The Effects of Corporate ESG Activities on Employees’ Innovative Behavior in Chinese Enterprises : A Moderated Mediation Model = 중국 기업의 ESG 활동이 직원 혁신행동에 미치는 영향: 조절된 매개모형을 중심으로

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the effects of corporate ESG activities on employee innovative behavior in Chinese enterprises and to test the mediating effects of organizational trust and job satisfaction, as well as the moderating effect of environmental efficacy. In recent years, as Chinese enterprises have faced the dual demands of green transformation and high-quality development, ESG activities have increasingly been incorporated into core strategies for sustainable management and competitiveness enhancement. However, prior studies have mainly focused on macro-level issues such as ESG disclosure, corporate performance, and financial outcomes, while relatively insufficient attention has been paid to the micro-level question of how ESG influences employees’ psychological states and behavioral responses within organizations. Accordingly, this study seeks to clarify the relationship between corporate ESG activities and employee innovative behavior and to empirically verify the internal mechanism underlying this relationship. To achieve this objective, this study adopts the Stimulus-Organism-Response （S-O-R） framework. Specifically, corporate ESG activities are set as the independent variable, employee innovative behavior as the dependent variable, organizational trust and job satisfaction as parallel mediators, and environmental efficacy as the moderator. For the empirical analysis, 800 questionnaire surveys were conducted among employees working in Chinese enterprises. The empirical results demonstrate that corporate ESG activities exert a significant positive effect on employees’ innovative behavior. Moreover, these activities significantly enhance employees’ organizational trust and job satisfaction, both of which in turn positively influence innovative behavior. Organizational trust and job satisfaction serve as parallel partial mediators in the relationship between corporate ESG activities and employee innovative behavior. These findings indicate that corporate ESG activities are not merely external reputation management tools, but rather important internal managerial mechanisms that shape employees’ psychological states and ultimately promote innovative behavior. This study makes several theoretical contributions. First, it extends the level of ESG research from the macro-level of corporate performance to the micro-level of employee behavior. Second, by focusing on two key psychological variables, organizational trust and job satisfaction, it identifies the internal pathways through which ESG exerts its influence, thereby enriching the explanatory power of the relationship between ESG and employee behavior. Third, by introducing environmental efficacy as a moderating variable, this study reveals individual differences and boundary conditions in the effects of ESG, thus complementing the existing literature. From a practical perspective, this study demonstrates that Chinese enterprises should refrain from perceiving ESG merely as a tool for external disclosure, regulatory compliance, or institutional conformity. Instead, it ought to be conceptualized as a strategic mechanism for bolstering internal management. By systematically integrating ESG principles into management practices and organizational governance processes, firms can cultivate organizational trust and augment employee job satisfaction, thereby catalyzing employee innovative behavior. In this regard, ESG practices can more effectively unleash the creative potential of the workforce, empowering organizations to foster sustainable competitive advantages and spearhead organizational innovation in the pursuit of high-quality development.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 연구의 목적은 중국 기업의 ESG 활동이 종업원의 혁신 행동에 미치는 영향을 실증적으로 분석하고, 조직 신뢰와 직무 만족도의 매개 효과 및 환경 효능감의 조절 효과를 검증하는 데 있다. 최근 중국 기업들이 친환경 전환과 고품질 발전이라는 이중적 과제에 직면함에 따라, ESG 활동은 지속가능경영과 경쟁력 제고를 위한 핵심 전략으로 깊이 자리 잡고 있다. 그러나 기존 연구들은 주로 ESG 정보 공시, 기업 성과 및 재무적 결과 등 거시적 차원의 이슈에 치중해 왔으며, 조직 내에서 ESG가 종업원의 심리 상태와 행동 반응에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지에 대한 미시적 차원의 탐구는 상대적으로 미흡했다. 이에 따라 본 연구는 기업의 ESG 활동과 종업원 혁신 행동 간의 관계를 명확히 하고, 그 기저에 있는 내부 메커니즘을 실증적으로 검증하고자 한다. 이러한 목적을 달성하기 위해 본 연구는 자극-유기체-반응（S-O-R） 프레임워크를 적용하였다. 구체적으로 기업의 ESG 활동을 독립변수로, 종업원의 혁신 행동을 종속변수로, 조직 신뢰와 직무 만족도를 병렬 매개변수로, 환경 효능감을 조절변수로 설정하였다. 실증 분석을 위해 중국 기업에 근무하는 종업원들을 대상으로 800부의 설문조사를 실시하였다. 실증 분석 결과, 기업의 ESG 활동은 종업원의 혁신 행동에 유의미한 정의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 ESG 활동은 종업원의 조직 신뢰와 직무 만족도를 유의미하게 향상시켰으며, 이 두 요인은 다시 혁신 행동에 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 즉, 조직 신뢰와 직무 만족도는 기업의 ESG 활동과 종업원 혁신 행동 간의 관계에서 병렬적 부분 매개 역할을 하는 것으로 확인되었다. 이러한 결과는 기업의 ESG 활동이 단순한 외부 평판 관리 도구에 그치는 것이 아니라, 종업원의 심리 상태를 형성하고 궁극적으로 혁신 행동을 촉진하는 중요한 내부 관리 기제임을 시사한다. 본 연구는 다음과 같은 이론적 기여점을 갖는다. 첫째, ESG 연구의 초점을 기업 성과라는 거시적 차원에서 종업원 행동이라는 미시적 차원으로 확장하였다. 둘째, 조직 신뢰와 직무 만족도라는 두 가지 핵심 심리 변수에 주목함으로써 ESG가 영향력을 발휘하는 내부 경로를 규명하였고, 이를 통해 ESG와 종업원 행동 간의 관계에 대한 설명력을 높였다. 셋째, 환경 효능감을 조절변수로 도입함으로써 ESG 활동이 종업원 혁신 행동으로 이어지는 과정에서의 경계 조건을 규명하였다. 이는 ESG 활동이 종업원 혁신 행동으로 이어지는 과정에서, 환경 행동과 지속가능성 실천의 효과성에 대한 종업원의 인식이 심리적 태도에서 혁신 행동으로의 전환 정도를 결정하는 중요한 경계 조건으로 작용함을 보여준다.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I．Introduction 1
• 1.1 Research background 1
• 1.1.1 The Deepening of ESG Practices in China 1
• 1.1.2 Substantive Transformation 3
• 1.1.3 ESG Practices and Employee Innovative Behavior in the Chinese Corporate Context 5
• 1.1.4 Environmental Efficacy in the Chinese Development Context 7
• 1.1.5 Research Gaps 11
• 1.1.6 Innovative points 13
• 1.2 Research Questions 15
• 1.2.1 What is the relationship between corporate ESG activities and broader employee innovative behavior in the Chinese sustainability context? 15
• 1.2.2 Are organizational trust and job satisfaction key psychological transmission pathways? 16
• 1.2.3 Will environmental efficacy affect the transformation into innovative behavior? 16
• 1.2.4 Are these mechanisms applicable in the context of Chinese? 17
• 1.3 Research Objectives and Significance 18
• 1.3.1 Theoretical Significance 18
• 1.3.2 Practical Significance 20
• 1.3.3 Comprehensive Framework 21
• 1.4 Research Methods and Data Sources 23
• 1.4.1 Literature Analysis Method 23
• 1.4.2 Questionnaire Survey Method 24
• 1.4.3 Empirical Analysis 25
• 1.5 Research Innovation Perspective 26
• 1.5.1 Innovation in Research Perspective 26
• 1.5.2 Mechanism Innovation 26
• 1.5.3 Contextual Innovation 27
• 1.6 Research Content and Technical Approach 28
• 1.6.1 Research Content Arrangement 28
• 1.6.2 Technical Approach and Logical Framework 32
• 1.6.3 Thesis Structure 32
• II. Literature Review 35
• 2.1 Introduction 35
• 2.2 Theoretical Framework 36
• 2.2.1 Stimulus-Organism-Response theory 36
• 2.2.2 Signal theory 38
• 2.2.3 Social Exchange Theory 39
• 2.3 Definition of Key Terms 43
• 2.3.1 ESG Activities of the Company 43
• 2.3.2 Organizational Trust 47
• 2.3.3 Job Satisfaction 50
• 2.3.4 Employee Innovative Behavior 52
• 2.3.5 Environmental Efficacy 55
• 2.3.6 The Expanded Meaning of Environmental Efficacy 59
• 2.4 Hypothesis Development 65
• 2.4.1 ESG Signals and Employee Innovation Motivation 65
• 2.4.2 The Trust-Building Role of Responsible Organizational Practices 68
• 2.4.3 ESG-Induced Value Alignment and Job Satisfaction 69
• 2.4.4 Organizational Trust and Employees’ Willingness to Innovate 71
• 2.4.5 Job Satisfaction and Innovation-Related Motivation 74
• 2.4.6 The Moderating Role of Environmental Efficacy 78
• III. Research Design 82
• 3.1 Questionnaire Design and Variable Specification 82
• 3.1.1 Variable Definition 82
• 3.1.2 Measurement instruments 84
• 3.2 Measurement of the variables 87
• 3.2.1 Independent Variables 87
• 3.2.2 Mediating Variables 88
• 3.2.3 Measurement of Environmental Efficacy 91
• 3.3 Pre-Testing Procedures and Comprehensive Questionnaire 95
• 3.3.1 Rigorous Assurance and Detailed Explication 97
• IV．Data Analysis 100
• 4.1 Data Organization and Preprocessing 100
• 4.1.1 Questionnaire Distribution Process and Sample Recovery 100
• 4.1.2 Variable Coding, Scoring, and Data Entry Procedures 101
• 4.2 Description of Sample Demographic Characteristics 102
• 4.3 Method Bias and Measurement Instrument Quality Assessment 105
• 4.3.1 Procedural Controls for Common Method Bias 105
• 4.3.2 Results of Harman’s Single-Factor Test 106
• 4.3.3 Internal Consistency Reliability Assessment 108
• 4.4 Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis 112
• 4.4.1 Descriptive Statistics, Correlations, and Discriminant Validity 112
• 4.4.2 Convergent Validity Assessment 113
• 4.4.3 Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Discriminant Validity 117
• 4.5 Consistency Between Correlation Directions and Hypotheses 119
• 4.6 Mediation Effect Tests 122
• 4.6.1 Analytical Approach for Mediation Testing 122
• 4.6.2 Test of the Mediating Role 123
• 4.6.3 Test of Parallel Mediation via Bootstrapping 124
• 4.7 Moderation Effect Tests 126
• 4.7.1 Rationale and Analytical Approach for Moderation Testing 126
• 4.7.2 Simple-Slope Analysis and Interpretation of Interaction Plots 129
• 4.7.3 Conditional Indirect Effects 130
• 4.8 Robustness Tests and Supplementary Analyses 132
• 4.8.1 Robustness Test 132
• 4.8.2 Supplementary Verification 133
• 4.8.3 Summary of Robustness Test 136
• V．Conclusions and Summary 139
• 5.1 Comprehensive Summary of Hypothesis Testing 139
• 5.2 Empirical Findings 142
• 5.3 Conclusions 144
• 5.3.1 Model Conclusion 144
• 5.3.2 Relationship Conclusion 145
• 5.3.3 Resolution of Research Questions 145
• VI．Contributions and Implications 147
• 6.1 Theoretical Contributions 147
• 6.1.1 Expanding the Micro-Organizational Effects of ESG 147
• 6.1.2 The Internal Mediating Mechanisms 148
• 6.1.3 The Role of Environmental Efficacy in the Behavioral Transformation Process 148
• 6.2 Practical Implications 149
• 6.2.1 Strategic Level 149
• 6.2.2 Institutional Level 150
• 6.2.3 Empowerment Level 150
• 6.3 Research Limitations 150
• 6.3.1 Limitations of Data Sources 151
• 6.3.2 Limitations of Samples 151
• 6.3.3 Theoretical Limitations in the Operationalization of Environmental Efficacy 151
• 6.4 Future Research Directions 153
• 6.4.1 Expansion of Research Levels 153
• 6.4.2 Further Clarification of the Conceptual Boundaries of Environmental Efficacy 153
• 6.4.3 Innovation Pathways in the Context of ESG Development in China 154
• References 157