From niche to green: Configurational pathways to enhance green innovation in Chinese chemical <scp>SRDI</scp> enterprises

Abstract China's chemical manufacturing sector is under growing pressure to pursue greener, cleaner production in response to increasingly stringent environmental regulations and carbon neutrality goals. Specialized, Refined, Differential, and Innovative (SRDI) enterprises—recognized for their technological focus and market niches—are becoming key actors in driving green innovation in China's chemical SRDI sector. This study explores how different configurations of internal and external factors influence green innovation performance in chemical SRDI firms. Using data from 48 chemical SRDI enterprises in Zhejiang Province, we apply the Technology–Organization–Environment framework and conduct a configurational analysis through NCA and fsQCA. Our results reveal three distinct innovation pathways: Scale and Dynamism‐Driven, Digitalization‐Driven, and Technology Leadership‐Driven, reflecting heterogeneous strategies for sustainable transition. Each pathway demonstrates that green innovation is not determined by any single factor but rather by synergistic combinations tailored to an enterprise's context. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for promoting sustainable transformation in the chemical industry and supporting the green upgrading of niche enterprises.