Sustainable Competitive Advantage Needs Green Human Resource Practices: A Framework for Environmental Management

Abstract

ResumoO objetivo deste ensaio teórico é analisar o papel da gestão de recursos humanos (RH) para alcançar a vantagem competitiva sustentável (VCS) nas organizações, por meio da perspectiva da Visão Baseada em Recursos Naturais (VBRN). Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica de natureza exploratório-descritiva. Primeiro foram apresentadas definições-chave para identificar a VCS como sustentabilidade, desenvolvimento sustentável e sustentabilidade organizacional. Um quadro teórico foi desenvolvido integrando práticas de RH com estratégias da VBRN (prevenção de poluição, administração de produtos e desenvolvimento sustentável) para alcançar a VCS. A principal contribuição deste estudo é oferecer uma síntese integrativa sobre práticas de RH e estratégias da VBRN. Este artigo também agrega valor aos gerentes, apresentando formas de implementar o gerenciamento de RH para a realização da sustentabilidade organizacional.Palavras-chave: visão baseada em recursos naturais; gestão de recursos humanos; sustentabilidade; vantagem competitiva sustentável. AbstractThe aim of this theoretical essay is to analyze the role of human resource (HR) management to achieve organizational sustainable competitive advantage (SCA), through the Natural Resource Based View (NRBV) perspective. We performed an exploratory-descriptive bibliographic research. We first provide key definitions to identify SCA, such as sustainability, sustainable development, and organizational sustainability. We then developed a theoretical framework integrating HR practices with NRBV strategies (pollution prevention, product stewardship, and sustainable development) in order to achieve SCA. As results, a set of propositions regarding HR management and sustainability are offered to be empirically analyzed in future research. The major contribution of this study is to offer an integrative framework of HR practices and NRBV strategies. This paper also adds value to managers by presenting ways to implement HR management for organizational sustainability achievement.

Impact of Green Human Resource Practices on Mosul University’s Green Core Capabilities

“…Given the importance of developing the economic environment and to reduce the gap, management scientists around the world have been analysing various management practices that enable organizations to easily accomplish the objectives of a GHRM, as these have a significant impact on the environmental competitiveness of organizations [1]. The Climate Change Conference held in Canada in 1988 also raised awareness of environmental responsibility [2]. In the light of this, scientists have called the integration of environmental management with human resource management within an organization as GHRM, and they have identified the outstanding policies in the fields of the functional dimensions of human resource management, including recruitment, performance management, evaluation, training, development, remuneration and rewards, as the tools of a firm to align employees with the company's environmental strategy for the 'greening' of functional dimensions, as defined by [3].…”

“…Also, GHRMP covers job analysis, recruitment, performance appraisal, micromanagement, and contributions to environmental sustainability [7]. HRM practices have been identified as training, development, performance evaluation, recruitment, selection and quality of work-life programs [2]. GHRMP includes recruitment, training, compensation and development of human capital [8].…”

“…GHRMP involves all the traditional human resource practices of "recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, training, and rewards" [16]. The highly developed and welldesigned practices of GHRM are likely to be a source of competitive advantage as they meet environmental standards [2].…”

“…These practices reduce the rate of environmental degradation and help to improve environmental management systems through the clarity and values of an environmental culture [10]. The recruitment process is the first step towards the building of a high-quality workforce [2]. Organizations work within the overall framework of their own environmental policies, and when these environmental policies are translated and worked out, they need environmental-oriented staff, thereby, resulting in two options, the first of which is to focus on green employment, and the other is to provide the necessary awareness for environmental protection and education.…”

The Strategic Position of Human Resource Management for Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the VUCA World

“…Consequently, today executives and managers are interested in creating a sustainable competitive advantage rather than a general competitive advantage (Hamadamin & Atan, 2019;Hitka et al, 2019;Pearse, 2017;Saridakis et al, 2017). Researchers explain this tendency referring to the fact that a sustainable competitive advantage is more appropriate for the VUCA world because it means that an organization succeeds in recruiting and retaining human talents, has an effective environmental policy, and demonstrates economic growth (Almada & Borges, 2018;Gandhi, 2017;Jones, Harrison, &Felps, 2018). Thus, the challenging VUCA environment makes organizations focus on building their sustainable advantage because a traditional competitive advantage cannot work in this context.…”