The Mediating Role of Green Innovation and Environmental Performance in the Effect of Green Transformational Leadership on Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Bulent Demir, Mehmet Alper Akdemir, Arzu Ugurlu Kara, Murat Sagbas, Yasar Sahin and Ethem Topcuoglu ()
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Bulent Demir: Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Istanbul Kent University, 34406 Istanbul, Türkiye
Mehmet Alper Akdemir: Turkish Ministry of National Defense, 06100 Ankara, Türkiye
Arzu Ugurlu Kara: Ataturk Strategic Research and Postgraduate Education Institute, National Defense University, 34334 Istanbul, Türkiye
Murat Sagbas: Ataturk Strategic Research and Postgraduate Education Institute, National Defense University, 34334 Istanbul, Türkiye
Yasar Sahin: Besikduzu Vocational School, Trabzon University, 61800 Trabzon, Türkiye
Ethem Topcuoglu: Academy of Civil Aviation, Giresun University, 28200 Giresun, Türkiye

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: Owing to global warming and changing environmental factors, the world has been experiencing negative and major changes. Society is showing a strong reaction to these environmental problems through marches, protests, and political initiatives, which also demonstrate the need for a new understanding of leadership. In this respect, green transformational leadership emerges as a potential solution. The current study aims to determine the mediating role of green innovation and environmental performance in the effect of green transformational leadership on sustainable competitive advantage. With this aim, a model was formed by utilizing the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV) theory. To test the model, data were collected through a survey answered by 412 people working in SMEs in Istanbul and analyzed via the Smart-PLS program. The results indicate that green innovation had a moderate mediating role, and environmental performance had a low mediating role in the effect of green transformational leadership on sustainable competitive advantage. In light of these results, the sustainable competitive advantage predicted by the NRBV theory was found to have been achieved.

Keywords: green innovation; environmental performance; green transformational leadership; sustainable competitive advantage; SMEs; NRBV (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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