Sustainability Awareness Development as a Driving Force for Guiding Academic Accountants and Auditors to Achieve Entrepreneurial Prosperity through the Mediating Role of Opportunity Related Absorptive Capacity: An Applied Study
Keywords:
Sustainability Awareness, Entrepreneurial Prosperity, Opportunity Related Absorptive CapacityAbstract
The current research aims to identify the role of Sustainability Awareness Development (SSC) across its dimensions (environmental awareness, social awareness, economic awareness) in achieving entrepreneurial prosperity (ENPR), through the mediating role of Opportunity Related Absorptive Capacity (ORAC) with its dimensions (acquisition, assimilation, transformation, exploitation) among a sample of academic accountants from a group of university professors holding master's and doctoral degrees only, in addition to accountants and auditors distributed in the public universities of the Middle Euphrates region (Diwaniya, Najaf Al-Ashraf, Karbala, Al-Muthanna, and Babylon). The research problem is articulated in an important question stating: What is the role of SSC as a driving force in guiding academic accountants and auditors (AAA) towards achieving ENPR through the mediating role of ORAC among the concerned sample?, In order to achieve the research objective and address the stated problem, the study relied on the questionnaire as an applied method to measure the level of variables involved in the research, based on which several hypotheses were formulated. In collaboration with the Iraqi Association of Accountants and Academics, (350) questionnaires were distributed, of which (315) were returned, with (8) damaged questionnaires, and (307) valid for analysis, indicating that the response rate for the research sample was (87.71%). For data analysis, the statistical packages of (SPSS & AMOS.V.29) were adopted to extract the required outputs. Based on these outputs, the research presented several results, the most significant of which is the presence of a significant correlation between the development of sustainability awareness, ORAC, and ENPR, in addition to the presence of an indirect effect of the development of sustainability awareness on ENPR through the mediating role of ORAC, The research also presented several recommendations, the most important of which is the need for AAA to focus on harnessing ORAC to build a positive awareness of sustainability in order to achieve ENPR. This requires a comprehensive empathetic of the vision of AAA as a pouring force to enhance their competences and contributions towards providing pertinent capabilities for Acquisition, Assimilation, Transformation, Exploitation to achieve optimistic ENPR in their required operations and activities.
References
1. Abbas, Z. M., Jasim, S. A., & Alguraibawi, M. (2024, March). Investment of spiritual marketing in support of sustainable development: An applied study of opinions of a sample of employees at technical institute of dewaniya. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 3092, No. 1). AIP Publishing.
2. Abid, N., Aftab, J., & Savastano, M. (2025). Do institutional dimensions play a role in IT firms’ performance? Determining the influence of green entrepreneurial orientation and dynamic capabilities in a developing context. Business Process Management Journal, 31(2), 736-771.
3. Ahachmi, M., Lahfidi, A., Rhazzane, S., & Tamanine, R. (2025). Dynamic Capability Theory as a Foundation for Organizational Resilience: Key Factors Influencing Gastronomic Firms in the COVID-19 Context. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 6(1), 23-44.
4. Akhtar, S., Li, C., Sohu, J. M., Rasool, Y., Hassan, M. I. U., & Bilal, M. (2024). Unlocking green innovation and environmental performance: the mediated moderation of green absorptive capacity and green innovation climate. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(3), 4547-4562.
5. Ali, S., Yan, Q., Hu, J., Irfan, M., & Sun, H. (2023). Can bioenergy act as an entrepreneurial opportunity for the sustainable economic development of an emerging economy? A socio-technical approach. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(43), 98106-98126.
6. Altassan, A. (2023). Sustainable integration of solar energy, behavior change, and recycling practices in educational institutions: a holistic framework for environmental conservation and quality education. Sustainability, 15(20), 15157.
7. Alzghoul, A., Aboalganam, K. M., & Al-Kasasbeh, O. (2024). Nexus among green marketing practice, leadership commitment, environmental consciousness, and environmental performance in Jordanian pharmaceutical sector. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2292308.
8. Arndt, F., Aharonson, B., Jansen, J., Jiang, J., & Ting, C. (2023). The past and future of absorptive capacity. Academy of Management Collections, 2(4), 45-59.
9. Baah, C., Opoku-Agyeman, D., Acquah, I. S. K., Agyabeng-Mensah, Y., Afum, E., Faibil, D., & Abdoulaye, F. A. M. (2021). Examining the correlations between stakeholder pressures, green production practices, firm reputation, environmental and financial performance: Evidence from manufacturing SMEs. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27, 100-114.
10. Baugher, J. E., Osika, W., & Robert, K. H. (2016). Ecological consciousness, moral imagination, and the framework for strategic sustainable development. In Creative Social Change (pp. 119-142). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
11. Bhujel, R. R., & Joshi, H. G. (2023). Understanding farmers’ intention to adopt sustainable agriculture in Sikkim: The role of environmental consciousness and attitude. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 9(1), 2261212.
12. Bhukya, A. S. R. (2022)Catalyzing Sustainable Consumption Through Youth-driven Eco-preneurship: A Pathway for Innovation and Mindful Transformation.
13. Cao, H., & Chen, P. (2021)The Effect of Sustainability Awareness on Climate Emotions of Chinese College Students-Moderated by Future Time Perspective. Available at SSRN 5188436.
14. Chen, M. H., Tseng, M., & Teng, M. J. (2020). Creative entrepreneurs’ well-being, opportunity recognition and absorptive capacity: Self-determination theory perspective. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 10(1), 20180171.
15. Cheng, J., Xu, N. R., Khan, N. U., & Singh, H. S. M. (2025). The impacts of artificial intelligence literacy, green absorptive capacity, and green information system on green innovation. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 32(2), 2375-2389.
16. Da Silva, R. F., Vargas, J. R., Valdés, A. M. N., Pereira, F. S., Huertero, A. M., & Escalona, J. J. (2024). Environmental awareness from childhood: integrating ecological education to cultivate conscious and committed citizens. In edulearn24 proceedings (pp. 4906-4910). Iated.
17. de Almeida Barbosa Franco, J., Franco Junior, A., Battistelle, R. A. G., & Bezerra, B. S. (2024). Dynamic Capabilities: Unveiling Key Resources for Environmental Sustainability and Economic Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility towards Sustainable Development Goals. Resources, 13(2), 22.
18. Elbaz, A. M., Agag, G. M., & Alkathiri, N. A. (2018). How ability, motivation and opportunity influence travel agents performance: the moderating role of absorptive capacity. Journal of Knowledge Management, 22(1), 119-141.
19. Fan, J., Su, J., & Sindakis, S. (2024). Customer need knowledge facilitates market opportunity recognition through absorptive capacity and technological knowledge: Evidence from the IT sector in China. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(1), 2192-2217.
20. Ganatsios, H. P., Filippou, A. F., Mpekiri, S., & Danahy, K. E. (2021). Education for cultivation of awareness as an important factor of raising environmental consciousness. International Journal of Higher Education and Sustainability, 3(3), 231-265.
21. Gulzar, Y., Eksili, N., Caylak, P. C., & Mir, M. S. (2023). Sustainability consciousness research trends: A bibliometric analysis. Sustainability, 15(24), 16773.
22. Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., & Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis ,7th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle .
23. Heaton, D., (2018). Consciousness-based education: Cultivating sustainable minds. In Developing a sustainability mindset in management education (pp. 277-296). Routledge.
24. Hughes, M., Morgan, R. E., Ireland, R. D., & Hughes, P. (2014). Social capital and learning advantages: A problem of absorptive capacity. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 8(3), 214-233.
25. Iskamto, D., Tresnamurti, G., & Indrajaya, D. (2024). The Influence of The Entrepreneurial Environment And Government Support on The Performance of MSMEs in Bandung. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business Management, 3(1), 12-22.
26. Ismanto, B., & Trisatyawati, S. (2025). Optimizing Financial Management to Enhance Curriculum Delivery and Student Development in Vocational High Schools. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 109-124.
27. Kastelli, I., Siokas, G., & Tsakanikas, A. (2024). Entrepreneurial absorptive capacity as enabler of knowledge intensive entrepreneurship: An empirical investigation. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(2), 9667-9698.
28. Kastelli, I., Siokas, G., & Tsakanikas, A. (2024). Entrepreneurial absorptive capacity as enabler of knowledge intensive entrepreneurship: An empirical investigation. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(2), 9667-9698.
29. Khodaei, H., Scholten, V., Wubben, E., & Omta, O. (2021). Bridging the gap between entrepreneurial orientation and market opportunity: The mediating effect of absorptive capacity and market readiness. In Entrepreneurial orientation: Epistemological, theoretical, and empirical perspectives (pp. 201-222). Emerald Publishing Limited.
30. Kiradoo, G. (2023). An Empirical Analysis of the Role of Technology and Digitisation in Entrepreneurial Success. Research Aspects in Arts and Social Studies, 8, 111-121.
31. Lestari, H., Ali, M., Sopandi, W., Wulan, A. R., & Rahmawati, I. (2022). The Impact of the RADEC Learning Model Oriented ESD on Students' Sustainability Consciousness in Elementary School. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 12(2), 113-122.
32. Lim, S., & Ok, C. M. (2023). Realizing potential through absorptive capacity to create competitive advantage in hospitality organizations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(10), 3410-3433.
33. Makhloufi, L., Laghouag, A. A., & Ali Sahli, A. (2024). Mediating effect of absorptive capacity on the relationship between knowledge sharing and entrepreneurial orientation and the moderating role of opportunity recognition. Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, 26(2), 415-439.
34. Malik, A. A., & Audu, S. (2023). Globalization as Catalyst for International Entrepreneurship. Journal of International Relations Security and Economic Studies, 2(3), 65-72.
35. Manchanda, P., Arora, N., Nazir, O., & Islam, J. U. (2023). Cultivating sustainability consciousness through mindfulness: An application of theory of mindful-consumption. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 75, 103527.
36. Mansour, A., Al-Ma’aitah, M., Deek, A., Alshaketheep, K., & Shajrawi, A. (2024). Societal sustainability consciousness and its influence on corporate responsibility uptake in Jordan’s business sector. Discover Sustainability, 5(1), 133.
37. Mora, Z., Setianingsih, D., & Bustami, B. (2020). The Effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Management on the Mosque Prosperity Agency in Langsa in the terms of Sharia. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal): Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(4), 2914-2925.
38. Nurramadhani, A., Riandi, R., Permanasari, A., & Suwarma, I. R. (2024). Low-carbon food consumption for solving climate change mitigation: Literature review with bibliometric and simple calculation application for cultivating sustainability consciousness in facing sustainable development goals (SDGs). Indonesian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(2), 261-286.
39. Ovais, D. (2023). Students’ sustainability consciousness with the three dimensions of sustainability: Does the locus of control play a role?. Regional Sustainability, 4(1), 13-27.
40. Patel, P. C. (2019). Opportunity related absorptive capacity and entrepreneurial alertness. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 15(1), 63-73.
41. Petti, C., Tang, Y., Barbieri, E., & Rubini, L. (2020). The role of absorptive capacity and opportunity capture in latecomer firms’ innovation catch-up. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 18(3), 297-309.
42. Rafindadi, A. A., & Yusof, Z. (2014). Are the periods of currency collapse an impediment to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial haven? Evidence from regional comparison. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 4(4), 886-908.
43. Rumasukun, M. R. (2024). Developing auditor competencies through continuous training and education. Golden Ratio of Auditing Research, 4(1), 14-23.
44. Saemundsson, R. J., & Candi, M. (2017). Absorptive capacity and the identification of opportunities in new technology-based firms. Technovation, 64, 43-49.
45. Sánchez‐García, E., Montalvo‐Falcón, J. V., Marco‐Lajara, B., & Martínez‐Falcó, J. (2024). Guiding organizations toward sustainable success: The strategic role of leadership in environmental corporate governance in the wine industry. Corporate social responsibility and environmental management, 31(6), 6438-6456.
46. Tan, B. C., Lau, T. C., Sarwar, A., & Khan, N. (2022). The effects of consumer consciousness, food safety concern and healthy lifestyle on attitudes toward eating “green”. British Food Journal, 124(4), 1187-1203.
47. Tian, Z., Qiu, L., & Wang, L. (2024). Drivers and influencers of blockchain and cloud-based business sustainability accounting in China: Enhancing practices and promoting adoption. Plos one, 19(1), e0295802.
48. Tripathi, P., & Kapoor, S. (2024). Impact of Consumers' Sustainability Consciousness on Consumers' Evangelism. In Resilient Businesses for Sustainability (Vol. 34, pp. 97-112). Emerald Publishing Limited.
49. Zou, T., Ertug, G., & George, G. (2018). The capacity to innovate: A meta-analysis of absorptive capacity. Innovation, 20(2), 87-121.
