Integrating green finance and green technology adoption for sustainable operations: A conceptual framework

Abstract

Green finance and green technology adoption are important for businesses seeking to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining operational efficiency. Yet financial access, knowledge of financing opportunities and the installation of environmentally friendly technologies may not produce sustainable outcomes unless they are translated into effective operational routines. This conceptual paper develops an integrated framework linking green finance accessibility, green finance awareness and green technology adoption with sustainable operational performance through green operations practices. Drawing primarily on the resource-based view and natural-resource-based view, and using the technology–organization–environment framework as a supporting perspective, the paper distinguishes financial resources, managerial financing knowledge, technological implementation and environmental-operational capabilities. Seven propositions describe three proposed relationships with green operations practices, their relationship with sustainable operational performance and three indirect pathways. The conceptual contribution is a technology-enabled extension of a previously published finance–operations model, with particular attention to the difference between adopting a green technology and using it within established environmental routines. The framework offers implications for business managers, financial institutions and policymakers regarding financing support, technology implementation and performance monitoring. The propositions have not been empirically tested; further research should validate the constructs, examine the indirect relationships and investigate variation across firms and industries.