B2B 시장에서 구매자의 ESG 활동이 공급업체의 신제품창의성 및 신제품 경쟁우위에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This study aims to empirically analyze the role of buyers’ ESG (Environmental, Social, andGovernance) activities in enhancing collaboration with suppliers, securing supply chain sustainability, andfostering innovative performance in B2B market. Specifically, the study investigates the impact of buyers' ESGactivities on suppliers’ new product competitive advantage and examines the mediating roles of informationexchange quality and suppliers’ new product creativity. The research provides a deeper understanding of howESG activities can drive innovation and sustainable management practices within supply chain networks. Research design, data, and methodology: The study employs a quantitative research design, analyzing datafrom companies registered with the Korea Association of Purchasing Managers. Among the top 500 companies interms of sales, 201 firms actively engaged in ESG activities were selected as the research sample. In order to testhypotheses, the study utilizes Hayes’ sequential mediation analysis framework, which allows for a rigorousexamination of the direct and indirect relationships between variables. Specifically, the model evaluates the directimpact of buyers’ ESG activities on suppliers’ new product competitive advantage and the sequential mediatingroles of information exchange quality and suppliers’ new product creativity. The data were collected viastructured surveys administered to key managers and executives within the selected firms. Results: The results confirm that buyers’ ESG activities positively influence suppliers’ new productcompetitive advantage, highlighting the strategic value of ESG activities in enhancing supplier performance. Furthermore, the study finds that suppliers’ new product creativity mediates the relationship between buyers’ESG activities and new product competitive advantage, suggesting that ESG practices stimulate creativeproblem-solving and product innovation among suppliers. However, the mediating effect of informationexchange quality was not supported, indicating that information quality alone may not be sufficient to translate ESG initiatives into competitive outcomes. Importantly, the sequential mediation analysis reveals thatinformation exchange quality and new product creativity together play a significant role in mediating the positiveimpact of buyers’ ESG activities on suppliers’ competitive advantage. This finding suggests that effectiveinformation sharing combined with creativity drives innovation outcomes within the B2B supply chain. Conclusions: This study highlights the strategic importance of buyers’ ESG activities in B2B market,emphasizing their role in strengthening buyer-supplier collaboration and achieving supply chain sustainability. The findings demonstrate that ESG activities directly enhance suppliers’ new product competitive advantagewhile fostering new product creativity as a critical mediating mechanism. Although information exchange qualitydid not independently mediate the relationship, its combined role with creativity reveals the importance ofintegrating high-quality information with innovative capabilities to drive sustainable outcomes. For suppliers, ESG activities present opportunities to explore new markets and enhance innovation capabilitiesby responding to buyers’ sustainability requirements. For buyers, ESG activities serve as a foundation forlong-term, collaborative relationships that promote shared goals and drive competitive advantages. This studyunderscores the potential of ESG activities to foster collaborative innovation and sustainable management withinB2B supply chains. Future research could further examine industry-specific dynamics and contextual factors thatinfluence the effectiveness of ESG-driven relationships.