Green Motivation for Responsible Innovation: Empirical Evidence from the Chinese Construction Industry

While identifying firms’ green motivation for responsible innovation is a hot topic in the literature, many questions about these drivers in developing countries still need to be answered. This study aims to empirically influence Chinese construction firms’ primary motivations for adopting responsible innovation. To achieve this goal, a conceptual model was developed using partial least squares analysis and tested on data from contracting firms in the construction industry. This study shows that a combination of green intrinsic and extrinsic motivation factors triggers responsible innovation. However, in the Chinese construction industry, extrinsic incentives, such as recognition, subsidies, and reputation, partly influence responsible innovation through intrinsic motivation. The analysis further suggests that corporate social responsibility moderates the relationship between green motivation and responsible innovation through the ability to adopt appropriate responsible innovation responses by combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, firms with more effective resource commitments tend to engage in more responsible innovation activities. This study contributes to a more detailed understanding of the factors that drive responsible innovation.