Innovation and dimensions of sustainable development: mediating role of ICTs

Abstract

This study examines the synergies between innovation, ICT, and sustainable development in the context of Saudi Arabian organizations, through the data derived from the responses of 407 top-level administrative employees from different organizations within the government and the private sectors via the structural equation modeling, PLS-SEM. Innovation is shown to have profound beneficial consequences in the area of social sustainability, it is, however, likely to have a negligible influence on economic and environmental aspects. ICT adoption, however, has been rightly identified as a prime mediator in the relationship between innovation and sustainability, whereby it positively mediates over all the dimensions of sustainability, and the strongest mediation effect was observed on environmental sustainability. The findings bear testimony to the fact that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is crucial factor for achieving sustainable development and hence prompts policymakers and organizational leaders to invest money in technology-related advancement, devise policies that foster ICT adoption and put them into practice to squeeze the full potential of ICT. Hence, highlighting the sector that has promising strategic importance for ICT, the approach is an effective one that could fuel creativity and contribute highly to the sustainability agendas everywhere, therefore, it should be the future path for organizations in Saudi Arabia to truly advance to the next level and effectively play in the sustainable development field.

Keywords:

• Innovation
• information and communication technology
• sustainable development
• PLS-SEM
• social dimension
• economic dimension
• environmental dimension
• Saudia Arabia

JEL Classification:

• O10
• O30
• Q32
• D80
• Q01

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Huifen (Helen) Cai, Middlesex University Business School, United Kingdom

SUBJECTS:

• Sustainable Development
• Management of Technology & Innovation
• Administration and Management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Jouf University through the Fast-track Research Funding Program.

Notes on contributors

Naeimah Fahad S. Almawishir

Dr. Naeimah Fahad S. Almawishir is an assistant professor at Jouf University in Saudi Arabia, where she actively teaches and conducts research. Her primary research interests include entrepreneurship, economics, and sustainability.

Houcine Benlaria

Dr. Houcine Benlaria serves as an Associate Professor at Jouf University in Saudi Arabia, engaging both in teaching and research. His research focuses predominantly on economics, sustainable development, the knowledge economy, and renewable energy sources.