Sustainable entrepreneurial dynamics in manufacturing: Innovative business models and social value creation in Chinese enterprises

• Novel Theoretical Integration: The first study will combine ecological modernization theory with multiple mediators to examine the impact of sustainable entrepreneurial orientation on triple bottom line performance. • Post-COVID Context: Provides unique insights into sustainable entrepreneurship dynamics in the Chinese manufacturing sector during the post-pandemic recovery period. • Counter-Intuitive Finding: These findings challenge existing literature by revealing that eco-innovation does not mediate between a firm's sustainable entrepreneurial orientation and its sustainable environmental and social performances. • Methodological Robustness: Employs comprehensive structural equation modeling with a large sample size (811 respondents) and multiple validity tests. • Practical Significance: Offers evidence-based guidance for manufacturing firms on leveraging eco-innovation and eco-opportunism to enhance sustainability performance. The evolving global manufacturing landscape demands innovative, sustainable entrepreneurship strategies, yet research linking sustainable entrepreneurial orientation (SEO) to organizational performance remains fragmented and inconclusive, particularly in emerging economies. This study addresses this gap by developing an integrated framework examining the complex relationships between SEO and organizational performance in Chinese manufacturing firms, using Ecological Modernization Theory. Through structural equation modeling based on 811 respondents, this study uniquely investigates the simultaneous mediating effects of eco-opportunism, eco-innovation, customer functional value creation, and green social capital, while considering entrepreneurial self-efficacy as a moderator. Findings reveal that SEO directly influences organizational performance. Eco-opportunism and customer functional value significantly mediate sustainability outcomes, substantially impacting financial, social, and environmental sustainability. The moderating effect of entrepreneurial self-efficacy further clarifies these relationships, offering novel insights into the dynamics of sustainable business practices. These findings provide critical theoretical contributions to sustainable entrepreneurship literature and practical implications for policymakers and managers, emphasizing the need for strategic policies that harness sustainable entrepreneurial orientation to boost organizational resilience and competitive advantage in a post-pandemic economic landscape.