The role of training and empowerment in environmental performance

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this study to propose a model that links the following human resource (HR) factors: employee environmental empowerment, employee environmental training, employee environmental teamwork, managerial environmental empowerment and managerial environmental training, to environmental performance as perceived by managers. Design/methodology/approach -A survey was administered to 220 manufacturing organizations in Mexico. The survey instrument was self-report format with attitudinal variables. Items were adopted from previously published scales. A hypothesized model of the variable relationships with structural equation modelling analysis was tested. Findings -The results suggest that managers perceive that both environmental training and environmental empowerment are important to themselves and employees. In this study, overall environmental training had a stronger relationship with the dependent variables than environmental empowerment. In the case of the employee level, the effects were mediated through environmental teamwork.Originality/value -This study contributes to both theory and praxis. First, it extends the literature related to environmental management and HR management. Second, it examines managerial perceptions of the HR role within the firm for both manager/supervisors and hourly/direct workers. Third, the study is one of the first to investigate the relationships between HR factors and environmental issues in Mexican manufacturing firms. Finally, the study has important implications for practitioners in the manufacturing sector.

Investigating the readiness of people in manufacturing SMEs to embark on Lean Six Sigma projects

“…Furthermore, teamwork has been recognised as central to any quality improvement practice, because it involves the collaboration between management and employees to facilitate CI and problem Solving (Lam et al, 2015;Jimenez-Jimenez and Martinez-Costa, 2009;Gutierrez Gutierrez et al, 2009). Research studies have found teamwork as the vehicle to manifest change (Daily et al, 2012) and more congruence between different levels of management is a required element in a top-down approach quality practice such as LSS to promote teamwork (Soltani and Wilkinson, 2010).…”

“…Cross-functionality of communication and collaboration have been identified as a key factor for a successful LSS project (Choi et al, 2012). People recognition through empowerment, inspiration and involvement in decision making processes have always been an important and challenging cultural construct of successful implementation of LSS (Kanpp, 2015;Antony, 2014;Hilton and Sohal, 2012;Daily et al, 2012;Baird et al, 2011;Zu and Fredendall, 2009;McAdam and Lafferty, 2004). Some empirical research has found support for this argument; for example, Kanpp (2015) and Jimenez-Jimenez and Martinez-Costa (2009) have recommended employees' involvement in decision making and giving flexibility and responsibility to employees as significant constructs to initiate any quality improvement practice.…”

“…In contrast to the EC, IC are acquisitive factors related to human capabilities, which involve rational and reasoning capabilities developed through training, education and performance management (Dahlgaard and Dahlgaard-Park, 2006). Training is one IC factor that has been defined by Garvan, 1997 cited in Daily et al (2012) as "a planned and systematic effort to modify or develop knowledge, skills and attitudes through learning experiences, to achieve effective performance in a range of activities". Training has been recognised as an essential catalyst for teamwork to occur (Daily et al, 2012).…”

“…Training is one IC factor that has been defined by Garvan, 1997 cited in Daily et al (2012) as "a planned and systematic effort to modify or develop knowledge, skills and attitudes through learning experiences, to achieve effective performance in a range of activities". Training has been recognised as an essential catalyst for teamwork to occur (Daily et al, 2012). Comprehensive training has been seen as one of the key success factors in LSS deployment in any organisation (Kumar et al, 2011;Antony et al, 2005;Zu et al, 2010;Arnheiter and Maleyeff, 2005), while Aboelmaged (2011) has highlighted the knowledge barrier as the most critical barrier factor which results in failure to accept change and impedes the implementation of LSS.…”

Employee green performance of job: a systematic attempt towards measurement

“…Several writers (Kaur, 2011;Renwick et al, 2013;Jackson et al, 2011;Zoogah, 2011;Rangarajan and Rahm, 2011;Jabbour, 2011;Jabbour et al, 2010a;Sharma et al, 2009;Strandberg, 2009;Wehrmeyer, 1996) accentuated the importance of integrating environmental management aspects into the employee performance evaluation system of the organizations. Different authors at different points of time have emphasized the critical importance of employee training for the proper implementation of EMS in the organizations and the role that environmental training can play in facilitating the process of environmental management activities of the organization (Renwick et al, 2013;Daily et al, 2012;Jackson et al, 2011;Wagner, 2011;Zoogah, 2011;Massoud et al, 2011;Rangarajan and Rahm, 2011;Jabbour, 2011;Jabbour et al, 2010a;Jabbour et al, 2010b;Strandberg, 2009;Sharma et al, 2009;Jabbour and Santos, 2008a;Jabbour and Santos, 2008b;Renwick et al, 2008;Perron et al, 2006;Zutshi and Sohal, 2004;Daily and Huang, 2001;Madsen and Ulhùi, 2001;Wehrmeyer, 1996).…”