Employees' AI Literacy and Green Innovation Efficiency: The Mediating Role of Dynamic Capabilities and the Moderating Effect of ESG Performance in Chinese Listed Firms

Xueqiang Tan; Xinpeng Cai; Zhaoyun Wen

ผู้แต่ง

Xueqiang Tan School of Foreign Languages, Guangzhou Xinhua University, Guangzhou, China, & International College, Rattana Bundit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Xinpeng Cai School of Foreign Languages, Guangzhou Xinhua University, Guangzhou, China
Zhaoyun Wen Arts and Communication College, Qingdao Binhai University, Qingdao, China

คำสำคัญ:

Green Innovation Efficiency, AI Literacy, Dynamic Capability, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

บทคัดย่อ

This study aimed to (1) examine the impact of employees’ AI literacy on green innovation efficiency in Chinese listed firms, (2) investigate the mediating role of dynamic capabilities, and (3) analyze the moderating effect of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on this relationship. The research employed a quantitative research design using panel data analysis. The sample consisted of 15,700 firm-year observations from Chinese A-share listed companies during the period 2015–2021, selected through purposive sampling based on data availability and completeness. The research instruments were constructed from secondary data sources, including corporate annual reports, ESG rating databases, and financial and patent databases. Employees’ AI literacy was measured using text mining and word frequency analysis, while green innovation efficiency, dynamic capabilities, and ESG performance were operationalized using established indices.

Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, fixed-effects regression, mediation analysis, moderation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis. The results indicated that employees’ AI literacy had a significant positive effect on green innovation efficiency. Dynamic capabilities were found to play a mediating role in this relationship, demonstrating that AI literacy enhances firms’ ability to integrate, adapt, and reconfigure resources, thereby improving innovation outcomes. Furthermore, ESG performance significantly moderated both the direct and indirect relationships, strengthening the positive impact of AI literacy on green innovation efficiency through dynamic capabilities. Additional heterogeneity analysis revealed that the effects were more pronounced in high-tech firms and varied across regions, with the strongest impact observed in central China. The findings contribute to theoretical and practical knowledge by highlighting employees’ AI literacy as a critical micro-level driver of green innovation efficiency and by integrating dynamic capability theory with ESG frameworks. The study suggests that firms should invest in enhancing employees’ AI competencies, strengthen organizational dynamic capabilities, and foster ESG-oriented governance environments to maximize green innovation performance. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and corporate managers in promoting sustainable development through the synergistic integration of human capital, organizational capabilities, and sustainability strategies.

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