Driving sustainable construction performance through green-oriented digital transformation and stakeholder-responsive innovation: the mediating role of organisational agility

Purpose This study aims to explore how green-oriented digital transformation (GDT) and stakeholder-responsive innovation (SRI) jointly influence sustainable construction performance (SCP), emphasising the dual role of organisational agility in innovation (OAI) as both a mediator and a moderator. It addresses the increasing environmental and digitalisation challenges facing China’s construction sector. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was administered to 173 senior managers, innovation specialists and project leaders from construction firms located in five of the most economically developed provinces in China. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to evaluate both the direct and indirect relationships among the key variables. Findings The findings reveal that OAI fully mediates the relationship between GDT and SCP and partially mediates the link between SRI and SCP. SRI also has a substantial direct impact on SCP, underscoring its importance. However, the moderating effect of OAI is nuanced and context-dependent, suggesting that OAI does not universally enhance SCP. Practical implications For construction firms, achieving sustainability goals requires more than isolated adoption of GDT or SRI. Embedding these within an agile organisational framework is essential. A nuanced, context-sensitive approach to OAI can better align internal innovation capabilities with external sustainability demands. Originality/value This study presents a novel empirical model that integrates GDT, SRI and OAI, highlighting OAI’s dual role in innovation processes. It provides actionable insights for firms in emerging markets aiming to align GDT and SRI to drive SCP strategically.