Corporate green technology innovation under external pressure: a public and media perspective

The presence of external environmental constraints has the potential to impact corporate decision-making behavior regarding production and spur innovative activities. This study focuses on a sample of Chinese A-share-listed corporations to investigate the influence of public environmental concerns (PEC) on corporate green technology innovation (GTI) within the framework of public participation in environmental governance. Moreover, this study explores the synergistic effects of media concerns and PEC. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) PEC is a driving force for corporate GTI. Endogeneity and robustness tests support this finding. (2) Government environmental regulation and corporate environmental responsibility are critical mediating variables. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows that PEC significantly impacts the GTI of state-owned corporations, high-tech corporations, and corporations that have obtained ISO 14001 certification. (4) Media concerns enhance GTI and exhibit a strong synergistic effect with PEC. Positive media news strengthens the "incentive effect" of PEC, while negative news plays a "pushing role." This study provides theoretical and empirical support for constructing an environmental governance mechanism for the public, media, corporations, and government.