Green human resource management and green innovation: the role of the knowledge creation process

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how green human resource management (HRM) practices influence green innovation through the knowledge creation process. This work theoretically builds and empirically tests a conceptual model of the role of green HRM in fostering green innovation. Design Drawing on the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) theory and the knowledge-based view (KBV), this study uses survey data from 244 firms in the Spanish textile industry. A partial least squares structural equation modeling approach is used with a special focus on the mediating role of the knowledge creation process conceptualized by the socialization, externalization, combination and internalization (SECI) model. Findings The results reveal that green HRM practices significantly enhance knowledge creation, which in turn promotes both green product and green process innovation. The knowledge creation process acts as a key mediating mechanism linking HRM systems to innovation outcomes. Originality This study offers a novel contribution by integrating the AMO framework with the KBV to explain how green HRM practices stimulate distinct knowledge creation processes based on the SECI model. It clarifies how people management systems contribute to green product and green process innovation through organizational knowledge processes. Practical implications This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of green HRM as a strategic enabler of green innovation and offers actionable insights for managers seeking to align human capital strategies with sustainability objectives.