Technology readiness of B2B firms and AI-based customer relationship management capability for enhancing social sustainability performance

This study contributes to the extant literature by empirically investigating the influence of Business-to-Business (B2B) firms' technology readiness on information technology capability and artificial intelligence-based customer relationship management (AI-CRM) and finally, on relationship performance and social sustainabil-ity performance. We leverage primary data from 217 samples and examine the firm's social sustainability per-formance. Drawing on the paradigm of dynamic capability view, we found that a B2B firm's technology readiness has a positive relationship with information and communication technology and AI-CRM capability. Information and communication technology capability also has a positive and significant relationship with AI-CRM capa-bility. B2B firms' relationship performance has a significant and positive relationship with social sustainability performance. A key finding of this study is that a B2B firm's information and communication technology capability mediates between technology readiness and AI-CRM capability. Additionally, industry dynamism also moderates the link between information and communication technology capability and AI-CRM capability.

Automated summary

This study empirically investigates the influence of B2B firms' technology readiness on information technology capability and AI-CRM, as well as their impact on relationship performance and social sustainability performance. Drawing on the dynamic capability view, we find that B2B firms' technology readiness has a positive relationship with information and communication technology and AI-CRM capability. Information and communication technology capability also positively affects AI-CRM capability. Furthermore, the study shows that relationship performance is positively associated with social sustainability performance. Importantly, information and communication technology capability mediates the link between technology readiness and AI-CRM capability, and industry dynamism moderates the relationship between the two.