Unfolding green innovation through green human resource management: The roles of green creativity and green transformational leadership

Abstract

In the context of increasing environmental pressures and the growing importance of sustainable competitiveness, organisations are seeking strategic mechanisms to enhance green innovation (GI). This study investigates the relationships among green human resource management (GHRM), green creativity (GC), GI, and green transformational leadership (GTL). Drawing on the natural-resource-based view (NRBV) and social cognitive theory (SCT), the research develops and tests an integrated model explaining how organisational and psychological factors jointly foster GI outcomes. Data were collected from 339 managers and employees working in Vietnamese enterprises and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. The findings indicate that GHRM significantly enhances both GC and GI. GC partially mediates the relationship between GHRM and GI, highlighting its role as an important internal mechanism translating HR practices into innovation outcomes. Finally, the results of the moderation analysis indicate that GTL significantly moderates the relationship between GHRM and GC. In addition, GTL positively moderates the relationship between GHRM and GI, strengthening the effectiveness of green HR practices under transformational leadership conditions. By integrating NRBV and SCT, this study extends the literature on green management by clarifying the multilevel mechanisms through which GHRM contributes to GI. The results offer important implications, suggesting that firms should combine green-oriented HR systems with transformational leadership behaviours to stimulate creativity and sustain competitive advantage.