Identification of the Components of Environmental Innovation, Green Supply Chain Management, Circular Economy Capabilities, and Financial Performance Through Qualitative Content Analysis

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify and explain the components of environmental innovation, green supply chain management, circular economy capabilities, and financial performance through qualitative content analysis using the multi-grounded theory approach. This study was conducted using a qualitative exploratory design based on multi-grounded theory. The statistical population included university experts, senior managers, sustainability specialists, and experienced professionals in environmental management, green innovation, and supply chain systems associated with airport organizations in Tehran. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, and sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Finally, 17 experts participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. In addition to field interviews, 40 scientific studies published between 2015 and 2025 were systematically reviewed through meta-synthesis to strengthen the theoretical grounding of the extracted concepts. Data analysis was conducted through open, axial, and selective coding using continuous comparative analysis. To ensure trustworthiness, member checking, peer review, rich description, and inter-coder reliability assessment based on Cohen’s Kappa were employed. The findings led to the extraction of a comprehensive qualitative model consisting of causal conditions, contextual conditions, enabling factors, strategies, the central category, and multidimensional consequences. Environmental innovation in the context of green supply chain management emerged as the central category of the model. The main causal conditions included institutional sustainability requirements, organizational environmental responsibility, and competitive green market pressures. Contextual conditions involved green governance, environmental culture, technological infrastructure, and socio-environmental justice. Knowledge-based, technological, digital, and financial capabilities were identified as major enabling factors. Strategic responses included green product design, reverse logistics, green procurement, smart environmental monitoring, and sustainability-oriented governance systems. The consequences of the model included improved financial performance, operational efficiency, green competitiveness, social sustainability, environmental performance, and institutional learning.