Extending structural capital through pro-environmental behaviour intention capital: an outlook on Spanish hotel industry

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to bring the attention of the intellectual capital (IC) research and practice communities to the value of IC in hotels' efforts to resolve or mitigate environmental problems over time. This research has been set to examine the relationships between key KM and IC concepts including environmental knowledge structures and exploitation and exploration of environmental knowledge (EK) as drivers of environmental organisational learning. The research has also examined the relevance of pro-environmental behavioural intention capital (PEBIC) as a component of structural capital and therefore an integral part of the intellectual capital of hotels.Design/methodology/approachThe data analysis technique used to test the proposed conceptual model is partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Sample received from 87 companies from the Spanish hospitality sector in a longitudinal study (six years).FindingsThe results support that environmental knowledge structures (exploitation and exploration) has a positive impact on PEBIC over time. In other words, environmental organisational learning has the capability to create structural capital in hotel over time.Originality/valueThe research has addressed the challenges of exploration and exploitation of EK and PEBIC from a perspective not previously covered in the extant literature, further improved by the longitudinal nature of this study. Our focus on the hospitality sector makes this research relevant for management structures at numerous of hotels, as well as to their supply chains around the world. In addition, this research highlights the value to create structural capital through EK and organisational learning in the context of take care of our natural resources.

Impacts and Implications for Advancing in Environmental Knowledge in Hospitality Industry in COVID Society: a Bibliometric Analysis

“…The main focus of Pro-Environmental Behaviour is active behaviour in favour of taking care of the environment from different perspectives: stakeholders, businesses and society (Martínez-Martínez et al, 2021 ). This is an important finding to encourage researchers and practitioners to continue in this line of work, giving it more visibility and transferring their important findings.…”

“…The concept of environmental knowledge is defined as the use of knowledge management strategies, tools and techniques to create, share and reuse tacit and explicit knowledge resources related to the environment and its protection (Martinez-Martinez et al, 2019b ). The management of environmental knowledge is a resource that can improve sustainability in the hospitality industry, and the environmental knowledge structures in this industry can promote changes in stakeholders’ behaviour regarding sustainability and the quality of life all over the world (Kornilaki et al, 2019 ; Martínez-Martínez et al, 2021 ). To answer the research questions of this study, we analyse the past and current status of environmental knowledge in the hospitality industry, and we explore its evolution.…”

“…For PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL-BEHAVIOR, the cluster networks are corporate-social-responsibility, management, performance, satisfaction, sustainability, innovation, perceptions and environmental-management (Martínez-Martínez et al, 2021 ; McTiernan et al, 2021 ; Warren et al, 2018 ).…”

“…The area of Pro-Environmental Behaviour includes works focussing on pro-sustainability from the perspectives of stakeholders, businesses and society (Martínez-Martínez et al, 2021 ).…”

“…The United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda for sustainable development urgently calls on governments, companies and individuals to make a transition to sustainable business models and lifestyles (United Nations, 2020 ). In this regard, the application of environmental knowledge has attracted the attention of different stakeholders, organisations and society as a whole (Cegarra-Navarro et al, 2010 ; Dumay et al, 2016 ; Martínez-Martínez et al, 2021 ).…”