The determinants of green intellectual capital

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop an original framework of green intellectual capital to explore the positive effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on green intellectual capital through the partial mediator ‐ environmental consciousness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study summarizes the concepts of CSR and green management to develop an integral framework to enhance green intellectual capital. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to verify the research framework.

Findings

This study utilizes SEM to explore the influences of CSR and environmental consciousness on three types of green intellectual capital – green human capital, green structural capital, and green relationship capital. The empirical results of this study demonstrate that CSR and environmental consciousness have positive effects on three types of green intellectual capital. Besides, this study verifies that environmental consciousness is a partial mediator between CSR and three types of green intellectual capital. In addition, this study classifies the Taiwanese manufacturing companies into three groups – highly, medially, and lowly ethic companies. The results show that three types of green intellectual capital of highly ethic companies are the most, and those of medially ethic companies are the next, while those of lowly ethic companies are the least.

Originality/value

This study integrates the theories of CSR and green management to develop an integral conceptual model of green intellectual capital to explore its managerial implications and determinants.

Citation

Chang, C. and Chen, Y. (2012), "The determinants of green intellectual capital", Management Decision, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 74-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251741211194886