Purpose Many manufacturing firms face challenges in adopting environmentally sustainable practices due to traditional production methods that limit innovation and integration across their supply chains. Grounded in the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), this study develops a model examining how Total Quality Management (TQM) influences green innovation (GI) through the mediating role of green supply chain integration (GSCI). Design/methodology/approach A thorough literature review identified key variables, resulting in a model depicting their relationships. A questionnaire was sent to 150 quality managers in manufacturing firms in Iran, and data were analyzed using PLS-SEM and importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) for statistical evaluation. Findings TQM affects GI and GSCI. Also, GSCI affects GI and plays an important mediating role in the relationship between TQM and GI. Furthermore, IPMA results revealed that TQM demonstrates high performance and importance for GI, while GSCI shows high performance but low importance for GI. Practical implications Managers must continuously monitor operations to sustain TQM's competitive advantage. They should reallocate resources from GSCI to underperforming key factors, thereby improving productivity and efficiency. Social implications Advancing GI through quality management supports sustainable industrial growth, reduces environmental harm, and contributes to societal well-being by aligning manufacturing practices with broader ecological and social goals. Originality/value This study uniquely integrates TQM and GSCI to explain their combined effect on GI, offering a novel, empirically validated framework that advances sustainability research and provides actionable insights for practitioners aiming to enhance GI performance in manufacturing sectors.
Ehsan Masoudi (Mon,) studied this question.