Does green human resource management lead to a green competitive advantage? A sequential mediation model with three mediators

Abstract

The relationship between green human resource management (GHRM) and green competitive advantage (GCA) in the hotel context remains a deeply under-explored research frontier. Drawing on the resource-based view and ability-motivation-opportunity theories, this study investigates how a hotel’s GHRM practices are linked to hotel GCA through the single and sequential mediating roles of employee green work engagement, green knowledge sharing, and green creativity. The findings show that GHRM has no significant direct impact on GCA. However, the relationship between GHRM and GCA is significantly mediated by the sequential impacts of employee green work engagement, green knowledge sharing, and green creativity. This work suggests that hotel GCA is not a conclusive reflection of GHRM. Employee green behavior, embodying a sequential mechanism, in response to GHRM plays an instrumental role in realizing hotel GCA. The theoretical contributions, practical implications, limitations, and future research directions are included.