Enhancing green innovation through knowledge management: the role of total quality management

Purpose This paper aims to investigate how green knowledge management, with its dimensions (green knowledge acquisition [GKA], green knowledge sharing [GKS] and green knowledge application [GKA]), affects green innovation within manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia. Additionally, this study explores whether total quality management (TQM) moderates the relationship between green knowledge management and green innovation. Design/methodology/approach Data was gathered from 219 Malaysian SMEs through a cross-sectional survey using a standardized questionnaire and analyzed via structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4. Findings The results of this study reveal that both GKS and GKA significantly affect green innovation in manufacturing SMEs, while GKA does not show a direct effect. Furthermore, TQM moderates the relationship of GKA and GKA to green innovation, but not between GKS and green innovation. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence of the interplay between green knowledge management, TQM on green innovation within the context of emerging countries, specifically focusing on Malaysian manufacturing SMEs. This research enriches both theoretical and practical understanding by highlighting how TQM enhances and contributes to green innovation and moderates the relationships between GKA, GKA and green innovation. The insights emphasize the importance for corporations, especially in developing regions, to integrate green knowledge management initiatives with green innovation to enhance their sustainability.