Envisioning the invisible: Understanding the synergy between green human resource management and green supply chain management in manufacturing firms in Iran in light of the moderating effect of employees' resistance to change

This study investigates the linkage between green human resource management and green supply chain management, in light of the moderating effect of employees' resistance to change. Based on a sample of 161 firms in manufacturing industries in Iran, data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Research results suggest: (1) the significant and positive impact of GHRM on GSCM, confirming the general call for integration between HRM and green management; (2) “Green Development and Training”, “Green Employee Empowerment”, and “Green Pay and Reward” have the most positive influence on GSCM, and these practices of GHRM should receive attention from managers; (3) “Resistance to Change” was found to have a moderating effect on the link between GHRM (particularly green recruitment and selection) and GSCM, because it tends to hamper the first step towards building a sustainable corporate culture, which is the recruitment and selection of new employees. This work can be considered as the first empirical effort towards a better understanding of the GHRM-GSCM link in Iran, adding value to the already existing contributions. The managerial and academic implications of these findings are discussed.