Leadership as a human-systems capability: A mixed-method exploration of environmental consciousness and green innovative behavior

Abstract

This study examines how transformational and benevolent leadership foster green innovative behavior in hospitality organizations through environmental consciousness and leadership expectations. Using a sequential exploratory mixed-method design, Study 1 conducted semi-structured interviews with hospitality employees and applied thematic analysis to identify how leadership shapes sustainability engagement. Study 2 tested the resulting model using partial least squares structural equation modeling with survey data from hospitality employees. The qualitative findings identified five mechanisms: vision-based sustainability encouragement, care-based sustainability support, environmental meaning and personal accountability, green-oriented innovative action, and expectation-based activation of action. The quantitative findings showed that transformational and benevolent leadership influenced environmental consciousness and green innovative behavior. Environmental consciousness partially mediated both leadership pathways, while leadership expectations strengthened the relationship between environmental consciousness and green innovative behavior. This study contributes to human systems research by positioning green innovation as a leadership-cognition-expectation process shaped by organizational conditions rather than individual disposition alone.