The Impact of Government Technical Support on Sustainable Performance under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: Focusing on Chinese SME Export Manufacturers

Global environmental regulations, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), have accelerated the green transformation of export-oriented manufacturing industries. While regulatory policies are recognized as pressure-driven motivators for adopting green practices, the role of government support as an inducement-driven motivator, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remains underexplored. This study aims to examines how government technical support integrates green technologies into SMEs’ supply chain management and its impact on sustainable performance. A questionnaire, based on prior studies, was distributed using directories from the Shandong Provincial Foreign Trade and Manufacturing Associations. A total of 284 valid responses were analyzed with SPSS 28.0 and Process Macro 3.5. The Key findings reveal that government technical support enhances SMEs’ sustainable performance by improving external and internal technological innovations in green supply chain management. Furthermore, external innovations strengthen sustainable performance by moderating the effectiveness of internal innovations. This study highlights the measurable impact of government support and its role in fostering green supply chain innovation. It provides empirical evidence and policy recommendations for SMEs to better meet international environmental regulations.