The dynamics of coworker envy in the green innovation landscape: Mediating and moderating effects on employee environmental commitment and non-green behavior in the hospitality industry
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2025
The dynamics of coworker envy in the green innovation landscape: Mediating and moderating effects on employee environmental commitment and non-green behavior in the hospitality industry
The current study proposes to investigate the impact of employee green innovative behavior (EGIB) on coworker envy (CE), which in turn affects employee environmental commitment (EEC) and intention to engage in non-green behavior (NGB). Furthermore, it investigates the moderating role of individual green value (IGV) and perceived green organizational support (PGOS) and the mediating effect of coworker envy (CE) between the proposed model relationships. Operating PLS-SEM, the 389 valid questionnaires collected from the employees of five-star hotels were analyzed. The findings showed that employee green innovative behavior (EGIB) significantly enhanced coworker envy (CE), negatively influencing employee environmental commitment (EEC) and positively influencing intention to engage in non-green behavior (NGB). The results also proved the moderation role of individual green value (IGV) and perceived green organizational support (PGOS) between CE and EEC and CE and NGB, respectively. The study contributes insightful theoretical implications by integrating the social comparison theory (SCT) and affective events theory (AET). It also has practical impacts on catalyzing green change by inhibiting coworker envy.
AbasBVo-ThanhTBukhariS, et al. (2024) Interpersonal deviance, organizational deviance and socio-emotional factors at work: the role of socio-demographic traits. International Journal of Social Economics51(8): 1041–1056.
2.
AboramadanMCrawfordJTürkmenoğluMA, et al. (2022) Green inclusive leadership and employee green behaviors in the hotel industry: does perceived green organizational support matter?International Journal of Hospitality Management107: 103330.
3.
AfridiSAAliSZZahidRMA (2023) Nurturing environmental champions: exploring the influence of environmental-specific servant leadership on environmental performance in the hospitality industry. Environmental Science and Pollution Research31(34): 46281–46292.
4.
AllredBRoss-DavisA (2011) The Drop-off and Pick-up Method: An Approach to Reduce Nonresponse Bias in Natural Resource Surveys. Small-scale Forestry10: 305–318. doi: 10.1007/s11842-010-9150-y.
5.
AndradeIde MeloCGlauberN, et al. (2021) Phenotypic variability, diversity and genetic-population structure in melon (Cucumis melo L.) Associated with total soluble solids. Scientia Horticulturae278(27). doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109844.
6.
AriciHEUysalM (2022) Leadership, green innovation, and green creativity: a systematic review. Service Industries Journal42(5–6): 280–320.
7.
BanerjeeBMcKeageK (1994) How green is my value: exploring the relationship between environmentalism and materialism. Advances in Consumer Research21(1): ■■■.
8.
BarkatWWarisIAhmedR, et al. (2024) Transformational leadership and frontline managers work engagement, innovative work behavior, organizational citizenship behavior, and employee sustainability in the hotel industry in Pakistan. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism23(2): 315–336.
9.
BhatnagarJAggarwalP (2020) Meaningful work as a mediator between perceived organizational support for environment and employee eco-initiatives, psychological capital and alienation. Employee Relations42(6): 1487–1511.
10.
BreidenthalAPLiuDBaiY, et al. (2020) The dark side of creativity: coworker envy and ostracism as a response to employee creativity. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes161: 242–254.
11.
BrislinRW (1980) Cross-cultural research methodsEnvironment and Culture. Springer US, 47–82.
12.
ChankrajangTMuttarakR (2017) Green returns to education: does schooling contribute to pro-environmental behaviours? Evidence from Thailand. Ecological Economics131: 434–448.
13.
ChenJLiuL (2023) Is green customer integration always a facilitator for green product innovation? A conflict-based view. European Journal of Innovation Management26(6): 1524–1546.
14.
ChouC-J (2014) Hotels’ environmental policies and employee personal environmental beliefs: interactions and outcomes. Tourism Management40: 436–446.
15.
CohenJ (2013) Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. New York: Routledge.
16.
CotterellDFerreiraJ-AHalesR, et al. (2020) Cultivating conscientious tourism caretakers: a phenomenographic continuum towards stronger sustainability. Current Issues in Tourism23(8): 1004–1020.
17.
CreswellJW (2014) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
18.
DadaboyevSMUBaekYAhnSI (2021) Victimizing innovative employees: joint roles of in-role behavior and task interdependence. International Journal of Conflict Management32(2): 250–265.
19.
DarvishmotevaliMAltinayL (2022) Toward pro-environmental performance in the hospitality industry: empirical evidence on the mediating and interaction analysis. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management31(4): 431–457.
20.
ElHaffarGDurifFDubéL (2020) Towards closing the attitude-intention-behavior gap in green consumption: a narrative review of the literature and an overview of future research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production275: 122556.
21.
ElshaerIAAlyahyaMAzazzAMS, et al. (2024a) Building digital trust and rapport in the tourism industry: a bibliometric analysis and detailed overview. Information15(10): 598.
22.
ElshaerIAAzazzAMSFayyadS, et al. (2024b) From data to delight: leveraging social customer relationship management to elevate customer satisfaction and market effectiveness. Information16(1): 9.
23.
ElshaerIAAzazzAMSKooliC, et al. (2024c) Resilience for sustainability: the synergistic role of green human resources management, circular economy, and green organizational culture in the hotel industry. Administrative Sciences14(11): 297.
24.
FathyEAFouadA (2022) Testing the theory of planned behavior TPB in determining intention and behavior to hire people with disabilities in Egyptian hotels. Journal of Tourism and Hotel Mansoura University11(2): 747–819.
25.
FathyEAFouadAMKahlyAM (2024a) Navigating the path to sustainability and overcoming environmental barriersThe Egyptian Hotel Industry, 245–272.
26.
FathyEASalemIEZidanHAKY, et al. (2024b) From plate to post: how foodstagramming enriches tourist satisfaction and creates memorable experiences in culinary tourism. Current Issues in Tourism ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print): 1–20.
27.
FestingerL (1954) A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations7(2): 117–140.
28.
FornellCLarckerDF (1981) Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research18(1): 39–50.
29.
FouadAMSalemIEFathyEA (2024) Generative AI insights in tourism and hospitality: a comprehensive review and strategic research roadmap. Tourism and Hospitality Research.
30.
GerberJPWheelerLSulsJ (2018) A social comparison theory meta-analysis 60+ years on. Psychological Bulletin144(2): 177–197.
31.
GoldAHMalhotraASegarsAH (2001) Knowledge management: an organizational capabilities perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems18(1): 185–214.
32.
GoodarziSMasiniAAflakiS, et al. (2021) Right information at the right time: reevaluating the attitude–behavior gap in environmental technology adoption. International Journal of Production Economics242: 108278.
33.
GrijalvaENewmanDA (2015) Narcissism and counterproductive work behavior (CWB): meta-analysis and consideration of collectivist culture, big five personality, and narcissism’s facet structure. Applied Psychology64(1): 93–126.
34.
HairJFRingleCMSarstedtM (2011) PLS-SEM: indeed a silver bullet. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice19(2): 139–152.
35.
HairJFRisherJJSarstedtM, et al. (2019) When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review31(1): 2–24.
36.
HairJFHultGTMRingleCM, et al. (2021) Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Using R: A Workbook. Springer Nature.
37.
HameedZNaeemRMHassanM, et al. (2022) How GHRM is related to green creativity? A moderated mediation model of green transformational leadership and green perceived organizational support. International Journal of Manpower43(3): 595–613.
38.
HanHHsuL-TLeeJ-S (2009) Empirical investigation of the roles of attitudes toward green behaviors, overall image, gender, and age in hotel customers’ eco-friendly decision-making process. International Journal of Hospitality Management28(4): 519–528.
39.
Ibnou-LaaroussiSRjoubHWongW-K (2020) Sustainability of green tourism among international tourists and its influence on the achievement of green environment: evidence from north Cyprus. Sustainability12(14): 5698.
40.
ImranMYElahiNSAbidG, et al. (2020) Impact of perceived organizational support on work engagement: mediating mechanism of thriving and flourishing. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity6(3): 82.
41.
IslamTKhanMMAhmedI, et al. (2020) Promoting in-role and extra-role green behavior through ethical leadership: mediating role of green HRM and moderating role of individual green values. International Journal of Manpower42(6): 1102–1123.
42.
KaratepeOMHsiehHAboramadanM (2022) The effects of green human resource management and perceived organizational support for the environment on green and non-green hotel employee outcomes. International Journal of Hospitality Management103: 103202.
43.
KimHJangE (2023) Workplace ostracism effects on employees’ negative health outcomes: focusing on the mediating role of envy. Behavioral Sciences13(8): 669.
44.
KrejcieRVMorganDW (1970) Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement30(3): 607–610.
45.
LatifKWengQPitafiAH, et al. (2021) Social comparison as a double-edged sword on social media: the role of envy type and online social identity. Telematics and Informatics56: 101470.
46.
LeeHYZhangJJ (2020) Rethinking sustainability in volunteer tourism. Current Issues in Tourism23(14): 1820–1832.
47.
LengiezaMLHuntCASwimJK (2020) Travel-induced learning: a validation of the sustainability insight scale. Current Issues in Tourism23(8): 938–941.
48.
Lereculey-PéranDLombartsABrannonDW (2022) An exploration of female underrepresentation on executive boards in the Dutch hotel industry through an ethical lens. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights5(4): 713–733.
49.
LiWBhuttoTAXuhuiW, et al. (2020) Unlocking employees’ green creativity: the effects of green transformational leadership, green intrinsic, and extrinsic motivation. Journal of Cleaner Production255: 120229.
50.
LiMTianZLiuQ, et al. (2022) Literature review and research prospect on the drivers and effects of green innovation. Sustainability14(16). doi: 10.3390/su14169858.
51.
LiMXuXKwanHK (2023) The antecedents and consequences of workplace envy: a meta-analytic review. Asia Pacific Journal of Management40(1): 1–35.
52.
LiuYZhuJNYLamLW (2020) Obligations and feeling envied: a study of workplace status and knowledge hiding. Journal of Managerial Psychology35(5): 347–359.
53.
LiuLZhuGYuF (2024) How does CEO tenure affect enterprises’ green innovation? Evidence from Chinese listed firms from 2007 to 2021. Journal of Cleaner Production454: 142092.
54.
MaanATAbidGButtTH, et al. (2020) Perceived organizational support and job satisfaction: a moderated mediation model of proactive personality and psychological empowerment. Future Business Journal6(1): 21.
55.
MaoYHeJYangD (2020) The dark sides of engaging in creative processes: coworker envy, workplace ostracism, and incivility. Asia Pacific Journal of Management38: 1261–1281.
56.
MeierAJohnsonBK (2022) Social comparison and envy on social media: a critical review. Current Opinion in Psychology45: 101302.
Mohd ShamsudinFHamoucheSAbdulmajid Cheikh AliD, et al. (2023) Why do employees withhold knowledge? The role of competitive climate, envy and narcissism. Journal of Knowledge Management27(7): 1925–1947.
59.
MurtzaMHRasheedMI (2023) The dark side of competitive psychological climate: exploring the role of workplace envy. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights6(3): 1400–1418.
60.
NassarMFouadA (2022) Tomorrow taste comes today: exploring customers’ intention to buy 3D printed food in Egyptian restaurants. Pharos International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality1(1): 31–48.
61.
NovelliM (2024) Building tourism ecosystems for sector sustainability and resilience through peer-to-peer collaboration and open innovation. Current Issues in Tourism27(7): 1–5.
62.
PailléPValéauP (2021) “I don’t owe you, but I am committed”: does felt obligation matter on the effect of green training on employee environmental commitment?Organization & Environment34(1): 123–144.
63.
NowińskiWHaddoudMLančaričD (2019) The impact of entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and gender on entrepreneurial intentions of university students in the Visegrad countries. Studies in Higher Education44(2361): 379. doi: 10.1080/03075079.2017.1365359.
64.
OlsenJ (2010) Governing through Institution Building: Institutional Theory and Recent European Experiments in Democratic Organization. Oxford Academic.
65.
PailléPMejía MorelosJHRaineriN, et al. (2019) The influence of the immediate manager on the avoidance of non-green behaviors in the workplace: a three-wave moderated-mediation model. Journal of Business Ethics155(3): 723–740.
66.
PanJZhengXXuH, et al. (2021) What if my coworker builds a better LMX? The roles of envy and coworker pride for the relationships of LMX social comparison with learning and undermining. Journal of Organizational Behavior42(9): 1144–1167.
67.
PhamNTTučkováZPhanQPT (2019) Greening human resource management and employee commitment towards the environment: an interaction model. Journal of Business Economics and Management20(3): 446–465.
68.
PhamNTHoangHTPhanQPT (2020) Green human resource management: a comprehensive review and future research agenda. International Journal of Manpower41(7): 845–878.
69.
Piwowar-SulejKIqbalQ (2024) Workplace envy as an inhibitor of change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior: the role of sustainable leadership. Journal of Organizational Change Management38: 103–122.
70.
PodsakoffPMMacKenzieSBLeeJ-Y, et al. (2003) Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology88(5): 879–903.
71.
QinQHsuCHC (2022) Urban travelers’ pro-environmental behaviors: composition and role of pro-environmental contextual force. Tourism Management92: 104561.
72.
RaineriNPailléP (2016) Linking corporate policy and supervisory support with environmental citizenship behaviors: the role of employee environmental beliefs and commitment. Journal of Business Ethics137(1): 129–148.
73.
RenSJiangKTangG (2022) Leveraging green HRM for firm performance: the joint effects of CEO environmental belief and external pollution severity and the mediating role of employee environmental commitment. Human Resource Management61(1): 75–90.
74.
RussellCMitchellM (2005) Social Exchange Theory: An Interdisciplinary Review. Journal of Management31(6): 874–900. doi: 10.1177/0149206305279602.
75.
SabbirMMTaufiqueKMR (2022) Sustainable employee green behavior in the workplace: integrating cognitive and non-cognitive factors in corporate environmental policy. Business Strategy and the Environment31(1): 110–128.
76.
SalemIEFathyEAMagdyA, et al. (2025) Unlocking organizational ambidexterity via the role of cross-functional coopetition in quick-service restaurants. Tourism and Hospitality Research.
77.
SarstedtMRingleCMGuderganSP (2016) Guidelines for treating unobserved heterogeneity in tourism research: a comment on Marques and Reis (2015). Annals of Tourism Research57: 279–284.
78.
ShafaeiANejatiM (2024) Green human resource management and employee innovative behaviour: does inclusive leadership play a role?Personnel Review53(1): 266–287.
79.
SharmaTChenJLiuWY (2020) Eco-innovation in hospitality research (1998-2018): a systematic review. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management32(2): 913–933.
80.
SinghSKGiudiceMDChiericiR, et al. (2020) Green innovation and environmental performance: the role of green transformational leadership and green human resource management. Technological Forecasting and Social Change150: 119762.
81.
SobaihAEEHasaneinAElshaerI (2020) Influences of green human resources management on environmental performance in small lodging enterprises: the role of green innovation. Sustainability12(24): 10371–10419.
82.
SolimanMElbazMGulvadyS, et al. (2023) An integrated model of the determinants and outcomes of workplace ostracism in the tourism industry. Tourism and Hospitality Research23(2): 155–169. doi: 10.1177/14673584221093538.
83.
SpaulMWJEvansSH (2005) Historic landscapes, cultural capital and sustainability: interpreting ancient woodlands. Current Issues in Tourism8(2–3): 231–244.
84.
StrattonSJ (2021) Population Research: Convenience Sampling Strategies. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Cambridge University Press, 36, 373–374.
85.
SulemanARAmponsah-TawiahKAmetorwoAM (2023) The role of employee environmental commitment in the green HRM practices, turnover intentions and environmental sustainability nexus. Benchmarking: An International Journal Benchmarking31: 3055–3078.
86.
TenenhausMVinziVEChatelinY-M, et al. (2005) PLS path modeling. Computational Statistics & Data Analysis48(1): 159–205.
87.
TussingDVWihlerAAstanduTV, et al. (2022) Should I stay or should I go? The role of individual strivings in shaping the relationship between envy and avoidance behaviors at work. Journal of Organizational Behavior43(4): 567–583.
88.
VatankhahSFejesOFKaratepeOM, et al. (2023) Fly green: environmentally specific servant leadership and its impact on green performance outcomes. Current Issues in Tourism27: 4594–4609.
89.
VecchioR (2005) Explorations in employee envy: feeling envious and feeling envied. Cognition & Emotion19(1): 69–81.
90.
WalterCEAu-Yong-OliveiraM (2022) An exploratory study on the barriers to innovative behavior: the spiteful effect of envy. Journal of Organizational Change Management35(6): 936–960.
91.
WangZRenSChadeeD, et al. (2021) The influence of exploitative leadership on hospitality employees’ green innovative behavior: a moderated mediation model. International Journal of Hospitality Management99: 103058.
92.
WangHChenXWangH, et al. (2022) Employee innovative behavior and workplace wellbeing: leader support for innovation and coworker ostracism as mediators. Frontiers in Psychology13: 1014195.
93.
WeiXYuF (2022) Envy and environmental decision making: the mediating role of self-control. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health19(2): 639.
94.
WeissHMCropanzanoR (1996) Affective Events Theory: a theoretical discussion of the structure, causes and consequences of affective experiences at workResearch in Organizational Behavior: An Annual Series of Analytical Essays and Critical Reviews. Elsevier Science/JAI Press, Vol. 18, 1–74.
95.
WengQLatifKKhanAK, et al. (2020) Loaded with knowledge, yet green with envy: leader–member exchange comparison and coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. Journal of Knowledge Management24(7): 1653–1680.
96.
WoodBPEidRAgagG (2021) A multilevel investigation of the link between ethical leadership behaviour and employees green behaviour in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management97: 102993.
97.
WuWNiDWuS, et al. (2021) Envy climate and group performance in full-service hotels: the roles of intragroup relationship conflict and competitive climate. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management33(10): 3494–3513.
98.
YangJ-TWanC-SWuC-W (2015) Effect of internal branding on employee brand commitment and behavior in hospitality. Tourism and Hospitality Research15(4): 267–280.
99.
YeşiltaşMGürlekMKenarG (2022) Organizational green culture and green employee behavior: differences between green and non-green hotels. Journal of Cleaner Production343: 131051.
100.
YıldızSÜngürenETekinÖA, et al. (2023) Exploring the interplay of competition and justice: a moderated mediation model of competitive psychological climate, workplace envy, interpersonal citizenship behavior, and organizational justice. Behavioral Sciences14(1): 5.
101.
ZhangYWuJFanY (2022) The effect of perceived organizational support toward the environment on team green innovative behavior: evidence from Chinese green factories. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade58(8): 2326–2341.
102.
ZhangWGDingYXuF (2024) How does proactive personality affect employee creativity and ostracism? The mediating role of envy. Heliyon10(4): e25457.
103.
ZhouSZhangDLyuC, et al. (2018) Does seeing “mind acts upon mind” affect green psychological climate and green product development performance? The role of matching between green transformational leadership and individual green values. Sustainability10(9): 3206.
