ARADOXICAL LEADERSHIP, GREEN COMMITMENT, AND GREEN SELF-EFFICACY: THE MEDIATING AND MODERATING PATHWAYS TO GREEN INNOVATIVE WORK BEHAVIOR IN THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES

This study investigates the impact of paradoxical leadership (PL) on green innovative work behavior (GIWB) among employees in Egypt's tourism and hospitality sector, with a particular focus on the mediating role of green commitment (GC) and the moderating role of green self-efficacy (GSE). Data were collected from 410 employees working in five-star hotels and category-A travel agencies in the Greater Cairo region of Egypt. The proposed conceptual framework was tested using PLS-SEM via WarpPLS statistical software. The results reveal that paradoxical leadership exerts a significant positive influence on GIWB. PL also demonstrates a strong direct effect on GC, which in turn positively influences GIWB, confirming GC's mediating role. Furthermore, GSE significantly moderates the relationship between PL and GC, suggesting that employees with higher levels of self-efficacy are more likely to translate leadership influences into green commitment. These findings enrich the growing literature on sustainable leadership by uncovering the psychological and motivational pathways through which paradoxical leadership fosters green innovation. The study highlights green commitment as a key mediating mechanism and green self-efficacy as a critical moderating condition that amplifies leadership effects. This integrated model provides a more nuanced understanding of how leadership behaviors translate into pro-environmental outcomes. In the tourism and hospitality sector, where sustainability and innovation are increasingly intertwined, paradoxical leadership proves especially relevant. Leaders who balance control with flexibility can inspire employees to act innovatively while remaining aligned with ecological values. The findings emphasize the need for organizations to develop such leadership capabilities.