Administering Sustainability: How Trust in Government and Managerial Support Strengthen Green Core Competence and Organizational Advantage

This study examines how green core competence contributes to competitive advantage in Iraqi firms, and how this relationship depends on both organizational and governance conditions. Drawing on the Resource-Based View, the Job Demands–Resources model, and stakeholder theory, the study tests a mediation–moderation model in which positive mental health mediates the effect of green core competence on competitive advantage, while trust in government and top management support strengthen key links in the process. Using survey data from top-management respondents in Iraq and partial least squares structural equation modeling, the results show that green core competence is positively associated with competitive advantage, and that positive mental health partially mediates this effect. The findings further indicate that greater trust in government and stronger top management support amplify the benefits of green competence by reinforcing the capability-to-well-being and well-being-to-advantage links. Overall, the study extends sustainability and management research by demonstrating that the competitive returns to green capability are shaped not only by firm resources but also by human well-being and the credibility of the institutional environment.