Industry 4.0 Technologies, Adaptive Capabilities, and Organizational Innovativeness as Drivers of Resilience and Sustainable Performance: The Moderating Role of Managerial Cognition

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable performance within the Chinese industrial context. Specifically, it examines the mediating roles of adaptive capabilities, organizational innovativeness, and organizational resilience, alongside the moderating role of managerial cognition, within an integrated conceptual framework grounded in the resource‐based view (RBV) and dynamic capability theory (DCT). A quantitative cross‐sectional survey design was employed, collecting data from 356 managers and executives across Chinese manufacturing and technology‐intensive firms. Structured questionnaires utilizing validated scales from prior literature were administered, achieving a response rate of 29.7%. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) via ADANCO 2.3. All seven hypothesized relationships were empirically supported. Industry 4.0 technologies positively influenced adaptive capabilities and organizational innovativeness, both of which strengthened organizational resilience, which subsequently enhanced sustainable performance. Two serial mediation pathways were confirmed, and managerial cognition significantly moderated the technology‐capability relationships. This study makes an original contribution by integrating serial mediation and moderation within a unified Industry 4.0 resilience framework, specifically contextualized within Chinese industrial firms. The findings offer actionable guidance for managers and policymakers seeking to leverage digital technologies to build organizational resilience and achieve long‐term sustainable performance.