Supply chain ethical leadership and green supply chain integration: a moderated mediation analysis

Despite the importance of green supply chain integration (GSCI), our knowledge of enhancing it remains limited. In this study, we extend the concept of ethical leadership in the context of supply chain, and explore how supply chain ethical leadership (SCEL) affects GSCI via the green image and the moderating role of perceived institutional force drawing on social learning theory. We test hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis by collecting two-waved data from 317 Chinese firms. Our results reveal that SCEL has significantly positive impacts on three dimensions of GSCI, and the green image partially mediates the impact of SCEL on strategic integration. In addition, perceived business force and perceived social force strengthen the impact of SCEL on the green image and the mediating effect of the green image in the relationship between SCEL and strategic integration. Further research indicates that strategic integration has a complete mediating effect in the impacts of the green image on information and operational integration. This research contributes to GSCI literature and practices by providing novel insights into the path and boundary conditions that SCEL influences GSCI.