The role of green entrepreneurial orientation in green leadership and green innovation: a moderated mediation analysis

Purpose Mining is a high environmental impact activity, yet it holds a high economic value to an economy. The motivation of this paper is to theorize Leadership as the prime antecedent in balancing the economic benefits of mining with environmental sustainability. The study, therefore, theorizes that green leadership is an antecedent to green innovation among mining firms within an enabling, green, entrepreneurial-oriented firm strategy. Integrating the transformational leadership theory and the resource-based view of the firm, the study investigates the mechanisms through which leadership fosters sustainable innovation in the mining sector. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 355 employees of mining firms in Obuasi, Ghana. Participants were selected based on experience, leadership exposure and engagement in environmental projects. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test hypothesized relationships, supported by bootstrapping techniques. Findings The results indicate that green leadership significantly influences both Green Entrepreneurial orientation (GEO) and Green Innovation (GI). Furthermore, GEO positively impacts GI and significantly mediates the relationship between Green Leadership (GL) and GI. However, the study finds no significant moderating effect of GEO on the GL–GI relationship. These findings underscore the importance of fostering entrepreneurial orientation as a conduit through which green leadership translates into innovative environmental practices. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing literature on sustainable organizational practices by offering new empirical insights from the under-researched mining sector of a developing economy. By establishing the mediating role of GEO and refuting its moderating role, the research provides a nuanced understanding of how leadership and entrepreneurial orientation interact to promote innovation. The findings have practical implications for policy and organizational strategy, particularly in high-impact industries grappling with environmental sustainability problems.