Digital Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Digital Capability Perspective through Digital Innovation Orientation for Social and Environmental Value Creation

Abstract

With the rise of digital transformation in all domains, the relationship between digitalization and sustainable entrepreneurship has received growing attention. In practice, a new sustainable entrepreneurial model called “digital sustainable entrepreneurship” (DSE) has emerged. Aiming to establish a DSE model based on digital capability (DC) and digital innovation orientation (DIO), this study explored what kind of digital capability could be built to lead to a boost in digital sustainable entrepreneurship, to realize the creation of social and environmental value. We also revealed how DC affected DSE by introducing DIO and discussed the moderating role played therein by the manager’s cognition of sustainable opportunities (MCSO). The study adopted CFA and SEM on the model using AMOS 27.0 and used the multiple regression analysis method to conduct an empirical study into the data from 308 SMEs in pollutive industries to validate the research framework. The results show a positive relationship between DC and DSE; DC is positively correlated to DIO; DIO is positively correlated to DSE; DIO plays a partial mediating role between DC and DSE; and MCSO positively moderates the relationship among DC, DIO, and DSE. This study will be of practical significance regarding how sustainable entrepreneurs can boost digital sustainable entrepreneurship.