Affiliations:
1Faculty of Business and Management, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2School of Accounting and Finance, Chongqing Business Vocational College, Chongqing, China
This study examines the impact of green transformational leadership (GTL) on sustainable competitive performance (SCP), with green innovation (GI) and green human resource management (GHRM) as mediating variables. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of management experts in the construction industry in Chongqing and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that GTL has a positive and significant effect on both GI and GHRM, which in turn enhance SCP. Specifically, GTL positively influences GI (nonstandardized coefficient = 0.626, standardized coefficient = 0.456, p < 0.001) and GHRM (nonstandardized coefficient = 0.709, standardized coefficient = 0.482, p < 0.001). In addition, both GI (nonstandardized coefficient = 0.409, standardized coefficient = 0.424, p < 0.001) and GHRM (nonstandardized coefficient = 0.479, standardized coefficient = 0.532, p < 0.001) significantly improve SCP. These findings contribute to the literature on green management by providing empirical evidence that GTL enhances sustainable competitive performance through the combined mediating effects of green innovation and green human resource management. The study highlights the importance of integrating leadership, innovation, and human resource practices to achieve sustainability objectives. Practically, organizations should promote green transformational leadership to encourage innovation and align human resource policies with sustainability goals. Future studies are encouraged to investigate additional mediating mechanisms and contextual factors to further clarify how GTL influences competitive performance.
Green transformational leadership, Sustainable competitive performance, Green innovation, Green human resource management, Construction industry
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.03.002
Junling, L. (2026). Investigating the impact of green transformational leadership on sustainable competitive performance: The mediating roles of green innovation and human resource management. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(3), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.03.002