Responsible Innovation and Responsible Digital Transformation in Emerging Economies (Vietnam): the Roles of Innovation Barriers and Ethical Pressure

Responsible innovation and responsible digital transformation are increasingly important for firms seeking to create innovation value while responding to ethical, social, and stakeholder expectations. However, empirical evidence on how barriers to responsible innovation influence responsible innovation implementation, responsible digital transformation, and innovation performance remains limited, particularly in emerging economies. Drawing on Responsible Innovation Theory, Stakeholder Theory, and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study examines the relationships among barriers to responsible innovation, responsible innovation implementation, responsible digital transformation, innovation performance, and ethical pressure. Data were collected from 240 senior managers and decision-makers in medium and large enterprises in Vietnam and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling with SmartPLS 4. The findings show that barriers to responsible innovation significantly reduce responsible innovation implementation. In turn, responsible innovation implementation positively affects both responsible digital transformation and innovation performance. Responsible digital transformation also has a strong positive effect on innovation performance and is the most influential predictor of innovation outcomes in the model. In addition, ethical pressure positively moderates the relationship between responsible innovation implementation and responsible digital transformation, suggesting that stakeholder and regulatory expectations strengthen the translation of responsible innovation practices into responsible digital transformation. The results further indicate that responsible innovation implementation partially mediates the relationship between barriers to responsible innovation and responsible digital transformation. This study contributes to the literature by positioning responsible innovation implementation as a dynamic organizational capability linking internal barriers, external ethical pressure, responsible digital transformation, and innovation performance. The findings offer practical implications for managers and policymakers seeking to promote ethical, transparent, and performance-enhancing digital transformation in emerging economies.