Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Green employee empowerment: a systematic literature review on state-of-art in green human resource management

  • Published:
Quality & Quantity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Being a member of the society, it is evident that the organization has to operate like a team player; cue the influx of the green management concept. The study focuses on the second aspect of the green human resources management definition, which is preservation of knowledge asset and specifically addresses the novel concept of “Green employee empowerment” as a mediator. The research paper focuses on integrating and systematically arranging literature regarding motivating employees to pursue green tasks, as mediated by green employee empowerment. Literature supports that employees must be encouraged, empowered, and eco-conscious in order to take responsibility of green management tasks, which is core dilemma in today’s world. Green empowered employees is a novel concept as introduced by this research paper but also has strong literature support stemming from the concept of “employee empowerment”. The unit of analysis was previous available research studies relevant to the topic (their findings are included). Both the service and manufacturing sectors was focused and data was collected from ISI web of knowledge. Additionally, the search mostly focused on updated knowledge and only focused on 104 of recent and relevant studies. The study concluded that empowered employees are more motivated to perform environmental tasks which pay to be green. Human resources are truly the back bone of any successful organization, so motivated green workforce has a deep influential effect on social organizational profitability and productivity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Graph 1
Graph 2
Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali, R., Ahmad, M.S.: The impact of reward and recognition programs on employee’s motivation and satisfaction: an empirical study. Int. Rev. Bus. Res. Pap. 5(4), 270–279 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, L., Jackson, S.E., Russell, S.V.: Greening organizational behavior: an introduction to the special issue. J. Organ. Behav. 34(2), 151–155 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum, E., Bailey, T., Berg, P., Kalleberg, A.: Manufacturing Advantage: Why High-Performance Work Systems Pay off. Cornell University Press, Ithaca (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyris, C.: Empowerment: the emperor’s new clothes. Harvard Business Review 98–105 (1998)

  • Banerjee, S.B.: Corporate environmental strategies and actions. Manag. Decis. 39(1), 36–44 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beard, C., Rees, S.: Green teams and the management of environmental change in a UK county council. Environ. Manag. Health 11(1), 27–38 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Begley, R.: Is ISO 14000 worth it? J. Bus. Strat. 17(5), 50–55 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belal, A.R.: Stakeholder accountability or stakeholder management: a review of UK firms’ social and ethical accounting, auditing and reporting (SEAAR). Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 9(1), 8–25 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boselie, J.P., Dietz, G., Boon, C.: Commonalities and contradictions in HRM and performance research. Hum. Res. Manag. J. 15, 67–94 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buciuniene, I., Kazlauskaite, R.: The linkage between HRM, CSR and performance outcomes. Baltic J. Manag. 7(1), 5–24 (2012). doi:10.1108/17465261211195856

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conger, J.A., Kanungo, R.N.: The empowerment process: integrating theory and practice. Acad. Manag. Rev. 19(3), 471–482 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  • Daily, B.F., Bishop, J.W.: The role of training and empowerment in environmental performance: a study of the Mexican maquiladora industry. Intern. J. Oper. Prod. Manag. 32(5), 631–647 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daily, B.F., Huang, S.: Achieving sustainability through attention to human resource factors in environmental management. Intern. J. Oper. Prod. Manag. 21(12), 1539–1552 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daily, B.F., Bishop, J.W., Steiner, R.: The mediating role of EMS teamwork as it pertains to HR factors and perceived environmental performance. J. Appl. Bus. Res. 23(1), 95–109 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, I.A., Crane, A.: Corporate social responsibility in small-and medium-size enterprises: investigating employee engagement in fair trade companies. Bus. Ethics: A Eur. Rev. 19(2), 126–139 (2010). doi:10.1111/j.1467-8608.2010.01586.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutta, S.: Greening people: a strategic dimension. ZENITH Intern. J. Bus. Econ. Manag. Res. 2(2), 143–148 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • Faleye, O., Trahan, E.A.: Labor-friendly corporate practices: Is what is good for employees good for shareholders? J. Bus. Ethics 101(1), 1–27 (2011). doi:10.1007/s10551-010-0705-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, E., Junquera, B., Ordiz, M.: Organizational culture and human resources inthe environmental issue: a review of the literature. Intern. J. Hum. Res. Manag. 14(4), 634–656 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Govindarajulu, N., Daily, B.F.: Motivating employees for environmental improvement. Ind. Manag. Data Syst. 104(4), 364–372 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutowski, T., Murphy, C., Allen, D., Bauer, D., Bras, B., Piwonka, T., Sheng, P., Sutherland, J., Thurston, D., Wolff, E.: Environmentally benign manufacturing: observations from Japan, Europe and the United States. J. Clean. Prod. 13, 1–17 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallin, A., Gustavsson, T.K.: Managing death: corporate social responsibility and tragedy. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 16(4), 206–216 (2009). doi:10.1002/csr.203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamschmidt, J., Dyllick, T.: ISO 14001: Profitable? Yes! But is it eco-effective? Greener Manag. Intern. 34, 43–54 (2001). Summer

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanna, M.D., Newman, W.R., Johnson, P.: Linking operational and environmental improvement through employee involvement. Int. J. Oper. Prod. Manag. 20(2), 148–165 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, A.J.: The importance of fit between individual values and organizational culture in the greening of industry. Bus. Strat. Environ. 20(4), 1015–1052 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hui, I.K., Chan, A.H.S., Pun, K.F.: A study of the environmental management system implementation practices. J. Clean. Prod. 9, 269–276 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Idemudia, U., Ite, U.E.: Corporate-community relations in Nigeria’s oil industry: challenges and imperatives. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 13(4), 194–206 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S.E., Renwick, D.W., Jabbour, C.J., Müller-Camen, M.: State-of-the-art and future directions for green human resource management: introduction to the special issue. Zeitschrift für Personalforschung (ZfP) 25(2), 99–116 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., Jiang, K.: An aspirational framework for strategic human resource management. Acad. Manag. Ann. 8(1), 1–56 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John, G., Clements-Croome, D., Jeronimidis, G.: Sustainable buildings solutions: a review of lessons from the natural world. Build. Environ. 40, 319–328 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamalian, A.R., Yaghoubi, N.M., Moloudi, J.: Survey of relationship between organizational justice and empowerment (A case study). Eur. J. Econ. Financ. Adm. Sci. 24, 165–171 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkman, B.L., Rosen, B., Tesluk, P.E., Gibson, C.B.: The impact of team empowerment on virtual team performance: the moderating role of face-to face interaction. Acad. Manag. J. 47(2), 175–192 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lent, T., Wells, R. P.: Corporate environmental management survey shows shift from compliance to strategy. In: Willig, J.T. (Ed.) (2 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill (1994)

  • Li, S., Fetscherin, M., Alon, I., Lattemann, C., Yeh, K.: Corporate social responsibility in emerging markets: the importance of the governance environment. Manag. Intern. Rev. 50(5), 635–654 (2010). doi:10.1007/s11575-010-0049-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Longoni, A., Golini, R., Cagliano, R.: The role of New Forms of Work Organization in developing sustainability strategies in operations. Intern. J. Prod. Econ. 147, 147–160 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madsen, H., Ulhoi, J.P.: Greening of human resources: environmental awareness and training interests within the workforce. Indus. Manag. Data Syst. 101(2), 57–65 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mallak, L.A., Kurstedt, H.A.: Understanding and using empowerment to change organizational culture. Indus. Manag. 38(6), 8–10 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mani, V.: Development of employee satisfaction index scorecard. Eur. J. Soc. Sci. 15(1), 129–139 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Massoud, J., Daily, B.F., Bishop, J.: Reward for environmental performance: using the Scanlon Plan as catalyst to green organizations. Intern. J. Environ. Workplace Employ. 4(1), 15–31 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews, R.A., Diaz, W.M., Cole, S.G.: The organizational empowerment scale. Pers. Rev. 32(3), 297–318 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, D.R., Flannery, B.L.: Cutting waste with employee involvement teams. Bus. Horiz. 38(5), 28–38 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, A.K., Spreitzer, G.M.: Explaining how survivors respond to downsizing: the role of trust, empowerment, justice, and work redesign. Acad. Manag. Rev. 23(3), 567–588 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohrman, S.A., Lawler, E.E., Ledford, G.E.: Do employee involvement and TQM programs work? J. Qual. Particip. 19(1), 6–10 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mougbo, U.S.: The impact of employee motivation on organisational performance (a study of some selected firms in Anambra state Nigeria. Intern. J. Eng. Sci. 2(7), 70–80 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • Naeem, M.A., Welford, R.: A comparative study of corporate social responsibility in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 16(2), 108–122 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng, X.T., Peng, S.T.: Development cost of a harmonious society. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Public Economics and Management Icpem (2009)

  • Pfeffer, J.: The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First. Harvard Business School Press, Boston (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirani, E., Secondi, L.: Eco-friendly attitudes: what European Citizens say and what they do. Intern. J. Environ. Res. 5(1), 67–84 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • Polonsky, M.J., Rosenberger, P.J., Ottman, J.A.: Developing green products: learning from stakeholders. J. Sustain. Prod. Des. 1(5), 7–21 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn, R.E., Spreitzer, G.M.: The road to empowerment: seven questions every leadershould consider. Organ. Dyn. 26(2), 37–49 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramachandran, V.: Strategic corporate social responsibility: a ‘Dynamic Capabilities’ perspective. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 18(5), 285–293 (2011). doi:10.1002/csr.251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, C.: Employee empowerment at GE Plastics Europe: an example of a successful environmental change process. Corp. Environ. Strat. 4(3), 39–46 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, C.: Organizational support for employees: encouraging creative ideas for environmental sustainability. Calif. Manag. Rev. 43(3), 85–105 (2001). Spring

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, C.: Encouraging innovative environmental actions: what companies and managers must do. J. World Bus. 37, 151–164 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, C., Steger, U.: The roles of supervisory support behaviors and environmental policy in employee ‘ecoinitiatives’ at leading-edge European companies. Acad. Manag. J. 43, 605–626 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randolph, W.: A navigating journey to empowerment. Organ. Dyn. 23(4), 19–32 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rego, A., Leal, S., Cunha, M.P., Faria, J., Pinho, C.: How the perceptions of five dimensions of corporate citizenship and their inter-inconsistencies predict affective commitment. J. Bus. Ethics 94(1), 107–127 (2010). doi:10.1007/s10551-009-0252-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renwick, D., Redman, T., Maquire, S.: Green HRM: a review, process model, and research agenda. Intern. J. Manag. Rev. 15, 1–14 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renwick, D.W., Redman, T., Maguire, S.: Green human resource management: a review and research agenda*. Intern. J. Manag. Rev. 15(1), 1–14 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothenberg, S.: Knowledge content and worker participation in environmental management at NUMMI. J. Manag. Stud. 40(7), 1783–1802 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharmin, S., Khan, N.A., Belal, A.R.: Corporate community involvement in Bangladesh: an empirical study. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 21, 41–51 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J.: Boundary role ambiguity: facets, determinants, and impacts. J. Mark. 57(2), 11–31 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B.: Empowerment: the challenge is now. Empower. Organiz. 5(3), 120–122 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobhani, F.A., Amran, A., Zainuddin, Y.: Revisiting the practices of corporate social and environmental disclosure in Bangladesh. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manag. 16(3), 167–183 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spreitzer, G.M.: Psychological empowerment in the workplace: dimensions, measurement, and validation. Acad. Manag. J. 38(5), 1442–1465 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spreitzer, G.M.: Toward a common ground in defining empowerment. Res. Organ. Change Dev. 10, 31–62 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sudin, S.: Strategic Green HRM: A proposed model that supports Corporate Environmental Citizenship. Paper presented at the International Conference on Sociality and Economics Development, Singapore (2011)

  • Thomas, K., Velthouse, B.: Cognitive elements of empowerment: an interpretive model of intrinsic task motivation. Acad. Manag. Rev. 15(4), 666–681 (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, M., Schaltegger, S., Wehrmeyer, W.: The relationship between the environmental and economic performance of firms. Greener Manag. Intern. 34, 95–108 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wever, G.H., Vorhauer, G.F.: Kodak’s framework and assessment tool for implementing TQEM. Total Quality Environ. Manag. 3(1), 19–30 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woods, S.: Making pollution prevention part of the Coors culture. Total Quality Environ. Manag. 3(1), 31–38 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeithaml, V.A., Berry, L.L., Parasuraman, A.: Communication and control processes in the delivery of service quality. J. Mark. 52(2), 35–48 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, Q.H., Sarkis, J.: Relationships between operational practices and performance among early adopters of green supply chain management practices in Chinese manufacturing enterprises. J. Oper. Manag. 22(3), 265–289 (2004). doi:10.1016/j.jom.2004.01.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Kamra Road, Attock, 43600, Pakistan

    Sanober Tariq, Farzand Ali Jan & Muhammad Shakil Ahmad

Authors
  1. Sanober Tariq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Farzand Ali Jan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muhammad Shakil Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tariq, S., Jan, F.A. & Ahmad, M.S. Green employee empowerment: a systematic literature review on state-of-art in green human resource management. Qual Quant 50, 237–269 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-014-0146-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-014-0146-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation