How eco‐control systems enhance carbon performance via low‐carbon supply chain collaboration? The moderating role of organizational unlearning

Abstract

Abstract Despite the increasing awareness of eco‐control systems (ECS), whether and how a firm's deployment of ECS affect carbon performance is not known. Drawing on organizational learning theory, this study investigates how a firm's implementation of ECS enhances carbon performance via low‐carbon supply chain collaboration, and examines the moderating effect of organizational unlearning. To verify these hypotheses, we conduct hierarchical regression analyses using survey data from 297 Chinese manufacturers. Our results indicate that both supplier and customer low‐carbon collaborations mediate the impact of ECS on carbon performance. In addition, organizational unlearning strengthens the impact of ECS on customer low‐carbon collaboration, but weakens the impact of ECS on supplier low‐carbon collaboration. This study extends the digital transition and sustainability literature by unpacking the “black box” of transforming ECS into carbon performance and considering the contingency role of organizational unlearning. Our findings provide managers with new digital technologies to improve low‐carbon supply chain management and guide governments to appropriately extend policies that accelerate the manufacturing industry's transition to sustainability.