THE NEXUS BETWEEN GREEN TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND HOTEL EMPLOYEES' NON-GREEN BEHAVIOR: THE MEDIATING ROLES OF GREEN WORK ENGAGEMENT AND GREEN KNOWLEDGE SHARING

This study, which focuses on employees' non-green behavior, corresponds with global interest in green performance. The goal of this study was to examine how green transformational leadership (GTL) affects non-green behavior (NGB) in the hotel industry, with green work engagement (GWE) and green knowledge sharing (GKS) acting as mediators. Data was collected from full-time employees working in five-star hotels operating in Egypt. The PLS-SEM approach was used to analyze 390 valid responses collected by Warppls v.7. The findings revealed that GTL is positively associated with GWE; however, GTL is negatively associated with NGB. In addition, the results revealed that GWE and GKS negatively associated with NGB. Moreover, the negative link between GTL and NGB is found to be mediated by GWE and GKS. Theoretically, screening the literature in the hospitality field revealed that there hasn't been ample research conducted to explain how non-green behaviors might be avoided. The authors' research also reveals a knowledge gap in the mechanisms connecting green transformational leadership, workplace engagement, and knowledge sharing with non-green behavior in hotel businesses. The study shed light on how cutting-edge concepts like green transformational leadership, green work engagement, and knowledge sharing interact to anticipate and reduce non-green behavior in the hotel business. Practically, hotel management should formulate and deliver environmental training programs that would enhance green transformational leadership competencies, get employees committed to paying attention to the involvement in the green processes, and diminish the non-green behavior in hotel enterprises. This study makes a significant theoretical contribution by advancing the understanding of how GTL influences employees' non-green behavior, particularly within the context of five-star hotels in Egypt. By incorporating GKS and GWE as mediators, the study builds on existing leadership and sustainability literature, offering a more nuanced perspective on the mechanisms through which GTL fosters environmentally friendly behaviors. It expands the theoretical framework of GTL by highlighting the importance of knowledge dissemination and engagement in promoting sustainable practices among employees. Additionally, the study enriches the understanding of non-green behavior by linking it to green leadership and work engagement.