The role of blockchain-based smart contracts, generative AI, and green organizational memory in enhancing sustainable supply chain management

Purpose This study aims to investigate the factors that drive and enhance sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices and performance, leveraging smart-contract-enabled green blockchain technology (BT). Specifically, it builds a research framework based on the dynamic capability view (DCV) theory to explore the interrelationships among green knowledge acquisition (GKA), generative AI (GAI), green BT, green organizational memory, and organizational environmental and operational performance. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was adopted. Cross-sectional survey data were collected via an online survey, yielding 318 valid responses from supply chain professionals in China. The hypothesized relationships within the proposed framework, grounded in DCV theory, were tested using Structural Equation Modeling via AMOS 24 and SPSS 23. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the measurement model, and moderation effects were examined using mean-centered interaction terms within the SEM framework. Findings The analysis confirms the proposed framework’s validity and reveals several key findings: GKA positively impacts green BT. GAI significantly moderates the effect of GKA on green BT, strengthening the transformation of green knowledge into smart-contract-enabled blockchain capability. Green BT positively influences both environmental performance and operational performance. Green organizational memory acts as a crucial moderator, strengthening the positive relationships between green BT and both environmental and operational performance, amplifying the performance effects of green BT on both environmental and operational outcomes. Environmental performance ultimately contributes positively to operational performance. Practical implications Organizations in the supply chain sector can leverage these insights by prioritizing and maximizing GKA to effectively embed sustainability. Managers should promote the effective use of GAI in their processes, as it enhances the conversion of knowledge into tangible green BT implementations. Furthermore, maintaining a robust green organizational memory is recommended to maximize the performance returns from investments in green BT innovations. Originality/value This paper offers significant theoretical novelty by integrating GAI and green organizational memory as key dynamic capabilities within the DCV framework to examine green BT adoption in SSCM, a perspective previously underexplored. It is among the first to empirically confirm the moderating roles of both GAI and green organizational memory in the context of sustainable technology implementation, providing a unique model for achieving superior environmental and operational outcomes.