The adoption of new innovative ecosystems linked to Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in industrial firms has created new opportunities for performance. In this study, we investigate whether I4.0 can reinforce environmental asset management in achieving firm economic and social performance. We intend to contrast the existence of I4.0-based reward mechanisms for being green. Using a panel of 1028 Spanish industrial firms in 2009–2016 period and a partial least squares structural equation modelling econometric methodology, the research has obtained two main results. First, the management of environmental assets generates positive effects on the economic and social performance of the industrial firm. Second, research findings confirm the mediating role of I4.0, which ends up reinforcing the relationship between environmental assets and the economic and social firm performance. The results obtained highlight the importance of complementary relationships between digital and environmental transformation to promote firm performance. Implications for firm strategy and business models are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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促进环境管理：工业 4.0 在环境资产与经济和社会企业绩效之间的中介作用

工业企业采用与工业 4.0 (I4.0) 相关的新创新生态系统创造了新的绩效机会。在这项研究中，我们调查了 I4.0 是否可以加强环境资产管理以实现企业的经济和社会绩效。我们打算对比基于 I4.0 的绿色奖励机制的存在。使用 2009-2016 年期间 1028 家西班牙工业公司的小组和偏最小二乘结构方程建模计量经济学方法，该研究获得了两个主要结果。首先，环境资产管理对工业企业的经济和社会绩效产生积极影响。其次，研究结果证实了 I4.0 的中介作用，这最终加强了环境资产与经济和社会企业绩效之间的关系。获得的结果强调了数字化和环境转型之间的互补关系对于促进企业绩效的重要性。还讨论了对公司战略和商业模式的影响。