Green marketing orientation and human capital: creating a competitive advantage

Purpose This research aims to examine the effect of green marketing orientation and green human capital on competitive advantage in Turkiye, together with the moderating effect of competitive intensity. Design/methodology/approach In this research, Turkish maritime companies are chosen as the main population. The questionnaires for this study are filled out by the top-level managers of companies in the Turkish maritime industry. A structured questionnaire was used, and all 210 participants provided usable responses. AMOS was used for covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the measurement and structural models. In addition, the PROCESS macro (Model 1) in SPSS was used to examine the moderation effect of competitive intensity. Findings The results of this study suggest that tactical green marketing orientation (TGMO) and green human resources orientation (GHRO) have direct positive effects on competitive advantage. Moreover, higher levels of GHRO weaken the positive effect of competitive intensity on competitive advantage, indicating that firms with strong GHRO are able to sustain competitive advantage even when competitive pressures fluctuate. Research limitations/implications Determining possible pollution in the sea might be very difficult, and the judgment process might be misleading. However, we aimed to focus on the orientation of the companies, including their tactics and strategy. It was suggested that the significance of the surveyed relationships does not fade away in competitive environments. Practical implications Because the priority of the companies is surviving, one can argue, according to the results of our research, that green strategies such as TGMO and green human capital cannot be neglected when there is intense competition. It is also supported that the aforementioned constructs can provide a competitive advantage to be successful in the Turkish maritime industry. Originality/value The TGMO and green human capital are understudied, and our research could provide a new perspective on combining green marketing orientation and green human capital. The concepts used in this study are important for the maritime industry, especially those whose operations occur inside a big city, and any possible pollution would have an effect on the health and life standards of the residents.