Impacts of Social Network Characteristics on Digital Seizing Capabilities and Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Advanced Manufacturing Clusters in China

Ranlin Zhao; Lian Kee Phua

doi:10.22610/imbr.v17i4(I).4639

Author

Ranlin Zhao
- School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
- Malaysia
Lian Kee Phua
- School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
- Malaysia

Abstract

This study investigates how social network relational characteristics (SNRC) and structural characteristics (SNSC) influence sustainable performance (SP) in China’s advanced manufacturing clusters, with particular attention to the mediating role of digital seizing capability (DSZC). Drawing on Social Network Theory and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, SP is conceptualized as a second-order construct that integrates economic, environmental, and social performance. Using survey data from 236 firms across eight national-level clusters, the analysis was conducted through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings demonstrate that SNRC significantly improves SP both directly and indirectly through DSZC. At the same time, SNSC affects SP only indirectly, underscoring the central role of DSZC in transforming network advantages into sustainability outcomes. These results extend theoretical insights by linking social networks and dynamic capabilities to sustainable competitiveness, though the reliance on data from a limited number of Chinese clusters may restrict broader generalization. The study contributes by offering new evidence on the mechanisms through which inter-firm networks foster digital-enabled sustainability, providing practical guidance for managers and policymakers in the Industry 4.0 era.

Keywords

References

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Zhao, R., & Phua, L. K. (2025). Impacts of Social Network Characteristics on Digital Seizing Capabilities and Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Advanced Manufacturing Clusters in China. Information Management and Business Review, 17(4(I), 38-53. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v17i4(I).4639

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Impacts of Social Network Characteristics on Digital Seizing Capabilities and Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Advanced Manufacturing Clusters in China

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