Developing a Model for Green Human Resource Management in Line with Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Municipalities in Hormozgan Province

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for green human resource management in line with sustainable development, with a case study of municipalities in Hormozgan Province. The research adopted an exploratory mixed-methods design consisting of qualitative and quantitative phases. The statistical population in both phases included mayors, managers, and human resource experts. In the qualitative phase, purposive sampling was employed, while simple random sampling was used in the quantitative phase. Accordingly, 12 participants were selected for semi-structured interviews, and 212 respondents were surveyed using a researcher-developed questionnaire.

Data collection instruments included semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase and a self-designed questionnaire in the quantitative phase. The credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability of qualitative data were ensured, while reliability and construct validity in the quantitative phase were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis, confirming the adequacy of the measurement instrument.

Qualitative findings identified the main dimensions and components of green human resource management, including training and development systems, employee retention systems, green management documentation, green performance appraisal, green organizational citizenship behavior, green human capital, green reward management, green idea orientation, green innovativeness, green social culture, green planning, green standards, continuous green relations, green energy conservation, green environmental research, green organizational culture, green health and safety management, green socialization, green resource provision, green organizational support, and environmentally oriented disciplinary principles.

Quantitative results indicated that the current status of green human resource management components in the municipalities of Hormozgan Province was above the average level of society. In other words, the municipalities’ performance in green human resource management, measured based on a sustainable development approach, exceeded the defined theoretical mean and demonstrated a relatively high level. Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that “green energy conservation” had the highest factor loading (0.72), while “green social culture” had the lowest factor loading (0.40) in the proposed model.

These findings highlight the relative contribution of each component to the realization of green human resource management and sustainable development in municipal organizations.