Green Human Resource Practices, Green Intellectual Capital and Sustainable Performance in the Green Manufacturing Firms

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between green human resource (HR) practices, green intellectual capital, and sustainable performance in the green manufacturing firms. A quantitative approach was used to conduct the current study. The respondents were sampled from green manufacturing firms in Iran. Overall, 270 managers in 115 firms were selected using convenience sampling. A structural equation model was employed for testing the hypotheses. The study showed that green HR practices have a very strong effect on green intellectual capital. The results further disclosed a positive relationship between firms' green intellectual capital and sustainable performance. A mediated relationship between green HR practices and sustainable performance through green intellectual capital was also confirmed. The study was conducted in the manufacturing firms in Iran. Future studies should be carried out to examine differences between green firms and other firms. The findings suggest to HR managers to make the organizational arrangements to design green HR practices, which in turn will enhance the green intellectual capital and improve sustainable performance in their firms. From a corporate social responsibility perspective, HR departments by green HR practices can foster a culture of sustainability among employees by affecting employees' green attitudes, green innovative behavior, environmental commitment, and sustainability performance. The results of this study contribute to advance research on the intellectual capital literature by trying to explain how green intellectual capital as a mediator variable can influence the relationship between green HR practices and sustainable performance in the manufacturing sector.