IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/rvmgts/v19y2025i6d10.1007_s11846-024-00805-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From green HRM to SDG success: pathways through exploratory innovation and developmental culture

Author

Listed:
  • Yi-Ying Chang

    (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology)

  • Feng-Yi Chiang

    (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology)

  • Qilin Hu

    (Loughborough University)

  • Mathew Hughes

    (University of Leicester)

Abstract

Green Human Resource Management (HRM) calls for integrating environmental considerations into HRM practices, shaping firms’ environmental awareness and efforts toward sustainability. The United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability and have become the primary focal point for channeling businesses’ efforts to resolve environment- and sustainability-based grand challenges. Despite the recognized importance of green HRM, existing studies inadequately explore its impact on SDG performance (specifically SDGs 8 and 12 centered on social innovation and eco-innovation dimensions) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), whose activities are constrained by resource scarcity. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV), this study evaluates data from 1573 managers and 433 human resource managers of 433 SME manufacturing firms and confirms that green HRM positively affects SDG performance. In this relationship, green exploratory innovation and a developmental culture enhance these outcomes of green HRM practices. Study findings extend the RBV by positioning green HRM as a strategic resource driving sustainable outcomes and revealing its role in achieving environmental sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi-Ying Chang & Feng-Yi Chiang & Qilin Hu & Mathew Hughes, 2025. "From green HRM to SDG success: pathways through exploratory innovation and developmental culture," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 1711-1741, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:19:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s11846-024-00805-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11846-024-00805-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11846-024-00805-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11846-024-00805-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andreas Georg Scherer & Christian Voegtlin, 2020. "Corporate Governance for Responsible Innovation: Approaches to Corporate Governance and Their Implications for Sustainable Development," Post-Print hal-02623585, HAL.
    2. Maria Celia López-Penabad & Ana Iglesias-Casal & José Fernando Silva Neto & José Manuel Maside-Sanfiz, 2023. "Does corporate social performance improve bank efficiency? Evidence from European banks," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1399-1437, May.
    3. J. W. Stoelhorst, 2023. "Value, rent, and profit: A stakeholder resource‐based theory," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 1488-1513, June.
    4. Jay B. Barney, 2018. "Why resource‐based theory's model of profit appropriation must incorporate a stakeholder perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(13), pages 3305-3325, December.
    5. Walsh, P.P. & Murphy, E. & Horan, D., 2020. "The role of science, technology and innovation in the UN 2030 agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Justin J. P. Jansen & Frans A. J. Van Den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2006. "Exploratory Innovation, Exploitative Innovation, and Performance: Effects of Organizational Antecedents and Environmental Moderators," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(11), pages 1661-1674, November.
    7. Halberstadt, Jantje & Schwab, Anne-Kathrin & Kraus, Sascha, 2024. "Cleaning the window of opportunity: Towards a typology of sustainability entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    8. Prajogo, Daniel I., 2016. "The strategic fit between innovation strategies and business environment in delivering business performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(P2), pages 241-249.
    9. Wenyi Chu, 2004. "Are Group-Affiliated Firms Really More Profitable than Nonaffiliated?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 391-405, June.
    10. Peter Kotzian, 2023. "Carrots or sticks? Inferring motives of corporate CSR Engagement from empirical data," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(8), pages 2921-2943, November.
    11. Ivan Montiel & Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Junghoon Park & Raquel Antolín-López & Bryan W. Husted, 2021. "Implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(5), pages 999-1030, July.
    12. Jerónimo, Helena Mateus & Henriques, Paulo Lopes & Lacerda, Teresa Correia de & da Silva, Filipa Pires & Vieira, Pedro Rino, 2020. "Going green and sustainable: The influence of green HR practices on the organizational rationale for sustainability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 413-421.
    13. Zahid Hameed & Ikram Ullah Khan & Tahir Islam & Zaryab Sheikh & Rana Muhammad Naeem, 2020. "Do green HRM practices influence employees' environmental performance?," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 41(7), pages 1061-1079, February.
    14. Singh, Sanjay Kumar & Giudice, Manlio Del & Chierici, Roberto & Graziano, Domenico, 2020. "Green innovation and environmental performance: The role of green transformational leadership and green human resource management," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    15. Nathalia Suchek & Cristina I. Fernandes & Sascha Kraus & Matthias Filser & Helena Sjögrén, 2021. "Innovation and the circular economy: A systematic literature review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3686-3702, December.
    16. Marko R. Jocic & Michael H. Morris & Donald F. Kuratko, 2023. "Familiness and innovation outcomes in family firms: The mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(4), pages 1345-1377, July.
    17. Jeffrey S. Harrison & Douglas A. Bosse & Robert A. Phillips, 2010. "Managing for stakeholders, stakeholder utility functions, and competitive advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 58-74, January.
    18. Zhongju Liao & Manting Zhang, 2020. "The influence of responsible leadership on environmental innovation and environmental performance: The moderating role of managerial discretion," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2016-2027, September.
    19. Rai, Shirin M. & Brown, Benjamin D. & Ruwanpura, Kanchana N., 2019. "SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth – A gendered analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 368-380.
    20. Hsu, Chia-Wen & Lien, Yung-Chih & Chen, Homin, 2013. "International ambidexterity and firm performance in small emerging economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 58-67.
    21. Jackson, William E. & Bates, Timothy & Bradford, William D., 2012. "Does venture capitalist activism improve investment performance?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 342-354.
    22. Kraus, Sascha & Rehman, Shafique Ur & García, F. Javier Sendra, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: The mediating role of environmental strategy and green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    23. Fisher, Robert J, 1993. "Social Desirability Bias and the Validity of Indirect Questioning," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 20(2), pages 303-315, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Valero-Gil, Jesus & Surroca, Jordi A. & Tribo, Josep A. & Gutierrez, Leopoldo & Montiel, Ivan, 2023. "Innovation vs. standardization: The conjoint effects of eco-innovation and environmental management systems on environmental performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(4).
    2. Sophie Bacq & Ruth V. Aguilera, 2022. "Stakeholder Governance for Responsible Innovation: A Theory of Value Creation, Appropriation, and Distribution," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 29-60, January.
    3. Rubio-Andrés, Mercedes & Ramos-González, Mª del Mar & Sastre-Castillo, Miguel Ángel & Gutiérrez-Broncano, Santiago, 2023. "Stakeholder pressure and innovation capacity of SMEs in the COVID-19 pandemic: Mediating and multigroup analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    4. Farzana Riva & Solon Magrizos & Mohammad Rabiul Basher Rubel, 2021. "Investigating the link between managers' green knowledge and leadership style, and their firms' environmental performance: The mediation role of green creativity," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3228-3240, November.
    5. Wang, Quan-Jing & Wang, Hai-Jie & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2022. "Environmental performance, green finance and green innovation: What's the long-run relationships among variables?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    6. Tachia Chin & Francesco Caputo & Yi Shi & Mario Calabrese & Chiraz Aouina‐Mejri & Armando Papa, 2022. "Depicting the role of cross‐cultural legitimacy for responsible innovation in Asian‐Pacific business models: A dialectical systems view of Yin‐Yang harmony," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(6), pages 2083-2093, November.
    7. Juan Manuel Bucheli-Calvache & Alexander Zuñiga-Collazos & Fabian Osorio-Tinoco & María de los Ángeles Cervantes-Rosas, 2023. "Proposal for an Eco-Innovation Concept for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    8. José Andrade & Mário Franco & Luis Mendes, 2021. "Technological capacity and organisational ambidexterity: the moderating role of environmental dynamism on Portuguese technological SMEs," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 2111-2136, October.
    9. Zahid Hameed & Rana Muhammad Naeem & Tahir Islam & Safiya Mukhtar Alshibani, 2024. "How does CEO ethical leadership transform Saudi SMEs into green firms? A moderated mediation model," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3855-3868, September.
    10. Suo, Xuekun & Zhang, Longting & Guo, Rong & Lin, Han & Yu, Mingchuan & Du, Xiuhong, 2024. "The inverted U-shaped association between digital economy and corporate total factor productivity: A knowledge-based perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    11. Mercedes Úbeda‐García & Bartolome Marco‐Lajara & Patrocinio C. Zaragoza‐Sáez & Encarnación Manresa‐Marhuenda & Esther Poveda‐Pareja, 2022. "Green ambidexterity and environmental performance: The role of green human resources," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(1), pages 32-45, January.
    12. Qaisar Iqbal & Noor Hazlina Ahmad & Zeyun Li & Yongmei Li, 2022. "To walk in beauty: Sustainable leadership, frugal innovation and environmental performance," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(3), pages 738-750, April.
    13. Vershinina, Natalia & Rodgers, Peter & Tarba, Shlomo & Khan, Zaheer & Stokes, Peter, 2020. "Gaining legitimacy through proactive stakeholder management: The experiences of high-tech women entrepreneurs in Russia," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 111-121.
    14. André Laplume & Kent Walker & Zhou Zhang & Xin Yu, 2021. "Incumbent Stakeholder Management Performance and New Entry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(3), pages 629-644, December.
    15. Zheng, Lu & Ulrich, Klaus & Sendra-García, Javier, 2021. "Qualitative comparative analysis: Configurational paths to innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 83-93.
    16. Pereira, Vijay & Nair, Asha KS. & Bhattacharyya, Som Sekhar, 2025. "Exploring and investigating the complementarity and multidimensionality of innovation for sustainability research: Past present and future," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    17. Cui, Jingbo & Dai, Jing & Wang, Zhenxuan & Zhao, Xiande, 2022. "Does Environmental Regulation Induce Green Innovation? A Panel Study of Chinese Listed Firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    18. Ritu Singh & Parikshit Charan & Manojit Chattopadhyay, 2019. "Dynamic capabilities and responsiveness: moderating effect of organization structures and environmental dynamism," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 46(4), pages 301-319, December.
    19. Eun-Jung Woo & Eungoo Kang, 2021. "Employee Environmental Capability and Its Relationship with Corporate Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-22, August.
    20. Hongryol Cha & Sung-Min Park, 2024. "Organizational Agility and Communicative Actions for Responsible Innovation: Evidence from manufacturing firms in South Korea," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 1345-1372, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green human resource management; SDGs; SMEs; Green exploratory innovation; Developmental culture; Resource-based view;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:rvmgts:v:19:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1007_s11846-024-00805-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.