Green empowerment in Ethiopia’s hotel sector: Leveraging a hybrid framework for environmental performance

Green empowerment of employees is increasingly recognized as a key strategy in the hotel industry, supporting sustainable business models and corporate social responsibility. However, hotels in emerging economies, such as Ethiopia, often face criticism for poor environmental performance. Using self-determination theory, this study developed a hybrid framework to examine the impact of green empowerment on the proactive environmental behaviors of employees in Ethiopian five-star hotels. Analysis of 305 usable questionnaires revealed that intrinsic motivation, competency, and recognition significantly enhance these proactive behaviors, highlighting the importance of fostering a supportive hotel ecosystem that values employee engagement in green practices.