Environmental human resource management and competitive advantage
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the moderating effect of environmental human resource management on the relationship between firms' environmental management practices and competitive advantages of cost and differentiation.
Design/methodology/approach
CEOs of Spanish chemical firms were asked to respond to a questionnaire containing the measures of the study variables. The final sample consists of 94 firms and the hypotheses were tested using partial least square methodology.
Findings
Empirical evidence showed that companies with a high level of human resource environmental practices can benefit from the advantages in costs and differentiation derived from the implementation of pollution prevention technologies.
Originality/value
From a theoretical standpoint, the paper discusses the moderating role of environmental human resource management practices in the relationship between pollution prevention technologies and economic performance. Empirically, it provides evidence of the role of human resource management practices and proactive environmental management practices in supporting competitive advantages of cost and differentiation.
Keywords
Citation
Carmona‐Moreno, E., Céspedes‐Lorente, J. and Martinez‐del‐Rio, J. (2012), "Environmental human resource management and competitive advantage", Management Research, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 125-142. https://doi.org/10.1108/1536-541211251607
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited