The impact of technological innovation on the social and environmental dimensions of CSR: the case of Moroccan industrial companies

Résumé

Abstract

Technological innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are fundamental pillars supporting strategic performance and sustainable value creation in the contemporary economic landscape. This article explores the dynamic relationship between technological innovation and CSR, specifically focusing on its environmental and social dimensions. More precisely, the study aims to evaluate the direct impact of innovation and to determine how this primary relationship is moderated by organizational and governance factors. To address this research gap, a quantitative field study was conducted using a sample of 500 Moroccan industrial firms. Data analysis was performed through the Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) method, yielding robust results. The empirical results confirm a direct, positive, and highly significant impact of technological innovation on the environmental and social dimensions of CSR. Furthermore, the study validates the contingency hypothesis by demonstrating a positive moderating effect of governance factors. This synergy suggests that the effectiveness of technological innovation on CSR is substantially amplified by the presence of robust organizational governance structures. These conclusions enrich the existing CSR literature within an emerging market context and provide essential managerial implications for the successful integration of technology into corporate sustainability strategy.

Keywords: Technological innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental RSE, Social RSE, Governance factors, industrial companies.