FINTECH INNOVATION, BLOCKCHAIN ADOPTION, ENERGY MANAGEMENT, AND SDG PERFORMANCE IN SMES

Abstract

Purpose:

The paper examines the role of the FinTech innovation, the implementation of blockchain, and the energy management in relation to the establishment of SMEs in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The study will also seek to learn to know whether energy management could be regarded as mediator between technology innovation and sustainability performance to pursue the increased demands of SMEs in applying digital and environmental strategies to become competitive and responsible.

Methodology:

The data collection methodology used was the quantitative research design and the participants who were selected were the 370 managers of SMEs who were sampled on a structured questionnaire. I examined the measurement and structural models by a partial least squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The regularity, reliability and the discriminant validity, R-Square and the model fit indices were confirmed in order to make sure that the results were high.

Findings:

The findings have confirmed that the predictor of SDG performance with the biggest potential is FinTech innovation since it produced a large positive impact on the SDG performance. Applying blockchain has immense and enormous effects on the energy management measurability but needs certain translation to the SDG performance. There is positive but insignificant impact of energy management on SDGs. The mediation analysis indicates that the energy management is both partly supportive in regards to the technological effects and also do not have the strong indirect effects.

Implications:

The article refers to the significance of the digital finance, open technology system, and energy consumption optimization, in the framework of the attainment of the sustainability performance of SMEs. It presents its practical recommendation to the policy makers and managers regarding how they can bring in the digital transformation to the global SDG objectives.