Open Practices in the Innovation Ecological Network and Sustainable Business Model Innovation: The Moderating Role of Absorptive Capacity

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of the innovation ecological network (EN) on inbound open innovation (IOI), outbound open innovation (OOI), and sustainable business model innovation (SBMI). Drawing on absorptive capacity theory, the study further examines the moderating role of absorptive capacity (AC) in the relationships between open innovation (IOI, OOI) and SBMI. Data were collected through a Google Forms survey, producing 506 valid responses from middle‑ and senior‑level managers in manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS‑SEM) was employed to assess both the measurement and structural models. The findings show that EN positively influences IOI, OOI, and SBMI. Both IOI and OOI exert significant positive effects on SBMI. Moreover, AC significantly moderates the relationship between OOI and SBMI, whereas its moderating effect on the IOI–SBMI relationship is not supported. These results extend the theoretical foundation of SBMI by demonstrating that SBMI is shaped by the innovation ecological network, inbound and outbound open innovation, and firms’ absorptive capacity. The study concludes with recommendations and highlights limitations that provide avenues for future research.