The impact of green digital transformation on the sustainable competitiveness of Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises

Abstract In the context of global efforts toward sustainable development, green digital transformation (GDT) has become an inevitable trend that helps manufacturing enterprises enhance operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness.This study aims to evaluate the impact of GDT on the sustainable competitiveness (SC) of Vietnamese manufacturing firms, while examining the mediating role of innovation capability (IC) and the moderating role of green management orientation (GMO).Data were collected from 230 manufacturing enterprises through questionnaire surveys and processed using SPSS 26.0 via several steps: reliability testing (Cronbach’s Alpha), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multiple linear regression, mediation analysis (Baron & Kenny, 1986), and moderation testing.The results show that green digital transformation has a positive and significant effect on sustainable competitiveness; innovation capability plays a partial mediating role, while green management orientation strongly moderates the relationship between GDT and SC. The model explains 56.2% of the variance in sustainable competitiveness.The findings confirm that green digital transformation, when combined with innovation and green management, serves as a driving force enabling Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises to achieve long-term competitive advantage. Accordingly, the paper proposes several managerial implications for businesses and policy recommendations for the government to promote green digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.