The interplay between organizational resilience and responsible innovation types: unveiling the strategic role of green intellectual capital in SRDI SMEs

Purpose This study aims to explore the synergistic mechanisms that link responsible radical innovation (RRI) and responsible incremental innovation (RII) to organizational resilience (OR), integrating the mediating role of green intellectual capital (GIC) as a higher-order construct. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through survey questionnaires from mid-to senior-level management within special, refined, differentiated, and innovative (SRDI) SMEs in South Korea, a context characterized by a strong innovation drive and mounting sustainability pressures. Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 4.0, which is well suited to complex, higher-order models. Findings Both RII and RRI positively influence GIC, with RRI exerting the more substantial effect. Both innovation types also affect resilience directly, albeit with small effect sizes. Mediation analysis confirms that GIC is the principal mechanism through which responsible innovation is converted into resilience. SRDI enterprises that invest in eco-friendly technologies and sustainability-driven knowledge systems are consequently more resilient. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that enterprises should foster RRI and leverage GIC in order to enhance resource efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and improve resilience, doing so allows firms to adjust their strategies, optimize resources, and respond to disruption in ways that support both environmental and societal development. Originality/value The study contributes to the intellectual capital and NRBV literature by empirically validating green intellectual capital as a higher-order construct that translates responsible innovation into resilience.