital Transformation in Industry
Business Model Innovation for Sustainability
Business Model Design and the Performance of Entrepreneurial Firms
A Natural-Resource-Based View of the Firm
Business models for sustainable innovation
Entrepreneurship in the large corporation
Value creation in E‐business
A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes
Digital transformation
Explicating dynamic capabilities
Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage
The future of employment
ESG performance and corporate technology innovation
How ESG shapes firm value
Contextual factors of disruptive innovation
Digital orientation and environmental performance in times of technological change
The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |