Green transformational leadership and its prediction of sustainable performance: The mediating role of green innovation

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the current status and prevailing challenges of green transformational leadership within Vietnam’s electronics industry. In addressing these issues, this research advances a theoretical framework designed to bridge the identified gaps and to promote sustainable performance.

Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 379 employees employed in Vietnam’s electronics industry through a self-administered survey. To evaluate the proposed hypotheses, we employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) as the principal analytical technique.

Findings: The results indicate that green transformational leadership significantly predicts sustainable performance. Moreover, green innovation serves as a mediating mechanism that explains how green transformational leadership enhances sustainable performance.

Practical implications: These results provide valuable implications for policymakers in Vietnam’s electronics industry by demonstrating how green transformational leadership can serve as a strategic lever for advancing sustainable performance.

Originality/value: This paper makes several contributions. First, it enriches the broader literature on green transformational leadership by extending its theoretical scope. Second, it advances understanding of green transformational leadership in the underexplored context of Vietnam’s electronics industry. Third, it identifies green innovation as a critical mediating mechanism linking green transformational leadership to sustainable performance.