Green Marketing and Management in Emerging Markets

Green Marketing
and Management in
Emerging Markets
The Crucial Role of
People Management in
Successful Implementation
Edited by Robert E. Hinson

Ogechi Adeola · Isaiah Adisa
Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging
Economies
Series Editors
Robert E. Hinson
University of Ghana Business School
Durban University of Technology
Accra, Ghana
Ogechi Adeola
Lagos Business School
Pan-Atlantic University
Lagos, Nigeria
This book series focuses on contemporary themes in marketing and mar-
keting management research in emerging markets and developing econo-
mies. Books in the series covers the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa), MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey),
CIVETS (Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, and South
Africa); EAGLE economies (those which are expected to lead growth in
the next ten years, such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea,
Mexico, Russia, Taiwan, and Turkey) and all other African countries (clas-
sified under developing countries), taking into consideration the demo-
graphic, socio-cultural and macro-economic factors influencing consumer
choices in these markets. The series synthesizes key subject areas in mar-
keting, discuss marketing issues, processes, procedures and strategies
across communities, regions and continents, and also how digital technol-
ogy is changing the business landscape in emerging economies.
Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging Markets presents a unique
opportunity to examine and discuss marketing strategy and its implica-
tions in emerging economies, thereby filling a gap in current marketing
literature.
All chapter submissions to the series will undergo a double blind peer
review and all book proposals will undergo a single blind peer review.
More information about this series at

http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/16591
Robert E. Hinson
Ogechi Adeola • Isaiah Adisa
Editors
Green Marketing and

Management in
Emerging Markets
The Crucial Role of People Management
in Successful Implementation
Editors
Robert E. Hinson Ogechi Adeola
University of Ghana Business School Lagos Business School
Durban University of Technology Pan-Atlantic University
Accra, Ghana Lagos, Nigeria
Isaiah Adisa
Olabisi Onabanjo University
Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria
ISSN 2730-5554 ISSN 2730-5562 (electronic)

Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging Economies
ISBN 978-3-030-73006-2 ISBN 978-3-030-73007-9 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73007-9
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer
Nature Switzerland AG 2021
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval,
electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now
known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information
in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the
publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to
the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The
publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and
institutional affiliations.
This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature
Switzerland AG.
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
Increasing demand for a sustainable social and economic environment by

advocates of the sustainability movement (world leaders, government of
nations and consumers) has led businesses to adopt practices that will
drive the achievement of the sustainability agenda. Green marketing is an
important aspect of business sustainability orientation, and without people
and adoption of appropriate people management practices, green market-
ing goals might be unachieved. Therefore, in the twenty-first century,
green marketing discourse needs to incorporate the importance of having
the right green-focused human-resource to carry out green marketing
strategies. This book discusses how businesses in emerging markets can
achieve sustainability goals through the most vital asset—people.
The edited book, Green Marketing and Management in Emerging
Market: The Crucial Role of People Management Towards Successful
Implementation discusses how organisations in emerging markets can
achieve green-focused goals through people. The book recognises that
human capital is one of the crucial resources that a firm possesses.
Effectively harnessing this dynamic resource will enable a firm to meet its
sustainability goals. The focus on emerging markets is necessitated by the
heightened environmental problems in emerging market nations facili-
tated by manufacturing firms’ continuous unsustainable practices.
Green marketing provides an environmentally-conscious perspective to
marketing, which considers consumers, products, processes and resource
sustainability. The book focuses on people and the role of people manage-
ment in the successful implementation of green marketing in emerging
markets. Green marketing is a crucial approach to sustainable production
v
vi PREFACE
and consumption in emerging markets and an essential pathway to sus-

tainable development.
The book is divided into four parts (Part I: Introducing Green
Marketing, Green Business Practices and People Management; Part II:
Green Marketing and Green Leadership; Part III: Green Competencies,
Potentials and Engagement in Emerging Markets; Part IV: Conclusion
and Recommendations) and provides insightful recommendations for
business owners, managers, marketers, HR practitioners, researchers and
students.
Strategic and operational insights are provided into how organisations
in emerging markets can engage in effective green marketing activities for
a sustainable environment. Theoretical and practical implications were dis-
cussed by extending the scope of theories adopted while practical insights
were identified for government and managers’ policy formulation. The
crux of the book’s argument is first, that green marketing is an important
business sustainability practice that drives the achievement of sustainable
development in emerging markets. Second, successful green marketing
practice depends on people and green people management initiatives.
Lastly, green marketing and other sustainability practices provide social,
economic and ecological benefits to the firm, the society and the
environment.
Contents
Part I Introducing Green Marketing, Green Business

Practices and People Management 1
1 Introduction: Green Marketing and Management in

Emerging Markets—Achieving Success Through People 3
Robert E. Hinson, Ogechi Adeola, and Isaiah Adisa
2 Green Business Practices in Emerging Economies 13

Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, Bright James Nyarkoh, and
Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh
3 Green Human Resources Management as an Innovation

Mechanism 29
Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey
Part II Green Marketing and Green Leadership 43
4 Green Marketing and Social Practices: Managing

People as Carriers of Sustainability Practices 45
Olamide Shittu and Christian Nygaard
vii
viii Contents
5 Driving Green Marketing in Emerging Markets

Through Green Leadership 59
Godbless Akaighe and Samuel Okon
6 Green Leadership Approaches and Motivations

for Green Practice Implementation Among Marketing
Firms in China 73
Helen Song-Turner and Damian Morgan
7 Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market

Context: A People Perspective 95
Ogechi Adeola, Jude N. Edeh, and Isaiah Adisa
Part III Green Competencies, Potentials and Engagement

in Emerging Markets 113
8 Competencies for Green Marketing Success in Emerging

Markets115
Mary Wanjiru Kinoti and Abel Kinoti Meru
9 Harnessing the Potentials of Generation Green for Green

Marketing Success in Africa’s Emerging Economies131
Isaiah Adisa, Ogechi Adeola, and Akin Oparison
10 Green People Management, Internal Communications

and Employee Engagement151
Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh, Desmond Tutu Ayentimi,
and Hossein Ali Abadi
Contents ix
Part IV Conclusion and Recommendations 167
11 Conclusion and Implications for Theoretical Adoption,

Policy Formulation and Managerial Decision-Making in
Emerging Markets169
Index179
Notes on Contributors
Hossein Ali Abadi is Lecturer in Management in the School of Business

and Law at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. His research inter-
ests include professionalism, professional identity, career identity, employee
turnover and workforce shortage.
Ogechi Adeola is Associate Professor of Marketing and Head of the
Department of Operations, Marketing and Information Systems at the
Lagos Business School (LBS), Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria. She has
written academic books and papers in top scholarly journals with her co-
authored articles winning best paper awards at international conferences
in 2016–2019, consecutively. She is a fellow of the Institute of Strategic
Management, Nigeria, and the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria.
Isaiah Adisa is a management researcher and consultant based in Nigeria.
He has co-edited book(s) with several other book chapters and journal
articles in recognised outlets. He is affiliated with the Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, and his research interest cut across
human resources management, organizational behaviour, marketing, and
gender studies.
Godbless Akaighe is a doctoral researcher at Sheffield University
Management School, UK. He is an associate member of the Chartered
Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute
of Bankers of Nigeria. His research focuses on organisational leadership
and followership and cuts across organisational behaviour and work
psychology.
xi
xii NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS
Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, PhD is a lecturer and the Management Major

Coordinator at the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics,
University of Tasmania, Australia. His research interests include human
resource management practice transfer from advanced economies to
developing economies, workforce diversity, equality and inclusion and
employment relations.
Jude N. Edeh is a postdoctoral fellow at the Chair of Business as Unusual:
Innovation Practices and New Business Models, Kedge Business School,
Marseille, France. He received his Doctoral education from the University
of Seville, Spain. His research focuses on international strategy, innova-
tion, digitalisation and sustainability. With over five years of consulting
experience, Edeh has worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from
medium to small entrepreneurial firms.
Robert E. Hinson is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Ghana
Business School and Visiting Professor of Marketing at the Lincoln
International Business School in the United Kingdom.
Professor Hinson is also affiliated with the Durban University of
Technology and an Extraordinary Professor at the North-West University
Business School in South Africa. He has authored/edited several books
and has over a hundred scientific publications to his credit.
Mary Wanjiru Kinoti is Associate Professor of Marketing and Acting
Director of Intellectual Property Management Office, and the Associate
Dean of Graduate Studies at the School of Business, University of Nairobi,
Kenya. Her research interests are mainstreaming green marketing and cus-
tomer care in public institutions and among micro, small and medium
enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa.
Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh is a Lecturer at Bolgatanga Technical
University. He holds a PhD in Management from Curtin University and is
currently a Research Associate in the School of Management of the
University. His research interests include employee turnover and retention
in higher education in developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey is a senior lecturer in the Department of
Organisation and Human Resource Management at the University of
Ghana Business School, Ghana. Her research focus is to advance knowl-
edge and practice in human resource management strategy, especially in
employment relations focusing on the informal sector and advancing
NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS xiii
Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) in modern

organisations.
Abel Kinoti Meru is Associate Professor of Business Management and
the founding Dean of Riara School of Business, Riara University, Kenya,
and first Chair of Academy of International Business Africa—Chapter. His
research interests are in social innovation and business incubation, entre-
preneurship and marketing.
Damian Morgan is an associate professor at the Federation University
Business School, Australia. His holds an Undergraduate Degree in
Business Administration, a Research Masters in Recreation Management
and a PhD in Injury Epidemiology.
Bright James Nyarkoh, PhD is a lecturer in the Department of
Development Studies at S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated
Development Studies, Ghana. His research interests include the human
rights-based approach to poverty reduction, community-based empower-
ment in development programming and decision-making in utilising eco-
nomic resources in households in sub-Saharan Africa.
Christian Nygaard is a social economist at the Centre for Urban
Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. His research
interest centres on barriers and drivers of long-term change and transition.
Current work focuses on urban transitions, urban productivity and institu-
tional transition in resource-rich and emerging markets.
Samuel Okon is a doctoral researcher in the Department of Business
Administration at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is a member of the
British Academy of Management and an associate member of the Nigerian
Institute of Management. His research focuses on positive organisational
behaviour and contextual factors affecting employees.
Akin Oparison is a senior fellow at Lagos Business School, Nigeria, with
over 25 years’ management and leadership experience in blue-chip multi-
national companies. Oparison has held senior executive HR positions in
Sterling Winthrop and British American Tobacco, with responsibilities
across Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Russia and South Africa.
Olamide Shittu is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Urban Transitions,
Swinburne University of Technology. Previously a Management Scholar at
Lagos Business School, Nigeria, he also consulted for Oxford Policy
xiv NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS
Management Limited. Shittu’s research interests include plastic consump-

tion, waste management, circular economy, sustainability transitions,
social practices, development studies and strategy.
Helen Song-Turner is Senior Lecturer in Management and Marketing
discipline at the Business School, Federation University Australia, Australia.
Her current research focuses on strategic green marketing, consumer
behaviour and commercialisation of green technology in emerging
markets.
List of Figures
Fig. 2.1 Illustration of the view of green business practices 18

Fig. 4.1 Elements of green marketing and management as bundles
of social practices. (Adapted from Shove et al., 2012, p. 29) 51
Fig. 4.2 An interplay of green marketing, sustainability, people
management and social practices 53
Fig. 7.1 Ten steps of green-marketing planning. (Source: Adapted
from McDaniel & Rylander, 1993) 101
Fig. 8.1 Green competencies needed for green marketing success.
(Source: Adapted from Cabral & Dhar, 2019) 118
Fig. 9.1 Interaction between green marketing, generation green
and green marketing success. (Source: Authors) 144
xv
List of Tables
Table 6.1 Firms’ characteristics of case studies 79

Table 6.2 Summary of seven firms’ green approaches 82
Table 11.1 Summary of findings in the book 172
xvii
PART I
Introducing Green Marketing, Green

Business Practices and People
Management
CHAPTER 1
Introduction: Green Marketing

and Management in Emerging Markets—
Achieving Success Through People
Abstract The increased industrialisation in emerging markets has its asso-

ciated consequences. One of such consequences is environmental pollu-
tion and degradation because of unsustainable business activities. To curb
environmental pollution and encourage practices that promote environ-
mental sustainability, organisations must adopt innovations, such as green
marketing. Green marketing is the application of sustainability initiatives
to marketing activities, for organisational performance and environmental
safety. Achieving green-marketing goals requires a focus on people and
people management functions, which has received less attention in the
R. E. Hinson (*)
University of Ghana Business School, Accra, Ghana
O. Adeola
Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Nigeria
e-mail: oadeola@lbs.edu.ng
I. Adisa
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 3

Switzerland AG 2021
R. E. Hinson et al. (eds.), Green Marketing and Management in
Emerging Markets, Palgrave Studies of Marketing in Emerging
Economies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73007-9_1
4 R. E. HINSON ET AL.
marketing literature. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of green

marketing and the need to focus on people as a crucial resource for suc-
cessful green marketing practices in emerging markets.
Keywords Green marketing • Green people • Emerging market •

Sustainable practices • Green economy
Introduction
Prior to world leaders’ formal recognition of sustainable—production,
consumption, products and services and their inclusion in Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs 2030) in 2015—ecological marketing had
been identified as crucial to sustainable growth and development, globally.
The first workshop on Ecological Marketing, held by the American
Marketing Association (AMA) in the early 1990s, set the pace for a para-
digm shift in marketing literature (Ajike et al., 2015). Ecological market-
ing is conceptualised differently by various researchers, but with similar
interpretation (Katrandjiev, 2016). Terms used for the concept include
ecological marketing (Lockrey, 2015), sustainable marketing (Van Dam &
Apeldoorn, 1996), environmental marketing (Miles & Covin, 2000) and,
lastly, green marketing (Dangelico & Vocalelli, 2017); we adopt the term
“green marketing” as our operational concept in this book.
Green marketing (GM) takes a different approach to traditional mar-
keting, as it recognises the safety of the environment and the people while
pursuing economic benefits. It is the marketing of product and services
that are environmentally friendly (Ajike et al., 2015). Ensuring that the
environment is preserved for future use through organisational activities is
central to the concept of green marketing. This is achieved by incorporat-
ing consumer protection practices, product modifications and creating a
sustainable distribution process (ibid.). Achieving the goal of green mar-
keting is, therefore, crucial; literature has also shown that green-marketing
success is an antecedent to issues like customer loyalty (Martínez, 2015),
firm’s performance (Hasan & Ali, 2015), corporate image (Yadav et al.,
2016), business development, increased natural ecosystem and quality of
life (Vilkaite-Vaitone & Skackauskiene, 2019).
Despite these positive social, economic and ecological outcomes
recorded through green marketing, the practice (green marketing) by
1 INTRODUCTION: GREEN MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT IN EMERGING… 5
itself is not enough to offer solutions to environmental problems. Citizens,

government and organisational resources (e.g. people), therefore, are
needed for successful green-marketing activities towards sustainable devel-
opment. Interestingly, previous studies (i.e. Bailey et al., 2018; Nguyen
et al., 2018, 2019; Papadas et al., 2019; Shabbir et al., 2020) have focused
more on the application of green scale, young consumers’ green purchase
behaviours, organic food purchase in emerging markets, green-marketing
orientation on competitive advantage and green-marketing approaches on
consumers behaviour respectively with less attention on the role of people
and people-management practices, in the success of green business activi-
ties in emerging markets.
Green marketing is one of the strategies businesses adopt to promote
green practices and environmentally safe products and services. With the
opportunities in green people management, green consumers and a green
workforce, it is crucial that researchers elucidate the role of people and
people management, in the successful implementation of green practices,
such as green marketing. Our focus in this book is on the role of people in
the successful implementation of green marketing and management in
emerging markets.
Green Marketing and Management Through People,

in Emerging Markets
Sustainable business practice is a major concept in modern business prac-

tices, as managers seek to build a corporate business image that appeals to
the sustainability yearnings of stakeholders (government, consumers and
the organisation) (Ajike et al., 2015; Hasan, & Ali, 2015; Mishra, &
Sharma, 2010). It is imperative for businesses, in this era, to operate with
the consciousness of the environmental needs of their society. Sustainable
business practices are important for the safety of the environment, the
continuous survival and performance of businesses and, hence, have social
and economic implications on the larger society (Papadas et al., 2019;
Wymer & Polonsky, 2015). To this end, businesses must engage in prac-
tices that promote sustainable production and consumption; this will alter
the processes of production, promotion, packaging and service rendering
to the consumers. Thus, sustainable practices have mutual benefits for
firms, the government, society and the people.
About 85% (6 billion people) of the global population live in emerging

markets, and this population is significantly younger than those in devel-
oped economies (Muller, 2018). For instance, Africa is the fastest-growing
consumer market in the world, and by 2030, markets such as Nigeria,
South Africa and Egypt are projected to become the largest consumer
markets (Signe, 2018). Emerging markets provide the potential for busi-
nesses and opportunities for sustainable green business practices. The
large percentage of the younger population in the emerging markets pro-
vides businesses with the opportunity to drive green practices for sustain-
able development, through the people. This is because extant literature
has shown that the younger population of generations Y and Z appear to
be more green-oriented and, hence, encourage green products and prac-
tices towards sustainable development (Dabija, 2018; Keve & Bryzek,
2019; Price, 2018).
In an emerging market, people are the most valuable asset, around
whom social and economic policies must be designed (Muller, 2018;
Signer & Johnson, 2018). Emerging markets in Latin America and East
Asia are experiencing a steady decline in the population of youth, while the
reverse is the case in Africa and South Asia. The population of youth in
Africa and South Asia is on the increase and will continue to record
unprecedented numbers of youthful population for many decades to come
(Lam, 2006). A youthful population has social and economic implication
for emerging markets. Literature has shown that green practices appeal to
the youth more than to the older generation; therefore, it is important
that businesses in emerging market nations harness their youthful popula-
tion’s potentials towards achieving green goals. For instance, African has
the largest concentration of a youthful population in the world with
226 million youth, representing one-fifth of the world’s youth population
(United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, n.d.). In addition,
19 countries in Africa have the world’s youngest population (Myers,
2019). The young population in Africa can be harnessed for green busi-
ness performance, which, although costly, its benefits of sustainable busi-
ness practices, outweigh the cost. Businesses around the world are,
therefore, being pressurised to adopt sustainable initiatives, but more
urgently, in emerging markets due to their practices’ concomitant envi-
ronmental challenges.
The continuous increase in the establishment of industries in emerging
markets has heightened environmental problems which call for immediate
sustainable remedies (Jayanti & Gowda, 2014). Green marketing affords
businesses in emerging markets, the opportunity to reduce waste, curb

environmental pollution and increase the production of eco-friendly prod-
ucts (Mishra & Sharma, 2010; Nguyen et al., 2019); therefore, green-
marketing management is an approach to marketing that offers economic,
environmental and social benefits to emerging markets.
To achieve green-marketing success, businesses in emerging markets
must harness the skills, initiatives and orientation of people. People in this
context are leaders, managers, employees and customers who are major
drivers of green practices (Hameed et al., 2020); hence, green people-
management practices are established due to the crucial role of people in
green success. Through the right green people-focused policies and prac-
tices, organisations can communicate green-marketing activities, initiate a
green-conscious production process and render services that promote
environmental sustainability. Green Human Resources Management
(GHRM) has recently evolved because of the continuous need for people
who are green conscious. Through GHRM and GM, organisations can
have broad business strategies that stimulate people towards green innova-
tion and action plan. Without people who are green conscious in an
organisation, it will be challenging to drive and achieve the goals of green
practices, such as green marketing. Thus, sustainability practices appeal to
green-conscious people (i.e. individuals who consider the environmental
implications of their actions). In this context, consumers are also crucial to
businesses’ sustainability agenda in emerging markets, as they must under-
stand their need and the factors that stimulate their green purchases.
This edited book proposes how organisations can achieve green-
marketing goals through people who are sine qua non to achieving a green
emerging-economy.
Structure of the Book
The book is divided into four parts and structured along a similar line of
argument for a comprehensive flow and ease of reference.
Part I is titled “Introducing Green Marketing, Green Business Practices
and People Management” and it contains the first three chapters, which
introduce readers to the concept of green marketing (GM), green business
practices and Green Human Resources Management (GHRM). Robert
E. Hinson, Ogechi Adeola and Isaiah Adisa introduce the concept of
“Green Marketing and Management in Emerging Markets” in Chap. 1.
Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, Bright James Nyarkoh and Esmond Naalu
Kuuyelleh, in Chap. 2, discuss “Green Business Practices in Emerging

Economies” while Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey examines “Green Human
Resources Management as an Innovation Mechanism” in Chap. 3.
Part II, entitled “Green Marketing and Green Leadership”, focuses on
how leadership can drive the achievement of green-marketing goals.
Olamide Shittu and Christian Nygaard, in Chap. 4, discuss “Green
Marketing and Social Practices: Managing People as Carriers of
Sustainability Practices” while Godbless Akaighe and Samuel Okon inter-
rogate “Driving Green Marketing in Emerging Markets Through Green
Leadership” in Chap. 5. Through case studies, Helen Song-Turner and
Damian Morgan empirically examine “Green Leadership Approaches and
Motivations for Green Practice Implementation Among Marketing Firms
in China” in Chap. 6. Lastly, in Chap. 7, Ogechi Adeola, Jude Edeh and
Isaiah Adisa explicate “Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market
Context: A People Perspective”.
Part III, which captures the concept of “Green Competencies,
Potentials and Engagement in Emerging Markets”, contains three chap-
ters. Mary Wanjiru Kinoti and Abel Kinoti Meru identify competencies
needed for green-marketing success in emerging markets, in Chap. 8 enti-
tled “Competencies for Green Marketing Success in Emerging Markets”.
Isaiah Adisa, Ogechi Adeola and Akin Oparison, in Chap. 9 “Harnessing
the Potentials of Generation Green for Green Marketing Success in Africa’s
Emerging Economies”, propose how emerging markets in Africa can har-
ness the opportunities in the continent’s green generation, for green-
marketing success. Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh, Desmond Tutu Ayentimi
and Hossein Ali Abadi, in Chap. 10, focus on “Green People Management,
Internal Communications and Employee Engagement”. The chapter sug-
gests how green goals could be achieved through employee engagement,
internal communication and green people-management practices.
Lastly, Part IV of the book includes the concluding chapter titled
“Conclusion and Implications for Theoretical Adoption, Policy
Formulation and Managerial Decision-Making in Emerging Markets”.
The editors Robert E. Hinson, Ogechi Adeola and Isaiah Adisa recom-
mend policy formulation and managerial decisions in emerging markets in
Chap. 11, and they outline the theoretical and practical implications of the
green concept from the entire deliberations.
Conclusion
Green marketing is a step in the right direction for economies seeking to
address their sustainability concerns, especially as they relate to sustainable
production and consumption, which are crucial aspects of sustainable
development. Through a well-implemented green-marketing plan, emerg-
ing markets, across the globe, can respond to their environmental chal-
lenges and also satisfy aspects of sustainable development goals. People,
especially the young population among other resources, provide emerging
markets with their best opportunity towards achieving sustainable devel-
opment, through green business practices; this book elucidates various
ways through which emerging markets can make this a reality.
References
Ajike, E. O., Amos, N. B., & Kabuoh, M. N. (2015). Green marketing: A tool for
achieving sustainable development in Nigeria. International Journal of
Advanced Research in Statistics, Management and Finance, 3(1), 1–14.
Bailey, A. A., Mishra, A. S., & Tiamiyu, M. F. (2018). Application of GREEN scale
to understanding US consumer response to green marketing communications.
Psychology & Marketing, 35(11), 863–875.
Dabija, D. C. (2018). Enhancing green loyalty towards apparel retail stores: A
cross-generational analysis on an emerging market. Journal of Open Innovation:
Technology, Market, and Complexity, 4(1), 8.
Dangelico, R. M., & Vocalelli, D. (2017). “Green marketing”: An analysis of defi-
nitions, strategy steps, and tools through a systematic review of the literature.
Journal of Cleaner Production, 165, 1263–1279.
Hameed, Z., Khan, I. U., Islam, T., Sheikh, Z., & Naeem, R. M. (2020). Do
green HRM practices influence employees’ environmental performance?
International Journal of Manpower, 41(7), 1061–1079.
Hasan, Z., & Ali, N. A. (2015). The impact of green marketing strategy on the
firm’s performance in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,
172(27), 463–470.
Jayanti, R. K., & Gowda, M. R. (2014). Sustainability dilemmas in emerging
economies. IIMB Management Review, 26(2), 130–142.
Katrandjiev, H. (2016). Ecological marketing, green marketing, sustainable mar-
keting: Synonyms оr аn evolution оf ideas. Economic Alternatives, 1, 71–82.
Keve, R., & Bryzek, M. (2019). Green generations: Millennials and Gen Z change
the fabric of fashion. https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2019/09/08/
green-generations-millennials-and-gen-z-change-the-fabric-of-fashion
Lam, D. (2006). The demography of youth in developing countries and its eco-
nomic implications. The World Bank.
Lockrey, S. (2015). A review of life cycle based ecological marketing strategy for
new product development in the organisational environment. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 95, 1–15.
Martínez, P. (2015). Customer loyalty: Exploring its antecedents from a green
marketing perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management, 27(5), 896–917.
Miles, M. P., & Covin, J. G. (2000). Environmental marketing: A source of repu-
tational, competitive, and financial advantage. Journal of Business Ethics,
23(3), 299–311.
Mishra, P., & Sharma, P. (2010). Green marketing in India: Emerging opportuni-
ties and challenges. Journal of Engineering, Science and Management Education,
3(1), 9–14.
Muller, D. (2018). Emerging Markets—Powerhouse of global growth. Ashmore.
http://www.ashmoregroup.com/sites/default/files/articledocs/MC_10%20
May18_2.pdf
Myers, J (2019) 19 of the world’s 20 youngest countries are in Africa. https://www.
weforum.org/agenda/2019/08/youngest-populations-africa/
Nguyen, H. V., Nguyen, N., Nguyen, B. K., Lobo, A., & Vu, P. A. (2019).
Organic food purchases in an emerging market: The influence of consumers’
personal factors and green marketing practices of food stores. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(6), 1037.
Nguyen, T. N., Lobo, A., & Nguyen, B. K. (2018). Young consumers’ green pur-
chase behaviour in an emerging market. Journal of Strategic Marketing,
26(7), 583–600.
Papadas, K. K., Avlonitis, G. J., Carrigan, M., & Piha, L. (2019). The interplay of
strategic and internal green marketing orientation on competitive advantage.
Journal of Business Research, 104, 632–643.
Price, T. (2018). ‘Generation Green’: How millennials will shape the circular
economy. https://environmentjournal.online/articles/generation-green-how-
millennials-will-shape-the-circular-economy/
Shabbir, M. S., Bait Ali Sulaiman, M. A., Hasan Al-Kumaim, N., Mahmood, A., &
Abbas, M. (2020). Green marketing approaches and their impact on consumer
behavior towards the environment—A study from the UAE. Sustainability,
12(21), 8977.
Signer, L., & Johnson, C. (2018). Africa’s consumer market potential: Trends,
drivers, opportunities, and strategies. Africa Growth Initiatives, pp. 1–34.
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-c ontent/uploads/2018/12/Africas-
consumer-market-potential.pdf
United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa. (n.d.) Youth empowerment.
https://www.un.org/en/africa/osaa/peace/youth.shtml#:~:text=This%20
global%20trend%20has%20particular,of%20the%20world’s%20youth%20
population
Van Dam, Y. K., & Apeldoorn, P. A. (1996). Sustainable marketing. Journal of
Macromarketing, 16(2), 45–56.
Vilkaite-Vaitone, N., & Skackauskiene, I. (2019). Green marketing orientation:
Evolution, conceptualisation and potential benefits. Open Economics,
2(1), 53–62.
Wymer, W., & Polonsky, M. J. (2015). The limitations and potentialities of green
marketing. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 27(3), 239–262.
Yadav, R., Kumar, A., & Swaroop, G. (2016). The influence of green marketing
functions in building corporate image: Evidences from hospitality industry in a
developing nation. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management, 28(10), 2178–2196.
CHAPTER 2
Green Business Practices in Emerging

Economies
Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, Bright James Nyarkoh,
and Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh
Abstract The notion of sustainable development has propelled a new

pathway for countries and corporate enterprises to re-orient towards green
business practices which echoes the integration of environmental, social,
and economic considerations into corporate strategic thinking to benefit
the present and future generations. The environmental, economic, and
D. T. Ayentimi (*)
School of Management and Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and
Economics, Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia
e-mail: desmond.ayentimi@utas.edu.au
B. J. Nyarkoh
Department of Development Studies, S.D. Dombo University of Business and
Integrated Development Studies, Wa, Ghana
E. N. Kuuyelleh
Department of Secretaryship and Management Studies, Bolgatanga Technical
University, Bolgatanga, Ghana
e-mail: esmond.kuuyelleh@curtin.edu.au

Switzerland AG 2021
14 D. T. AYENTIMI ET AL.
social elements are closely interconnected and cannot be considered dis-

tinctly within the sustainable development framework. The positive syner-
gies and sustainability of businesses can be nurtured by integrating
environmental, social, and economic considerations into corporate mana-
gerial thinking. This chapter explores the emerging new normal of green
business practices with a focus on examining the level of receptivity and
progress with green business practices in emerging economies. Green
business practices offer a new corporate paradigm that attempts to lessen
the impact of corporate activities on the environment and the wider
society.
Keywords Emerging economies • Environment • Green business

practices • Social • Sustainability
Introduction
The green business practice debate and trend has traditionally been pro-
moted by corporate entities and governments in developed economies. In
recent times, it has become of great importance in many developing and
emerging economies as well. Indeed, emerging and developing markets
are progressively developing both their sustainability and financial capa-
bilities. Traditionally, managers of corporate enterprises were concerned
with their monetary profits (or economic bottom lines). Today, many cor-
porate managers and business practitioners have begun to consider sus-
tainability and corporate responsibility. The notions of sustainability and
green business practice have witnessed fundamental growth and receptiv-
ity across developed and developing economies. Business sustainability,
and by extension, green business practice, represents the approach to inte-
grate economic, social, and ecological considerations into business opera-
tions (Depken & Zeman, 2018). There are prospects for enterprises in
emerging and developing markets to benefit from corporate actions which
advance the agenda of sustainable development. For example, while prior
economic theory argued that investments in sustainability practices create
additional costs and adversely impact a firm’s financial performance, the
emerging corporate sustainability literature continues to provide evidence
2 GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES IN EMERGING ECONOMIES 15
to suggest that a firm’s investment in green innovation can increase its

performance and competitiveness (Guo et al., 2020). A firm’s reputation
and brand value can be considerably boosted by actions which enrich its
social and environmental performance. Firms’ reputations are intangible
assets, but help to attract capital and retain talents, build business partners
and increase sales (Guo et al., 2020).
Business competitiveness and operational superiority have characterised
the global business environment combined with increasing flexibility in
customer demands and expectations (Udokporo et al., 2020). Customers
are now more conscious than ever before and are not only demanding
information on firms’ environmental impact, but also information on their
social impact as well as their responsiveness to the needs of the wider soci-
ety. In this knowledge-based economy, developing eco-innovation prac-
tices helps businesses to deliver value to their customers and other key
stakeholders. Firms with eco-innovative capabilities must be able to
address the ecological and social needs, and expectations of customers
(Fernando et al., 2019). Extending the discussion through ‘lean thinking’,
Caldera et al. (2017) suggest that the lean approach to business thinking
facilitates business sustainability practices as it positively impacts on busi-
ness environmental performance. Lean thinking are processes that support
businesses in eliminating non-value-adding activities and deliver better
customer value, practices which correspond with corporate sustainability
and sustainable development principles (Caldera et al., 2019). Even
though the benefits of green business practices are well documented in the
corporate sustainability literature (Lüdeke-Freund & Dembek, 2017), the
likely implications that may result from applying green business practices
among businesses in developing and emerging economies are yet to receive
significant research attention. The existing green business literature tends
to recognise direct economic costs, as the principal drawback of employ-
ing green business practices, at the expense of contextual constraints
rooted within developing and emerging markets as well as perceived
risks—behavioural, psychological, and structural (Tura et al., 2019). This
chapter explores the emerging new normal of green business practice with
a focus on examining the level of receptivity and progress with green busi-
ness practice in emerging economies. The chapter further highlights
important lessons for developing and emerging economies.
Conceptualising Green Business Practices

in Emerging Economies
Corporate sustainability has been considered an important component of

recent corporate catchphrases in many corporate organisations, from large
corporations to start-ups across the globe (Soytas & Atik, 2018). Most
importantly, the emerging global challenges including climate change,
increasing poverty, food insecurity, and rapid urbanisation provide a real-
world consideration of sustainable development as an essential and urgent
theme, particularly in less developed and emerging economies (Dhahri &
Omri, 2018). Even though the idea of sustainable development is not
relatively new, it was not until 1992 that the United Nations underscored
the need to ensure societal resources are explored to meet the needs of the
current generation without compromising the stability of the natural sys-
tems for future generations. This commitment of sustainable development
was re-echoed in 2015 through the propagation of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) agenda which ‘provides a shared blueprint for
peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future’.
The notion of sustainable development is conceptualised on the assump-
tion of the usage of natural resources or other resources in a way that does
not affect the human environment, and the initial coverage was around
poverty reduction, environmental protection, and economic growth
(Everard & Longhurst, 2018). Sustainable development thinking offers a
new development paradigm that attempts to lessen the impact of human
activities on the environment (Halati & He, 2018). Korczak and Kijewska
(2016) argued that sustainable development represents the consolidation
of the economy with the laws of nature in relation to the consideration of
natural resource usage.
The sustainable development frame of understanding corresponds
with the quality of life, which centres on three broad societal dimen-
sions—ecological, economic, and social (Soytas & Atik, 2018). The eco-
logical element of sustainable development generally focuses on resolving
environmental challenges by upholding the quality of the environment
(Xia et al., 2018). The economic aspect of sustainable development seeks
to create good economic conditions for persistent growth which
potentially is reflected in improved housing, technical infrastructure,

transport systems, business development, and spatial planning (Korczak
& Kijewska, 2016). The social dimension of sustainable development
supports the creation of enabling social conditions for human needs in
society. These social conditions include security, education, sports, cul-
ture, and recreational values (Olawumi & Chan, 2018). Primarily, at
every level of corporate governance, there is a rising consent that sus-
tainable development should not only be driven by globally established
corporations but by local organisations—large and small—as well as
start-ups. It is this notion of sustainable development that has propelled
a new pathway for countries and corporate enterprises to re-orient
towards green business practice which echoes the integration of environ-
mental, social, and economic considerations into corporate strategic
thinking to benefit the present and future generations. It is also propel-
ling corporate organisations to incorporate sustainability into their
business decisions as well as their operational and strategic goals. The
environmental, economic, and social elements are closely interconnected
and cannot be considered distinctly within the sustainable development
framework.
This perspective corresponds with the theory of the ‘triple bottom line’
often highlighted as the three Ps: profit, people, and planet, a combination
which has been well grounded within the field of accounting. The concept
of the ‘triple bottom line’ extends the traditional accounting principle of
profit to include environmental and social performance of corporate enti-
ties—sustainability accounting (Buffa et al., 2018). The conceptualisation
of the ‘triple bottom line’ theory is to create a broader perspective to
evaluate corporate performance for greater business value. According to
Tura et al. (2019), green business practice denotes policies, activities, and
initiatives of corporate entities that aim at addressing social and environ-
mental concerns while sustaining corporate profitability. The positive syn-
ergies and sustainability of businesses can be nurtured by integrating
environmental, social, and economic considerations into managerial cor-
porate thinking. Green business practice offers a new corporate paradigm
that attempts to lessen the impact of human activities on the environment
and the wider society (Fig. 2.1).
Fig. 2.1 Illustration of the view of green business practices
Examining the Level of Receptivity and Progress

with Green Business Practices
in Emerging Economies
There exists a global divide between countries and economies based on

their level of development—developed, emerging, and developing econo-
mies. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) regularly
rates the progress of countries based on specific standards and measurable
indicators including access to educational attainment, health care, and liv-
ing standards which produce a rating that is termed Human Development
Index (HDI). The global divide outlines the development disparities
between countries and specifically highlights the development imbalance
across the world which has occasioned some countries to fall back in
human capital development, technology utilisation, political and corpo-
rate governance, and infrastructure (Ayentimi, 2020). The term ‘emerg-
ing market’ was initially coined to depict a relatively narrow list of
higher- to middle-income economies among developing countries, with
stock markets in which foreign investors could buy securities. Over the
years, the concept has since been extended to include all developing coun-
tries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than $10,000
(see IFC, 2002). Emerging economies, also known as emerging markets,
are countries that are undertaking rapid investment in productive capacity
and exhibiting some characteristics and future potential of developed mar-
kets. Emerging economies are moving away from their traditional econo-
mies—raw materials export and agriculture—and becoming more engaged
with global markets. Given the fact that emerging economies largely do
not have the level of development of regulatory institutions and market
efficiencies as found among developed economies, the level of receptivity
and progress with the engagement of green business practice amongst
corporate entities is likely to be different.
Within the last decade, in many industries and economic sectors, green
business practice and by extension corporate sustainability has become an
essential component of the overarching corporate strategy. Corporate
entities that engage in green business practices are able to minimise the
ecological impact of their activities, whilst creating sustained economic
benefits and demonstrating corporate social responsibility commitment to
key stakeholders including employees, customers, regulators, and the
wider community (Tura et al., 2019). The emerging corporate sustain-
ability literature highlights the fact that the general attitude of corpora-
tions large and small towards green business practices has been progressive,
particularly in developed and emerging economies (Singh et al., 2020).
This progressiveness in the engagement of green business practices has
been attributed to the view that business sustainability practices offer pos-
sible interesting business and economic opportunities. There is increasing
evidence of corporate investments in environmental and sustainability
activities, though these investments may be influenced by several factors
(Caldera et al., 2017). For example, while many consumers are conscious
of sustainability issues, others are demanding and making purchasing deci-
sions around businesses environmental and social performance. Shao and
Ünal (2019) acknowledge that consumers are important enablers of busi-
nesses’ receptiveness to green practices because consumption behaviour
can influence firms’ operationalisations. It has been argued that compli-
ance with green business protocols in the long term may offer businesses
local and international legitimacy, differentiating power and brand equity
(Guo et al., 2020), which are important capabilities for gaining and sus-
taining a competitive edge. This also demonstrates a contrary view of
green business practices as a cost, which is mostly linked to regulatory

costs (Tura et al., 2019).
The corporate institutionalism literature argues that the robustness of
regulatory institutions, which is noticeable in developed economies, partly
underpins many corporate entities’ adoption of green business practices
(Udokporo et al., 2020). Over the last few years, there have been growing
regulatory demands for the assessment of businesses’ sustainability perfor-
mance. For example, it is now mandatory for listed firms on the
Johannesburg Stock Exchange to report on their economic, social, and
environmental performance—sustainability reporting. Importantly, South
Africa is among the few emerging markets and arguably the only African
country to initiate mandatory sustainability reporting (Wachira et al.,
2016). Similarly, the commitment among businesses beyond regulatory
demands for voluntary sustainability certification has also increased signifi-
cantly across emerging markets. For example, the International
Organisation for Standardization (ISO), since its establishment, has devel-
oped over 21,000 standards which practically cover every sector and
industry from agriculture and food safety to manufacturing and technol-
ogy. Other recognised standards and certification bodies include Social
Accountability 8000 ‘that encourages corporate entities to develop, main-
tain and apply socially acceptable practices in the workplace’. Similarly, the
AccountAbility’s (AA1000) standards offer ‘principles-based Standards
and Frameworks used by a broad spectrum of organisations—private
enterprises, global businesses, civil societies and governments—to demon-
strate performance and leadership in sustainability, responsibility and
accountability’.
To understand managerial drivers, practices, and performance within
the green supply chain domain, Micheli et al. (2020) identified institu-
tional requirement, ISO certification amongst others to greatly impact the
relationships between ‘drivers’ practices’ and ‘practices performance’.
Collectively, the emerging corporate sustainability literature points to cur-
rent business strategic thinking, customer demands, the appetite for com-
petitiveness, and profitability as compelling drivers of corporate
sustainability (Udokporo et al., 2020). Drawing specific evidence from the
logistics service and freight transport industry, Centobelli et al. (2020)
found that the influence of green business practices and enabling tech-
nologies is rising and offering stimulating business opportunities to small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large multinational firms within
the sector. Similarly, Shao and Ünal (2019, p. 1473) ‘noted that the
environmental impact of information has a significant influence on green

purchasing’. Increasingly, corporate entities investing in green business
practices are seeking for ‘win-win’, where social, environmental, and eco-
nomic benefits can be achieved whilst satisfying customer and regulatory
demands (Tura et al., 2019).
Discussion and Lessons for Emerging Economies

The possibility for the positive impact of green business practice is high
and widely perceived, especially in emerging markets where the focus is on
developing cost-efficient services and products. Cumulatively, this chapter
highlights several and important lessons for corporate sustainability litera-
ture through the lens of developing and emerging economies. First,
despite the benefits of green business practices being well documented in
the corporate sustainability literature (Anthony Jr et al., 2020), the likely
implications that may result from implementing green business practices
among businesses in developing and emerging economies are yet to receive
significant research attention. The existing literature tends to recognise
direct economic costs, as the principal drawback of employing green busi-
ness practices, at the expense of contextual constraints rooted within
developing and emerging markets as well as perceived risks—behavioural,
psychological, and structural (Tura et al., 2019). These contextual con-
straints highlighted in the chapter include the domination of economic
informality and weaknesses in regulatory institutions, which, in turn, dem-
onstrate how green business initiatives and green strategic thinking may
be constrained in the face of key actors’ best intents. This may help busi-
ness owners and corporate entities understand why investment in green
business practices may not be successful or witness resistance as a result of
limited support from key stakeholders (e.g. regulators). On the other
hand, by understanding the latent sources of contextual constraints rooted
within developing and emerging markets, regulatory institutions and
other actors may be able to forestall and mitigate possible rigidities to
advance green business practices in emerging markets.
Second, Tura et al. (2019, p. 229) ‘identified four types of tensions
(economic, structural, psychological, and behavioral) that tend to mani-
fest in a firm’s network due to the implementation of sustainable business
practices. The authors further illustrate how different network actors per-
ceive them.’ Implicitly or explicitly, the evolving corporate sustainability
literature supports a broader valuation of investments in green business
practices beyond economic costs and may possibly provide a comprehen-

sive cost-benefit analysis, as well as a superior option for corporate entities
and business managers to be successful in promoting and advancing green
business practices. Therefore, important lessons for emerging economies
and corporate managers are to pay attention to how varied actors in busi-
ness and corporate networks perceive and experience the impact of green
business practices.
Third, the adoption of green business practices requires a range of abili-
ties, resources, and skills that may be a stretch for many corporate entities
and particularly for SMEs and start-ups (Depken & Zeman, 2018). In
some instances, this may be perceived as unachievable for many managers
and owners of SMEs. However, Seles et al. (2019) found that even during
economic uncertainties, green business practices associated with a firm’s
dynamic capabilities and strategy can still enhance its performance.
Drawing from organisational theory through the lens of the resource-
based view of the firm, dynamic capabilities represent an organisation’s
capacity to decisively create and reconfigure its competencies to respond
to changing business environmental needs (Haarhaus & Liening, 2020).
During economic uncertainties, the capabilities and competencies of firms
can be reconfigured to build long-term competitiveness. Importantly,
businesses in emerging and developing markets where economic uncer-
tainties are visible may potentially benefit from the awareness that invest-
ing in green business practices can support business performance even
during challenging economic times (Seles et al., 2019).
In addition, it is emerging from the corporate sustainability literature
that ‘lean thinking’ which draws from the ideals of green thinking and
business sustainability has the potential to transform businesses to gener-
ate best business outcomes through the incorporation of sustainable busi-
ness practices including cleaner production and resource productivity
which help to eliminate waste and enhance efficiency. Drawing from the
perspective of resource efficiency, Caldera, Desha and Dawes (2017,
p. 1559) argued that ‘lean thinking is a critical, but still underutilised
approach within the modern industrial system’. Primarily, lean thinking
presents specialised lean processes and techniques which can be utilised by
corporate entities in developing and emerging markets to reduce their
ecological impact on the environment. Interestingly, one of the key con-
cerns is the fact that many corporate entities in developing and emerging
markets manage issues around green business practices in silos (Jayanti &
Rajeev Gowda, 2014). While many organisations are committed to
promoting green business practices, they fail to integrate sustainability

commitment into corporate strategy. Sustainable corporate governance
denotes the integration of social, environmental, and economic consider-
ations into corporate strategy which requires top managerial commitment
and knowledge. According to Jayanti and Rajeev Gowda (2014), the
greatest challenge for sustainable governance in emerging markets is how
to persuade top management to adopt the appropriate views towards
green business practices.
The diverse stakeholder groups offer unending potential in making a
business case for sustainability, strengthening the advancement of green
business practices in emerging markets. These stakeholders include the
government, investors, customers, civil society organisations, and the
media. Cumulatively, the emerging evidence highlights the fact that the
level of stakeholder influence on corporate entities to propel increasing
interests in business sustainability activities in developed economies has
been growing faster than in developing and emerging markets. Therefore,
in order to strengthen the advancement of green business practices, the
state represents a key stakeholder to making a business case for sustain-
ability (IFC, 2002). However, in emerging and developing markets where
weak governance remains the underlying challenge, issues of corruption,
contradictory regulations, and unrealistic policies are typical characteristics
(Ayentimi et al., 2016). For example, labour and environmental regula-
tions may be too rigid to the extent that they hinder companies from
being able to engage in green business practices, or become too flexible to
the extent that they create managerial prerogative for companies to engage
in green business practices. More importantly, regulatory enforcement of
labour and environmental laws may generally be absent or weak, leading
to insufficient enticements for businesses to comply with such regulations
(IFC, 2002).
In some instances, the absence of sustainability regulations and the
existence of corruption in most emerging and developing markets may, in
reality, encourage businesses to engage in environmentally damaging
activities. Yet, the emerging sustainability literature points to the fact that
increased regulatory demands contribute to increasing adoption of green
business practices amongst businesses across the world (Seles et al., 2019).
To a large extent, regulatory confidence, supported by strong and enforce-
able regulatory standards, plays a key role in boosting the business case for
green business practices in emerging markets. On the one hand, there is
emerging evidence to suggest that despite the institutional and regulatory
constraints, some governments in developing and emerging markets are

developing appropriate initiatives to improve good governance and
advance the green business agenda (IFC, 2002). There is potential within
developing and emerging economies to exert greater influence in promot-
ing business sustainability practices.
In promoting and consolidating green business practices in emerging
and developing markets, investors can play a key and important role.
Investors are influential and can be broad and distinct, ranging from insti-
tutional investors to individual investors, other corporate institutions, and
even governments. Investors, through their investment decisions, will
likely favour sustainable businesses. This will further stimulate the business
case for green business practices in emerging and developing markets.
Primarily, there is progressively more evidence of the relationship between
investment in business sustainable practices and firms’ financial perfor-
mance (Fernando et al., 2019). On the one hand, there is also evidence of
weak sustainability business case for firms developing products and ser-
vices for emerging and developing markets (IFC, 2002). Even though in
comparison with the developed markets, the influences of customer cru-
sading and social action have contributed less to propelling business sus-
tainability agenda in emerging markets, customers continue to represent
an important driver of sustainability practices. It is through increasing cus-
tomer demands that firms may be influenced to improve their environ-
mental and labour standards. In the developed markets, there is growing
evidence to suggest that firms are under intense pressure from customers’
demands to operate within the dictates of sustainability (Buffa et al.,
2018). Thus, customer crusading and social action may offer potential
opportunities for firms in emerging markets to make a strong business case
for green business practices.
Finally, in addition to customer demands, civil society organisations,
media, and community interest groups have over recent years supported
promoting sustainability. Several civil society organisations, through their
crusading programmes, are regularly exposing firms’ poor labour and
environmental performance (IFC, 2002). Civil society organisations and
community interest groups are increasingly lobbying state agencies and
institutions to improve regulatory demands for mutual business sustain-
ability goals. It is also important to acknowledge that the level of civil
society influence on corporate entities may vary from country to country
as some are likely to have significant influence in some countries compared
to others. In recent years, and within the political science literature, in
addition to the three arms of government—the legislature, executive, and

judiciary—the media is acknowledged as the fourth arm owing to its influ-
ence in promoting accountability and driving transparency. The media
provides sustainability information about firms and rates firms that are
performing well and those that are failing (IFC, 2002). This singular
responsibility of the media can compel businesses to engage in green busi-
ness practices. Nonetheless, with some noticeable exceptions, in some
emerging and developing markets, the media is yet to acquire that inde-
pendence and freedom to play such an important role in accountability
and transparency, especially in countries failing on good governance,
transparency, and accountability.
Conclusion
The emerging corporate sustainability literature underscores the value of
regulatory demands and corporate sustainability practices and policies. To
demonstrate corporate social responsibility commitment, increasing cus-
tomer sustainability consciousness with the provision of sustainability
information could help to simplify and redefine customers’ perceptions of
the value of sustainable products and services. This approach offers an
important window to advance green marketing in emerging markets. This
new corporate strategic thinking provides an important entry point for
developing and emerging economies to address the emerging global chal-
lenges, including climate change, increasing poverty, food insecurity, and
rapid urbanisation. This would suggest that developing and emerging
economies consider green business practices and ‘lean thinking’ as an
opportunity to concurrently address pressing issues around climate
change, inequality, social injustice, and poverty and, therefore, seeking to
achieve an inclusive green economy.
Importantly, the transition to a green economy in developing and
emerging markets presents some key constraints. First, the environment
underpinning a green economy requires a range of robust institutional
and regulatory arrangements. The challenges inherent with the institu-
tional and regulatory arrangements are indicative that developing and
emerging markets may not be able to drive green business practices or
sustainability practices using regulatory demands. Firms are less likely to
be under public and regulatory pressure to demonstrate high environmen-
tal and social standards, as the external business sustainability drivers in
developing markets tend to be weaker. On the contrary, corporate entities’
response to green business practices or sustainability practices in develop-

ing and emerging markets may tend to be driven by current and growing
business strategic thinking, customer demands, the appetite for competi-
tiveness, and profitability. This may offer strong underpinning drivers out-
side regulatory demands to promote and advance green business practices
in emerging and developing markets in line with the global sustainable
development agenda. If emerging markets, in their effort to connect to
the global market, are to win the global competition, it is essential to
embed green business practices throughout the firms’ operations, shaping
the entire production value chain, engaging the workforce, and incorpo-
rating sustainability practices into the entire management system.
References
Anthony, B., Jr., Majid, M. A., & Romli, A. (2020). A generic study on green IT/
IS practice development in collaborative enterprise: Insights from a developing
country. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 55, 101555.
Ayentimi, D. T. (2020). The 4IR and the challenges for developing economies. In
K. Dayaram, L. Lambey, J. Burgess, & T. W. Afrianty (Eds.), Developing the
workforce in an emerging economy: The case of Indonesia. Routledge.
Ayentimi, D. T., Burgess, J., & Brown, K. (2016). Developing effective local con-
tent regulations in sub-Sahara Africa: The need for more effective policy align-
ment. Multinational Business Review, 24(4), 354–374.
Buffa, F., Franch, M., & Rizio, D. (2018). Environmental management practices
for sustainable business models in small and medium sized hotel enterprises.
Caldera, H. T. S., Desha, C., & Dawes, L. (2017). Exploring the role of lean
thinking in sustainable business practice: A systematic literature review. Journal
of Cleaner Production, 167, 1546–1565.
Caldera, H. T. S., Desha, C., & Dawes, L. (2019). Evaluating the enablers and
barriers for successful implementation of sustainable business practice in ‘lean’
SMEs. Journal of Cleaner Production, 218, 575–590.
Centobelli, P., Cerchione, R., & Esposito, E. (2020). Evaluating environmental
sustainability strategies in freight transport and logistics industry. Business
Strategy and the Environment, 29(3), 1563–1574.
Depken, D., & Zeman, C. (2018). Small business challenges and the triple bottom
line, TBL: Needs assessment in a Midwest state, U.S.A. Technological Forecasting
and Social Change, 135, 44–50.
Dhahri, S., & Omri, A. (2018). Entrepreneurship contribution to the three pillars
of sustainable development: What does the evidence really say? World
Development, 106, 64–77.
Everard, M., & Longhurst, J. W. S. (2018). Reasserting the primacy of human
needs to reclaim the ‘lost half’ of sustainable development. Science of the Total
Environment, 621, 1243–1254.
Fernando, Y., Jabbour, C. J. C., & Wah, W.-X. (2019). Pursuing green growth in
technology firms through the connections between environmental innovation
and sustainable business performance: Does service capability matter? Resources,
Conservation & Recycling, 141, 8–20.
Guo, Y., Wang, L., & Yang, Q. (2020). Do corporate environmental ethics influ-
ence firms’ green practice? The mediating role of green innovation and the
moderating role of personal ties. Journal of Cleaner Production, 266, 122054.
Haarhaus, T., & Liening, A. (2020). Building dynamic capabilities to cope with
environmental uncertainty: The role of strategic foresight. Technological
Forecasting and Social Change, 155, 120033.
Halati, A., & He, Y. (2018). Intersection of economic and environmental goals of
sustainable development initiatives. Journal of Cleaner Production,
189, 813–829.
IFC. (2002). Developing value: The business case for sustainability in emerging
markets. https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/topics_ext_content/ifc_
external_corporate_site/sustainability-a t-i fc/publications/publications_
report_developingvalue__wci__1319577294013
Jayanti, R. K., & Rajeev Gowda, M. V. (2014). Sustainability dilemmas in emerg-
ing economies. IIMB Management Review, 26, 130–142.
Korczak, J., & Kijewska, K. (2016). The concept of sustainable development of
public passenger transport in Koszalin. Transportation Research Procedia,
16, 217–226.
Lüdeke-Freund, F., & Dembek, K. (2017). Sustainable business model research
and practice: Emerging field or passing fancy? Journal of Cleaner Production,
168, 1668–1678.
Micheli, G. J. L., Cagno, E., Mustillo, G., & Trianni, A. (2020). Green supply
chain management drivers, practices and performance: A comprehensive study
on the moderators. Journal of Cleaner Production, 259, 121024.
Olawumi, T. O., & Chan, D. W. M. (2018). A scientometric review of global
research on sustainability and sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 183, 231–250.
Seles, B. M. R. P., Jabbour, A. B. L., Jabbour, C. J. C., Latan, H., & Roubaud,
D. (2019). Do environmental practices improve business performance even in
an economic crisis? Extending the win-win perspective. Ecological Economics,
163, 189–204.
Shao, J., & Ünal, E. (2019). What do consumers value more in green purchasing?
Assessing the sustainability practices from demand side of business. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 209, 1473–1483.
Singh, M., Singh, K., & Sethi, A. S. (2020). A pilot study on relation between vari-
ous input parameters of green manufacturing and business performance param-
eters in Indian SME’s. Materials Today: Proceedings.
Soytas, M. A., & Atik, A. (2018). Does being international make companies more
sustainable? Evidence based on corporate sustainability indices. Central Bank
Review, 18, 61–68.
Tura, N., Keränen, J., & Patala, S. (2019). The darker side of sustainability:
Tensions from sustainable business practices in business networks. Industrial
Marketing Management, 77, 221–231.
Udokporo, C. K., Anosike, A., Lim, M., Nadeem, S. P., Garza-Reyes, J. A., &
Ogbuka, C. P. (2020). Impact of Lean, Agile and Green (LAG) on business
competitiveness: An empirical study of fast moving consumer goods businesses.
Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 156, 104714.
Wachira, M., Berndt, T., & Martinez, C. (2016). The adoption of international
sustainability reporting guidelines within a mandatory framework: Lessons
from South Africa. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2970415.
Xia, B., Olanipekun, A., Chen, Q., Xie, L., & Liu, Y. (2018). Conceptualising the
state of the art of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the construction
industry and its nexus to sustainable development. Journal of Cleaner
CHAPTER 3
Green Human Resources Management

as an Innovation Mechanism
Yvonne Ayerki Lamptey
Abstract Going green is a competitive business strategy mainly driven by

the pressures from stakeholders for businesses to adopt eco-friendly prac-
tices to sustain the environment. In line with this, Green Human Resource
Management (GHRM) adopts sustainable practices to reduce the impact
of human activities on the environment. The concept of GHRM proposes
green behaviours to support the green business agenda, but the cost of
investment deters organisations from going fully green. This chapter dis-
cusses the concept, strategies and fears of businesses in developing and
managing green employees, the internal customers, to support the envi-
ronmental management agenda. GHRM can be conceptualised from the
time of entry to the exit of workers. The outcome of GHRM activities
needs to be measured to determine the benefits to organisations of varying
sizes and not just to manage an environmental problem.
Keywords Green Human Resource Management • Human resource

management • Innovation • Green behaviour • Eco-friendly initiative
Y. A. Lamptey (*)
e-mail: yalamptey@ug.edu.gh

Switzerland AG 2021
30 Y. A. LAMPTEY
Introduction
Competitive businesses are driving the sustainability agenda, and human
resource management is integrating varying green practices to align. A
strategic link between employees’ green behaviour, top management com-
mitted practices and a culture that promotes environmental sustainability
of organisations is essential in adopting green strategies to deliver value.
Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) has been conceptualised
to influence employee green behaviour, cost reduction and environmental
performance (El-Kassar & Singh, 2019; Fraj et al., 2011; Iqbal et al.,
2018; Renwick et al., 2013). Going green provides the sense of control
workers desire in the technological environment even though they believe
that technology also provides the employer a stricter electronic eye to
monitor worker performance and to discipline non-compliance. The tech-
nological change impacts workplace cultures, structures, politics and social
agency in general because socio-technical systems become dominant work
arrangements that challenge the status quo (Van den Broek et al., 2004).
These GHRM activities specifically focus on paperless approaches to for-
mulate environmental and social goals, corporate values and sustainable
strategy which impinge on corporate philosophy. Using these systems,
therefore, raise the need for due diligence considering the ethical and legal
implications on trust which has a significant bearing on the employment
relationship in the context of individuals, businesses, environment and
society (Opatha & Arulrajah, 2014). Some HR activities are easier to align
to green practices like employee training, but to drive the environmental
agenda, GHRM needs full green perspectives though it is deemed costly
and burdensome especially for firms in emerging countries in the change
process. Leaders’ intentions need to corroborate with green organisational
initiatives. Given the arguments, this chapter aims to discuss how green
human resource management promotes green HRM innovation and the
factors that facilitate the adoption of green HRM.
The Factors Determining the Adoption

of Environmentally Friendly Business Practices
Environmental sustainability drives businesses, and the stakeholder theory

explains the intent of business partners to drive the environmental agenda
(Phillips, 2003). Stakeholders demand that firms take specific actions
because of the effect on them and the community. Institutional pressures
3 GREEN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AS AN INNOVATION… 31
also influence organisations to adopt green practices in coercive, mimetic

and normative forms to structurally align management practices to the
green agenda (DiMaggio & Powell, 1991). To promote GHRM practices,
the internal factors (managerial concerns and the human resource behav-
iours) should be synchronous with the organisation’s external factors. The
more business activities threaten life, the more owners of businesses
become conscious of sustaining the environment. The firm’s ability to
compete in uniqueness is also described by the resource-based view (RBV).
The RBV describes the unique resources (human, physical, organisational)
organisations must create for competitive advantage. However, organisa-
tions do not seem convinced on environmentally friendly activities where
legislation barely exists to enforce these practices (Graci & Dodds, 2008).
More so, the measurement of these green activities is unclear, and
industries are developing action plans in their given contexts. The difficul-
ties they encounter in cost, the complexity of changing familiar processes
and realigning behaviour to get used to the new norm, inability to even
get to learn what is best and working well with competitors in the name of
protecting trade secrets discourage organisations from investing in green
activities (Henderson, 2007). Some stakeholders, especially customers, are
also not demanding adequate quantities of green products, services or
facilities to drive firms to go fully green (Graci & Dodds, 2008; Pryce,
2001). Brown (1994) noticed that undertaking green initiatives for eco-
nomic benefits alone is not enough drive for firms to invest.
Stakeholder pressure is viewed as a dominant predictor of managerial
attitudes towards the implementation of green initiatives among hotels in
the United States (Park & Kim, 2014). The determinant factors influenc-
ing the adoption of green HRM practice such as the compatibility of green
practices, quality of human resources, organisational support, relative
advantage, regulatory pressure and government support have a significant
influence on the adoption of green practices by logistic companies in
China (Lin & Ho, 2011). These factors are in three main categories:
organisational, environmental and technical. The organisational factors
are organisational support, quality of human resources and company size.
The environmental factors include customer pressure, regulatory pressure,
governmental support and environmental uncertainty. In addition, the
availability of technical resources to an organisation and firm size deter-
mine the firm’s capacity to undertake appropriate eco-friendly initiatives
(López-Gamero et al., 2008; Bowen, 2002). In organisations where envi-
ronmental management is the responsibility of executives, there exists a
32 Y. A. LAMPTEY
robust green culture as compared to organisations without any executive

in charge of green matters (Aragon-Correa et al., 2004).
Understanding the Concept of Green

in HRM Practice
Green practices in human resource management began in 1996 in discus-

sions and publications on greening people, in different forms and levels,
and the practices were not embedded into corporate systems because they
were new. Renwick et al. (2013) conceptualised GHRM using a three-
model framework for selected HR activities, to develop green ability,
motivate employees to adopt green behaviours and provide an opportu-
nity for undertaking green activities. The shade of green is important
because the human resource will have to change their thinking and behav-
iour to environmentally friendly ways through learning and knowledge
sharing (McGuire & Garavan, 2010; Yusoff & Nejati, 2019). GHRM
practices are the HRM techniques, programmes and processes which pro-
mote environmental sustainability (Jabbour & Santos, 2008).
The concept of green gives the notion of keeping it natural to the envi-
ronment to preserve the ecological state. People keep the natural state of
the environment due to climate change and the overuse of natural
resources. The intent of GHRM is to develop, implement and maintain a
system that makes employees ‘go green’ (Opatha & Arulrajah, 2014).
HRM achieves its green goals by developing green policies, practices and
systems to create, enhance and retain a ‘green sense’ in its people resource.
This green sense is developed through green competencies, attitudes and
behaviours aimed at achieving green outcomes. To achieve these out-
comes, HRM practices are reviewed and modified to respond to the aspect
of internal corporate social responsibility (Wagner, 2013) which is achieved
through internal marketing to make employees aware of green values. The
internal green culture will propel employees to achieve green goals when
the corporate management commits to the green vision.
Outcomes of the Adoption of GHRM Practices

Organisations that practise green human resource management have been
noted to experience increased sales, desirable employee outcomes and
brand recognition (Salem et al., 2012; Wee & Quazi, 2005; Yang et al.,
2011). GHRM improves productivity by avoiding wastage and lowering

costs through recycling and reuse of material options. GHRM practices
lead to the ability to attract top talent coupled with an increase in employee
retention rate because green organisations are well positioned to offer
socially responsible incentives to workers such as subsidies for the purchase
of hybrid cars. It also offers the firm an eco-friendly business image
(Bangwal & Tiwari, 2015). Maintaining a good brand reputation strategi-
cally positions the organisation with conscious efforts towards environ-
mental sustainability. It is a strategic move of attaining competitive
advantage for increased business opportunities since other businesses and
pressure groups are developing interests for eco-friendly organisations for
business (Mehta & Chugan, 2015; Sudin, 2011).
The outcomes of green human resource management can be grouped
into individual and organisational and national level outcomes. The out-
comes improve the environmental management profile and reputation,
green policies and practices, sustainable development and performance of
the firm at the organisational and national levels (Tahir et al., 2017;
Jabbour & Jabbour, 2016; Teixeira et al., 2012). Again, GHRM influ-
ences the team’s collective voluntary behaviour towards the environment
(Kim et al., 2017; Pinzone et al., 2016) and the individual employee out-
comes produce green behaviour and voluntary green in-role performance
(Harvey et al., 2013).
Empowered employees achieve their green goals, and this is referred to
as green employee empowerment (Tariq et al., 2016). When organisations
empower employees towards environmental issues, employees feel obliged
to reciprocate with green citizenship behaviours towards the environment
(Jackson et al., 2014). GHRM has an influence on employee extra-role
green behaviours. An increasing level of green HRM practice leads to a
rise in financial benefits of firms with proactive environmental manage-
ment. A reactive approach to environmental sustainability as a result of
compliance does not result in competitive advantage; however, a conscious
effort to infuse GHRM into corporate strategy enhances firm performance
(Lannelongue et al., 2015; Primc & Č ater, 2015).
Strategic Green HRM

It is commonplace for organisations to rely on compliance to laws and
regulations in achieving green management initiatives (Sudin, 2011) but
this is unable to achieve market and cost advantages (Yang et al., 2011).
34 Y. A. LAMPTEY
There is need for HR to adjust the mandates and widen the scope through
the infusion of eco-friendly practices into the core HR functions.
Strategic HRM researchers must achieve HR effectiveness and align
HRM with the business strategic goals. This becomes the primary means
by which firms can influence and shape the skills, attitudes and behaviour
of individuals to achieve organisational goals (Collins & Clark, 2003).
Organisations should resort to the use of contemporary and digitised
means to avoid the use of paper in green HRM practice. Typically, compa-
nies can render all job-related communications such as notice of vacancies
on their websites and applicants can forward their applications online to
avoid the waste in paper printing and mailing of letters (Mandip, 2012;
Trivedi, 2015). The HR Department should write green job descriptions
for employees by including environmental consciousness as one of the
core competencies required of job roles (Grolleau et al., 2012). There
should also be a preference for green job candidates (Deshwal, 2015) who
give priority and are ‘Green Aware’ as a part of the HR recruitment policy
and process (Ahmad, 2015; Deepika & Karpagam, 2016).
During on-boarding, there is a need for awareness creation on eco-
friendly means of executing work. Projectors, laptops and other devices
should be used to facilitate orientation programmes (Trivedi, 2015).
Orientation programmes for new recruits should be designed to ensure
the integration of recruits into a green-conscious organisational culture
(Yadav, 2017). Workers today are mostly found using digital devices and
e-copies and should be encouraged to access e-services for employees. The
content of training programmes must be designed to develop the compe-
tencies and knowledge of workers in using environmentally friendly tools
(Obaid & Alias, 2015) and eco-friendly related topics such as energy con-
servation and efficiency, health and safety, waste management (reduction
and elimination) and reprocessing (Liebowitz, 2010) are recommended.
Furthermore, employee training and development should be incorporated
into the changing culture of the organisation, and employee learning
needs to cover environmental regulations and required standards to facili-
tate compliance. Just like orientations, training should be digitised using
smart devices featuring online courses, web-based training modules and
case studies rather than printed handouts (Boromisa et al., 2015). There
is the communication of green schemes to all staff levels through perfor-
mance management and appraisal while establishing a firm-wide dialogue
on green matters. For example, supervisors contribute to green achieve-
ments by creating awareness and ensuring the familiarisation of green
issues (Odeyale, 2014). Some organisations include green targets in key

functional areas when appraising employee performance (Jackson et al.,
2011), and this is recommended. When green performance indicators are
heavily weighted on the appraisal matrix, they provoke employee green
behaviours, sometimes referred to as green performance standards or indi-
cators (Tapamoy, 2008). There is an increasing need to incorporate green
metrics (behaviour and outcomes) into employee performance appraisal
and general performance management systems. Employees will sustain
compliance when they know there are measured outputs linked to envi-
ronmental objectives (Jackson et al., 2011).
Employees who show commitment to green initiatives should be rec-
ognised, and non-achievers should be encouraged (Renwick et al., 2013).
If non-compliance is disciplined, employees who find it difficult to transit
from the status quo might give up. Managers could carefully develop neg-
ative reinforcements using criticism, warnings and suspensions for lapses
(Phillips, 2007). Compensation management should be aimed at recom-
pensing green goal achievement and green skill attainment (Ahmad,
2015). Financial rewards such as bonuses, cash and premiums and non-
financial incentives such as sabbaticals, leave and gifts could be offered to
employees who achieve green initiatives. In employee relations, managers
are urged to encourage employee involvement and participation in green
suggestion schemes and problem-solving circles (Casler et al., 2010).
Employees should also be granted some level of freedom and indepen-
dence to formulate and experiment with green ideas to complement
employer models for consideration. A helpline for employee green matters
and increased supervisory support behaviours (Lashley, 2012) will pro-
mote green behaviours. This may also serve as a green whistleblowing
helpline. Labour unions play an essential role when they are encouraged
to partner in negotiating green workplace agreements (Huq, 2010).
Contemporary Green HR Practices in Developed

and Emerging Economies: The Difficulties
in Implementing Green HRM Initiatives into
the Future
In several emerging economies, companies have initiated the process of

integrating environmental concerns with their business strategy, with HR
taking centre stage. Google is leading the way not just in its environmental
36 Y. A. LAMPTEY
practices but also in publicising its environmental record and approach.

Like many emerging green companies, Google has hired a director who
coordinates corporate environmental efforts to match its corporate busi-
ness strategy. Companies like Honda, S. C. Johnson, Goldman Sachs,
Starbucks, Patagonia, Timberland and GE have successfully used their
environmentally friendly policies to sell their products and gain media
exposure. Green Toyota has made a public pledge that it would do busi-
ness only with the concerns that are certified ‘Green’. The Tata Group has
gone ‘Green’ and has made a list of third parties, vendors and suppliers to
carry on with business without releasing toxic emissions that could harm
the environment. In India, and other developing countries, the green
movement and green HR are still nascent. Many companies are imple-
menting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which also
have green projects. ITC Ltd. and The Associated Cement Companies
Ltd. (ACC Ltd.) practise CSR with emphasis on environmental manage-
ment. This has helped generate interest and awareness about the green
movement and green HRM in India. HRM has to play a central role in
creating awareness about environmental management in organisations
besides implementing green HR practices as part of the bigger role to save
the planet (Lather et al., 2014).
Even though going green is an ideal state for sustaining the environ-
ment, not every worker sees reason for changing comfortable lifestyles to
adopt eco-friendly ones (Deshwal, 2015). It is acknowledged that devel-
oping a culture of green HRM can be a cumbersome process, not to men-
tion the high investment required compared to a low return of the
investments. The daunting task also arises when organisations need to go
through the acquisition of employees who are green aware, indicating that
they should be able to read these talents during the screening process
(Brockett, 2007). Despite these fears, there is a lack of green courses in
higher educational institutions to prepare younger workers to fit into the
needed green roles (Smedley, 2007). Nevertheless, HR professionals must
respond to green expectations by providing green tools, green processes,
green structures and green initiatives to develop the future green
workforce.
The insufficient decision supporting models on environmental man-
agement, which make it difficult to convince business owners and boards
that investing in eco-friendly practices is profitable (Ramus, 2001), put
green HRM practices behind other corporate priorities in resource alloca-
tion and investment. Pressure from the internal stakeholders and the
external environment to achieve financial targets override the pursuit of

environmental objectives (Renwick et al., 2008).
Conclusion and Recommendations
for Emerging Markets
GHRM is an innovation in HRM and research is still evolving to concret-

ize the practice. This chapter has discussed the concept of GHRM and
how it has evolved in practice. The pressures that are compelling HRM
practice to go green are mainly from business stakeholders and the grow-
ing need for environmental care. Stakeholders demand and the availability
of resources to an organisation determine the rate of going green. The
outcome of the efforts of an organisation to adopt green practices is the
eco-friendly impact of the business activities on the environment.
Therefore, HRM strategy needs to adopt a holistic frame of all HR activi-
ties to make a significant impact. It is apparent that organisations in
advanced economies have developed robust green practices compared to
those in the developing economies, even though firms in both economies
face similar obstacles in their efforts to go green.
It is important for firms in emerging economies to map out the transi-
tion of their people management activities with the green agenda and
gradually phase it out. It is key for such firms to develop and implement a
green code of conduct to regulate behavioural changes that will support
the green strategies. Since green processes require investment in technol-
ogy and equipment to support the practices, firms need to build the work
environment and create green awareness.
References
Ahmad, S. (2015). Green human resource management: Policies and practices.
Cogent Business & Management, 2(1), 1030817.
Aragon-Correa, J. A., Matıas-Reche, F., & Senise-Barrio, M. E. (2004). Managerial
discretion and corporate commitment to the natural environment. Journal of
Business Research, 57(9), 964–975.
Bangwal, D., & Tiwari, P. (2015). Green HRM–A way to greening the environ-
ment. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 17(12), 45–53.
Boromisa, A. M., Tišma, S., & Ležaić, A. R. (2015). Green jobs for sustainable
development. Routledge.
38 Y. A. LAMPTEY
Bowen, F. E. (2002). Does size matter? Organizational slack and visibility as alter-
native explanations for environmental responsiveness. Business & Society,
41(1), 118–124.
Brockett, J. (2007). Prepare now for big rise in ‘green’ jobs. People Management,
13(10), 9.
Brown, M. (1994). Environmental auditing and the hotel industry: An accoun-
tant’s perspective. In A. V. Seaton (Ed.), Tourism: The state of the art. John Wiley.
Casler, A., Gundlach, M. J., Persons, B., & Zivnuska, S. (2010). Sierra Nevada
Brewing Company’s thirty-year journey toward sustainability. People and
Strategy, 33(1), 44.
Collins, C. J., & Clark, K. D. (2003). Strategic human resource practices, top
management team social networks, and firm performance: The role of human
resource practices in creating organizational competitive advantage. Academy of
Management Journal, 46(6), 740–751.
Deepika, R., & Karpagam, V. (2016). A study on green HRM practices in an orga-
nization. International Journal of Applied Research, 2(8), 426–429.
Deshwal, P. (2015). Green HRM: An organizational strategy of greening people.
International Journal of Applied Research, 1(13), 176–181.
DiMaggio, P., & Powell, W. (1991). The New Institutionalism in organizational
analysis. The International Encyclopedia of Organization Studies, 144–145.
http://web.stanford.edu/group/song/papers/NewInstitutionalism.pdf
El-Kassar, A. N., & Singh, S. K. (2019). Green innovation and organisational per-
formance: The influence of big data and the moderating role of management
commitment and HR practices. Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
144, 483–498.
Fraj, E., Martínez, E., & Matute, J. (2011). Green marketing strategy and the
firm’s performance: The moderating role of environmental culture. Journal of
Strategic Marketing, 19(4), 339–355.
Graci, S., & Dodds, R. (2008). Why go green? The business case for environmen-
tal commitment in the Canadian hotel industry. Anatolia, 19(2), 251–270.
Grolleau, G., Mzoughi, N., & Pekovic, S. (2012). Green not (only) for profit: An
empirical examination of the effect of environmental-related standards on
employees’ recruitment. Resource and Energy Economics, 34(1), 74–92.
Harvey, G., Williams, K., & Probert, J. (2013). Greening the airline pilot: HRM
and the green performance of airlines in the UK. The International Journal of
Human Resource Management, 24(1), 152–166.
Henderson, H. (2007). Growing the green economy globally. International
Journal of Green Economics, 1(3–4), 276–298.
Huq, R. (2010). Employee empowerment. Triarchy Press.
Iqbal, Q., Hassan, S. H., Akhtar, S., & Khan, S. (2018). Employee’s green behav-
iour for environmental sustainability: A case of banking sector in Pakistan.
World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development,

15(2), 118–130.
Jabbour, C. J. C., & Santos, F. C. A. (2008). The central role of human resource
management in the search for sustainable organizations. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(12), 2133–2154.
Jabbour, C. J. C., & de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L. (2016). Green human resource
management and green supply chain management: Linking two emerging
agendas. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 1824–1833.
Jackson, S. E., Renwick, D. W., Jabbour, C. J., & Muller-Camen, M. (2011).
State-of-the-art and future directions for green human resource management:
Introduction to the special issue. German Journal of Human Resource
Management, 25(2), 99–116.
Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S., & Jiang, K. (2014). An aspirational framework for
strategic human resource management. Academy of Management Annals,
8(1), 1–56.
Kim, A., Kim, Y., Han, K., Jackson, S. E., & Ployhart, R. E. (2017). Multilevel
influences on voluntary workplace green behavior: Individual differences,
leader behavior, and coworker advocacy. Journal of Management, 43(5),
1335–1358.
Lannelongue, G., Gonzalez-Benito, J., & Gonzalez-Benito, O. (2015). Input,
output, and environmental management productivity: Effects on firm perfor-
mance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 24(3), 145–158.
Lashley, C. (2012). Empowerment: HR strategies for service excellence. Routledge.
Lather, A., Garg, S., & Vikas, S. (2014). Green HRM practices–A case study of a
few selected Indian companies. Presented at national conference on organiza-
tional re-engineering: New age tool for competitive advantage (pp. 6–7).
Liebowitz, J. (2010). The role of HR in achieving a sustainability culture. Journal
of sustainable development, 3(4), 50–57.
Lin, C. Y., & Ho, Y. H. (2011). Determinants of green practice adoption for logis-
tics companies in China. Journal of Business Ethics, 98(1), 67–83.
López-Gamero, M. D., Claver-Cortés, E., & Molina-Azorín, J. F. (2008).
Complementary resources and capabilities for an ethical and environmental
management: A qual/quan study. Journal of Business Ethics, 82(3), 701–732.
Mandip, G. (2012). Green HRM: People management commitment to environ-
mental sustainability. Research Journal of Recent Sciences, ISSN, 2277, 2502.
McGuire, D., & Garavan, T. N. (2010). Closing comments: A call to action.
Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(5), 614–616. https://doi.
org/10.1177/1523422310394435
Mehta, K., & Chugan, P. K. (2015). Green HRM in pursuit of environmentally
sustainable business. Pursuit of Environmentally Sustainable Business (June 1,
2015). Universal Journal of Industrial and Business Management, 3(3), 74–81.
40 Y. A. LAMPTEY
Obaid, T. F., & Alias, R. B. (2015). The impact of green recruitment, green train-
ing and green learning on the firm performance: Conceptual paper.
International Journal of Applied Research, 1(12), 951–953.
Odeyale, S. O. (2014). Performance appraisal for green/environmental friendli-
ness of a supply chain department. Journal of Industrial Engineering and
Management (JIEM), 7(5), 1316–1333.
Opatha, H. H. D. N. P., & Arulrajah, A. (2014). Green human resource manage-
ment: Simplified general reflections. International Business Research, 7(8),
101–112. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v7n8p101
Park, J., & Kim, H. J. (2014). Environmental proactivity of hotel operations:
Antecedents and the moderating effect of ownership type. International
Journal of Hospitality Management, 37, 1–10.
Phillips, L. (2007). Go green to gain the edge over rivals. People Management,
23(9), 25.
Phillips, R. (2003). Stakeholder theory and organizational ethics. Berrett-Koehler
Publishers.
Pinzone, M., Guerci, M., Lettieri, E., & Redman, T. (2016). Progressing in the
change journey towards sustainability in healthcare: The role of ‘Green’
HRM. Journal of Cleaner Production, 122, 201–211.
Primc, K., & Č ater, T. (2015). Environmental proactivity and firm performance:
A fuzzy-set analysis. Management Decision, 53(3), 648–667.
Pryce, A. (2001). Sustainability in the hotel industry. Travel and Tourism
Analyst, 6, 3–23.
Ramus, C. A. (2001). Organizational support for employees: Encouraging cre-
ative ideas for environmental sustainability. California Management Review,
43(3), 85–105.
Renwick, D., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2008). Green HRM: A review, process
model, and research agenda. University of Sheffield Management School
Discussion Paper, 1, 1–46.
Renwick, D. W., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2013). Green human resource man-
agement: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Management
Reviews, 15(1), 1–14.
Salem, M. A., Hasnan, N., & Osman, N. H. (2012). Environmental issues and
corporate performance: A critical review. Journal of Environment and Earth
Science, 2, 112–122.
Smedley, T. (2007). A little more conservation. People Management, p. 11.
Sudin, S. (2011, June). Strategic green HRM: A proposed model that supports
corporate environmental citizenship. In International Conference on Sociality
and Economics Development, IPEDR (Vol. 10, pp. 79–83).
Tahir, M., Rahim, Z., & Khan, R. A. (2017). Green HRM—Introduction, predic-
tors, outcomes, and future prospects in Pakistan. South Asia, 1(1).
Tapamoy, D. (2008). Performance appraisal and management: Concepts, anteced-

ents and implications.
Tariq, S., Jan, F. A., & Ahmad, M. S. (2016). Green employee empowerment: A
systematic literature review on state-of-art in green human resource manage-
ment. Quality & Quantity, 50(1), 237–269.
Teixeira, A. A., Jabbour, C. J. C., & de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L. (2012). Relationship
between green management and environmental training in companies located
in Brazil: A theoretical framework and case studies. International Journal of
Production Economics, 140(1), 318–329.
Trivedi, A. (2015). Strategic green HRM: A necessity of 21st century. International
Journal of Business Quantitative Economics and Applied Management Research,
2(2), 34–43.
Van den Broek, D., Callaghan, G., & Thompson, P. (2004). Teams without team-
work? Explaining the call Centre paradox. Economic and Industrial Democracy,
25(2), 197–218.
Wagner, M. (2013). ‘Green’ human resource benefits: Do they matter as determi-
nants of environmental management system implementation? Journal of
Business Ethics, 114(3), 443–456.
Wee, Y. S., & Quazi, H. A. (2005). Development and validation of critical factors
of environmental management. Industrial Management & Data Systems,
105, 96–114.
Yadav, S. (2017). Strategic green HRM—The integration of environmental man-
agement into HRM with reference to one of the healthcare industry. Social
Sciences, 6(01). https://doi.org/10.21013/jmss.v6.n1.p11
Yang, M. G. M., Hong, P., & Modi, S. B. (2011). Impact of lean manufacturing
and environmental management on business performance: An empirical study
of manufacturing firms. International Journal of Production Economics,
129(2), 251–261.
Yusoff, Y. M., & Nejati, M. (2019). A conceptual model of green HRM adoption
towards sustainability in hospitality industry. In Corporate social responsibility:
Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications (pp. 400–421). IGI Global.
PART II
Green Marketing and Green

Leadership
CHAPTER 4
Green Marketing and Social Practices:

Managing People as Carriers of Sustainability
Practices
Olamide Shittu and Christian Nygaard
Abstract Addressing the world’s environmental challenges demands the

sustainable transformation of existing production and marketing pro-
cesses. By adopting green marketing as a corporate strategy, businesses can
achieve their organisational goals while also driving the sustainable devel-
opment of host countries. However, given the unique socio-economic and
political challenges of less-developed economies, businesses may encoun-
ter the risk of enabling unsustainable consumption and promoting green-
washing. To successfully implement a green marketing strategy, this
chapter posits that businesses in emerging markets should move beyond
attempting to influence people’s attitudes, choices or behaviour to con-
sider the social practices that constitute organisational and socio-economic
processes. By conceptualising people as carriers of social practices, this
chapter further examines how the interaction of materials, meanings and
O. Shittu (*) • C. Nygaard

Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology,
Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
e-mail: oshittu@swin.edu.au; anygaard@swin.edu.au

Switzerland AG 2021
46 O. SHITTU AND C. NYGAARD
competences create everyday consumption and routines. From a social

practice perspective, the green marketing strategies corporate organisa-
tions in emerging markets can adopt to promote people management and
sustainable development include influencing social practice performance,
promoting the emergence or dissolution of social practices, enabling com-
munities of sustainability practices and addressing the socio-economic
consequences of conflicting social practices.
Keywords Green marketing • Social practice • Emerging market •

Sustainable development • People management
Introduction
The drive to expand traditional marketing practices to include environ-
mental considerations and mitigate against unchecked production or con-
sumption became prominent in the 1990s (Katrandjiev, 2016; Polonsky,
1994). While green marketing may be viewed as a business or policy solu-
tion to environmental and sustainability challenges (Amoako et al., 2020),
it is not necessarily compatible with sustainability objectives (Kilbourne,
1998). Polonsky (1994, p. 2) defines green marketing as consisting ‘of all
activities designed to generate and facilitate any exchanges intended to
satisfy human needs or wants, such that the satisfaction of these needs and
wants occurs, with minimal detrimental impact on the natural environ-
ment’. Other definitions additionally incorporate a sustainability dimen-
sion to green marketing by embedding it within a holistic and systemic
view of production, with an open-ended timeframe, a global perspective,
ecological sustainability over (narrow) economic efficiency and a recogni-
tion of the intrinsic value of nature (Kilbourne, 1998). In an emerging
market context, the issue of green marketing is (additionally) complicated
by developmental objectives that also are considered critical to ensuring
social well-being.
To the extent that green marketing influences consumer behaviour, it
provides a tool for business-led (or contributing) solutions to global
grand challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation,
poverty and sustainable development among others (Institute for Human
Rights and Business [IHRB], 2015). Green marketing seeks to redress
informational deficiency that may lead to a divergence of individual
4 GREEN MARKETING AND SOCIAL PRACTICES: MANAGING PEOPLE… 47
decision-maker’s views of social and private benefits. This is especially

important in emerging markets where existing environmental, socio-eco-
nomic and political challenges may undermine sustainability reporting.
Green marketing may provide businesses in emerging markets with a new
marketing strategy that yield higher profits and, at the same time, contrib-
ute to sustainable development efforts (Yee, 2016). This is imperative as
the awareness of the effect of production on environmental sustainability
has grown considerably among consumers in less-developed economies
(Eneizan et al., 2016; Ganda et al., 2015). As a result, corporate organisa-
tions are motivated to develop novel products, services and marketing
strategies that showcase environmental and socio-economic benefits to
consumers. However, green marketing may also enable product differen-
tiation that increases overall production and brand loyalty that reduces
consumer price sensitivity. Moreover, green marketing strategies that tar-
get behavioural change can be limited in implementation because they are
predicated on the assumptions that consumers constantly make conscious
or logical decisions on their needs, purchases and activities (Nicolini &
Monteiro, 2017).
A conventional marketing perspective located in the consumer sover-
eignty perspective of neoclassical economics posits that businesses aim to
satisfy consumer preferences (Galbraith, 1998). Alternatively, marketing
(including green marketing) may be characterised in an institutional eco-
nomics perspective as demand creation (Galbraith, 1998). Demand may
also be created in the neoclassical perspective, by removal of market inef-
ficiency, for example providing consumers with information that correct
existing market failures, but also by shaping consumer preferences in the
tradition of institutional economics, for instance through social norms and
institutions that value sustainability outcomes. This latter perspective may
serve both commercial aims (new products) selectively represented as
more environmentally friendly than they are (Delmas & Burbano, 2011)
and environmental aims by changing the basket of goods (and potentially
volume) that is consumed.
In this regard, a social practice approach goes beyond a marketing/
advertising perspective where the focus is on individual (or global) trends
relating to the consumption of specific items (e.g. the number of people
that consume single-use plastics), to a viewpoint where green marketing
considers the role of specific items in creating, sustaining or changing (un)
sustainable consumption patterns (e.g. single-use plastic in shopping or

food storage). Social practice theory in organisational and consumption
studies propounds that the lives of individuals are organised into social
practices and routines that mostly require less cognitive deliberations
(Nicolini & Monteiro, 2017). Social practices are bundles of activities
accompanied by emotions and aimed at achieving certain goals (Strengers
& Maller, 2014). Social practices range from the reflexive bureaucratic
processes in an organisation to the bundle of mundane tasks such as shop-
ping and cleaning that govern domestic life. Consumers perform certain
social practices given the psychosocial meanings they derive from the
activities including a sense of security, comfortability, identity and social
values among others. To implement green marketing strategies, it is
imperative for corporate organisations in emerging markets to identify the
socio-environmental meanings people attach to the consumption of their
goods or services. Likewise, corporate organisations must understand how
their products fit into the material arrangements that consumers employ
to perform social practices. Lastly, corporate decision-makers need to
assess the level of skills or competence of the people involved in green
marketing processes to adequately perform sustainability practices.
Stemming from the aforementioned, an understanding of green mar-
keting from the lens of social practices provides an alternative marketing
framework for organisations in emerging markets to supplement the ser-
vice marketing mix. The implications of this chapter will be useful for
further research in the field of sustainability marketing and serve as a
decision-making guide for organisations that intend to explore the envi-
ronmental and business benefits of green marketing in less-developed
economies. In the following sections, this chapter explains the meaning of
social practices and discusses its composition of material, meanings and
competence elements. Section two briefly sets out some challenges of
green marketing and sustainable consumption in emerging economies.
Section three reviews the lessons from the application of social practice
theory in organisational studies literature while exploring how social prac-
tices shape the daily activities of individuals. Section four discusses how
corporate organisations in emerging markets can manage people by inter-
vening in and promoting sustainability practices, while Section five con-
cludes the chapter.
Green Marketing, Sustainable Consumption

and Emerging Economies
Green marketing may serve commercial, environmental and sustainability

objectives in emerging markets, including those in Africa (Rao, 2014).
These ends are, however, not necessarily always aligned. While misalign-
ment is a global challenge, it may be particularly acute in emerging econo-
mies and less-developed country settings. For instance, due to the unique
socio-cultural, political and economic volatility of less-developed coun-
tries, organisations in these economies still struggle with embracing and
implementing green marketing strategies with little success (Afande,
2015). Smaller production runs, or more expensive inputs, frequently
increase the price of green products, relative to mass-produced alterna-
tives. This may lead to price sensitivity among consumers and is a barrier
to expanding green production globally, but particularly in countries also
dealing with widespread poverty or low purchasing power (Garg, 2015).
Price sensitivity also leads many companies to conclude that consumers are
unwilling to pay premium prices for green(er) products. This has been
documented in several emerging market studies (Amoako et al., 2020;
Garg, 2015).
Conversely, consumer awareness of environmental and sustainability
challenges provides businesses with a market segment whose sensitivity to
prices may be reduced—as long as the product in question meets, or
appears to meet, wide environmental or sustainable outcomes. The
Dependence Effect (Galbraith, 1958) implies that corporations may use
individuals’ desire to do good, or desire for pro-social action, to extract a
higher willingness to pay (WTP) from some consumers through market
differentiation. This latter phenomenon also relates to issues of green-
washing—an attempt to tap into WTP for pro-social behaviour by empha-
sising (alleged) environmental benefits (Mukherjee & Ghosh, 2014).
Greenwashing is also aggravated by the socio-economic challenges con-
fronting emerging markets including pollution, low level of education,
low technical know-how and political corruption. These sustainability
challenges may make corporate organisations take issues of consumer
rights, consumer protection and environmental safety for granted (Jiboye,
2011; Ndubisi et al., 2016).
Lastly, some emerging economies, including China and India, have
experienced considerable growth of their middle classes (Kharas, 2010).
Increased purchasing power may, in this context, also provide additional
opportunities for green marketing, but middle-class growth is also accom-

panied by increased consumption and consumption expectations (Kharas,
2010). Even in the optimistic scenario that green marketing leads to con-
sumer demand for more environmentally friendly products, the increase in
consumption itself may not be compatible with sustainability objectives
(Kilbourne, 1998).1 These sustainability challenges in emerging markets
show that there is a need for an alternative perspective that reconceptual-
ises consumption and provides an integrated analysis of people manage-
ment, green marketing, sustainable development and social practices.
Theories of Social Practice in Organisational

Studies: Untangling the Bundles
of Day-to-Day Activities
Scholars of organisational and management studies have termed the recent

change of perspectives in the field the ‘practice turn’ (Bresnen, 2007). The
adoption of social practice theory as a middle-range theory is a response to
the ongoing debate in social theory between structural determinism and
individual agency (Bresnen, 2007). Social practice theory focuses neither
on institutional forces nor on individual actions but on the range of activi-
ties that create order and give meaning to social living (Kuijer, 2014).
While there are several conceptual definitions of the concept, Reckwitz’s
(2002, p. 249) widely accepted definition sees social practice as
a routinized type of behaviour which consists of several elements, intercon-

nected to one other: forms of bodily activities, forms of mental activities,
‘things’ and their use, a background knowledge in the form of understand-
ing, know-how, states of emotion and motivational knowledge.
Social practices consist of three interconnected elements of materials,

meanings and competences (Shove et al., 2012). Materials include objects,
stuff, tools, bodies and infrastructures; meanings are social images, rules,
expectations and shared interpretations of cultural conventions and norms;
while competencies are the knowledge and embodied skills required to
perform a social practice (Shove et al., 2012). For instance, a consumer
can perform the social practice of ‘eating’ by making use of disposable
plastic tableware (material) because of their desire for convenience
1
An exemption here is regenerative production.
(meaning) and properly separate the plastic material from general waste
(competence). The dynamic interaction of these elements creates the bun-
dles of doings and sayings that result in socio-economic patterns and for-
mations across social domains (Nicolini & Monteiro, 2017). In an
organisation, the processes of production, management, design, market-
ing and consumer support represent social practice bundles and complexi-
ties (Nicolini & Monteiro, 2017). These organisational formations are
engendered by the technological and material arrangements in work-
places, the socio-economic objectives and aspirations of the organisation
and stakeholders, and the embodied skills of the employees to effectively
complete tasks and activities as shown in Fig. 4.1.
Figure 4.1 depicts green marketing and management as social practice
complexities enabled by the contextual reproduction of organisational
routines and cognitive practices. Green marketing practices are carried by
individuals (managers, employees, consumers, shareholders or policymak-
ers) who embody and perform them. Social practices could recruit indi-
viduals as carriers (not actors) through birth, professional associations,
social groups, fashion trends and other socio-economic and cultural con-
figurations while shaped by personal experience and socialisation (Shove
et al., 2007). In return, these social practices then inform the activities
individuals engage in daily and their life trajectory. For instance, a con-
sumer could purchase bottled water to perform the social practice of
drinking. Another consumer could avoid the purchase of bottled water to
Materials: office equipment, desks and chairs,

production machinery, physical environment,
products, office day-to-day items, physical marketing
materials, human bodies
Competences: knowledge of Meanings: environmental

marketing, green design, sustainability, protection of
sustainable production, green stakeholders’ sustainability
value-chain, market dynamics; interest, profit maximisation,
embodied green skills, green employee and customer
advertising, sustainable office satisfaction, competitive
operations sustainability strategy
Fig. 4.1 Elements of green marketing and management as bundles of social

practices. (Adapted from Shove et al., 2012, p. 29)
express the social value of environmental sustainability. Each instance of

(non-)consumption involves the contextual performance of social prac-
tices that interact or compete for carriers. Therefore, organisations need to
understand the social practices an individual or a group perform to answer
the why, how and when of socio-economic patterns and develop effective
green marketing strategies.
Green Marketing in Emerging Markets: Managing

People by Intervening in Social Practices
Organisations in emerging markets must understand and influence the
contextual social practices that give rise to administrative processes, mar-
keting, production and consumption. An effective green marketing prac-
tice starts with the recognition and management of people as carriers of
social practices. Rather than an attempt to influence people’s attitudes or
beliefs, organisations can start to consolidate or reconfigure the dynamics
of the social practices in which people participate. As an adaptation from
Nicolini and Monteiro’s (2017) proposed research strategies, organisa-
tions can promote green marketing and sustainability practices in the fol-
lowing ways (Fig. 4.2): changing the performance of existing social
practices, influencing the emergence or dissolution of social practices,
forming or facilitating communities of sustainable practices, and address-
ing the socio-economic consequences produced by conflicting social
practices.
First, organisations in emerging markets can manage people by recon-
stituting the socio-material arrangements of administrative, production
and market practices. An organisation’s green people management effort
should start with the greening of organisational processes. Sustainability
practices within an organisation include the prioritisation of environmen-
tal safety, green resource use, sustainable supply, socially responsible part-
nership, sustainable leadership and value-oriented production. As Fig. 4.1
shows, since social practices are composed of materials, meanings and
competences, a change in each of these elements may sustainably reconfig-
ure the practices, thus influencing people’s activities. For instance, an
organisation can replace old office equipment with energy-saving tech-
nologies that reduce the carbon footprint of the employees. Also, an
organisation can promote the sustainable performance of administrative
tasks by improving the embodied skills of employees in using online tools
• People • Green
Management Marketing
Emergence /
Social practice
Dissolution of
performance
social practices
Social
Communities consequences
of sustainable of conflicting
practices social
practices
• Sustainabile • Social
Development Practices
Fig. 4.2 An interplay of green marketing, sustainability, people management and

social practices
for collaboration rather than paper files. On the other hand, companies
can remotely influence the reconfiguration of consumers’ social practices
through green design and processes. Examples of this include the use of
clear packaging to encourage the purchase of fresh products and the use of
recycled materials as production inputs.
Second, as a green marketing effort, organisations in less-developed
economies can facilitate the emergence of new sustainable practices or the
dissolution of unsustainable practices. Engendering new social practices
entails the introduction of new material arrangements with embodied
skills and organised around some social expectations or images. An inter-
esting example relates to the Cool Biz innovation by the Japanese govern-
ment in 2005 (Shove, 2012). To change the unsustainable energy use of
cooling technologies in the workplace, the government introduced the
wearing of comfortable and loose clothing to work instead of suits and ties
(Shove, 2012). Government agencies such as the Environment Ministry
then championed the promotion of such work dressing practices through

various promotions including fashion shows (Shove, 2012). Although
with arguable results, the United Nations, China and Bangladesh have
identified lessons from the case study on not just how new practices could
be promoted among the workforce but also how existing unsustainable
practices could be disrupted (Shove, 2012). By partnering with policy-
makers, non-governmental organisations and other sustainability stake-
holders, corporate organisations can be the driving force behind the
adoption of new sustainability practices by providing enabling platforms
for new material arrangements to thrive. For instance, some producers of
fast-moving consumer goods in Nigeria partner with social enterprises
that directly collect plastic waste from households through funding, pur-
chase of recycled input materials and other social projects (Akanle &
Shittu, 2018). This not only diverts plastic waste away from dumpsites but
also encourages consumers to separate their plastic waste, deposit it to
recyclers and get some financial reward from such activities (Akanle &
Shittu, 2018). By changing the spatiotemporal arrangements of plastic
disposal and recycling, such partnerships may enable the adoption of new
sustainable practices by consumers.
A third way that organisations in emerging markets can manage people
to promote green marketing is through the formation or facilitation of
communities of sustainable practices. Social practices connote bundles of
activities that are shared among individuals accompanied with meanings
that are societally agreed upon and skills that are transferred. This means
that the formation of individuals who perform similar sustainability prac-
tices could facilitate the recruitment of others into such social practices.
Organisations can support groups involved in workplace sustainability,
bike sharing, community sanitation, garden or health, among others. The
collaboration of corporate organisations with workplace associations, local
sustainability groups and social enterprises could create a feedback loop
for businesses to develop a better workplace environment and product or
service. Examples of existing communities of sustainability practices in
Africa include AWA Bike in Nigeria, Green Africa Youth Organisation,
Friends of the Earth International and African Impact, among others.
Lastly, doing green marketing from a practice perspective could mean
resolving the social inequalities or injustices that arise from the way social
practice complexities conflict, compete and interfere with one another.
These include environmental degradation, poverty, lack of access to basic
amenities and social discrimination. The social problems could be a direct
result of organisational or industry practices or other societal tensions. For

instance, some corporations formed the Food and Beverage Recycling
Alliance (FBRA) in Nigeria to implement the country’s extended pro-
ducer responsibility (EPR) policy. FBRA’s activities include environmental
sanitation, policy consultation, recycling facilitation, school outreach and
community education.
Concluding Remarks
This chapter examines the implementation of green marketing by organ-
isations in emerging markets from a social practice perspective. Practice
theory has been proposed as an alternative to the dominant or market
theories in marketing and organisational studies that emphasise individual
attitudes, choices and behaviours. To maximise the socio-economic and
environmental benefits of green marketing, the chapter suggests that cor-
porations in less-developed economies could focus on how their products
or services influence the socio-material arrangements of social practices.
The chapter further identifies practical strategies that could assist organisa-
tions in emerging markets to promote people management, green market-
ing and sustainable development through social practices. These include
changing the performance of existing social practices, influencing the
emergence or dissolution of social practices, forming or facilitating com-
munities of sustainable practices and addressing the socio-economic con-
sequences produced by conflicting social practices.
References
Afande, F. O. (2015). Extent of adoption of green marketing strategies by the
Kenya tea firms. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Research, 11, 132–153.
Akanle, O., & Shittu, O. S. (2018). Value chain actors and recycled polymer prod-
ucts in Lagos metropolis: Towards ensuring sustainable development in Africa’s
megacity. Resources, 7(3), 55.
Amoako, G. K., Dzogbenuku, G. K., Doe, J., & Adjaison, G. K. (2020). Green
marketing and the SDGs: Emerging market perspective. Marketing Intelligence
and Planning (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-11-2018-
0543.
Bresnen, M. (2007). The ‘practice turn’ in organisational studies and construction
management research. In CME 25 Conference: Construction Management and
Economics, Past, Present and Future (pp. 1747–1756).
Delmas, M. A., & Burbano, V. C. (2011). The drivers of greenwashing. California
Management Review, 54(1), 64–87.
Eneizan, B. M., Abdul Wahab, K., Zainon, M. S., & Obaid, T. F. (2016). Effects
of green marketing strategies on sales volume of green cars. Singaporean
Journal of Business Economics, 5(3), 41–54.
Galbraith, J. K. (1958). The Affluent Society. Published in French as L’ère de
l’opulence. Gallimard.
Galbraith, J. K. (1998). The affluent society fortieth anniversary edition. Houghton
Mifflin Company.
Ganda, F., Ngwakwe, C. C., & Ambe, C. M. (2015). Profitability as a factor that
spurs corporate green investment practices in Johannesburg stock exchange
(JSE) listed firms. Managing Global Transitions, 13(3), 231–252.
Garg, A. (2015). Green marketing for sustainable development: An industry per-
spective. Sustainable Development, 23, 301–316.
Institute for Human Rights and Business [IHRB]. (2015). Business and the
Sustainable Development Goals: Mind the gap—Challenges for implementa-
tion. State of Play, 4. https://www.ihrb.org/pdf/state-of-play/Business-and-
the-SDGs.pdf
Jiboye, A. D. (2011). Sustainable urbanization: Issues and challenges for effective
urban governance in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(6), 211–224.
Katrandjiev, H. (2016). Green marketing, sustainable marketing: Synonyms or an
evolution of ideas? Economic Alternatives, 1, 71–82.
Kharas, H. (2010). The emerging middle class in developing countries. Working
Paper No 285, OECD Development Centre, OECD.
Kilbourne, W. E. (1998). Green marketing: A theoretical perspective. Journal of
Marketing Management, 14(6), 641–655.
Kuijer, L. (2014). Implications of Social practice theory for sustainable design. PhD
thesis, Delft University of Technology. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/
Lenneke_Kuijer/publication/266247132_Implications_of_Social_Practice_
Theor y_for_Sustainable_Design/links/55d355a008ae0a341722651e/
Implications-of-Social-Practice-Theory-for-Sustainable-Design.pdf
Mukherjee, R., & Ghosh, I. (2014). Greenwashing in India: A darker side of green
marketing. The International Journal of Business & Management, 2(1), 6–10.
Ndubisi, E. C., Anyanwu, A. V., & Nwakwo, C. (2016). Protecting the Nigerian
consumer: An expository examination of the role of consumer protection
council. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 6(4), 1–7.
Nicolini, D., & Monteiro, P. (2017). The practice approach: For a praxeology of
organisational and management studies. In A. Langley & H. Tsoukas (Eds.),
The Sage handbook of process organization studies (pp. 110–126). Sage.
Polonsky, M. J. (1994). An introduction to green marketing. Electronic Green
Journal, 1(2), 1–10.
Rao, S. V. (2014). Green marketing and its impact on sustainable development.
International Journal of Innovative Technology & Adaptive Management
(IJITAM), 1(5), 39–45.
Reckwitz, A. (2002). Toward a theory of social practices: A development in cultur-
alist theorizing. European Journal of Social Theory, 5(2), 243–263.
Shove, E. (2012). Energy transitions in practice: The case of global indoor climate
change. In G. Verbong & D. Loorbach (Eds.), Governing the energy transition:
Reality, illusion or necessity? (pp. 51–74). Routledge.
Shove, E., Pantzar, M., & Watson, M. (2012). Making and breaking links. In
E. Shove, M. Pantzar, & M. Watson (Eds.), The dynamics of social practice:
Everyday life and how it changes (pp. 21–42). SAGE Publications Ltd.
Shove, E., Watson, M., Hand, M., & Ingram, J. (2007). The design of everyday
life. Berg.
Strengers, Y., & Maller, C. (2014). Social practices, intervention and sustainability:
Beyond behaviour change. Routledge.
Yee, H. P. (2016). Green marketing practice and its effect on small and medium
enterprises performance. Bachelor thesis, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
http://digitalcollection.utem.edu.my/18680/1/Green%20Marketing%20
Practice%20And%20Its%20Effect%20On%20Small%20And%20Media%20
Enterprises%20Performance.pdf
CHAPTER 5
Driving Green Marketing in Emerging

Markets Through Green Leadership
Godbless Akaighe and Samuel Okon
Abstract Despite the numerous benefits of green marketing to firms,

consumers, and society, the implementation of green marketing in emerg-
ing markets characterised by high food consumption, greenhouse gas
emission, huge markets, market volatility, and environmental pollution
increases the desire for more. This is further compounded by a shocking
absence of critical engagement on the role of green leadership in the
implementation of green marketing in the context of emerging markets.
In this chapter, we examined the concept of green marketing, green
behaviour, and how to develop green leadership practice leaning on insti-
tutional theory and stakeholders’ theory. We highlight some challenges of
green marketing implementation in emerging markets bordering on
organisational leadership and the failure of corporate governance. Our
G. Akaighe (*)
Institute of Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School,
Sheffield, UK
e-mail: goakaighe1@sheffield.ac.uk
S. Okon
Department of Business Administration, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Switzerland AG 2021
60 G. AKAIGHE AND S. OKON
recommendations suggest the need for green transformational leadership

and striking a balance between the twin objectives of profitability and sus-
tainability as well as the need for concerted efforts by stakeholders in the
implementation of green marketing in emerging markets.
Keywords Green marketing • Green leadership • Green behaviour •

Sustainability • Emerging markets
Introduction
With a growing world population and the mass production and marketing
of goods to satisfy the needs of consumers all over the world, scholars and
practitioners have acknowledged the need for green marketing and man-
agement (e.g., Nguyen et al., 2019; Szabo & Webster, 2020). Green mar-
keting is defined as the “holistic management process responsible for
identifying, anticipating, and satisfying the needs of customers and the
society, in a profitable and sustainable way” (Peattie & Charter, 2003,
p. 727). The issue of sustainability in the production, marketing, and
management by economic actors (e.g., producers and marketers) is central
to green marketing practices. Similarly, green marketing by organisations
influences consumers’ behavioural intentions (Chang et al., 2019).
Research has shown that firms are becoming more aware of green mar-
keting and taking steps to apply green marketing strategies to position
themselves favourably in the minds of environmentally conscious consum-
ers and gain a competitive advantage (e.g., Han et al., 2019; Szabo &
Webster, 2020). For example, between 2009 and 2010, the number of
greener products has increased by 73 per cent in the United States of
America (TerraChoice, 2010). However, this cannot be said about many
emerging economies, in terms of their progress in green marketing adop-
tion and implementation. Emerging markets are characterised by high
food consumption, greenhouse emission, water scarcity, and pollution,
which have a significant impact on the environment, individual and public
health, and well-being (Nguyen et al., 2019).
Recognising the issues around green marketing, the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include goal #12 which is to
“ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. To this end,
the need to adopt green marketing by organisations is not in doubt. Two
questions addressed in this chapter are as follows: what are the challenges
5 DRIVING GREEN MARKETING IN EMERGING MARKETS THROUGH GREEN… 61
to a successful implementation of green marketing and what is the role of

green leadership in this process? This chapter contributes to the existing
literature on green marketing and management by exploring the role of
green leadership in driving green marketing. Green leadership is defined as
the processes through which organisational leaders influence their follow-
ers to achieve the environmental objectives of the organisation (Huxham
& Vangen, 2000; Tan et al., 2015). The rest of this chapter is organised as
follows. The next section presents a conceptual review of green marketing,
approaches to green marketing, and green behaviour. Next, we discuss
challenges associated with implementing green marketing in organisa-
tions. This chapter concludes with recommendations on the implementa-
tion of green marketing.
Green Marketing, Approaches to Green Marketing,

and Green Behaviour
Green marketing involves marketers’ attempt to adopt strategies for pro-

ducing and distributing environmentally friendly products to consumers
(McDaniel & Rylander, 1993). In other words, it is the process of inte-
grating environmental issues into the strategic management process of
organisations, involving planning, organising, producing, and satisfying
customers’ needs in an environmentally sustainable way (Peattie &
Charter, 2003). Green marketing requires a proper understanding of pub-
lic policy processes and managerial strategies, in addition to utilising the
traditional marketing mix of product, place, price, and promotion, also
known as the 4Ps (Prakash, 2002).
Green marketing was born out of the concern by business stakeholders
on the need to preserve the environment such that the objectives of satis-
fying customers’ wants profitably are not achieved to the detriment of the
long-run best interest of the society and environment (Bell & Emory,
1971). These concerns align with the societal marketing concept or orien-
tation (Kotler, 1972) which is the view that marketing has a greater social
responsibility than just satisfying customers’ want or needs at a profit
(Gaski, 1985) and that marketers should “build societal and ethical con-
siderations into their marketing practices” (Kotler, 2000 p. 25). Research
has shown that businesses can be profitable and socially responsible at the
same time (see Abratt & Sacks, 1988; Yin, 2017).
Approaches to Green Marketing

There are two basic approaches to green marketing: namely, defensive and
assertive. The defensive approach to green marketing involves organisa-
tions implementing minimum actions in a bid to avoid negative conse-
quences such as government fines, penalties, product failure, bad publicity,
or consumer boycott. The assertive approach, on the other hand, includes
measures taken by organisations that reflect doing more than is required
by consumers or the government (McDaniel & Rylander, 1993). In other
words, the assertive approach to green marketing is a sustainable competi-
tive strategy that positions an organisation for competitive advantage. This
approach is a proactive way of responding to the market, rather than to the
regulations. It implies that organisations act in the demands of the market
in a strategic, sustainable, and profitable way and not a reactive way to
government regulations or complaints by environmentally oriented con-
sumers (McDaniel & Rylander, 1993; Niva & Timonen, 2001;
Wells, 1990).
Green Behaviour
In organisation and management literature, green behaviour is described
as individual behaviour that is consistent with environmental sustainabil-
ity, while activities that promote environmental sustainability in organisa-
tions are referred to as green organisational practices (see Kim et al., 2017
for a review in this domain). Green behaviour, therefore, can be a volun-
tary behaviour or an organisational practice involving the influence of
leaders in an organisation. For example, in response to the growing con-
cerns of environmental degradation and climate change issues, scholars
have studied voluntary green behaviour and antecedents of voluntary
green behaviour in organisations (see Andersson et al., 2013; Kim et al.,
2019). Advancing the argument beyond voluntary green behaviour, which
is discretionary behaviour, there is a need for organisations to have green
practices towards achieving green marketing and management. This pro-
cess, therefore, involves green leadership, described as leaders’ strategies
and influences on their followers to achieve the environmental objectives
of the organisation (Tan et al., 2015).
Generally, leaders influence followers’ actions, attitudes, and behav-
iours (Bass, 1985). In the context of green behaviour, leaders can be influ-
ential referents for driving green behaviour in work settings because
leaders are role models and they transmit their values to organisational
members or their followers (Kim et al., 2019; Yaffe & Kark, 2011).
Leaders’ voluntary green behaviour implies their concern for environmen-
tal sustainability and that encourages followers to elicit green behaviour
(Kim et al., 2019). Research has shown that green transformational lead-
ership influences employee green behaviour (Wang et al., 2018), where
green transformational leadership is defined as a leader exhibiting transfor-
mational leadership that encourages followers to engage in pro-
environmental behaviours (Mittal & Dhar, 2016).
Green Leadership Development and Practice

Green leadership is described as environmental excellence in the internal
operations, products, services, and community support of an organisation
(Gole, 2012). Green leadership involves the deliberate creation and devel-
opment of sustainable policies and practices by organisations to ensure
continued profit for themselves as well as environmental safety for the
society (Boyd et al., 2017; Gole, 2012).
From a theoretical lens, the institutional theory helps to explain how
organisations can develop green leadership. Institutional theory (Meyer &
Rowan, 1977) argues that organisations that conform to institutional
rules to maintain legitimacy, compete favourably in the environment, gain
resources and stability, and increase their chances of survival. The core of
institutional theory assumes that businesses have the internal and external
environment, that is, internal and external stakeholders, which aligns with
the stakeholders’ theory (Freeman, 1984). Stakeholders are divided into
internal stakeholders, those who are involved in the internal operations
and decision-making process of a firm (e.g., owners, employees, suppliers,
and managers), and external stakeholders, those who are affected by the
internal operations and decision-making of a firm (e.g., customers, local
community, government, and the general public) (Atkin & Skitmore,
2008; Freeman, 1984). Institutional theory and stakeholders’ theory have
been widely used in explaining the social structure, macro organisational
issues, and ecological responsiveness (Colwell & Joshi, 2013; Peters,
2019; Scott, 1987). Applying the theories to green leadership, we argue
that if organisations understand institutional rules of maintaining a safe
environment while satisfying internal and external stakeholders, green
leadership practice will be strengthened in the production and marketing
value chain.
To develop green leadership, there is a need for concerted and inte-

grated approaches by organisational leaders to incorporate long-term
environmental and societal risk analysis into their business processes,
rather than a short-term returns mindset as a measure of economic health
(Gole, 2012). For leaders to become green leaders, there is a need for a
long-term vision that is pro-environmental, the development of sustain-
able practices that support green marketing and management, and a mind-
set of green behaviour and practice throughout the organisation. For
example, practicing green procurement, and environmental chain man-
agement, developing green behaviour relevant vision that employees can
relate with, understanding employees’ needs, abilities, and motivations to
contribute to green ideas for the future, and promoting green creativity by
employees (Li et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2018).
In recognition of the critical role of green leadership to drive green
marketing, it is important to examine some of the factors militating against
green marketing implementation in the context of emerging markets. The
next section discusses the challenges of implementing green marketing.
Challenges in Implementing Green Marketing

in Emerging Markets
Emerging markets, also known as emerging economies, are those coun-

tries that are in the process of becoming developing countries, through
increased production, development of regulatory exchanges, and free and
sophisticated markets. The term emerging market economy was first used
by Antione Van in 1981 to describe countries with lower per capita income
than developed countries.1 Generally, emerging markets are characterised
by socio-political instability, market volatility, and traditional economies
like agriculture or natural resources and are often vulnerable to swings in
commodities and other currencies like the US dollar (Barry et al., 1998).
However, they have high growth and investment potentials, for example,
Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Vietnam, India, and China.2
1
https://www.thestreet.com/markets/emerging-markets/what-are-emerging-
markets-14819803.
2
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/emerging-
markets/.
There are challenges associated with implementing green marketing in

emerging markets which are not unconnected with the challenges of green
leadership. Some of the challenges are discussed below:
Low awareness level of green marketing: Despite the growth of green
marketing concept and practices and its impact on the global market and
environment (Iravania et al., 2012), there is a little or no awareness lead-
ing to a low pace of green marketing implementation in emerging mar-
kets. For example, research in South Africa shows that the level of
awareness and practice of green marketing in the small and medium-scale
enterprises (SMEs) of the manufacturing sector is low, coupled with a
dearth of skilled marketing personnel (Lekhanya, 2014). This challenge is
further exacerbated by a low level of awareness of the green leadership
concept and practice. In emerging markets, the level of exposure to knowl-
edge and expertise to drive critical engagement and practice of green mar-
keting is low (Hessels & Kemna, 2008). For example, the practice of green
marketing and eco-innovation in the manufacturing SMEs sector of Brazil
is still new (de Jesus Pacheco et al., 2018). This shows the low awareness
level of green marketing in emerging markets.
Low commitment to green marketing and green leadership: A major
challenge of green marketing in emerging markets is low levels of commit-
ment by organisational leaders and marketing stakeholders. The lack of
commitment to act by marketers beyond the defensive approach (to avoid
regulatory sanctions) is a major concern. Research shows that emerging
markets in developed countries lag in areas of environmental stewardship
(Jayanti & Gowda, 2014). For example, countries like India and Nigeria
have irregular power supply and rely on power generating sets for indus-
trial production and marketing, thereby increasing carbon emissions which
negatively affect the ozone layer (global warming; Giwa et al., 2019;
Jayanti & Gowda, 2014). The lack of commitment to green marketing
and green leadership by organisations and governments of emerging econ-
omies is a major challenge to green marketing implementation.
Lack of green transformational leadership: Leaders’ environmentally
specific transformational leadership and pro-environmental behaviours
(Robertson & Barling, 2013) to drive green marketing implementation in
emerging markets have been lacking. Since a leader potentially influences
followers with the right attitude to achieve organisational and societal
goals (Bass, 1985), it is safe to argue that the low level of green marketing
practice in emerging economies is a manifestation of the lack of green
transformational leaders. Green transformation leaders are critical to
driving the process of environmental sustainability and pro-environmental

behaviours in the marketing value chain. There is a dearth of research
regarding the area of greener transformational leadership (Wang et al.,
2018) which can potentially drive policy initiatives and practice in organ-
isations especially in emerging markets. For example, research shows that
a greener transformational leader can help followers improve their con-
cerns about the environment (Robertson & Barling, 2013; Wang et al.,
2018). This dearth in research and practice of green transformational
leadership is a major challenge affecting the implementation of green mar-
keting in emerging markets.
Quest for improving bottom line to the detriment of the environment:
Driving green marketing requires huge investment, for example, buying
state-of-the-art equipment and engaging in pro-environmental marketing
policies and practices. However, not all marketers in emerging economies
are willing and able to afford the associated cost of green marketing. They
invest in environmentally harmful infrastructure and engage in less expen-
sive marketing activities to improve their bottom line (profits). This is
further exacerbated by a poor understanding that investment in green
marketing will reduce their profitability. For example, research shows that
only about 30 per cent of organisations in Nigeria are environmentally
friendly due to the high cost of green marketing (Iweama, 2014). Similarly,
the petroleum industry in Nigeria has a record of underfunding of envi-
ronmentally friendly infrastructure, with high cases of environmental deg-
radation, oil spilling, and gas flaring in the Niger Delta region (Oluwasanmi
& Ogunro, 2018). The social irresponsibility of firms is evident in their
activities of refining, marketing, and retailing of petroleum products which
have done irreparable damage to the environment as marketers are more
interested in making profits to the detriment of the environment (George
et al., 2016; Oluwasanmi & Ogunro, 2018). The problem of underfund-
ing of green marketing activities by marketers can be linked to a mindset
that profit must be made to the detriment of the environment. This is also
a result of weak green leadership demonstrated by a lack of pro-
environmental vision and profit-driven mindset to the detriment of green
leadership and practice.
Government failure: The responsibility for green marketing is as much
government responsibility as it is an organisational responsibility. The fail-
ure of government and other stakeholders (e.g., community leaders, mar-
keting boards, trade unions, and consumers) to put forward policies and
insist and enforce pro-environmental practices in emerging economies is a
major challenge to green marketing implementation. In some markets, for

example, in Nigeria, there is systemic corruption perpetrated by govern-
ment officials in collaboration with multinational companies to look the
other way rather than enforcing green marketing practices (George et al.,
2016). Weak institutions, weak policy formulation, regulations, and imple-
mentation at the political level are manifestations of leadership failure at
the political level which trickles down to the failure of organisational lead-
ership to implement green marketing practices. In emerging markets, for
example, in the Nigerian oil and gas and cement industry, there is govern-
ment failure, poor corporate environmental accountability which has left
serious consequences for the environment; hence, firms are not inclined to
engage in environmentally friendly ways in their production and market-
ing activities (Noah et al., 2020).
Recommendations
The following are recommendations that should help drive green market-
ing in emerging markets through green leadership.
1. Creating more awareness of green marketing: With the importance

of green marketing globally, there is a fundamental need to create more
awareness of green marketing practices in emerging markets. As firms
are recognising the importance of green marketing in emerging mar-
kets, there is a need to ramp up the awareness and practice of green
marketing, to bring about more positive changes to firms, consumers,
and the environment. The emerging green markets have the potential
to bring many opportunities in different fields, for example, increasing
green entrepreneurship, green leadership and sustainable development,
and higher economic growth in emerging economies. Increased aware-
ness of green marketing will also help emerging markets compete
favourably in the global market through their product offerings.
2. Greater commitment to green marketing: Emerging markets need
to understand that driving green marketing requires continuous and
sustained efforts. Therefore, there is a need for increased individual and
aggregate efforts towards green marketing by marketers. The commit-
ment to green marketing should go beyond a defensive approach of
avoiding sanctions by regulators or face-saving measures in the eyes of
consumers, to proactive steps that are sustainable for consumers and
society. To achieve greater commitment to green marketing, organisa-
tions should incorporate green marketing into their marketing strategy.

For example, one way to integrate green marketing into organisational
strategy is to adopt the four dimensions of green marketing pro-
grammes by Leonidou et al. (2013) as a corporate strategy, which are
green product, green pricing, green distribution, and green promotion
programmes. This “greening” of the marketing mix will enhance the
level of commitment to green marketing by organisations and increase
the practice of green marketing in emerging markets.
3. Improving green transformational leadership: To drive green mar-
keting and green leadership in emerging markets, there is a dire need
for investment in green transformational leadership. The improvement
of green leadership can be achieved by organisations investing in green
leadership training and workshops. In addition, managers of organisa-
tions should reward green behaviour both in the organisation (e.g., a
reward programme for employees who demonstrate green behaviour)
and in the marketing value chain, such as discounts and coupons for
distributors and consumers, who engage in green behaviour in the dis-
tribution and consumption of products. This will help increase the
practices of green behaviour and green marketing in emerging markets.
. Balancing organisational goals of profitability and sustainability:
4
The objective of business profitability is not mutually exclusive to envi-
ronmental sustainability. While some of the infrastructure and pro-
grammes of green marketing might require more funding in the short
run, the long-term effects will yield better quality product offerings,
increased customer base, environmentally friendly practices, higher
profitability, and societal well-being. The balancing of these twin objec-
tives is recommended for marketers seeking to improve the practice of
green marketing.
. Government policy and corporate governance: To drive green mar-
5
keting in emerging markets, we recommend strong institutions, regu-
lations, and responsibility by stakeholders, to the practice of green
marketing. The government should enact laws that protect consumers
and the environment and shun corrupt actions that aid and abate
unethical practices and corporate social irresponsibility by organisations.
Similarly, other stakeholders should understand their roles in promot-
ing green marketing, for example, consumers should patronise only
organisations that produce and market green products. Through their
purchasing behaviour, consumers can persuade organisations to engage
in green marketing.
Conclusion
The knowledge and practice of green marketing are still developing in
emerging markets as firms tend to prioritise profitability over sustainabil-
ity. This chapter has examined the concept of green marketing, green
behaviour, and green leadership in the context of emerging markets. We
discussed green leadership development and practice, drawing from insti-
tutional theory and stakeholder theory. The chapter articulated some of
the challenges of green marketing and green leadership implementations
mostly at the micro level while highlighting government failure and other
stakeholders in demanding and enforcing green marketing practices.
Based on the identified challenges, we recommended actions that organ-
isations can take towards driving green marketing in emerging markets
including the need for greater awareness, increased commitment to green
marketing, and investment in green transformational leadership that can
drive green behaviour in organisations and throughout the marketing
value chain.
References
Abratt, R., & Sacks, D. (1988). The marketing challenge: Towards being profit-
able and socially responsible. Journal of Business Ethics, 7(7), 497–507.
Andersson, L., Jackson, S. E., & Russell, S. V. (2013). Greening organizational
behavior: An introduction to the special issue. Journal of Organisational
Behavior, 34(2), 151–155.
Atkin, B., & Skitmore, M. (2008). Stakeholder management in construction.
Construction Management and Economics, 26(6), 549–552.
Barry, C. B., Peavy, J. W., Jr., & Rodriguez, M. (1998). Performance characteris-
tics of emerging capital markets. Financial Analysts Journal, 54(1), 72–80.
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press.
Bell, M. L., & Emory, C. W. (1971). The faltering marketing concept. Journal of
Marketing, 35(4), 37–42.
Boyd, B., Henning, N., Reyna, E., Wang, D., Welch, M., & Hoffman, A. J. (2017).
Hybrid organisations: New business models for environmental leadership.
Routledge.
Chang, K. C., Hsu, C. L., Hsu, Y. T., & Chen, M. C. (2019). How green market-
ing, perceived motives, and incentives influence behavioral intentions. Journal
of Retailing and Consumer Services, 49, 336–345.
Colwell, S. R., & Joshi, A. W. (2013). Corporate ecological responsiveness:
Antecedent effects of institutional pressure and top management commitment
and their impact on organisational performance. Business Strategy and the

Environment, 22(2), 73–91.
de Jesus Pacheco, D. A., ten Caten, C. S., Jung, C. F., Navas, H. V. G., & Cruz-
Machado, V. A. (2018). Eco-innovation determinants in manufacturing SMEs
from emerging markets: Systematic literature review and challenges. Journal of
Engineering and Technology Management, 48, 44–63.
Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Pitman.
Gaski, J. F. (1985). Dangerous territory: The societal marketing concept revisited.
Business Horizons, 28(4), 42–47.
George, O. J., Uche, C. B. N., & Akaighe, G. O. (2016). Environmental pollu-
tion, corporate social irresponsibility (CSI), and the Niger Delta crisis. Nigerian
Journal of Management Studies, 17(1), 241–251.
Giwa, S. O., Nwaokocha, C. N., & Adeyemi, H. O. (2019). Noise and emission
characterization of off-grid diesel-powered generators in Nigeria. Management
of Environmental Quality, 3(4), 783–802.
Gole, P. (2012). Green leadership: Ways of practicing it. 2nd International
Conference on Computer and Software Modeling. Singapore: IACSIT Press.
http://www.ipcsit.com/vol54/018-ICCSM2012-S2008.pdf
Han, M., Lin, H., Wang, J., Wang, Y., & Jiang, W. (2019). Turning corporate
environmental ethics into firm performance: The role of green marketing pro-
grams. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(6), 929–938.
Hessels, J., & Kemna, M. (2008). Internationalization of European SMEs towards
emerging markets. Scientific Analysis of Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from
http://ondernemerschap.panteia.nl/pdf-ez/h200817.pdf
Huxham, C., & Vangen, S. (2000). Leadership in the shaping and implementation
of collaboration agendas: How things happen in a (not quite) joined-up world.
Academy of Management Journal, 43(6), 1159–1175.
Iravania, M. R., Zadehb, M. S., Foroziac, A., Shafaruddind, N., & Mahroeiane,
H. (2012). Study of factors affecting young consumers to choose green prod-
ucts. Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research, 2(6), 5534–5544.
Iweama, V. O. (2014). Implications of green marketing for a developing economy.
Journal of Pristine, 9(1), 1–12.
Jayanti, R. K., & Gowda, M. R. (2014). Sustainability dilemmas in emerging
economies. IIMB Management Review, 26(2), 130–142.
Kim, A., Kim, Y., & Han, K. (2019). A cross-level investigation on the linkage
between job satisfaction and voluntary workplace green behavior. Journal of
Kim, A., Kim, Y., Han, K., Jackson, S. E., & Ployhart, R. E. (2017). Multilevel
influences on voluntary workplace green behavior: Individual differences,
leader behavior, and coworker advocacy. Journal of Management, 43(5),
1335–1358.
Kotler, P. (1972). What consumerism means for marketers. Harvard Business

Review, 50, 48–57.
Kotler, P. (2000). Marketing management, millennium edition. Marketing
Management, 23(6), 188–193.
Lekhanya, L. M. (2014). The level of awareness of green marketing and its mana-
gerial implications amongst selected south African manufacturing small,
medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in KwaZulu–Natal. Journal of
Economics and Behavioral Studies, 6(8), 625–635.
Leonidou, C. N., Katsikeas, C. S., & Morgan, N. A. (2013). “Greening” the mar-
keting mix: Do firms do it and does it pay off? Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 41(2), 151–170.
Li, W., Bhutto, T. A., Xuhui, W., Maitlo, Q., Zafar, A. U., & Bhutto, N. A. (2020).
Unlocking employees’ green creativity: The effects of green transformational
leadership, green intrinsic, and extrinsic motivation. Journal of Cleaner
McDaniel, S. W., & Rylander, D. H. (1993). Strategic green marketing. Journal
of Consumer Marketing, 10(3), 4–10.
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organisations: Formal struc-
ture as myth and ceremony. American Journal of Sociology, 83(2), 340–363.
Mittal, S., & Dhar, R. L. (2016). Effect of green transformational leadership on
green creativity: A study of tourist hotels. Tourism Management, 57, 118–127.
Nguyen, H. V., Nguyen, N., Nguyen, B. K., Lobo, A., & Vu, P. A. (2019).
Organic food purchases in an emerging market: The influence of consumers’
personal factors and green marketing practices of food stores. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(6), 1037–1053.
Niva, M., & Timonen, P. (2001). The role of consumers in product-oriented envi-
ronmental policy: Can the consumer be the driving force for environmental
improvements? International Journal of Consumer Studies, 25(4), 331–338.
Noah, A. O., Adhikari, P., Ogundele, B. O., & Yazdifar, H. (2020). Corporate
environmental accountability in Nigeria: An example of regulatory failure and
regulatory capture. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies. Retrieved
November 18, 2020, from http://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/57853/
Oluwasanmi, O. O., & Ogunro, V. O. (2018). Green marketing, green consumer-
ism, and environmental sustainability in the Nigerian petroleum industry: An
overview. Joseph Ayo Babalola University International Journal of Social and
Management Sciences, 6(1), 228–242.
Peattie, K., & Charter, M. (2003). Green marketing. The Marketing Book,
5, 726–755.
Peters, B. G. (2019). Institutional theory in political science: The new institutional-
ism. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Prakash, A. (2002). Green marketing, public policy, and managerial strategies.
Business Strategy and the Environment, 11(5), 285–297.
Robertson, J. L., & Barling, J. (2013). Greening organisations through leaders’

influence on employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. Journal of Organisational
Behavior, 34(2), 176–194.
Scott, W. R. (1987). The adolescence of institutional theory. Administrative
Science Quarterly, 32(4), 493–511.
Szabo, S., & Webster, J. (2020). Perceived greenwashing: The effects of green
marketing on environmental and product perceptions. Journal of Business
Ethics, 1, 1–21.
Tan, B., Pan, S. L., & Zuo, M. (2015). Harnessing collective IT resources for
sustainability: Insights from the green leadership strategy of China mobile.
Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 66(4), 818–838.
TerraChoice. (2010). The sins of greenwashing, home, and family edition. Retrieved
October 22, 2020, from https://sinsofgreenwashing.com/
Wang, X., Zhou, K., & Liu, W. (2018). Value congruence: A study of green trans-
formational leadership and employee green behavior. Frontiers in Psychology,
9(1946), 1–8.
Wells, R. P. (1990, March 19). Environmental performance will count in the
1990s, Marketing News, p. 22.
Yaffe, T., & Kark, R. (2011). Leading by example: The case of leader OCB. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 806–826.
Yin, J. (2017). Institutional drivers for corporate social responsibility in an emerg-
ing economy: A mixed-method study of Chinese business executives. Business
& Society, 56(5), 672–704.
CHAPTER 6
Green Leadership Approaches

and Motivations for Green Practice
Implementation Among Marketing Firms
in China
Helen Song-Turner and Damian Morgan
Abstract China’s growing economic importance and role in the global

green movement presents new marketing opportunities. One green mar-
keting opportunity is to drive social and economic change. A second is
supporting green development to promote sustainable economic growth.
In pursuing sustainable development China, as one of the world’s largest
economies, presents the possibility of reaching important global targets.
Green marketing is the nexus where economic development and the
environment interact through integrating eco-environment protection
and marketing principles. Positive outcomes unify interests held by con-
sumers, the wider society, pro-environment practice and firms. Greening
H. Song-Turner (*) • D. Morgan

Federation Business School, Federation University Australia,
Brisbane, QLD, Australia
e-mail: h.song-turner@federation.edu.au; damian.morgan@federation.edu.au

Switzerland AG 2021
74 H. SONG-TURNER AND D. MORGAN
firms’ marketing becomes central here. Hence, the chapter considers how
sustainable Chinese firms manage complex pro-environment challenges.
Key informants from seven firms described employee roles in strategic and
operational processes. Firms were found to reduce environmental impacts
through innovation while avoiding superficial window-dressing. The find-
ings point to reasons why growing Chinese firms apply practices that
embody green people management (GPM), though further research is
required. Such knowledge provides critical information on pathways taken
by firms towards sustained economic development. In summary, this
chapter informs Chinese firms and others, as well as policymakers and
regulatory bodies, about the role, challenges and GPM practices embod-
ied by China-located firms going green.
Keywords Green leadership • Green motivation • Greening approach •

Environmental protection • Environmental sustainability
Introduction
Following years of heavy industrialisation, China’s environmental chal-
lenges have come to the fore. As a leading economic nation globally, China
now seeks to achieve comparable growth in sustainable outcomes.
Moreover, people and communities within the Chinese Nation are seeking
salubrious environs supporting healthy lifestyles. Underpinning these new
realities is the potential for devastating environmental and social conse-
quences where large economies move away from sustainable practices.
At the national level, China’s environmental protection has been
upgraded from a concept of interest to national strategy. For example, the
former Ministry for Environmental Protection was transformed to the
Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) to meet broader
sustainability-related responsibilities (Leng, 2018). The MEE includes
more stringent environmental goals specified within a 2018 three-
year plan.
The MEE plan supports government funding strategies supporting
firms in green development. This response addresses China’s unprece-
dented development that creates significant challenges to sustainable
development and societal harmony. China overcomes these challenges by
offering learning opportunities for policymakers and business practitioners
6 GREEN LEADERSHIP APPROACHES AND MOTIVATIONS FOR GREEN… 75
within the wider community. One learning opportunity surrounds green

marketing.
Green marketing, where economic development and environmental
protection interact, is a major trend in business practice (Kassaye, 2001).
Chinese firms show strong uptake in ‘green-based’ ISO140001 certifica-
tion supporting China’s shift towards green development (National
Enterprise Integrity Service and Information Publicity System, 2020). To
explore cases representing this shift, this chapter reports on Chinese green
firms responses to complex and important sustainable challenges through
green marketing.
A conceptual framework was applied to understand green marketing in
China. The framework considers firms’ green motivations, stakeholder
concerns and marketing practices to inform governance and greening
strategies (Song-Turner, 2010). The specific focus concerns the ‘how’
component of greening initiatives implementation to understand Chinese
firms greening approaches aimed towards improved firm performance and
transition to sustainable development.
The chapter first provides a discussion of motivations and barriers fac-
ing firms going green in China followed by a discussion of the applied
qualitative case-based methodology (Wilson & Woodside, 1999). The
greening approach and marketing practice adopted by the studied firms is
then presented including element of people’s contribution to green mar-
keting activities. Implication and limitation pertaining to these findings
are then specified along with managerial recommendations and policy
considerations.
Green Motivation in the Chinese Context

Literature on firms’ motivations to go green has identified regulatory
compliance, competitive advantage, stakeholder pressures, ethical con-
cerns, critical events and top management initiatives as key motives (Ayuso,
2006; Bai & Chang, 2015; Bansal & Roth, 2000; Dubois & Dubois,
2012; DiMaggio & Powell, 1983; Jiang & Bansal, 2003; Lynes & Dredge,
2006; Shu et al., 2020; Winn, 1995; Zhu et al., 2014). Studies on small-
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly from the tourism sec-
tor, have identified additional green motivations including altruism,
lifestyle, local society and civic attitude (Bohdanowicz, 2006; Dief &
Font, 2010; Garay & Font, 2012). Additional motivations underpinned
by legislative or regulatory compliance, competitiveness and ethical
concerns are also broadly recognised as important drivers of environmen-

tal strategy and practice. These drivers comprise the Corporate Ecological
Response (CER) model (Bansal & Roth, 2000).
China differs in a cultural and political economy to the West due to an
authoritarian model dictated by the Chinese Communist Party (Jiang,
2018). In China the state plays a significant role by influencing industrial
restructuring and investment in R&D. Local governments have at times
ignored China’s strong environmental laws due to power decentralisation
(Emmott, 2008; Enderle, 2001; Martens, 2006; Tang et al., 2018; Wang
et al., 2015).
Firm reliance on China’s national government laws, regulations and
drivers, in absence of local action, may therefore be inadequate to halt
environmental degradation. Chinese firms should proactively assist the
government to achieve broader policy objectives (Song-Turner &
Polonsky, 2016). Research on the green marketing drivers in China pro-
poses models based on specific leading forces. He and Yu’s (2004) four-
force model of government, firm, consumer and non-government
organisations (NGOs) provides an example. Alternatively, Wu (2006) pro-
poses a three-force model—government, firm and consumer sectors—
while Xu and Han (2007) propose three leading driving force models
including Wu’s three sectors.
The growing awareness of and regulations related to environmental
sustainability have inspired researchers to address the culture and norma-
tive contexts of organisational green behaviours (Liu, 2008; Sima, 2011;
Song-Turner, 2014; Tilcsik & Marquis, 2013). Liu (2008) posits that
firms’ motivation for green innovation, in the form of eco-innovation in
China, comes from industrial competition, increasing demand for corpo-
rate social responsibility (CSR), rising environmental costs, government
legislation and regulations, and green tariffs. Based on institutional theory,
Song-Turner (2014) identified four conceptual motivations: philosophical
and social responsibility, management of risk reduction, competition pres-
sure and special events.
Of these conceptual motivations, firms’ philosophical and social respon-
sibility prevails as the driver for firms going green. Such philosophy is
internally driven and deeply rooted in the firms’ values and traditional
beliefs in environmental protection. Firms are also additionally motivated
to respond to legislative and legitimacy pressures for risk management and
the desire to compete successfully in the industry as a whole. In addition,
special events are identified as unique motivational factors for firms

going green.
Special events based on sustainable practices provide a catalyst that trig-
gers or strengthens a firm’s green initiatives and commitments. Research
on firms’ green motivation, while largely conceptual, has suggested that
firms take various green marketing approaches and practices. Regardless, a
strong fit between HR practices and strategy is required for high profit-
ability and competitive advantages (Tang et al., 2018; Shen et al., 2018;
Zhu et al., 2014; Renwick et al., 2013). Moreover, research on Human
Resource Management should play an important role in helping firms
achieve corporate goals (Liu et al., 2012). However, literature on the peo-
ple element in applying green marketing strategies, processes, practices
remains unclear for China
An expanding literature on cultural and normative contexts applying to
firms’ green development in China is now recognised (Ren et al., 2018).
This research study reported here represents this effort. This study draws
lessons from seven business firms going green, operating in different geo-
graphic settings in China. Each represents disparate technologies engaged
by distinct industries. This study aim was to identify firms’ greening
approaches and marketing practices while extending knowledge of the
people element in green marketing (Kotler & Armstrong, 2006; Liu et al.,
2012; Robbins & Coulter, 2016).
In this context, Menon and Menon (1997) propose three levels of
greening typologies: tactical greening, quasi-strategic (or business strate-
gic) greening and strategic greening. These levels identify required change
by a firm reflecting the degree of commitment to environmental objectives
(Polonsky & Rosenberger, 2001). This research adopted Menon and
Menon’s (1997) approach in reflecting firm’s green commitment and
green pathways.
Case Method and Case Selection

Green marketing approaches and marketing practices have not typically
extended to Chinese firms. Little is known about green people manage-
ment practice. We present an inductive case study to generate insights
(Bonoma, 1985). Here, multiple firm cases are used to understand organ-
isational marketing strategy (Piekkari et al., 2010).
For the case study, firms were located in different geographical loca-
tions varies from Beijing, Xian, Zhengzhou, Nanchang, and Nanning
across five provinces and one municipality with all actively engaged in
green initiatives. Participating firms were selected using a purposive sam-
pling strategy (Patton, 2002) where researchers used their judgement
based on specified selection relevant to green marketing. Firms were cho-
sen by replication logic allowing firm features to represent duplication or
contrasting results (Yin, 2012). Firms’ studies are not argued as represen-
tative of a population (Chetty, 1996). Rather, selection criteria were based
on the literature findings (Gonzalez-Benito & Gonzalez-Benito, 2006)
and firm characteristics in China (Table 6.1 provides a summary of the key
features of seven case firms).
Data Collection and Analysis

The interviews were based on open-ended questions that revolve around
the perceptions of environmental issues, motivations and how to maintain
a balance of participant’s interests for implementing green marketing ini-
tiatives. Examples of associated practices, marketing strategies and chal-
lenges were also extracted. Top management respondents, particularly
those who oversee both operations and marketing activities, were targeted
for this research to examine their perceptions of organisations’ marketing
activities. Within this research, a single decision-maker who has influence
and knowledge of the firm’s history and marketing actives were chosen,
supplemented by data from internal and publicly available sources. Where
possible, information was collected on site visits to the organisations.
Given China’s collectivist culture, general managers (i.e., the key infor-
mant) also exert strong managerial influence throughout the firm (Zhou,
2006). The in-depth knowledge of the key informant increases the validity
and consistency of the internal data collected. General managers, CEOs or
founders are considered the most suitable and knowledgeable person in
relation to firms’ motivations, relationships with stakeholders and other
key aspects of firms’ marketing approaches. Respondents also completed a
survey based on Wong et al.’s (1996) work. This consisted of a series of
structured statements and questions that relate to green marketing orien-
tation, outcomes and practices. Survey questions were modified and
adjusted for the environmental and Chinese context for use in validating
respondents’ in-depth answers (Charmaz, 2006; Silverman, 2011).
A thematic analysis was performed to analyse the qualitative data. In
situations where information was ambiguous, follow-up interviewers (via
phone or email) were undertaken. Follow-up discussions were designed
Table 6.1 Firms’ characteristics of case studies
Key features Firm details
FA FB FC FD FE FF FG
Firm products Camellia oil Construction Eco sand Automobiles Garments & Hotel Daily
design firm products cashmere chemicals
Firm size (no. of 238 300 employees; 600–700 Approximately Approximately Approximately Approximately
employees/ employees; 1.30 billion employees; 4100 1200 110 1600
turnover RMB) 1.29 billion RMB 13.5 billion employees; 10 employees; 7 employees; employees; 1
(2009–2010) RMB RMB* billion RMB billion RMB 100 million billion RMB
RMB
Ownership Private Private Private Joint-venture State holding Privately Privately
private firms owned joint-stock
owned
Participant position General General Founder and General General General Founder and
and working manager manager general manager manager manager general
experience within 14 years 20 years manager 10 years 5 years 6 years manager
the firm 19 years 15 years
Industry sector Agriculture Real estate Industrial and Automobile Cashmere and Hospitality Daily chemical
processing architect design commercial industry garment industry industry
service sand industry industry
Government Moderate Moderately Low High High High Very high
control high
(continued)
6 GREEN LEADERSHIP APPROACHES AND MOTIVATIONS FOR GREEN…
79
Table 6.1 (continued)
80
Key features Firm details
Green impact Consumer Construction Raw material/ Vehicle Raw material Food Environment,
product design/material environmental design, scouring, processing, process and
& equipment impact manufacturing design, energy, land discharge
selection/ and sales manufacturing and water (products to
implementation process, consumption consumers)
distribution, (services to
recycling consumers)
(business to
business and
H. SONG-TURNER AND D. MORGAN
business to
consumers)
Position in the End Start End End Middle to end End End
value chain
Geographic Nanchang, Beijing Miyun, Zhengzhou, Daxing, Nanning, Xi’an Shaanxi
location Jiang Xi Beijing Henan Beijing Guangxi Province
Province Province Province
Internationalisation Experienced Limited Nil Limited With large Intensive Large export
export volume international experience
service
experience
to clarify, verify and assist in refining the emerging themes and trends
from initial interviews while also cross-validating the observations from
site tours and secondary materials. The use of follow-up interviews and
secondary materials minimises any potential weakness associated with a
single qualitative data collection (Mason, 2002; Charmaz, 2006;
Silverman, 2011).
Results
This section provides the results related to firms’ greening approach and
marketing practices. Each firm’s green approach was captured and sum-
marised here in Table 6.2. The implementation of green people manage-
ment by those firms were explored and examined in their operations.
Firm decisions to go green have in each case been initiated and cham-
pioned by powerful individuals. In six out of seven cases, these persons
were the founders, owners or general managers with demonstrated vision,
passion and enthusiasm in relation to the community and the environ-
ment. Interview transcripts showed that most sustainable actions are made
based on the value and vision of these individuals rather than a collective
decision within the firm. This finding is consistent with that reported in
Western literature (Papadas et al., 2019; Alvesson, 2011; Epstein et al.,
2010) on greening. It also reflects the hierarchy of decision making in the
collective culture and long-term orientation of the firms (Hofstede, 1983).
Persevering and considering the long-term implications of these decisions
from key persons are demonstrated in firm values and product policies.
Firms engage in green management and marketing activities largely to
comply with government regulations and competitiveness consideration.
From interviews, the motivation of philosophical and social responsibility
is considered the cornerstone for firms to undertake green initiatives. Even
where firms have undertaken green actions under different motivations,
including legislation or other compliance or competitive pressures, firms
recognised their duty or obligation to the nation and society regarding
sustaining the environment.
Top management motivated by philosophical and social responsibility
were shown to all have the vision, willingness and power to influence and
initiate green actions and practices. While this internal-oriented, value-
driven motivation is no different from motivation exhibited by some
Western firms (see e.g. Ben & Jerry’s, Tom’s Maine, Body Shop, cited by
Rivera-Camino, 2007), usually originating with entrepreneurs with a
Table 6.2 Summary of seven firms’ green approaches
82
Firm details
Green Strategic Strategic Strategic Strategic Strategic Quasi-strategic Quasi-strategic Strategic

approach greening: greening: greening but greening: greening: actions: actions: greening:
Operations Transforms opts not to Translates its Through new Apply energy Implements green Takes
and itself from a market motivation products, new and water practices in the sustainable
marketing traditional directly as for green operations efficiency and main areas of the development as
focus local camellia green instead innovation process and conservation hotel and offers a its responsibility
Quasi- oil producer communicate through its new concept variety of green and commits to
strategic to a national as savings in leader’s technology. mainly in the products from the
actions: leader the Chinese example and Environmental manufacturing food, room environmental
H. SONG-TURNER AND D. MORGAN
Operations through the context. corporate life cycle process and services, leisure protection and
function organic and value and analysis. other function services, human safe
focus green culture. areas such as transportation, principle since
Tactical certification Using the HR employee training the inception of
actions: mechanisms international management. and proactive the firm. From
Operations to quality and equipment the concept of
function systematically environment, maintenance to product R&D
focus advance the as well as deal with green to feedstock
(simple) firm’s green health and requirements and purchasing,
management safety improve operating production,
and related management profit. Not marketing and
operating system to actively promote sales, green
practices. ensure the its greening mindset is
internal green initiatives except raised at all
practices green food. levels of
within the operations.
firm.
vision and an idea rather than specific stakeholder pressure, there are two
distinct features of the cases studied that distinguish this motivation from
Western representations in the literature (see Bansal & Roth, 2000).
The first distinguishing feature between Chinese and Western thought
is a patriotic attitude, and the second is the belief in communion with the
environment. These attitudes and beliefs contrast with Western interpreta-
tions of ethical standards, this being do the right thing by the society and
environment (Bansal & Roth, 2000). These two distinctive Chinese fea-
tures provide further explanation of the power of the motivations of philo-
sophical and social responsibility as environmental motivation.
Moreover, the participant responses indicate their viewpoints to be
contextual and socially constructed. This, in turn, is linked to national
pride to rejuvenate the past glory of the Chinese Nation. This too remains
consistent with ingrained influences of traditional Chinese belief concern-
ing harmony with the environment (Wang & Juslin, 2009). The literature
on social responsibility, in general, recognises that socially responsible
firms tend to adopt long-term and strategic perspectives (Bannerjee et al.,
2003; Menon & Menon, 1997), and so in a collective culture such as
China’s this may be even more evident (Hofstede, 1983). Given this, it is
no surprise to see that firms with philosophical and social responsibility
motivation emphasised R&D and were more willing to invest money,
assets and other resources for social and environmental good.
Interviewees exhibited intensive attention to philosophical and social
responsibility motivation. Here, the importance of entrepreneurial spirit
and behaviour for firms’ in the process of going green in China was evi-
dent from interviews. These firms’ initial motivation for going green did
not emerge from competition or legislative pressure. Rather, this emerged
from the desire to demonstrate environmental leadership in their associ-
ated industries and sectors in China for both philosophical and strategic
reasons. As revealed in the findings, there was a consensus that green tech-
nology, especially self-managed innovations and brands, combined with
strong desire to generate influential power in a global environment, was
the key to firms being globally competitive.
Green Approach
The findings on firms’ green motivation from this research suggest that
motivations for firms going green come from internal drivers—a firm’s
philosophy and values. The green approaches adopted by the cases studied
here are consistent with descriptions of green marketing levels identified

by Menon and Menon (1997). A summary of the seven firms’ green
approach is presented in Table 6.2.
Five out of seven firms (FA, FB, FC, FD and FG) interviewed have
attempted a strategic greening approach while two (FE and FF) adopted a
quasi-strategic greening approach. The similarities and differences exhib-
ited by the five cases demonstrate a high level of awareness of environmen-
tal factors from their top management. Four (FA, FB, FC and FG) of the
seven firms’ green initiatives are a direct result of top management’s sense
of social and environmental responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit which
has translated into green motivations through culture change. Top man-
agement in these four firms exhibits patriotic and nationalistic sentiment
and desire to take the lead in greening in their industries.
Four firms with a strong entrepreneurial spirit (FA, FB, FC and FG)
have pursued and implemented certifications and similar mechanisms as
ways of establishing frameworks. This process has achieved coordinated
and controlled outcomes for their activities across all related areas. Even
so, these firms are not limited to these achievements through certification
frameworks alone; they look beyond them to seek ways that may be
derived from strategic and long-term perspectives. Such perspectives
include heavy investment in R&D, acquiring new technology and pro-
cesses, enlarging firm capacity and proposing new industry and national
standards to create enduring competitive advantage. In addition, the
responsibility of public education is brought into focus within this group
of firms through their overall approach. One firm (FD) had adopted a
strategic approach influenced by greening by the overseas parent firm
regarding global environmental policy and response to competitive pres-
sures in China.
The People Element in the Greening Operation

Most studied firms had limited knowledge and understanding of the green
management practices with regard to how this is defined by researchers
from Western countries. Yet they all have recognised and engaged employ-
ees in the green activities. Firm employees are perceived as being impor-
tant stakeholders in most cases (FB, FC, FF, FG and FD), but the influence
of employees on their green initiatives at different stages of the firm’s
evolution varied in each case. For case FC, employees in the early stage of
the firm’s development had little influence. This level of engagement
appears to be determined by the nature of a hi-tech firm, whereas the

development of FC had been centred on its founder and owner. As the
founder describes it:
The innovation within FC had gone through individual innovation stages,

team innovation stages, and currently firm-wide innovation, which aims to
embrace the talents of each individual employee. (Interview with FC general
manager)
Employees’ dedication and involvement are the key to ensuring the high
quality of our products. (Interview with FG general manager)
Equally important, employees may not necessarily be the decisive force

in these cases. Regardless, as explained by FB general manager:
firm employees are not the decisive forces for a firm’s green initiatives but
can influence the quality and execution of a firm’s green design … as per-
sonal professional development is very important for the building design
industry and our own design philosophy, we regularly send our employees
to Japan, Europe and the United States for short-term and long-term study
and exchange programs to attune them to advanced developments in green
building design globally. (Interview with FB general manager)
This is also exampled in FD:
Employees at FD are important to the whole plant manufacturing efficiency

and emerging savings activities such as decrease in energy and raw material
usage or decrease in pollution and wastes. Also quality and after-sales service
are the keys to high-quality products and consumers’ trust. The knowledge
and customer service responsiveness of sales and after-sales teams can make
a key difference in increasing the market share of electric cars. (Interview
with FD general manager)
Implication and Discussion
The research in this chapter has focused on the motivations underpinning
green approaches taken by firms operating in China. This topic has impli-
cations for green people management to successfully implement green
activities. While the cases in this research span a range of firms—based on
demographics such as location, the number of employees, annual sales
volume, industry classifications and ownership—all are considered eco-
environmental friendly and are labelled as green firms by Chinese
authorities, albeit they do not represent or reflect the general business

community in China in respect to the green and sustainable development.
A few practical implications can nevertheless be drawn from the results
and following discussion.
There appeared to be limited knowledge of green marketing and green
people management manifested by top management. This indicates that
green marketing as a marketing concept at the firm level is still in an earlier
and evolving stage in China. At the same time, the firms’ operational prac-
tices—from product stewardship, pollution prevention, innovation in pro-
duction processes and marketing strategy—reveal remarkable
environmental and sustainable development orientation. This is manifest
even though much of their green efforts at the time of this research tended
to be internally oriented.
An identified discrepancy between perceptions and actions shows, on
the one hand, that green marketing as a concept, when proposed from the
Western perspective, may be new to green firms in China. On the other
hand, the study found that marketing ethics are not unfamiliar in China.
China, after all, has a long tradition of valuing communion with the envi-
ronment as advocated in Daoist philosophy (Wang & Juslin, 2009; Chen,
2003). This result is significant when government and policymakers set
out to develop for firms’ educational activities for sustainability pro-
grammes. It implies that in a developing economy, where public con-
sciousness of greening and the physical environment is relatively weak,
communication and education policies aimed at managers would be more
effective than policies aimed at general public behaviours. This is because
focused and targeted activities have the potential to drive and guide firms
to achieve genuinely productive environmental performance.
The interview data reveal Chinese culture and value have an influence
on environmental awareness. This is true not only where top management
in China is going green, but how this influences other firms and the wider
Chinese society. In particular, Confucianism, which encourages interper-
sonal harmony, and Daoism, with its emphasis on harmony between man
and nature (Wang & Juslin, 2009; Chen, 2003), are still widely influential
in China. This clearly has an influence on the cultures and principles of the
firm (Alford et al., 2013; Wang & Juslin, 2009; Zhou, 2006).
Data from the cases studied show that environmental awareness among
top management is influenced and encouraged by their philosophical heri-
tage. Here they adopt an ethical and moral perspective on long-term obli-
gations and responsibilities of the firm to the environment. Literature on
social responsibility generally suggests social responsibility as the highest

level of guiding firms’ social involvement with an objective of promoting
positive change and outcomes outside of traditionally defined business
environment boundaries (Kurucz et al., 2008; Bannerjee et al., 2003;
Sethi, 1979; Menon & Menon, 1997). What emerges from the data on
top management’s perceptions and firm actions is that firms have exhib-
ited philosophical and socially responsible motivation and adopted strate-
gic greening approach, which was perceived as able to help firms to achieve
sustainable green goals.
None of the seven cases studied here adopts a tactical greening
approach. Such an approach focuses on doing the minimum to satisfy
specific objectives in the functional level of marketing and operations. One
explanation is that some firms with tactical greening approach were
excluded from the sample. The interviewed firms’ view is that any non-
green claims or green window-dressing practices can only backfire.
Another explanation is that green tactical strategies are obvious, imitable
and require low levels of skills and organisational capabilities to copy;
hence performance results are less enduring (Hart, 1995). In contrast,
because strategic and quasi-strategic marketing strategies require signifi-
cantly greater levels of organisational resource commitment and culture
shifts, they are rare and less susceptible to competitive imitation (Menon
& Menon, 1997).
Several implications for government and policymakers follow from
firms’ green approaches. The first of these is related to top managements’
environmental awareness and the importance of entrepreneurship to firms’
green development. Identifying and fostering the growth of active green
firms and nurturing potential entrepreneurs have significant implications
for the green economy in China (Song-Turner, 2010). The second impli-
cation is the positive effect of competitive pressure on firms’ pursuits of
green initiatives. Compared with legislative and legitimacy pressures, this
motivational pressure, as shown in the case of FE, FD and FF, has advan-
tages in encouraging firms to take actions beyond broad regulation
requirements to pursue best practice benchmarked with the competition.
Further, the findings show the importance and influences of employees
in the greening implementation. As highlighted in the interviews, the con-
cept of green human resource forms a sustainable source to promote firm
productivity and competitive advantage in the green economy. This
implies that the government and policymakers may consider implement-
ing comprehensive training and education in green human resource
development. Such green people practices might have substantial perfor-

mance benefits to promote the firm’s sustainable and green development.
Such actions should be considered in the context of this case study
based on employee viewpoints from seven firms. A broader study with a
wider geographic scope may yield different findings or raise new chal-
lenges. Further, the ability to implement green practices may vary by
industry and the education levels of local workforces. Moreover, given the
rapid evolution of China’s economy, viewpoints from key firm personnel
may have altered or evolved since these data were collected.
Recommendations
The results of this research serve to advance researchers’, managers’ and
policymakers’ understanding of firms in China in relation to a few con-
cerns in this field—firm’s perceptions and understandings of green mar-
keting, green people management and green approach.
Drawing upon the case study findings, the main motivation for firms
going green appears to be a philosophical and social responsibility. Such
views are deeply entrenched in traditional Chinese environmental values.
A concomitant motivation is top managers’ own strength of nationalistic
sentiments to protect the environment and rejuvenate the nation’s influ-
ence in the global economy. Policymakers may consider designing public
education programmes that highlight such traditional values and national-
istic sentiments. This could be supplemented by further strengthening
environmental compliance regulations to coax green behaviour out of less
socially responsible managers.
Secondly, the scholarly significance of green HRM was not yet fully
understood by management and employees. This implies inadequate levels
of knowledge and skills for the application of green management.
Therefore, it is advisable to use public training or external agencies, such
as industry associations, to provide firms with green management imple-
mentation at the firm level. With the continued awareness of environmen-
tal sustainability, the importance of green people management should not
be underestimated.
Thirdly, with the continued awareness of environmental sustainability
globally, the findings from this research study indicate that firms going
green in China show higher levels of environmental awareness than their
Western counterparts. This may arise from firms’ sense of philosophical
and social responsibility and is closely related to the traditional culture that
acknowledges the physical environment and the strength of nationalistic

sentiment as well as their response to legislative and legitimacy motivation.
This contrasting interpretation itself suggests future research perspective
to explore the Taoism impact on Chinese firms’ green marketing and sus-
tainability development. On the other hand, it also offers academic schol-
ars’ new insights into examining the local cultural values to the firm’s
green behaviours across different countries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a complex array of explanations may be found where
Chinese firms adopting green behaviours. These explanations likely stem
from both long-held views and perceptions tied to tradition plus leader-
ship activities among key personnel promoting sustainability. Government
actions appear to play a secondary, though important supportive role. This
study, therefore, presents good news regarding global efforts towards sus-
tainability and environmental protection for benefit of both China and
the globe.
Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge contributions made through

insightful discussions and comments from Associate Professor Dr Jerry
Courvisanos.
References
Alford, C., England, M., Pearson, N., Pivik, C., & Xu, M. (2013). Taoism and
Confucianism, market insights in China. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from
http://hoosinchina.com/2013/05/01/taoism-and-confucianism/
Alvesson, M. (2011). Leadership and organisational culture. In A. Bryman,
D. L. Collinson, K. Grint, & B. Jackson (Eds.), Sage handbook of leader-
ship. Sage.
Ayuso, S. (2006). Adoption of voluntary environmental tools for sustainable tour-
ism: Analysing the experience of Spanish hotels. Corporate Social Responsibility
and Environmental Management, 13(4), 207–220.
Bai, X., & Chang, J. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and firm performance:
The mediating role of marketing competence and the moderating role of mar-
ket environment. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 32(2), 505–530.
Bannerjee, B. S., Iyer, E. S., & Kashyap, R. K. (2003). Corporate environmental-
ism: Antecedents and influence of Industry type. Journal of Marketing,
61(April), 106–122.
Bansal, P., & Roth, K. (2000). Why companies go green: A model of ecological
responsiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 43(4), 717–736.
Bohdanowicz, P. (2006). Environmental awareness and initiatives in the Swedish
and Polish hotel industries—survey results. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 25(4), 662–682.
Bonoma, T. V. (1985). Case research in marketing: Opportunities, problems, and
a process. Journal of Marketing Research, 22(2), 199–208.
Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through
qualitative analysis. Sage.
Chen, X. (2003). Daoism and environment protection. In The Dialogue of
Cultural Traditions: A global perspective, Aug. 8–9th, Istanbul. Retrieved
January 12, 2014, from http://www.crvp.org/conf/Istanbul/abstracts/
CHEN%20XIA.htm
Chetty, S. (1996). The case study method for research in small and medium-sized
firms. International Small Business Journal, 15(1), 73–85.
Dief, M. E., & Font, X. (2010). The determinant of hotels marketing managers’
green marketing. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(2), 157–174.
DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional
isomorphism and collective rationality in organisational fields. American
Sociological Review, 48(2), 147–160.
Dubois, C. L., & Dubois, D. A. (2012). Strategic HRM as social design for envi-
ronmental sustainability in organisation. Human Resource Management,
51(6), 799–826.
Enderle, G. (2001). Integrating the ethical dimension into the analytical frame-
work for the reform of state-owned enterprise in China’s socialist market econ-
omy: A proposal. Journal of Business Ethics, 30(3), 261–276.
Emmott, B. (2008). What China can learn from Japan on cleaning up the environ-
ment? McKinsey Quarterly, 4, 125–129.
Epstein, M. J., Buhovac, A. R., & Yuthas, K. (2010). Implementing Sustainability:
The role of leadership and organizational culture. Strategic Finance,
91(10), 41–47.
Garay, L., & Font, X. (2012). Doing good to do well? Corporate Social
Responsibility reasons, practices and impacts in small & medium accommoda-
tion enterprises. International Journal of Hospitality Management,
13(2), 329–337.
Gonzalez-Benito, J., & Gonzalez-Benito, O. (2006). A review of determinant fac-
tors of environmental proactivity. Business Strategy and the Environment,
15(2), 87–102.
Hart, S. L. (1995). A natural-resource-based view of the firm. The Academy of
Management Review, 20(2), 986–1014.
He, Z., & Yu, Y. (2004). The current situation of green marketing development
and developing path in China. Journal of Peking University (Philosophy and
Social Sciences) [in Chinese], 41(6), 85–93.
Hofstede, G. (1983). Dimensions of national cultures in fifty countries and three

regions. In J. B. Deregowksi, S. Dziurawiec, & R. C. Annis (Eds.), Expiscations
in cross-cultural psychology. Swets and Zeitlinger.
Jiang, R. J., & Bansal, P. (2003). Seeing the need for ISO14001. Journal of
Management Studies, 40(4), 1047–1067.
Jiang, Y. (2018). Confucian political theory in contemporary China. Annual
Review of Political Science, 28(1), 155–173.
Kassaye, W. W. (2001). Green dilemma. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 19,
444–455. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006112
Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2006). Principles of marketing (11th ed.). Pearson.
Kurucz, E. A., Colbert, B. C., & Wheeler, D. (2008). The business case for cor-
porate social responsibility. In A. Crane, A. McWilliams, A. Matten, D. Moon,
& D. Siegel (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility
(pp. 83–112). Oxford University Press.
Leng, A. S. (2018). China has new three-year plan to clean up environment, min-
ister says. China Southern Morning Post. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2137666/
china-has-new-three-year-plan-clean-environment
Liu, S., Kasturiratne, D., & Moizer, J. (2012). A hub-and-spoke model for multi-
dimensional integration of green marketing and sustainable supply chain man-
agement. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(4), 581–588.
Liu, W. H. (2008), A study on green business innovation of enterprise (PhD thesis).
Qingdao Ocean University, Qingdao, China. [in Chinese]
Lynes, J. K., & Dredge, D. (2006). Going green: Motivations for environmental
commitment in the airline industry. A case study of Scandinavian airlines.
Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(2), 116–138.
Martens, S. (2006). Public participation with Chinese characteristics: Citizen con-
sumers in China’s environmental management. Environmental Politics,
15(2), 211–230.
Mason, J. (2002). Qualitative researching. Sage.
Menon, A., & Menon, A. (1997). Enviropreneurial marketing strategy: The emer-
gence of corporate environmentalism as market strategy. Journal of Marketing,
61(1), 51–67.
National Enterprise Integrity Service and Information Publicity System. (2020).
Significance of adopting ISO 14001. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from
http://www.3agov.com/nd.jsp?id=102 [In Chinese]
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Sage.
Piekkari, R., Plakoyiannaki, E., & Welch, C. (2010). ‘Good’ case research in
industrial marketing: Insights from research practice. Industrial Marketing
Management, 39(1), 109–117.
Polonsky, M., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2001). Revaluating green marketing: A stra-
tegic approach. Business Horizons, 44(5), 21–30.
Ren, S., Tang, G., & Jackson, S. E. (2018). Green human resource management
research in emergence: A review and future directions. Asia Pac Journal of
Management, 35, 769–803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-017-9532-1
Renwick, D. W., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2013). Green human resource man-
agement: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Management
Reviews, 15(1), 1–14.
Rivera-Camino, J. (2007). Re-evaluating green marketing strategy: A stakeholder
perspective. European Journal of Marketing, 41(11/12), 1328–1358.
Robbins, P. R., & Coulter, M. (2016). Management (13th ed.). Pearson.
Sethi, P. (1979). A conceptual framework for environmental analysis of social
issues and evaluation of business response patterns. Academy of Management
Review, 4(1), 63–74.
Shen, J., Dumont, J., & Deng, X. (2018). Employees’ Perceptions of Green HRM
and Non-Green Employee Work Outcomes: The Social Identity and Stakeholder
Perspectives. Group & Organization Management., 43(4), 594–622. https://
doi.org/10.1177/1059601116664610
Shu, C., Zhao, M., Liu, J., & Lindsay, W. (2020). Why firms go green and how
green impacts financial and innovation performance differently: An awareness-
motivation-capability perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 37(4),
795–821. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-018-9630-8
Silverman, D. (2011). Interpreting qualitative data: A guide to the principles of
qualitative research (4th ed.). Sage.
Sima, Y. (2011). Grassroots environmental activism and the internet: Constructing
a green public sphere in China. Asian Studies Review, 35(4), 477–497.
Song-Turner, H. (2010). The role of firms in China’s green marketing. Paper
presented the 21st CEA (UK) and 2nd CEA (Europe) Annual Conference, July
12th–13th, University of Oxford, London.
Song-Turner, H. (2014). Why firms in China go green and how they market green
(PhD thesis). Federation University Australia, Victoria, Australia.
Song-Turner, H., & Polonsky, M. (2016). Enviropreneurial marketing in greening
corporate activities: Evidence from four Chinese green firms. European Business
Review, 28(5), 506–531. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-12-2014-0087
Tang, G. Y., Jian, Y., Paille, P., & Jia, J. (2018). Green human resource manage-
ment practices: Scale development and validity. Asia Pacific Journal of Human
Researches, 56(1), 31–55.
Tilcsik, A., & Marquis, C. (2013). Punctuated generosity: How mega-events and
natural disasters affect corporate philanthropy in U.S. communities.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 58(1), 111–148.
Wang, L., Cui, Z., & Liang, X. (2015). Does It Pay to Be Green? Financial Benefits
of Environmental Labeling among Chinese Firms, 2000–2005. Management
and Organization Review, 11(3), 493–519.
Wang, L., & Juslin, H. (2009). The impact of Chinese culture on corporate
social responsibility: The harmony approach. Journal of Business Ethics,
88(3), 433–451.
Wilson, E. J., & Woodside, A. G. (1999). Degrees-of-freedom analysis of case data
in business marketing research. Industrial Marketing Management,
28(3), 215–229.
Winn, M. (1995). Corporate Leadership and policies for the natural environment.
In D. Collins & M. Starik (Eds.), Research in corporate social performance and
policy, supplement 1 (pp. 127–161). Greenwick, CT: JAI Press.
Wong, V., Turner, W., & Stoneman, P. (1996). Marketing strategies and market
prospects for environmentally friendly consumer products. British Journal of
Management, 7(3), 263–281.
Wu, Y. C. (2006). Study on green marketing driving mechanism. Economy and
Management Publishing House.
Xu, D. Y., & Han, D. C. (2007). Summary of green marketing model and patterns
of evolution. Social Science in Guizhou, 209(5), 46–49.
Yin, R. K. (2012). Applications of case study research. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
Zhou, W. D. (2006). Will CSR work in China? Leading perspective, CSR in the
People’s Republic of China. Business for Social Responsibility. http://www.syn-
tao.com/Resources/eLearning_Show_EN.asp?ID=2686
Zhu, Y., Sun, L. Y., & Leung, A. S. (2014). Corporate Social Responsibility, firm
reputation, and firm performance: The role of ethical leadership. Asia Pacific
Journal of Management, 31(4), 925–947.
CHAPTER 7
Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging

Market Context: A People Perspective
Ogechi Adeola, Jude N. Edeh, and Isaiah Adisa
Abstract Growing concerns on environmental issues have led to several

calls for sustainability practices. Organisations are expected to adopt busi-
ness-related sustainability practices that meet consumer needs without
damaging the environment; one such demand is the call to practice green
marketing. The quest for a sustainable environment in emerging markets
requires strategic and efficient actions; with practices, such as green mar-
keting, businesses can reduce the hazards they create on the environment.
Through a review of related literature, this chapter examines green-
marketing planning in an emerging market context. The authors propose
O. Adeola (*)
J. N. Edeh
Kedge Business School, Marseille, France
e-mail: jude.edeh@kedgebs.com
I. Adisa

Switzerland AG 2021
96 O. ADEOLA ET AL.
that with appropriate investments in production processes and people,

green marketing goals and objectives can be achieved for a sustainable
economy.
Keywords Green-marketing planning • Emerging market •

Environmental • People • Strategy
Introduction
Globally, the rate of environmental problems calls for conscious efforts,
initiatives, and policies to preserve natural resources for current and future
usage (Olalekan et al., 2019; Sarkis & Zhu, 2018). Enterprises are key
actors in the creation, adoption, and diffusion of sustainable practices
(Azevedo et al., 2012; Pojasek, 2007; Svensson & Wagner, 2015). As an
integral aspect of business sustainable practices, green marketing is rapidly
attracting the attention of scholars across the globe (Fuentes, 2015).
Green marketing is an environmentally conscious perspective to market-
ing, which takes into consideration consumers, products, processes, and
sustainability of the resources. According to Gurău and Ranchhod (2005),
it is one of the significant trends in modern business practices. Green mar-
keting is of great interest to stakeholders in different sectors because of the
growing rate of green consumers. Despite the contributions of related
extant studies, little attention has been paid to green-marketing planning
(Lee, 2008; Papadopoulos et al., 2010). To achieve the aim of green mar-
keting, we argue that appropriate strategies and plans must be adopted
and implemented. Thus, this chapter assesses green-marketing planning in
the context of an emerging market.
Different terms have been adopted to conceptualise green marketing,
such as organic marketing, sustainable marketing, and eco-marketing
(Dangelico & Vocalelli, 2017; Garg & Sharma, 2017; Nkamnebe, 2011).
These terms tend to communicate a similar concept, namely, a marketing
orientation that is focused on the satisfaction of the needs of the consum-
ers without compromising the environment and natural resources (Garg
& Sharma, 2017). Mukonza and Swarts (2019) describe green marketing
as an organisational commitment towards developing safe, eco-friendly
services and goods through the use, for example, of easily decomposable
and recyclable packaging with measures that prevent pollution and
7 GREEN MARKETING PLANNING IN AN EMERGING MARKET CONTEXT… 97
promote efficient use of energy. Similarly, Dangelico and Vocalelli (2017)

describe green marketing as the integration of environmental sustainabil-
ity practices into marketing. Green marketing is premised on meeting the
product and service needs of consumers while protecting and preserving
the natural environment.
Interestingly, consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the envi-
ronmental dangers posed by businesses’ unsustainable practices (Garg &
Sharma, 2017). This awareness is substantiated by regulations and strict
rules introduced by governments, especially in developed economies
(Gurău & Ranchhod, 2005). In emerging economies, similarly, strategic
planning of the green-marketing process is essential, not only to resolve
the challenges of achieving sustainable development goals, but also to
address the emergence of green-consumer behaviour. In other words, in
emerging economies, meeting these objectives requires well-coordinated,
envisioned, strategised, and internally implemented green-marketing
efforts, which will ensure their efficiency and effectiveness (D’Souza et al.,
2015). Hence, we argue that effective green-marketing planning enables
businesses to grow their consumer base, achieve higher sales target, com-
ply with environmental guidelines, and enhance competitive advantage.
Such planning requires strategic mechanisms, which will ensure that green
marketing permeates the process of production of goods and services and
the logistic and delivery aspects. Secondly, green marketing planning
should be designed to meet the stakeholders’ complete needs, not just
their economic interests, particularly in the context of emerging econo-
mies, with high social and economic-sustainability problems (Amoako
et al., 2020; Garg & Sharma, 2017).
The remainder of this chapter is organised as follows: Section “Green
Marketing Strategy” focuses on green-marketing strategies, while Section
“Green Marketing Planning” considers various steps of green-marketing
planning and their implications for enterprises in emerging markets.
Finally, Section “Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market” pro-
poses recommendations and summarises the key discussions of the chapter.
Green-Marketing Strategy
As environmental threats increase, several studies that are based on strate-
gic management and marketing data have been conducted to understand
the antecedents of business sustainability (Bowen, 2000). More precisely,
marketing scholars and practitioners are responding to environmental
98 O. ADEOLA ET AL.
concerns by designing and commercialising strategies that enable busi-

nesses to engage in sustainable practices and achieve better corporate rep-
utation and higher efficiency levels. Green-marketing strategies reflect the
desire to develop practices aligned with marketing-growth objectives
without compromising the natural environment (Kärnä et al., 2003).
While research shows that emerging market firms are expanding into for-
eign markets, they, however, must adopt strategies embedded in green-
marketing planning to achieve competitiveness and sustainability goals.
For example, Dangelico and Vocalelli (2017) suggest that segmentation,
targeting, positioning, and differentiation in marketing strategies must be
rooted in ‘greening’ principles to achieve business success. For these
authors, segmentation and targeting strategies require that organisations
recognise and identify the group(s) of consumers whose needs they intend
to meet. Moreover, they argue that designing successful green-marketing
strategies largely depend on understanding ‘why’ consumers purchase par-
ticular products, rather than ‘who’ purchases ‘what’. Peattie (2001) sug-
gests that enterprises should position their strategies around consumer
wants and needs. This highlights the importance of consumers in green-
marketing strategies; to meet this goal, an enterprise must search for, iden-
tify, and respond to consumers’ demands through sustainable actions.
D’Souza et al. (2006) developed a model that assessed consumers’
perception of green products. The authors found that green-marketing
segmentation leads to the identification of four classes of consumers,
namely, the conventional consumer, emerging-green consumer, price-
sensitive green consumer, and environmentally green consumer. The first
group, conventional consumers, do not perceive any benefit in a green
product; thus, they are indifferent to green-marketing products. The sec-
ond group of emerging-green consumers understands the benefits of a
green product; however, they lack the motivation to purchase them. The
third group, price-sensitive green consumers, recognises green values;
however, they consider these products too expensive. Lastly, environ-
mentally green consumers are environmentally conscious and are willing
to pay a premium on green products in line with this awareness.
For enterprises considering a target audience concerned with the pres-
ervation of the environment, research highlights the importance of includ-
ing green features in the marketing of their products to meet their needs.
However, these enterprises should not solely focus on environmentally
green consumers, but also make efforts to attract the group of consumers
that are undecided on green products. Enterprises can utilise tools, such as
green brands and green advertisement, especially in the context of emerg-

ing economies, to create green consciousness (Jain & Kaur, 2006;
Polonsky & Rosenberger III, 2001; Rex & Baumann, 2007). In other
words, by engaging in these strategies, enterprises in emerging economies
can establish appropriate market segmentation and targeting strategies for
their green products.
Positioning and differentiation are vital marketing strategies that should
be adopted when designing green-marketing strategies (Dangelico &
Vocalelli, 2017; Prakash, 2002). Studies suggest that an organisation must
be sustainability-conscious to attract different groups of consumers. In
other words, it must ‘green-position’ itself to increase the consumers’ per-
ception of its products and, in turn, enhance its market share; consumers’
green perception can lead to a green brand image and green brand equity
(Chen, 2010; Dangelico & Vocalelli, 2017; Nagar, 2013). A green brand
image, when rightly positioned, enables an enterprise to differentiate itself
from other competitors. Positioning towards differentiation can be
achieved through the functional and emotional characteristics of a product
(Dangelico & Vocalelli, 2017). Functional positioning occurs when an
enterprise focuses on the environmental benefits in the usage or consump-
tion of a product, while emotional positioning focuses on individuals’
emotional derivatives from the consumption of a product. Emotional
derivatives include a feeling of sensation from contact with nature, feeling
of well-being, and projection of green-marketing brand as a status symbol,
among others. The most effective impact on brand attitude occurs when
functional and emotional positionings are combined in a green-marketing
strategy. Ottman et al. (2006) caution that placing more emphasis on
functional positioning over emotional positioning and vice versa leads to
‘green marketing myopia’, a state whereby an organisation focuses on the
positioning and satisfaction of consumers (either functional or emotional)
and neglect the other. Thus, an enterprise must engage in both position-
ing strategies to achieve desired results.
Green-Marketing Planning
A green-marketing plan is pivotal to achieving green-marketing goals and
it differs from green-marketing strategy (segmenting, targeting, position-
ing, and differentiation). A green marketing strategy answers the ‘what-
question’ while a green-marketing plan focuses on ‘how to achieve the
desired goals’. Gittel et al. (2012) assert that green-marketing plan deals
100 O. ADEOLA ET AL.
with the ideal marketing mix that enables an enterprise to achieve maxi-
mum profit while adhering to sustainability practices. Green-marketing
planning is proactive and not reactive to environmental regulations on
operations, product, or sales (Liu et al., 2012). It predicts and forecasts
green-marketing direction while putting in place actions and activities to
adopt for success (Liu et al., 2012).
In the context of large organisations, Liu et al. (2012) argue that they
set clear environmental measures, including key performance indicators,
budget for long-term capability development, and environmental prac-
tices, which allow them to design and implement green-marketing plan-
ning. However, to achieve a successful green-marketing plan, enterprises
of all sizes must outline and integrate several steps into their overall mar-
keting objectives. McDaniel and Rylander (1993) identified ten steps of a
green-marketing action plan. These steps are further described by Adeola
and Adisa (2019) as actions which determine who does what, when,
where, and how to achieve the desired goals (see Fig. 7.1).
Step 1: Develop a Corporate Environmental Policy

The first step to take in green-marketing planning is to develop a corpo-
rate environmental policy. To create such a corporate ecological policy, an
organisation must have mission, vision, and objectives aligned with social
and environmentally sustainable practices. By implication, an organisation
consciously integrates sustainability into its core principles. Unlike what
exists in developed economies, where there are eco-industries creating
green jobs (European Commission, 2011), enterprises in most emerging
markets are yet to fully integrate environmental goals and principles into
their operations, mainly because of the concomitant costs (Malik &
Abdallah, 2019). By integrating environmental principles into business
practices, enterprises in emerging markets will be demonstrating their
commitments to environmental matters, the government, customers, and
other stakeholders (Gangi et al., 2020; Thomas, 2001). As a fundamental
step, therefore, it is important to outline and adopt the right environmen-
tal policy that responds to the environmental peculiarities of an emerging
market (Gerged, 2020).
Develop a Corporate
1
Environmental Policy
Build Environmental
2
Conscious Leadership
Develop Internal
3
Environmental Advocates
Train and Educate

4
Employees
Understand the consumers’ needs

5
and Government Regulations
Develop Green Marketing

6
Environmental Action Plan
Engage all Departments in responding to

7
Environmental Needs
8 Allocate Adequate Resources
Communicate to Customers through

9
Effective Advertising
10 Monitor Customer Response
Ten Steps of Green Marketing Planning
Fig. 7.1 Ten steps of green-marketing planning. (Source: Adapted from

McDaniel & Rylander, 1993)
Step 2: Build Environmental-Conscious Leaders

The second step after the establishment of such a policy is the develop-
ment of environmental- conscious leadership. Green-marketing planning
largely depends on the commitment and the leadership of top managers
who make and implement decisions that can enhance organisations’ envi-
ronmental performance. Environmental-conscious leadership entails var-
ious managerial practices, ranging from designing and implementing
green-management systems to engaging in proactive environmental
strategies (Jose & Lee, 2007; Maak & Pless, 2006). The organisation
must invest in knowledge, especially in the areas of environmental poli-
cies, and actions that can improve its environmental management (Boiral
et al., 2014). This has implications for enterprises in emerging markets,
given that most of the enterprises originating in these regions are faced
with limited resources, which often make it challenging to develop
environmental- conscious leaders; therefore, these enterprises should
engage in environmental practices within their resource capacity. Studies
by Avery and Bergsteiner (2011) and Robinson and Clegg (1998) sug-
gest that such investments can lead to competitive advantage as they
reflect the commitment to environmental sustainability by an organisa-
tion. In addition, this step is not only fundamental in green marketing
(Egri & Herman, 2000; Flannery & May, 1994) but it also facilitates the
integration of green practices, into the overall organisational strategy.
Step 3: Develop Internal Environmental Advocates

The third step is to develop internal environmental advocates who will
concentrate on positioning an organisation as an environmental-conscious
firm. This might even require that an organisation create a department
dedicated to planning and carrying out green decisions. The organisa-
tional environmental advocates should focus on understanding the drivers
and barriers to the successful implementation of green-marketing plan-
ning. Such knowledge will extensively address both social and environ-
mental sustainability issues facing their organisations (Doh & Guay,
2004); thus, as internal environmental advocacy adjusts to meet the cus-
tomers’ demands, organisations should integrate the demands into their
green-marketing planning.
Step 4: Train and Educate Employees

The fourth step is to train and educate employees—from managers to
operational workers—on environmental concerns. Organisations should
engage in inclusive environmental training that will enhance the accom-
plishment of green-marketing goals. Environmental training for workers
highlights the need to invest in human capital when pursuing green-
marketing goals. Previous studies show a positive relationship between
employees’ environmental training and firms’ performance (Daily et al.,
2012). Investing in environmental training is particularly relevant in the
context of emerging economies where the level of employees’ environ-
mental awareness in organisations appears to be relatively low. Such initia-
tives should focus on fostering environmental management practices,
goals, targets, and soundness of products and services. In addition, con-
tinuous environmental training can be a powerful tool for cultivating a
sustainable culture, which can, in turn, enable these organisations to cre-
ate a successful green-marketing plan (Dasgupta et al., 2000).
Step 5: Understand the Consumers’ Needs and

Government Regulations
In the fifth step, organisations must understand the green needs of the
consumers and government environmental regulations. This stage enables
organisations to design a green-marketing plan that is in line with private
and public stakeholders’ demands. In the face of recent environmental
pressures, organisations with good knowledge of stakeholders’ needs are
more likely to implement a relevant green-marketing plan and achieve
greater competitive advantage (Reddy, 2018). Conversely, organisations
failing to meet these stakeholders’ needs are less likely to commercialise
successful green-marketing plans and goals. Businesses in emerging mar-
kets must recognise the environmental needs of the target audience and
design products and services to meet these needs (KQ et al., 2014).
Step 6: Develop a Green-Marketing Environmental Action Plan

An understanding of consumer needs and government environmental
regulations should set the pace for a green-marketing action plan that will
be integrated into the various parts of the corporate strategic planning
process. The action plan will specify the market, target audience, and
platforms to be utilised in achieving green-marketing objectives (Taghian

et al., 2015). Strategic actions towards green marketing with the right
people enhance competitive advantage, which in turn leads to an improve-
ment in financial performance (Papadas et al., 2019). The right strategic
green-marketing environmental action plan will not only benefit the envi-
ronment and the consumers but also increase financial performance and
competitive edge of the organisation.
Step 7: Engage All Departments in Responding

to Environmental Needs
With the recognition of government environmental regulations, organisa-
tion must encourage all departments to participate in the overall response
to consumers’ green needs. This might require aligning the interest of
competing units and departments of an organisation to address the con-
sumers’ social and environmental needs effectively. In other words, all
departments must be involved in the greening process, from production
to sales. Interconnecting all the organisation’s core activities to align with
green actions, such as green marketing will also ensure a uniform firms’
performance which will benefit their stakeholders (Cronin et al., 2011).
Step 8: Allocate Adequate Resources

The pursuance of green-marketing activities must be supported with the
proper allocation of resources, such as finance and personnel. Green mar-
keting is an integral part of an organisation’s objectives, and as such, to
reach the desired outcomes, it however requires adequate resources. The
additional cost of resources for green-marketing activities is one of the
reasons several organisations do not adopt green practices because of the
narrative that the process is expensive and requires long-term planning
(Arseculeratne & Yazdanifard, 2014), nevertheless, allocating adequate
financial and human resources for the actualisation of green goals and
objectives is crucial.
Step 9: Communicate to Customers Through Effective Advertising

Building on Step 8, the availability of human and financial resources facili-
tates effective green-marketing activities such as advertising, campaign,
and others. Organisations must communicate about their products,
especially their green features to the targeted consumers; they should

ensure that they communicate the products’ functional and emotional fea-
tures to retain and attract more customers. Engaging in effective commu-
nication can promote a positive brand image and brand equity (Dangelico
& Vocalelli, 2017). Communication of an organisation’s green products
and actions will not only build customer loyalty, but also stimulate cus-
tomers’ cooperation in an organisation’s environmental sustainability
efforts. The success of a green-marketing plan will also depend on how
effectively the organisation communicates its actions to the consumers.
Step 10: Monitor Customer Response

The last step is monitoring the consumer’s response through marketing
research programme evaluation. The green-marketing activities initiated
through the green-marketing plan must be well monitored to enable
organisations to enhance existing sustainable plans as well as develop new
products that meet the greening needs of customers. In other words,
given the dynamic nature of today’s marketplace, organisations must react
to changes by designing and continuously monitoring and improving
their green-marketing plans.
Green-Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market

Engaging in green marketing highlights the environmental consciousness
of an organisation. This consciousness is reflected in an organisation’s pro-
duction processes, product designs, and services; for example, to achieve
the desired goal of environmental sustainability, while satisfying the need
of consumers, organisations in emerging economies must reduce wastage
in packaging, avoid the use of toxic pollutants, and improve energy effi-
ciency (Iweama, 2014). Organisations must understand the peculiarity of
their environment when responding to the green needs of their consum-
ers. Therefore, for organisations in emerging markets, to engage in effec-
tive green-marketing planning in line with the ten steps discussed in the
previous section, it is important that they identify and seek to understand
their customer needs, characteristics, and orientations.
Nkamnebe (2011) highlights the importance of sustainable marketing
in emerging markets and observes that the pressure from the global mar-
ket system, unsupportive local conditions, and the prevalence of poverty
in emerging markets are hindrances to the achievement of green
marketing for sustainable development. The author argues that public

policies in emerging markets should encourage organisations to adopt
environmental sustainability as a strategic tool for social and economic
development. Sharma et al. (2015) examined the opportunities and chal-
lenges of green marketing in India and concluded that factors such as lack
of standardisation, non-cooperation, and green myopia are some of the
challenges hampering the success of green marketing in emerging econo-
mies. Despite Maziriri’s (2020) findings that green-marketing activities,
such as green packaging and green advertising, have a positive influence
on business performance and competitive advantage in South Africa, there
is still much to be done in emerging markets to achieve green objectives
and goals. Emerging markets’ enterprises can promote social and eco-
nomic sustainability while meeting the customer needs if organisations
deliberately invest in green-marketing initiatives.
People in Green-Marketing Planning

Planning and executing green-marketing activities largely depend on the
people in the organisation; hence, the role of people in the achievement of
innovative business practices cannot be overemphasised; this awareness
cuts across every organisational activity and, without doubt, is also crucial
to green-marketing planning (Ahmad, 2015; Baron & Armstrong, 2007;
Ginsberg & Bloom, 2004; Thompson, 2004). The ten steps to green-
marketing planning discussed in the earlier section reflect the crucial role
of people in the strategy as all the stages require people with green orienta-
tion who are aligned with organisations’ environmental sustainability’s
goals and objectives. Developing a corporate environmental policy, build-
ing environmental-conscious leaders and having internal advocates, as well
as training employees, are demonstrative of the crucial role of people in
green-marketing planning. Planning comes in different stages as evidence
in the literature on strategic planning (Adeola & Adisa, 2019), which
requires people to carry out various strategic activities; hence, without
adequate support from people within an organisation, a strategic green-
marketing plan will not achieve the desired success (Ginsberg & Bloom,
2004). The leadership of the organisation therefore has a responsibility to
ensure that employees actively participate in green-marketing plans and
activities to stimulate new ideas and employees’ enthusiasm (Ginsberg &
Bloom, 2004); therefore, organisations need their people to support and
be aligned to green-marketing initiatives.
Another crucial role of people in green-marketing planning success is in

sales. Sales representatives, when well trained and are knowledgeable
about green-marketing values, can educate consumers, promote the
organisations’ green actions, and provide the right information needed by
consumers to ensure consumer engagement. Any previous experience of
consumers arising from greenwashing (false environmental information of
an organisation’s product) can cast doubt on other organisations’ sincerity
to meet consumer needs and sustain the health of the environment.
However, these doubts can be removed when personnel are strategically
placed to provide appropriate information to the customers; having the
right people, with the needed green orientation, is crucial to achieving
green-marketing goals. This can be achieved by investing more in human
resources policies and practices, with a focus on Green Human Resources
Management (GHRM) (Ahmad, 2015; Jabbour & de Sousa Jabbour,
2016), an aspect that deals with the application of sustainability initiatives
in Human Resource Management (HRM) practices.
Recommendations
Green-marketing planning, a strategic part of the green marketing, must
identify some context-related factors (the environmental concerns, the
green product, method of production, renewable resources, availability of
people, the consumers, and the cost) before developing any green-
marketing plan. A green-marketing plan is a response to the environmen-
tal and consumer needs of the market and, hence, maps the actions to be
taken towards achieving green-marketing goals.
The traditional marketing mix of price, place, promotion, and product
are context-dependent and consumer-sensitive, and as such, these factors
must be put into consideration when developing a marketing plan, par-
ticularly in emerging markets. In designing products, the benefits to the
consumers and the natural environment must be emphasised. To achieve
this goal, green packaging, which is a critical component of the green
product, must be harnessed. Also, a product’s affordability must be con-
sidered, especially in the context of emerging markets, where customers
may be less likely to pay a high premium on green products; thus, organ-
isations in emerging markets must ensure that there is alignment between
the price of the products and the consumers’ capacity to pay.
In addition, emerging market enterprises must consider not only ease
of access of green products to the consumer but also create novel
distribution channels. When planning for green marketing, organisations

in emerging markets must answer the questions of ‘where’ and ‘how’ the
products are to be distributed, especially, to meet the demands of custom-
ers residing in remote areas. Enterprises, thus, must make green products
available at the right locations and distribute them through efficient chan-
nels; for example, enterprises in emerging markets can invest in distribu-
tion strategies that reduce cost as well as promote social and economic
sustainability.
Equally necessary, the promotion of green products in emerging mar-
kets must take into consideration the cultural requirements of the immedi-
ate society where the enterprise operates. This is important because
promoting green products involves clear communication of the benefits of
the products to the consumers, in particular, and also the society at large.
In this respect, labels and packaging are essential promotional tools which
can accurately communicate an enterprise’s commitment to environmen-
tal sustainability. It is imperative that executives tasked with the planning
of green marketing consider country-specific dynamics of the marketing
mix, especially in emerging markets where the markets respond to change
and influence from various cultural perspectives. Enterprises in emerging
markets must always be aware that their profit maximisation depends
largely on their ability to meet environmental concerns, cultural peculiari-
ties, and consumer needs.
Conclusion
Green marketing is an important aspect of marketing because of its focus,
aims, and objectives; likewise, the green-marketing plan is different from
the traditional one. In this chapter, we focused on green marketing plan-
ning in emerging markets, emphasising the steps that should be consid-
ered when designing a green-marketing plan. Although literature has
identified hindrances to successful green marketing, there is still need for
more studies to explore how enterprises can implement green-marketing
initiatives that will meet customers’ demands as well as foster sustainable
and responsible business practices in emerging markets. The initiatives
would create and encourage a culture of sustainability at the various levels
in the workplace and society at large.
References
Adeola, O., & Adisa, I. B. (2019). Strategic planning and healthcare services. In
R. Hinson, L. Aziato, O. Adeola, & K. Osei-Frimpong (Eds.), Health Service
Marketing Management in Africa. Routledge.
Cogent business & management, 2(1), 1–13.
Amoako, G. K., Dzogbenuku, R. K., Doe, J., & Adjaison, G. K. (2020). Green
marketing and the SDGs: emerging market perspective. Marketing Intelligence
& Planning, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print, 1–18.
Arseculeratne, D., & Yazdanifard, R. (2014). How green marketing can create a
sustainable competitive advantage for a business. International Business
Research, 7(1), 130–137.
Avery, G. C., & Bergsteiner, H. (2011). Sustainable leadership practices for
enhancing business resilience and performance. Strategy & Leadership,
39(3), 5–15.
Azevedo, S. G., Carvalho, H., Duarte, S., & Cruz-Machado, V. (2012). Influence
of green and lean upstream supply chain management practices on business
sustainability. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 59(4), 753–765.
Baron, A., & Armstrong, M. (2007). Human capital management: Achieving
added value through people. Kogan Page Publishers.
Boiral, O., Baron, C., & Gunnlaugson, O. (2014). Environmental leadership and
consciousness development: A case study among Canadian SMEs. Journal of
Bowen, F. (2000). Environmental visibility: A trigger of green, organisational
response? Business Strategy and the Environment, 9(2), 92–107.
Chen, Y. S. (2010). The drivers of green brand equity: Green brand image, green
satisfaction, and green trust. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(2), 307–319.
Cronin, J. J., Smith, J. S., Gleim, M. R., Ramirez, E., & Martinez, J. D. (2011).
Green marketing strategies: An examination of stakeholders and the opportuni-
ties they present. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39(1), 158–174.
D’Souza, C., Taghian, M., & Lamb, P. (2006). An empirical study on the influ-
ence of environmental labels on consumers. Corporate Communications: An
International Journal, 11(2), 162–173.
D’Souza, C., Taghian, M., Sullivan-Mort, G., & Gilmore, A. (2015). An evalua-
tion of the role of green marketing and a firm’s internal practices for environ-
mental sustainability. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 23(7), 600–615.
Daily, B. F., Bishop, J. W., & Massoud, J. A. (2012). The role of training and
empowerment in environmental performance: A study of the Mexican maqui-
ladora industry. International Journal of Operations & Production Management,
32(5), 631–647.
Dangelico, R. M., & Vocalelli, D. (2017). “Green marketing”: An analysis of defi-

nitions, strategy steps, and tools through a systematic review of the literature.
Dasgupta, S., Hettige, H., & Wheeler, D. (2000). What improves environmental
compliance? Evidence from Mexican industry. Journal of Environmental
Economics & Management, 39(1), 39–67.
Doh, J. P., & Guay, T. R. (2004). Globalization and corporate social responsibil-
ity: How non-governmental organizations influence labor and environmental
codes of conduct. Management International Review, 44(2), 7–29.
Egri, C. P., & Herman, S. (2000). Leadership in the North American environmen-
tal sector: Values, leadership styles, and contexts of environmental leaders and
their organizations. The Academy of Management Journal, 43(4), 571–604.
European Commission. (2011). EU environment policy supporting jobs and growth
(Vol. 24, pp. 1–21). Publications Office of the European Union.
Flannery, B. L., & May, D. R. (1994). Prominent factors influencing environmen-
tal activities: Application of the environmental leadership model (ELM). The
Leadership Quarterly, 5(3–4), 201–221.
Fuentes, C. (2015). How green marketing works: Practices, materialities, and
images. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 31(2), 192–205.
Gangi, F., Daniele, L. M., & Varrone, N. (2020). How do corporate environmen-
tal policy and corporate reputation affect risk-adjusted financial performance?
Business Strategy and the Environment, 29, 1975–1991.
Garg, S., & Sharma, V. (2017). Green marketing: An emerging approach to sus-
tainable development. International Journal of Applied Agricultural Research,
12(2), 177–184.
Gerged, A. M. (2020). Factors affecting corporate environmental disclosure in
emerging markets: The role of corporate governance structures. Business
Strategy and the Environment; pp, 1–21.
Ginsberg, J. M., & Bloom, P. N. (2004). Choosing the right green marketing
strategy. MIT Sloan Management Review, 46(1), 79–84.
Gittel, R., Magnusson, M., & Merenda, M. (2012). The sustainable business case
book. Saylor Foundation.
Gurău, C., & Ranchhod, A. (2005). International green marketing: A comparative
study of British and Romanian firms. International Marketing Review,
22(5), 547–561.
Iweama, V. O. (2014). Implications of green Marketing for a Developing
Economy. Journal of Pristine, 9(1), 1–12.
Jabbour, C. J. C., & de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L. (2016). Green human resource
management and green supply chain management: Linking two emerging
agendas. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 1824–1833.
Jain, S. K., & Kaur, G. (2006). Role of socio-demographics in segmenting and
profiling green consumers: An exploratory study of consumers in India. Journal
of International Consumer Marketing, 18(3), 107–146.
Jose, A., & Lee, S.-M. (2007). Environmental reporting of global corporations: A
content analysis based on website disclosures. Journal of Business Ethics,
72(4), 307–321.
Kärnä, J., Hansen, E., & Juslin, H. (2003). Social responsibility in environmental
marketing planning. European Journal of Marketing, 37(5/6), 848–871.
KQ, A. G., Daniel, A., & Kwamena, M. N. (2014). Implementation of the green
marketing concept: A synthesis of literature. International Journal of Advances
in Management and Economics, 3(4), 122–134.
Lee, K. (2008). Opportunities for green marketing: Young consumers. Marketing
Intelligence & Planning, 26(6), 573–586.
Liu, S., Kasturiratne, D., & Moizer, J. (2012). A hub-and-spoke model for multi-
dimensional integration of green marketing and sustainable supply chain man-
agement. Industrial Marketing Management, 41(4), 581–588.
Maak, T., & Pless, N. M. (2006). Responsible leadership in a stakeholder society—
A relational perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 66(1), 99–115.
Malik, M., & Abdallah, S. (2019). Sustainability initiatives in emerging econo-
mies: A socio-cultural perspective. Sustainability, 11(18), 4893.
Maziriri, E. T. (2020). Green packaging and green advertising as precursors of
competitive advantage and business performance among manufacturing small
and medium enterprises in South Africa. Cogent Business & Management,
7(1), 1–21.
McDaniel, S. W., & Rylander, D. H. (1993). Strategic green marketing. The
Journal of Consumer Marketing, 10(3), 4–10.
Mukonza, C., & Swarts, I. (2019). The influence of green marketing strategies on
business performance and corporate image in the retail sector. Business Strategy
and the Environment, 29(3), 838–845.
Nagar, K. (2013). An empirical investigation into the influence of green advertis-
ing on brand loyalty. Journal of Services Research, 13(2), 71–94.
Nkamnebe, A. D. (2011). Sustainability marketing in the emerging markets:
Imperatives, challenges, agenda-setting. International Journal of Emerging
Markets, 6(3), 217–232.
Olalekan, R. M., Omidiji, A. O., Williams, E. A., Christianah, M. B., & Modupe,
O. (2019). The roles of all tiers of government and development partners in
environmental conservation of natural resource: A case study in Nigeria. MOJ
Ecology & Environmental Sciences, 4(3), 114–121.
Ottman, J. A., Stafford, E. R., & Hartman, C. L. (2006). Avoiding green market-
ing myopia: Ways to improve consumer appeal for environmentally preferable
products. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development,
48(5), 22–36.
Papadopoulos, I., Karagouni, G., Trigkas, M., & Platogianni, E. (2010). Green
marketing: The case of Greece in certified and sustainably managed timber
products. EuroMed Journal of Business, 5(2), 166–190.
Peattie, K. (2001). Golden goose or wild goose? The hunt for the green consumer.
Pojasek, R. B. (2007). A framework for business sustainability. Environmental
Quality Management, 17(2), 81.
Polonsky, M. J., & Rosenberger, P. J., III. (2001). Reevaluating green marketing:
A strategic approach. Business Horizons, 44(5), 21–30.
Prakash, A. (2002). Green marketing, public policy and managerial strategies.
Reddy, B. A. (2018). Green marketing: A study on consumer’s perspectives. In
S. Kirthy & R. Jabez (Eds.), New Trends in Business Management (pp. 120–127).
Zenon Publishing.
Rex, E., & Baumann, H. (2007). Beyond ecolabels: What green marketing can
learn from conventional marketing. Journal of Cleaner Production,
15(6), 567–576.
Robinson, D., & Clegg, A. (1998). Environmental leadership and competitive
advantage through environmental management system standards. Eco-
Management and Auditing, 5(1), 6–14.
Sarkis, J., & Zhu, Q. (2018). Environmental sustainability and production: Taking
the road less travelled. International Journal of Production Research,
56(1–2), 743–759.
Sharma, M. K., Pandey, N., & Sajid, R. (2015). Green marketing: A study of
emerging opportunities and challenges in Indian scenario. International
Journal of New Technology and Research, 1(4), 51–57.
Svensson, G., & Wagner, B. (2015). Implementing and managing economic,
social and environmental efforts of business sustainability: Propositions for
measurement and structural models. Management of Environmental Quality,
26(2), 195–213.
Taghian, M., Polonsky, M. J., & D’Souza, C. (2015). Green marketing strategies.
In D. Sarkar, R. Datta, A. Mukherjee, & R. Hannigan (Eds.), An integrated
approach to environmental management (pp. 231–253). John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
Thomas, A. (2001). Corporate environmental policy and abnormal stock price
returns: An empirical investigation. Business Strategy and the Environment,
10, 125–134.
Thompson, J. L. (2004). Innovation through people. Management Decision,
42(9), 1082–1094.
PART III
Green Competencies, Potentials and

Engagement in Emerging Markets
CHAPTER 8
Competencies for Green Marketing Success

in Emerging Markets
Mary Wanjiru Kinoti and Abel Kinoti Meru
Abstract This chapter addresses the critical competencies that provide

the requisite skills and knowledge for championing the development and
growth of green marketing in emerging markets. The link between envi-
ronmental responsibility, social change and sustainable business practices
has been the concern for practitioners and environmentalist for the past
couple of decades in developed countries, and multi-agency teams have
been deployed to address emerging issues if any. Besides, deployment of
highly focused and committed environmental conscious personnel, there
has been a tremendous improvement of innovative manufacturing pro-
cesses and efficient technologies, leading to successful green marketing
systems and programmes. Though, efforts are bearing fruits in emerging
markets, on account of countries affiliation to global agencies, such as
United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and many others,
M. W. Kinoti
School of Business, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
A. K. Meru (*)
Riara School of Business, Riara University, Nairobi, Kenya
e-mail: akinoti@riarauniversity.ac.ke

Switzerland AG 2021
116 M. W. KINOTI AND A. K. MERU
more need to be done to isolate key soft and hard competencies required
to cascade global green marketing solutions to local firms. The chapter
illustrates that green competencies, green thinking and rightful employee
engagement foster green marketing activities in emerging markets.
Keywords Green marketing • Green competence • Green thinking

skills • Green partnerships • Green marketing mix • Green reporting
Introduction
Competency is the consistent application of relevant skills, knowledge and
abilities in a given work situation (ILO, 2015). In green organisations,
green human resource competency is a vital requirement for the fulfilment
of green business practices such as green marketing (Cabral & Dhar,
2019). Green competencies, therefore, are technical skills, knowledge,
values and attitudes required by workforce to develop and support social,
economic and environmental outcomes in business, community and
industry (ILO, 2015). Individuals’, collective and organisational compe-
tencies are vital for enhancing economic efficiency and environmental and
social performance. Zhu and Sarkis’s (2016) study on China shows that
there is a positive correlation between individuals’ green competencies
and green behaviour. Subramanian et al.’s (2015) study on green compe-
tences in successful green firms shows that firms who have personnel with
green competencies, operate holistically and work closely with customers
and other stakeholders, towards a result dubbed ‘double bottom trickle
line’, hinged on social responsibility and environmental concern (Ottman,
1999). To respond to this dramatic shift in business operations, proactive,
concerted, sustainable, long-term, radical (business reengineering) solu-
tions (both social and environmental) are needed to cope with ever-
changing global dynamics. For instance, depletion of natural resources,
global warming, pollution, human waste, urbanisation, hunger, poverty
and diseases, among others, pose a huge challenge to the rapidly growing
youthful population in the emerging markets. Green consumers are more
conscious about the planet, health and animals and are cognizant of short-
and long-term impact of their consumption of goods and services
(Ottman, 1999).
Thus, green marketing calls for a more proactive role for marketers to
promote greener marketing practices and mitigate the impact of
8 COMPETENCIES FOR GREEN MARKETING SUCCESS IN EMERGING MARKETS 117
traditional marketing activities on the natural environment (Lozada &

Mintu-Wimsatt, 1995), which needs active participation by all stakehold-
ers (society, government and business entities). Sheth and Parvatiyar
(1995) underpin the need for the hands-on role of government (regula-
tion and promotion) and corporate marketing in entrenching sustainable
marketing, that is, responsible, social and green marketing (UNEP, 2020),
by advocating for consumption, redirection of customer needs and wants,
re-orientation of marketing mix and reorganisation.
This calls for re-orientation of the marketing mix, to refocus on green
7Ps of products, price, place, promotion, people, processes and physical
evidence resulting in the total reorganisation, restructuring and redesign
of processes and systems through cross-functional teams drawn from all
the functional areas (Sheth & Parvatiyar, 1995). This is possible through
in-depth short- and long-term analysis of environmental, economic, polit-
ical and social issues affecting a firm’s offerings and consumers (Ottman,
1999), which requires a complex mix of competences, skills and knowl-
edge among green marketing managers and their supporting teams. Green
marketing competence enables the performance of either organisation-
wide, specific task or individual-oriented activities. Cabral and Dhar
(2019) observe that six green human resource competencies—namely,
green knowledge, green skills, green abilities, green attitudes, green
behaviours and green awareness—are essential for a firm to achieve envi-
ronmental performance. The study examines these green competencies in
an emerging market and also provides thoughts on green thinking skills,
green marketing mix, green partnerships and green reporting.
Green Competence
The ILO (2015) report highlights three green competencies, namely,
working sustainably, advocating environmental work practices and pro-
moting environmental management by implementing and monitoring
environmental programmes. This is done through internal and external
linkages, partnerships and networks aimed at providing solutions to envi-
ronmental problems. A firm needs to strive to balance environmental,
social and economic values to maximise sustainable/green performance.
For managers to make informed decisions on green production/con-
sumption methods, they need full knowledge and understanding of the
interplay between environmental, economic and social performance
(Zhang & Chabay, 2020) and consequences.
Green Knowledege
Green skills
Green abilities
Green attitudes
Green behavior
Green Awareness
Fig. 8.1 Green competencies needed for green marketing success. (Source:
Adapted from Cabral & Dhar, 2019)
Dewi (2020) notes that environmental awareness contributes signifi-

cantly to existing green practices. Thus, as Subramanian et al. (2015)
observe, environmental/ecological knowledge ought to focus on under-
standing the industrial activities, stakeholder pressure, regulatory con-
cerns, challenges and opportunities, and the role of human knowledge
and skills. Doppelt (2010) observes that for positive sustainable solutions
to be feasible, people, teams, organisations and overall society must reori-
ent their thinking and behaviour to systematically change how they imag-
ine, design, build and operate sustainable economic and social systems.
That is rethinking the future by questioning the current environmental
challenges, beliefs, assumptions and values and still fostering the prosper-
ity and well-being of the people. The green competencies of the human
resources needed to achieve the desired green goals and objectives, as
categorised by Cabral and Dhar (2019), are discussed in the context of an
emerging economy (Fig. 8.1).
Green Knowledge
Green knowledge whether objective or subjective is used in promoting
environmental management systems, drafting environmental emergency
plans and measures, and developing a green programme (waste
management, control of effluents, inventory of pollution sources); this

helps organization use less polluting industrial processes and products.
Ibrahim et al.’s (2020) study on green industries in Malaysia identified
green technology knowledge, waste management knowledge and prob-
lem-solving and critical thinking knowledge as key knowledge competen-
cies. OECD (2019) observes that there is a need for strategic direction
and support mechanism for green growth in emerging markets. For
instance, Suki’s (2016) study in Malaysia found out that consumers’
knowledge of green brands leads to positive green marketing practices.
Green Skills
Skills such as energy conservation, skills in recycling, skills in environmen-
tal protection and skills in consumption of materials are crucial in imple-
menting green marketing. Jebungei (2020) highlights that green skills
positively impact the growth of a sustainable economy in Kenya. Green
skills (including design, communication, procurement, leadership, finan-
cial and management skills) though not new, have not been fully imple-
mented in higher education curricula in Malaysia (Ibrahim et al., 2020).
Green Abilities
It refers to the abilities to solve complex environmental issues and provide
multiple solutions, that is, the green abilities to scout, exploit and foster
environmental conservation. Aykan (2017) added that these green abili-
ties include abilities to undertake environmental protection related tasks,
duties and responsibilities; use of teamwork and cross-functional teams to
manage environmental issues; implement environmental programmes
such as cleaner production and ISO standards; and undertake environ-
mental audit.
Green Attitudes
These include positive consciousness among employees and the organisa-
tion, on the promotion, protection, awareness creation and the value for
the conservation of the environment. Liao et al.’s (2020) study in
Cambodia found a positive relationship between green attitudes and pur-
chase intention.
Green Behaviour
Green behaviour is exhibited in the organisation and also in employees’
adoption of eco-friendly practices. This is evident if employees are eager to
learn more about sustainable environmental practices; the organisation
therefore deploys green processes, reuses materials, utilises energy-efficient
methods, shares best green practices and makes green products. Green
behaviour could be in role (job requirement), for instance, disposing of
toxic waste or extra role (voluntary), like turning off computers after work
to enhance a firm’s environmental performance (Dumont et al., 2017).
The green behaviours could be positive or negative (ungreen) behaviour,
which includes transforming, conserving, avoiding harm, influencing oth-
ers and taking initiatives on environmental sustainability (Ones et al.,
2018). Thus, green behaviour is vital for the implementation of green
practices in the workplace (Ibrahim et al., 2020), particularly in emerging
markets.
Green Awareness
This calls for employees and organizations to concern themselves with
areas or issues like environmental pollution, sustainable energy, sustainable
production and consumption, depletion of natural resources, best envi-
ronmental process and management systems and ecosystems, among oth-
ers. Ibrahim et al. (2020) further observe that in Malaysia, employees’
awareness of eco-friendly green policies and the impact of climate change
is crucial in enhancing environmental responsibility.
The six green competencies, in turn, shape green thinking competen-
cies and corporate activities for green marketing success in the emerg-
ing market.
Competency of Thinking Towards Green

Marketing Success
Green thinking towards successful implementation of green marketing
practices focuses on reengineering the product life cycle thinking, design-
ing, creative and innovative thinking, as well as integrative thinking prac-
tices. These concepts are discussed herein.
Life Cycle Thinking

This is a form of competency through thinking that ensures green prod-
ucts’ issues touch on all the phases of a product life cycle, as they impact
the overall environmental aspects (Ottman, 1999). To avoid waste, every-
thing is recycled in one way or the other, so thinking shifts from linear
‘cradle to grave’ to circular ‘cradle to cradle’ through recycling/upcycling,
reuse, remanufacturing and compostable (Ottman, 1999). Esposito et al.
(2017) observe that circular economy is growing rapidly through disas-
sembling, recouping and recovery, reinforcing and repurposing existing
resources. The consumption or sustainable consumption and production,
call for life cycle thinking (LCT), management (LCM) and assessment
(LCA) competency, that is, from use to reuse to recycle and vice versa
(UNEP, 2020) to enhance life cycle knowledge and skills. As Belz (1999)
notes, this transforms the value chain (linear economy), to a value circle
(circular economy), or multiple users or results in shared services. Shared
services include product-oriented services (maintenance and disposal ser-
vices), user-oriented services (renting, leasing, pooling or sharing) and
need-oriented services (Hockerts, 1999). Current car-sharing model is a
good example, and use of old serviceable reusable passenger vehicles in
Ethiopia and Nigeria plus resalable consumer goods. Life cycle thinking
leads to remodification of the product value chain (system) or a consumer
use system, by thinking like a system (Ottman, 1999).
Design Thinking
This is another competency thinking that ensures that green design strate-
gies are used to strike a balance between consumer needs and environ-
mental consideration such as to conserve and protect natural resources or
to use renewable or recyclable or biodegradable materials (Ottman, 1999).
Ottman (1999) further observes that green by design needs a radical
transformation in the entire production and consumption cycle. Since the
utilisation of resources is unsustainable, it therefore calls for rethinking
marketing (Peattie, 1999) function within an organisation, through
diverse ways of addressing current and future needs of customers and
wants. This could be through design thinking, which is a more proactive
approach to promote the success of green marketing—an agile mindset to
understand consumer needs and wants through the use of design teams.
Creative and Innovative Thinking

Creative and innovative thinking proposes that green marketing goals can
be achieved through continuous improvement and innovation (Roy,
1999) or through continuous learning of knowledge, skills and attitudes
for initiating new ideas and methods (Price & Lisk, 2014; UNECE,
2012). Learning to learn is vital for nurturing eco-innovative learning cul-
ture since environmental problems require solutions (Hartmann & Beard,
1999). Further, green organisation innovation results in inefficient energy
consumption, utilisation of water, waste reduction and less gas emissions
(Khan & Johl, 2019). Thinking is a precondition to creativity (Hartmann
& Beard, 1999). This can be accomplished through setting of outrageous
goals and creative thinking Ottman (1999). Creativity is an out-of-the-
box thinking, using cross-functional, interdisciplinary teams, as opposed
to individual experts (Ottman, 1999). Creative new ideas and services lead
to creative disruption with new markets; hence, the need to nurture cre-
ativity among employees, suppliers and customers to innovate or perish
(Price & Lisk, 2014).
Calling for futuristic thinking competences (Bickell, 2013), what Price
and Lisk (2014) observe as the ability to anticipate different future sce-
narios (scenario planning) with green design offerings. Green design
addresses product performance, quality, cost and environmental perfor-
mance (Roy, 1999), through eco-friendly products and services, for
instance, eco-bubble Samsung washing machine that uses less energy
and water.
Integrative Thinking and Practice

Integrative thinking helps human resources reflect on the interrelation-
ships of the natural, social and economic systems in the past, present and
future, and the creative possibilities they engender (UNECE, 2012)
through the involvement of everyone in the society. Ideas and experience
can also be shared while creating sustainable green products and services
(UNECE, 2012) as a unified system. Systems thinking (Bickell, 2013)
competency engenders the holistic focus on green marketing by reflecting
on the interdependencies among the subsystems/parts. Kralj (2009) notes
that successful practitioners, scientists and artists deploy systems thinking,
unlike losers who are one-sided thinkers.
Engaging Employee Competency in Corporate

Activities for Green Marketing Success
in an Emerging Market
A strategic organisation is expected to harness the competencies within

the organisation to create a niche for the business in the market. Green
businesses must ensure that they engage the green competencies of their
staff to achieve green marketing goals. The first action to take is to engage
in green communication and promotion. Green communication and pro-
motion ought to be supported by other corporate activities (Agustini
et al., 2019). This is true since green-oriented communication and pro-
motion is a shift from conventional marketing communications strategy
and is used to empower (educational) consumers, by reinforcing product’s
primary benefits, boost corporate support and ward off legislative require-
ments (Ottman, 1999). Through in-depth green marketing analysis, or
achieved through communication and promotional competencies, con-
ventional consumer needs and wants can be redirected towards sustainable
consumption (Sheth & Parvatiyar, 1995) by dematerialising, using few
materials and little energy to meet consumer needs or rethinking the value
of products, or offering functional substitutes (Ottman, 1999). Persuasive
communication can influence consumer behaviour and change of attitudes
to enhance adoption of green marketing in emerging economies (Patwa
et al., 2020), and educate consumers, build credibility, offer solutions, and
performance reassurance (Ottman, 1999). Green marketers prefer alterna-
tive media as opposed to the conventionally established outlets, such as
public relations to build awareness, credibility and affordability (Ottman,
1999) to provide green information (Mehraji & Qureshi, 2020).
Secondly, Agustini et al. (2019) observe that green products utilise
recycled or recyclable materials, simple packaging, minimal energy, inex-
pensive delivery and selling modes, and are non-toxic and durable. Thus,
as Sdrolia and Zarotiadis (2019) note, there is a need for assessing the
environmental impact or footprint periodically at the design, procure-
ment, production, use, disposal or recycling phases against global bench-
marks. Green product, whether tangible or intangible depending on the
technological and scientific developments, reduces the direct or indirect
impact on the environment through its life cycle (Sdrolia & Zarotiadis,
2019). Thus, a need to continuously have product designers with varying
green traits and able to decipher consumers’ green product attributes
request (Mayakkannan, 2019) or provide green solutions (Mehraji &
Qureshi, 2020). That is, designers exploring innovative green process

engineering solutions that utilise non-depletable resources, reduce gas
emissions and provide renewable energy solutions (Patel et al., 2014).
Zhu and Sarkis (2016) note that green product attribute preferences
among Chinese green consumers include energy and water efficiency, cost
savings and being organic.
Thirdly, Pomering (2017) asserts that employees and customers are co-
producers and ought to be involved in environmental and social pro-
grammes. Service customers are part of the production process; the
attitudes and behaviour of people in the service environment (Zeithaml
et al., 2010), influence green service marketing. In a nutshell, green
employee engagement in addressing environmental and social concerns is
key to the success of green marketing initiatives (Haddock-Millar et al.,
2016). Informed people can contribute to the reduction of the environ-
mental footprint (e.g. through shared services) individually or collectively
(Pomering, 2017). Pomering (2017) further notes that the principles and
promises ought to be stated in the firm’s vision, mission, philosophy and
values and used as benchmarks against other firms, and to assess perfor-
mance and future activities.
Fourthly, green partnership is another activity needed for green mar-
keting success. To build green partnerships, the organisation needs direct
and indirect relationships from diverse stakeholders to bolster green mar-
keting initiatives (Hartmann et al., 1999). Unprecedented environmental
demands resulted in multiple stakeholder views of green marketing,
dubbed environmental entrepreneurial marketing, which accommodates
other stakeholders’ needs to actualise sustainable economic benefits
(Hartmann et al., 1999). The authors further explain that due to dispari-
ties in resource endowment, lack of expertise and varied human needs for
stakeholders’ collaboration to tackle a common sustainable agenda. The
game plan, in a way, is to understand all the direct and indirect stakehold-
ers, their ability, needs and expectations gaps, and adjust a firms market-
ing, objectives, priorities and actions in favour of stakeholders’ interest. As
Pomering (2017) observes, partnerships should be holistic to be able to
handle social and environmental externalities both inside and outside the
firm whilst solving mutual problems or creating innovative greener
solutions.
Developing other green marketing mix variables is an important activity
too, and Karunarathna et al. (2020) posit that green product distribution
should factor in environmentally safe practices both inside and outside the
firm, including green accessibility, availability, redistribution or even dis-

posal of the products. Green pricing requires determination of social and
environmental costs of all the aspects of the product (Karunarathna et al.,
2020), and should be reasonable and competitive (Agustini et al., 2019),
and factor in green productivity (Mayakkannan, 2019). More so, the
green price added value in terms of function, design and performance
(Goh et al., 2019), that is, green value (Mehraj et al., 2020).
Lastly is green reporting, which is focused on how a firm’s green activi-
ties impact on economic, social and environmental issues on a daily basis
is a source of competitive advantage. This may not be the case in emerging
markets since green reporting is entirely voluntary, with few standards or
minimal regulations guiding the practice. Even where it is done there is a
lack of integration with global, regional, national and regulatory frame-
works, foundations and pillars addressing sustainable development—in
simple, there is inadequate disclosure. Thus, reporting facilitates assess-
ment, comparison and communication of green practices within and out-
side the firm. Clear communication of a firm’s green marketing principles
and promises conveys its environmental and social commitment to cus-
tomers and shareholders (Pomering, 2017).
For an emerging market to successfully implement green marketing, they
need to re-examine the future business activities and seek potential solu-
tions to address economic, environmental and social sustainability. This
calls for the proper understanding of the short- and long-term implica-
tions of business activities on environmental and social concerns. This
holistic approach needs individual, collective and organisation-wide com-
petencies to develop and support social, economic and environmental out-
comes in business, community and industry (ILO, 2015). Further, the
focus should be on understanding current industrial activities, stakeholder
pressure and regulatory concerns, vis-à-vis green competence require-
ments to drastically implement the necessary changes. This requires radi-
cal rethinking and redesign of traditional business practices to align with
green global business practices.
Emerging market stakeholders should proactively develop the key com-
petencies in green knowledge, green skills, green abilities, green attitudes,
green behaviour and green awareness to achieve environmental perfor-
mance. Green competences promote green human and financial
programmes, green production processes and green marketing activities.

Green marketing competences promote green thinking skills, green mar-
keting mix, green partnerships and green reporting skills to support posi-
tive environmental, economic and social outcomes in emerging markets.
References
Agustini, M. H., Athanasius, S. S., & Retnawati, B. B. (2019). Identification of
green marketing strategies: Perspective of a developing country. Innovative
Marketing, 15(4), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.21511/im.15(4).2019.04
Aykan, E. (2017). Gaining a competitive advantage through green human resource
management. In Corporate governance and strategic decision making.
IntechOpen.
Belz, F. M. (1999). Eco-marketing 2005. Performance sales instead of product
sales. In M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener marketing: A global
perspective on greening marketing practice. Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
Bickell, S. (2013). Defining a profession: Core competencies for sustainability.
College Estate Management Occasional Paper Series. https://www.ucem.ac.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2016/01/sustainability_competencies_op-010713-
web.pdf
Cabral, C., & Dhar, R. L. (2019). Green competencies: Construct development
and measurement validation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 235, 887–900.
h t t p s : / / w w w. s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m / s c i e n c e / a r t i c l e / a b s / p i i /
S0959652619323534
Dewi, H. P. (2020). Green concept: Customer satisfaction in the business.
Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 115, 244–250.
Doppelt, B. (2010). The power of sustainable thinking: How to create a positive
future for climate. Taylor and Francis Group Publishers.
Dumont, J., Shen, J., & Deng, X. (2017). Effects of green HRM practices on
employee workplace green behavior: The role of psychological green climate
and employee green values. Human Resource Management, 56(4), 613–627.
Esposito, M., Tse, T. & Soufani, K. (2017, January/February). Is the circular
economy a new fast expanding market? Thunderbird International Business
Review 59, 1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tie.21764
Goh, W. H., Goh, Y. N., Ariffin, S. K., & Salamzadeh, Y. (2019). How green
marketing mix strategies affects the firm’s performance: A Malaysian perspec-
tive. International Journal of Sustainable Strategic Management, 7(1–2),
113–130. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.inderscienceonline.
com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSSM.2019.099032
Haddock-Millar, J., Sanyal C. & Müller-Camen, M. (2016). Green human
resource management: A comparative qualitative case study of a United States
multinational corporation, The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 27(2), 192–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.201
5.1052087. Retrieved November 5, 2020, from http://www.tandfonline.

com.riara.remotexs.co/doi/pdf/10.1080/09585192.2015.1052087
Hartmann, C. L., Stafford, E. R., & Polonsky, M. J. (1999). Green alliances:
Environmental groups as strategic bridges to other stakeholders. In M. Charter
& M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener marketing: A global perspective on greening
marketing practice. Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
Hartmann, R., & Beard, C. (1999). Eco innovation: Rethinking future business
products and services. In M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener market-
ing: A global perspective on greening marketing practice. Greenleaf
Publishing Limited.
Hockerts, K. (1999). Innovation of eco-efficient services: Increasing efficiency of
products and services. In M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener market-
Publishing Limited.
Ibrahim, Z., Lai, C. S., Zaime, A. F., Lee, M. F., & Othman, N. M. (2020,
September). Green skills in knowledge and attitude dimensions from the indus-
trial perspective. In IOP conference series: Materials science and engineering
(Vol. 917, No. 1, p. 012025). IOP Publishing.
ILO. (2015). Regional model competency standards: Core competencies/regional
skills programme, regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. International
Labour Organization (ILO). https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/
public/%2D%2D-a sia/%2D%2D-r o-b angkok/documents/publication/
wcms_420961.pdf
Jebungei, K. N. (2020). Green skills and sustainable economy in Kenya: The influ-
ence of TVET trainer competencies. Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational
Education and Training, 5(1), 29–40. https://www.afritvet.org/index.php/
Afritvet/article/view/101/119
Karunarathna, A. K. P., Bandara, V. K., Silva, A. S. T., & De Mel, W. D. H. (2020).
Impact of green marketing mix on customers’ green purchasing intention with
special reference to Sri Lankan supermarkets. South Asian Journal,
1(1), 127–153.
Khan, P. A., & Johl, S. K. (2019). Nexus of comprehensive green innovation,
environmental management system-14001-2015 and firm performance. Cogent
Business & Management, 6(1) http://www.tandfonline.com.riara.remotexs.
co/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311975.2019.1691833
Kralj, D. (2009). Systems thinking and modern green trends. https://www.research-
gate.net/publication/255599591
Liao, Y. K., Wu, W. Y., & Pham, T. T. (2020). Examining the moderating effects
of green marketing and green psychological benefits on customers’ green atti-
tude, value and purchase intention. Sustainability, 12(18), 7461.
Lozada, H. R., & Mintu-Wimsatt, A. T. (1995). Green-based innovation:
Sustainable development in product management. In J. M. Polonsky &
A. T. Mintu-Wimsatt (Eds.), Environmental marketing: Strategies, practice,

theory and research. The Haworth Press, Inc.
Mayakkannan, R. (2019). A study on green marketing practices in India. Emperor
International Journal of Finance and Management Research. http://www.
eijfmr.com/2019/apr_2019/apr-2019-01.pdf
Mehraji, D., & Qureshi, I. H. (2020). Determinants of green marketing mix in
developing economies: A conceptualisation and scale validation. Business
Strategy Development, 1–9. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/
10.1002/bsd2.114
OECD. (2019). Toward green growth in emerging market economies: Evidence
from environmental performance reviews. https://en.unesco.org/inclusive-
policylab/sites/default/files/publication/document/2020/3/OECD%20
%20green%20growth%20d5e5b5d7-en.pdf
Ones, D. S., Wiernik, B. M., Dilchert, S., & Klein, R. M. (2018). Multiple domains
and categories of employee green behaviours: More than conservation. In
Research handbook on employee pro-environmental behaviour. Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Ottman, J. A. (1999). Achieving sustainability: Five strategies for stimulating out
of the box thinking. In M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener market-
Publishing Limited.
Patel, D., Kellici, S., & Saha, B. (2014). Green process engineering as the key to
future processes. PRO, 2, 311–332. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/
2/1/311
Patwa, N., Sivarajah, U., Seetharaman, A., Sarkar, S., Maiti, K., & Hingorani,
K. (2020). Towards a circular economy: An emerging economies context.
Journal of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.05.015.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296320303088
Peattie, K. (1999). Rethinking marketing: Shifting to a greener paradigm. In
M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener marketing: A global perspective on
greening marketing practice. Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
Pomering, A. (2017). Marketing for sustainability: Extending the conceptualisa-
tion of the marketing mix to drive value for individuals and society at large.
Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 25(2), 157–165. https://ro.uow.edu.
au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi
Price, R., & Lisk, R. (2014). The complete leader: Everything you need to become a
high performing leader. Aloha Publishing.
Roy, R. (1999). Designing and marketing green products: The Hoover case. In
M. Charter & M. J. Polonsky (Eds.), Greener marketing: A global perspective on
greening marketing practice. Greenleaf Publishing Limited.
Sdrolia, E., & Zarotiadis, G. (2019). A comprehensive review of green product

term: From definition to evaluation. Journal of Economic Surveys, 33(1),
150–178. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/joes.12268
Sheth, N. J., & Parvatiyar, A. (1995). Ecological imperatives and the role of mar-
keting. In J. M. Polonsky & A. T. Mintu-Wimsatt (Eds.), Environmental mar-
keting: Strategies, practice, theory and research. The Haworth Press, Inc.
Subramanian, N., Abdulrahman, M. D., Wu, L., & Nath, P. (2015). Green com-
petence framework: Evidence from China. The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 27(2), 151–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/0958519
2.2015.1047394
Suki, N. M. (2016). Green product purchase intention: Impact of green brands,
attitude, and knowledge. British Food Journal, 118(12), 2893–2910. https://
doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2016-0295
UNECE. (2012). Learning for the future: Competences in education for sustainable
development. http://www.ECE.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/esd/ESD_
Publications/Competences_Publication.pdf.
UNEP. (2020). ABA OF SCP: Classifying concepts on sustainable consumption and
production, towards a 10 year framework of programmes on sustainable consump-
tion and production. https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/default/
files/10yfp-abc_of_scp-en.pdf
Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., & Gremler, D. D. (2010). Services marketing
strategy. In J. Sheth & N. Malhotra (Eds.), Wiley international encyclopedia
of marketing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444316568.wiem01055.
https://onlinelibrar y.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781444316568.
wiem01055
Zhang, Y., & Chabay, I. (2020). How “green knowledge” influences sustainability
through behavior change: Theory and policy implications. Sustainability,
12(16), 6448. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166448. https://www.mdpi.
com/2071-1050/12/16/6448
Zhu, Q., & Sarkis, J. (2016). Green marketing and consumerism as social change
in China: Analysing the literature. International Journal of Production
Economics, 181, 289–302. http://isidl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/
E5170-ISIDL.pdf
CHAPTER 9
Harnessing the Potentials of Generation

Green for Green Marketing Success
in Africa’s Emerging Economies
Isaiah Adisa, Ogechi Adeola, and Akin Oparison
Abstract Environmental concerns, such as global warming and pollution,

have heightened the need for sustainable practices. Businesses are required
by governments and international organisations to adopt not only prac-
tices that safeguard the environment, but also those that meet the demand
of the consumers. In Africa’s emerging economies, there has been an
increase in environmental problems arising from industrialisation; these
have led to health and economic challenges. Green marketing, which
involves the marketing of environmental-safe products, is a crucial aspect
of sustainable business practices, in the twenty-first century. Through the
generational cohort theory, we propose that the adoption of green mar-
keting practices will result in the needed social, economic and
I. Adisa (*)
O. Adeola • A. Oparison
e-mail: oadeola@lbs.edu.ng; aoparison@lbs.edu.ng

Switzerland AG 2021
132 I. ADISA ET AL.
environmental changes in attitude, towards sustainable development. We

conclude that the success of green marketing in Africa’s emerging econo-
mies depends on how businesses in these economies harness the potential
of the generation green, a cohort of environmentally conscious people.
Keywords Africa • Emerging economies • Generational cohort •

Generation green • Green marketing
Introduction
The effects of continuous environmental disruption, as a result of activites
of businesses, have increased consumer awareness and interest in sustain-
able business practices, in recent years (Büttner & Grübler, 1995; Mark &
Law, 2015; Peattie & Ratnayaka, 1992; Verma, 2017). Consumers are
becoming more environmentally conscious and would desire to do busi-
ness with organisations adopting green business practices (Singh &
Pandey, 2012; Squires, 2019); therefore, to survive and remain competi-
tive, companies worldwide must go green. Green marketing is one of the
many approaches in understanding green business practices, and the con-
tinuous demand for sustainable products and services has heightened the
need for organisations to adopt green innovations and strategies, such as
green marketing (Verma, 2017). It is crucial that as the world’s population
grows and is mainly dominated by generations born between 1981 and
1996 (Generation Y) and those born between 1997 and 2012 (Generation
Z), business organisations must begin to target these generations to
achieve successful green marketing goals (Nadanyiova et al., 2020). The
generation green (Generations X and Y) provides human resource and
marketing opportunities to aid the actualisation of business goals in
emerging economies.
In Africa, investment in green practices for a green economy (an econ-
omy that reduces environmental risks through low carbon, resource-
efficient and socially inclusive practices; [United Nations Environmental
Programme, n.d.]) will help the continent achieve sustainable, transfor-
mative and inclusive economic growth (United Nations Environment
Programme [UNEP], 2017). Recognising the crucial role of green prac-
tices towards a green economy and their impact on sustainable economic
growth, the European Union’s Technical and Financial Support through
its Switch Africa Green project has rendered assistance to six African
9 HARNESSING THE POTENTIALS OF GENERATION GREEN FOR GREEN… 133
economies in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and

Uganda. These countries are considered as investing in sustainable pro-
duction and consumption as they were observed to be putting in place
plans and strategies to switch to a green economy. Notably, Ghana’s Isaiah,
Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation corrobo-
rates the European Union’s Technical and Financial Support statement on
the nation’s quest for a green economy as follows:
We have developed policies on Sustainable Development and Green

Economy for Ghana to transition to a green economy through the promo-
tion of sustainable consumption and production practices. Switch Africa
Green project is supporting us to implement these policies and translate
them into action, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng. (UNEP, 2017)
The adoption and implementation of sustainable production pattern, con-

sumption and practices are crucial to a sustainable economy. To imple-
ment sustainable practices in emerging economies in Africa, organisations
must, however, take advantage of opportunities evident in the green gen-
eration (Büttner & Grübler, 1995; Nadanyiova et al., 2020; Naderi & Van
Steenburg, 2018; Testa et al., 2019; Verma, 2017) who constitutes the
majority of the current population (Allianz Global Investors, 2011;
Ncube, 2017). Examples of emerging economies in Africa are South
Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Mauritius, Ghana, Morocco, Rwanda, Ethiopia,
Cabo Verde, Seychelles, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Tanzania and
Zambia (Aman et al., 2018). These countries are regarded as emerging
markets or emerging economies or countries because of their high eco-
nomic transformation levels, population and rapid urbanisation, leading to
increased industrialisation. Citizens in these countries are experiencing an
improved standard of living (Aman et al., 2018).
Büttner and Grübler (1995) adopted the concept “green generation”
to refer to the younger people who are replacing the ageing population
and are more environmentally conscious in their decisions and choices.
Büttner and Grübler (1995) argued that an understanding of consumers,
from the lens of generational dynamics, would help interpret and under-
stand consumers’ behaviours. Though Büttner and Grübler (1995) used
the term “generation green”, we adopt “generation green” in this chapter
to describe individuals who are conscious and find environmental sustain-
ability practices appealing (McDougle et al., 2011; Price, 2018). McDougle
et al. (2011) found that environmental issues are important to the
134 I. ADISA ET AL.
generation of young adults, who will not only engage in pro-environmen-

tal behaviours but also more likely to volunteer for activities of environment-
focused non-profits.
Increasing pressure from global organisations, government and con-
sumers on businesses to embrace sustainable practices (green movement)
requires that regions and economies identify their best path to achieving a
sustainable economy (Peattie & Ratnayaka, 1992). For emerging markets,
the younger generation and people management practices can be har-
nessed towards sustainable goal. We refer to this generation as “generation
green”. Currently, the largest demographics in the workforce are the gen-
eration green, and their activities have informed a changing trend in con-
sumer behaviour (Price, 2018); therefore, the presence of generation
green as workforce and consumers promotes sustainability practices (Keve
& Bryzek, 2019; Price, 2018). Büttner and Grübler (1995) further
asserted that 20% of the world’s population generate and consume 80% of
global economic output, use 75% commercial energy and two-thirds of
significant bulk material and that difference is larger between individual
countries or between the social strata within countries. These figures have
implications for embedding the concept “generation green” in the con-
text of green marketing, for developing economies.
It is projected that by 2050, Africa will have more than half of the
world’s population, with a middle-class population estimated to reach 1.1
billion by 2060 (Ncube, 2017). Africa is expected to benefit from a young
demographic structure between 2010 and 2050 with an active population
age of 16–65 (Allianz Global Investors, 2011; Ncube, 2017). This popu-
lation till 2050 will consist of the predominantly “generation green”,
which presents an opportunity for businesses in Africa to explore and also,
to understand this generation’s interest in sustainable practices. As busi-
nesses seek to meet consumers’ needs in Africa’s emerging economies
through sustainable practices, they must understand the population subset
referred to as generation green to harness their potentials as workers and
consumers.
In this chapter, we describe the generation green as comprising of indi-
viduals born between 1981 and 1996 (Generation Y) and those born
between 1997 and 2012 (Generation Z) (Dimock, 2019; Keve & Bryzek,
2019; Price, 2018). Through the lens of the generational cohort theory,
we can understand the values these two generations offer as workers and
consumers in Africa. Williams et al. (2010) argued for multi-generational
marketing strategies, although, other authors have attempted to
understand the specific needs of Generation Y and also to identify how

sustainable business practice can be developed (Bathmathan & Rajadurai,
2019; Nadanyiova et al., 2020; Synodinos et al., 2013). However, few
studies focus on understanding how green marketing can be successful by
harnessing the potentials of green. This chapter attempts to extend the
generational cohort theory by applying its principles to green marketing.
The chapter also contributes to knowledge on how green marketing can
be successfully practised in Africa by focusing on the people (Generations
Y and Z).
The remainder of this chapter is outlined thus. The next section pro-
vides a discussion on generation green followed by the section on green
marketing. Next, we offer approaches on how businesses in Africa can
harness the potential of the generation green; we then provide recommen-
dations for Africa’s emerging economies; and lastly, we conclude the
chapter.
Generation Green (Green Workforce and Consumer)

A review of literature shows that the concept “generation green” is not
commonly used by researchers, although Büttner and Grübler in 1995
adopted the concept to buttress their argument on changing societal
demographics which they assert would influence purchase behaviour.
Years after the authors introduced the concept, studies have shown a
change in what consumers want, how businesses operate and the impor-
tance of meeting the needs of consumers and environmental concerns of
the societies (Chaney et al., 2017). As mentioned earlier, Büttner and
Grübler (1995) referred to the “generation green” as the younger popula-
tions who are replacing the older people and are more environmentally
conscious in their decisions and actions. Therefore, the crux of the con-
cept “generation green” is the narrative of the younger populations’ value
for environmental sustainability and their preference for green marketing
over traditional marketing initiatives.
The generational cohort theory states that individuals who have similar
political, social and economic experience in their early stages of life will
have similar beliefs, values and behaviour later in life (Thach, Riewe, &
Camillo, 2020). The theory argues that people’s beliefs and perception
can be understood based on their period of birth, social, economic as well
as political events occurring in their developmental years. The genera-
tional cohort theory provides a lens to segment society into different
136 I. ADISA ET AL.
homogenous strata for socio-economic analysis (Verma, 2017). These

generations are observed as portraying different values, perceptions and
consumption patterns (Brown, Thomas, & Bosselman, 2015; Mahmoud,
Fuxman, Mohr, Reisel, & Grigoriou, 2020; Sima, 2016; Tan, Lew, & Sim,
2019). The three most used classifications of the generational cohort in
recent time are the generations X, Y and Z. People in Generation X were
born between 1965 and 1980, Generation Y were born between 1981
and 1996, and Generation Z were born between 1997 and 2012 (Dimock,
2019; Nadanyiova, Gajanova, & Majerova 2020; Tugend, 2020).
Generation X are digital immigrants and largely prefer traditional mar-
keting to green marketing initiatives. In contrast, Generations Y and Z are
digital natives and are observed to be tech-savvy, youthful, socially con-
scious, innovative and change-seeking (Verma, 2017). Generation Z were
born in the digital world and, thereby, have grown with access to informa-
tion and a technology-driven life which places them higher than every
other generational cohort in terms of digital exposure (Verma, 2017).
According to Verma (2017), Generation Z are most times called Gen
Next customers, Gen I customers or Echo Bust customers. Generation Y
consumers are also called the Echo Boomers (Lu, Bock, & Joseph, 2013),
most likely born by the Baby boomers, a generation preceding Generation
X. The exposure of Generation Y and Z consumers to digital skills, innova-
tions and change initiatives are the reasons these generations are called
generation green because their practices encourage sustainable develop-
ment (Vermillion & Peart, 2010). For instance, Nadanyiova, Gajanova,
and Majerova (2020) found that the Millennials (Generation Y) and Post
Millennials (Generation Z) in Slovakia prefer and buy products of high
ecological standards than Generation X.
As workers in an organisation, the generation green (Y and Z) offer
different values which drive their commitment and desire to work, which
managers must understand (Mahmoud et al., 2020). They also provide
green skills and abilities which are needed for green marketing success in
emerging markets. For instance, most Generation Y individuals are highly
qualified in digital skills, are flexible to change, have virtual socialisation,
can easily accept cultural difference, are multi-tasking and have an excel-
lent online presence (Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós, & Juhász, 2016). On the
other hand, Generation Zs are always online, intelligent, brave and like to
lead, are innovative and look for solutions to problems through the inter-
net (Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós, & Juhász, 2016; Nadanyiova, Gajanova, &
Majerova, 2020). These are competencies that businesses in Africa and
other emerging markets need to drive green marketing practices.

Generations Y and Z are crucial as workers in organisations because they
are the future human resources. Generation Y workers and customers have
attracted the most attention (Leask, Fyall, & Barron, 2013; Mahipalan &
Sheena, 2018; Tan, Lew, & Sim, 2019). This is because, presently, they
are the most active population in societies, although Generation Y is
already part of the labour force as they currently work with Generation X
(Nadanyiova et al., 2020). Although, in a few years, the work environment
will be dominated by generations Y and Z. It is, therefore, crucial that
organisations harness the potentials of a workforce whose majority consti-
tutes the “generation green (Y and Z)” for a successful green marketing
and other green business practice.
Green Marketing
As businesses realised that consumers are becoming more interested in
environmental-friendly consumption, their marketing pattern also began
to change (Bathmathan, & Rajadurai, 2019). Sustainable marketing prac-
tices have increased in the past few decades as businesses respond to con-
sumer and government calls for sustainable practices; thus, green marketing
is a crucial aspect of organisations’ corporate strategy towards sustainable
business practice (Singh, & Pandey, 2012). It is also known as sustainable
marketing, ecological marketing and environmental marketing
(Katrandjiev, 2016; Polonsky, 1994). The crux of the concept is that it is
an organisation’s conscious effort to offer products and services that pro-
mote social, economic and environmental sustainability. In green market-
ing, organisations introduce different activities that include, but not
limited to, product modification, changes in advertising, packaging and
changes in the production process (Singh, & Pandey, 2012); therefore,
green marketing is an activity that cut across all organisations’ functions
since the government, consumers and the organisations’ internal resources
are key actors in green marketing success. For example, organisations must
design products that meet the consumers’ need, protect the consumers’
social environment and also respect government policies on sustainable
practices. At the same time, the organisation must think of cost and profit
while aligning its internal resources to sustainable goals.
The cost of green marketing, at the operational level, is a major reason
why different organisations have not been able to adopt green marketing
innovation as the processes are found to be costly (Bhatia & Jain, 2013).
138 I. ADISA ET AL.
Similarly, some millennial consumers were also avoiding green products

despite an understanding and appreciation of their benefits (Lu, Bock, &
Joseph, 2013); the reasons for the avoidance include cost, lack of trust and
perception of inferiority of some products. Green consumers, usually, have
the intention and desire to purchase green products; however, they still
would not because of these identified reasons.
On the part of the firms, Bathmathan and Rajadurai (2019) posit that
although green marketing is costly, it cannot be compared to traditional
marketing processes. The authors offered that traditional marketing is not
concerned with the losses or damages products and services bring to the
environment, rather it is largely focused on business profits and the provi-
sion of goods and services at the right place and time. On the other hand,
green marketing takes into consideration environmental safety through-
out all the stages of production, until the goods reach the final consumer.
As is obtainable in traditional marketing, marketing mix (green marketing
mix of product, price, promotion and place) is also an essential aspect of
green marketing, crucial in decision making.
Organisations in Africa’s emerging economies must adopt green mar-
keting to mitigate environmental challenges. For instance, in South Africa,
Anvar and Venter (2014) observed that environmental awareness, social
factors and price influence consumers’ attitude towards green products.
The authors found that Generation Y consumers play an important role in
green marketing success and the development of emerging economies,
like South Africa. In Nigeria, manufacturing companies are regarded as
sources of environmental pollution and degradation (ThisDay Newspaper,
2017); these pollutions are manifested in the form of product packaging,
in the process of production and the product itself. These challenges have
necessitated the call for green marketing to enable the production of an
eco-friendly product that will help preserve the environment (ThisDay
Newspaper, 2017). Continuous awareness of the dangers of global warm-
ing, harmful pollutants and non-biodegradable solid waste has drawn the
attention of government, producers and consumers to the importance of
green products; this is resulting in policy changes gradually beginning to
take effect. The health and environmental challenges, like malaria and
flooding, are results of non-adoption of green marketing practices in Africa.
With the generation(s) of the millennial and post-millennial population
estimated to be high, Africa has the resources it can harness to drive her
sustainability goals. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consist of 17
global goals that are expected to be achieved by 2030 and Goal 12 of the
SDGs is focused on “responsible consumption and production” (United

Nations, 2011). If Africa’s emerging economies will adopt green market-
ing practices, among other sustainable business practices, responsible con-
sumption and production can also provide answers to the challenges in
other goals, such as Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 6 (clean
water and sanitation), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal
9 (industry innovation and infrastructure) and Goal 11 (sustainable cities
and communities). By harnessing the opportunities in generation green,
both internally (as a workforce) and externally (as consumers), businesses
in Africa will benefit economically, socially and ecologically from green
marketing.
Generation Green and Innovation in Africa’s

Emerging Economies
Events in some of Africa’s emerging economies have provided evidence
that the adoption of innovative practices lies with millennials; innovation
is a crucial competence needed to drive green success in Africa. For
instance, the agitation for better policing and an end to police brutality,
tagged #EndSARs by the Nigerian Youths between September and
October 2020 across the country, was regarded as an innovative action
through technology to put an end to police brutality in the country
(Babalola, 2020). It was an action that turned bloody on 20 October
2020; however, the younger generation in the process proved their auda-
ciousness to bring about the desired changes, innovatively.
Through social media platforms (mostly Twitter), the organisers of the
protest showed the strength of their online presence, digital skills and
virtual socialisation, identified by Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós and Juhász
(2016) as key competencies of the generation green. Also, the manner in
which they helped each other in police custody, through pro-bono ser-
vices and cleaning of the protest grounds in Lekki shows the generation’s
acceptance of cultural differences and sensitivity to environmental cleanli-
ness, respectively (Gafaar, 2020). The attitude they showed towards find-
ing a solution to police brutality, through cooperation on the internet,
confirms the position of Nadanyiova, Gajanova and Majerova (2020) that
the generation green are innovative and they look for solutions to prob-
lems through the internet. Millennials in Nigeria are already exhibiting,
through their actions, their readiness for the green movement and it is
140 I. ADISA ET AL.
important that other emerging economies in Africa take a clue by harness-

ing the potentials in the generation green for sustainable development.
Harnessing the Potentials of the Generation Green

This chapter’s proposition is premised on the narrative of the potentials of

the generation green, as workers for business innovation and also as con-
sumers, and although there is a growing interest in Green Human
Resources Management (GHRM) (Chaudhary, 2018), the literature has
mostly laid emphasis on the green consumer with less attention paid to the
green workforce (Chan, 2000; Naderi, & Van Steenburg, 2018; Testa,
Sarti, & Frey, 2019). Therefore, we advocate that organisations should
leverage the opportunities generation green presents, both as workers and
consumers, to drive the success of green marketing and other green
practices.
Generation Green as Employees

For Africa’s emerging economies, it is crucial that they are aware of the
availability of talent (people and skills) (Gallardo-Gallardo, Dries,
Gonzalez, 2013) needed to have a successful green marketing practice in
the context of the high Generation Y and Z estimated population on the
continent (Allianz Global Investors, 2011; Ncube, 2017). Businesses can
harness generations Y and Z’s innate potentials to promote green market-
ing activities and other sustainable practices by appropriately engaging
them in organisations. Organisations in Africa can, through the availability
of a green workforce achieve the following:
educe the Cost Associated with Green Training and Development

R
To pursue sustainable practices such as green marketing, the organisation
will need to train the employees on sustainable production and services if
the majority of the workforce belongs to the Generation X cohort.
Generations Y and Z are more aligned with sustainable practices and, thus,
would need less training to drive any sustainable plans of the organisation
(Lu et al., 2013; Nadanyiova, Gajanova, & Majerova, 2020). The
“greener” an organisation’s workforce, the less the management would
spend on training to develop the workforce on green knowledge.
tilise Digital Skills to Drive Sustainable Practices

U
Generation Y and Z individuals are digitally inclined and have their lives
revolving around digital tools. Specifically, Generation Z builds social rela-
tions through virtual channels, while Generation Y spends most of their
times on digital devices (Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós, & Juhász, 2016;
Vermillion & Peart, 2010). Generation Y and Z individuals are not alien
to digital tools and skills and, thus, are comfortable with them. Activities
such as digital marketing are a crucial aspect of green marketing practice,
as this type of marketing encourages sustainable approach, whereby, the
environment is not endangered; hence, a green workforce (Generations Y
and Z) will help the businesses drive their sustainable practices, through
digital skills.
Respond to Change
Another crucial characteristic of Generation Y and Z individuals is their
flexibility to change, a value which is needed in today’s constantly chang-
ing world (Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós, & Juhász, 2016; Nadanyiova,
Gajanova, & Majerova, 2020). It would not be difficult for an organisa-
tion to initiate a change in product or service delivery when the bulk of the
workforce is flexible and responsive to organisational changes. It gives
room for new idea and innovation, as the market demands.
I nitiate Innovative Ideas to Meet the Need of the Market

Specifically, Generation Z is reported to be innovative and always seeking
a better way to get things done (Verma, 2017). This attribute is also
needed for an organisation seeking to pursue green marketing and other
sustainable practices. Innovations in technology, product, price, packaging
and other critical aspects of marketing are needed to attract green con-
sumers, who are the primary target segment in green marketing.
nderstand the Market Dynamics

U
A green workforce understands a green consumer; this is an advantage for
an organisation. Businesses in Africa must endeavour to have a green
workforce to understand the growing green consumers since they are of
the same generation. This workforce would understand the orientation,
beliefs and approaches of the consumers in the market. The majority of the
world population is, currently, generations Y and Z, which will still be the
case until 2050. Therefore, it is a strategic approach to have a green work-
force who will understand the green consumers for the next 30+ years.
142 I. ADISA ET AL.
Generation Green as Consumers

Organisations can also harness the opportunities in green consumers by
understanding why they would or would not be willing to purchase green
products (Naderi and Van Steenburg, 2018; Testa, Sarti, and Frey, 2019;
Lu et al., 2013). This knowledge is crucial as it provides the organisation
with the needed information to approach green marketing the right way
to achieve the desired goals. Businesses in Africa and other emerging
economies must understand the following about green consumers:
hey Are Interested in Product Attributes

T
Green consumers are not just interested in a green product, but the prod-
uct’s attributes too. Lu et al. (2013) found that product attributes corre-
late significantly with purchase intention among millennial consumers;
such products’ attributes include re-usability and biodegradability. They
are also conscious of the health outcomes from consumption of eco-
friendly products. In the marketing of the green product, it is, therefore,
essential that businesses in the emerging markets promote the health ben-
efits of their product.
hey Are Responsive to Price and Business Image

T
Despite studies showing that green consumers are pro-environmental
products, these consumers can avoid green products. Green consumers
avoid green brands and products when they are perceived as expensive,
there is lack of trust in the green products/brands and there is no differ-
ence between the green and non-green products (Lu et al., 2013).
Therefore, businesses have the responsibility of communicating trust, fix-
ing prices that align with the social and economic realities of their environ-
ment and ensuring that there is product differentiation between the green
and non-green ones, through quality and packaging.
hey Are Rational and Self-Oriented Towards Green Products

T
Green consumers have rational and self-oriented motives rather than emo-
tional and other-oriented motives towards green products; therefore, they
will choose products and services that communicate their personal and
environmental needs (Naderi & Van Steenburg, 2018); it is self-first and
the environment, second. This implies that businesses in emerging African
economies must not just be focused on the environment needs in the
product development while ignoring the consumer needs—a situation
called “green marketing myopia” (Ottman, Stafford, & Hartman, 2006).

Businesses in emerging African economies must ensure that their products
respond to the need of the consumers while conforming to and promoting
environmentally sustainable practices.
hey Demand Effective Communication on the Benefits

T
of Green Products
Comprehensive communication on products to consumers is an essential
aspect of ensuring green consumers purchase green products; businesses
must utilise the right channel to engage the right consumers. Product
communication must effectively inform the consumer of the environmen-
tal benefits of the product to encourage consumer purchase. Clear com-
munication that promotes products’ attributes and benefits to consumer
and the environment allows consumers to distinguish between green and
non-green products and this will increase consumers’ awareness and
demand for green products (Lu et al., 2013).
onscious Green Marketing Strategy Promotes Purchase

C
With a conscious and clearly articulated green marketing strategy that
explains the what and how of the businesses’ marketing activities at every
stage, it will also enhance and sustain green marketing success. It is not
sufficient to promote green product and services without making plans for
customer engagement. Customer engagement, customer feedback, cus-
tomer rewards and many other related programmes should be prioritised
to ensure that customers are actively involved in the green marketing
process.
The generation green clearly provides social and economic opportuni-
ties for organisations seeking to adopt sustainable business practices.
Therefore, the success of green marketing is primarily dependent on how
organisations can effectively harness the potentials of the generation green,
as a workforce and consumers. Figure 9.1 explains the interaction between
green marketing and generation green which should lead to green market-
ing success in emerging economies.
The figure shows that green marketing strategies must focus on the
generation green to achieve their desired success. The generation green
strengthens the relationship between the green marketing strategy and
green marketing success.
144 I. ADISA ET AL.
Green Workforce
Green Marketing Generation Green Marketing

strategy green Success
Green Consumers
Fig. 9.1 Interaction between green marketing, generation green and green mar-
keting success. (Source: Authors)
Recommendations for Green Marketing Success

To achieve successful green marketing, businesses in Africa’s emerging

economies must, First have a green marketing strategy that is focused on
meeting the green needs of the consumer and the environment. Businesses
must avoid the danger of green marketing myopia (focusing on the envi-
ronmental need with less interest in consumer needs). Hence, businesses
must understand the green consumer’s demands and design their internal
system (people, technology and structure) to respond to these needs.
Secondly, businesses must attract and retain green workforce. Sustainable
production and consumption through green marketing cannot be achieved
in Africa’s emerging economies without the availability of green people in
the organisation. Green people are individuals who have green orientation
and appreciate green business practices. Businesses in Africa must, there-
fore, adopt practices like Green Human Resources Management (GHRM)
(adoption of human resources management approaches to promote sus-
tainable practices and stimulate employees’ commitment to issues related
to environmental sustainability) to initiate green people management
techniques, which will ensure green personnel are attracted and retained.
With the right stock of green talent (people and skills), the organisation
can put in place appropriate policies and practices for green marketing
success.
Thirdly, businesses in Africa must comprehensively and accurately com-

municate green products’ attributes and benefits to erase any form of
doubt in green consumers’ minds about their green products. Consumers
are conscious of “greenwashing” (a deceitful way of an organisation
branding itself as “green-friendly” without reducing the negative environ-
mental impact of their production process) by organisations and therefore
will want to understand the products’ attributes and benefits; organisa-
tions need to demonstrate a high level of transparency in their sustainable
practices. This is crucial as studies have shown that green consumers avoid
green products for various reasons.
Fourthly, businesses must identify the target market and adopt the right
communication channel (digital platforms) to appeal to green consumers
and continually engage them. Customer engagement is crucial to green
marketing success as it creates a platform for partnership and value co-
creation between the green organisation and green consumers. Lastly, the
availability of the generation green (Generations Y and Z) in the work-
place is essential to green marketing success, and organisations must
ensure that they attract and retain green-conscious people to respond to
green consumers’ continually changing needs. This will help businesses in
Africa’s emerging economies to build a green corporate image that attracts
green investors and promote a green economy.
Conclusion
Harnessing the potentials in generation green provides limitless opportu-
nities for businesses in Africa’s emerging economies in their quest for sus-
tainable business practice. Through the generation green capacities,
businesses can adopt innovative ideas that will make their business profit-
able and provide product and services that promote environmental sus-
tainability. The availability of a green-oriented workforce allows
organisations to create a digital space for their businesses, build internal
dynamics that allows a creative response to change, social and economic
uncertainties (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic) while the needs of the markets
are still being met.
Additionally, organisations in Africa’s emerging economies, through
market research targeted at green consumers, can effectively develop
product attributes that make their organisations relevant, with the right
business image. The right green marketing strategy can also be developed
when the organisation is able to harness the potentials of green consumers
146 I. ADISA ET AL.
through research. Generation green provides dual opportunities, as con-

sumers and workers, for businesses in Africa’s emerging economies; this
must be sufficiently harnessed for green marketing success on the
continent.
References
Allianz Global Investors. (2011). Analysis and trend-demography as an investment
opportunity. https://www.allianz.com/content/dam/onemarketing/azcom/
Allianz_com/migration/media/press/document/other/br_analysentrends_
demografieinvestmentchance_en.pd
Aman, A. W., Gönel, F., Kaplan, Z., & Karaduman, H. (2018). African emerging
economies: The leading economies of Africa in the 21st century. Journal of
Economics Library, 5(4), 345–357.
Anvar, M., & Venter, M. (2014). Attitudes and purchase behaviour of green prod-
ucts among generation Y consumers in South Africa. Mediterranean Journal of
Social Sciences, 5(21), 183–183.
Babalola, B. (2020). Nigeria’s millennials are battling a gerontocracy. https://
www.gq.com/story/fela-kuti-endsars-police-protests-nigeria
Bathmathan, V., & Rajadurai, J. (2019). Green marketing mix strategy using mod-
ified measurement scales—A performance on gen Y green purchasing decision
in Malaysia. International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology,
9(1), 3612–3618.
Bencsik, A., Horváth-Csikós, G., & Juhász, T. (2016). Y and Z generations at
workplaces. Journal of Competitiveness, 8(3), 90–106.
Bhatia, M., & Jain, A. (2013). Green marketing: A study of consumer perception
and preferences in India. Electronic Green Journal, 1(36), 1–20.
Brown, E. A., Thomas, N. J., & Bosselman, R. H. (2015). Are they leaving or
staying: A qualitative analysis of turnover issues for generation Y hospitality
employees with a hospitality education. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 46, 130–137.
Büttner, T., & Grübler, A. (1995). The birth of a ‘green’ generation? Generational
dynamics of resource consumption patterns. Technological Forecasting and
Social Change, 50(2), 113–134.
Chan, K. (2000). Market segmentation of green consumers in Hong Kong.
Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 12(2), 7–24.
Chaney, D., Touzani, M., & Slimane, K. (2017). Marketing to the (new) genera-
tions: Summary and perspectives. Journal of Strategic Marketing,
25(9), 179–189.
Chaudhary, R. (2018, December). Can green human resource management attract

young talent? An empirical analysis. In Evidence-based HRM: A global forum
for empirical scholarship. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Dimock, M. (2019). Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation
Z begins. Pew Research Center, 17, 1–7.
Gafaar, V. A. (2020). I am proud that young Nigerians are driving change—We will
no longer be ignored. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/sars-endsars-
p r o t e s t -n i g e r i a -p o l i c e -b r u t a l i t y -g o v e r n m e n t -r e f o r m -p o l i t i c a l -
activism-b1070618.html
Gallardo-Gallardo, E., Dries, N., & González-Cruz, T. F. (2013). What is the
meaning of ‘talent’ in the world of work? Human Resource Management
Review, 23(4), 290–300.
Katrandjiev, H. (2016). Ecological marketing, green marketing, sustainable mar-
keting: Synonyms оr аn evolution оf ideas. Economic Alternatives, 1, 71–82.
Keve, R., & Bryzek, M. (2019) Generation greens: Millennials and Gen Z change
the fabric of fashion. https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2019/09/08/
green-generations-millennials-and-gen-z-change-the-fabric-of-fashion/
Leask, A., Fyall, A., & Barron, P. (2013). Generation Y: opportunity or challenge–
strategies to engage Generation Y in the UK attractions’ sector. Current Issues
in Tourism, 16(1), 17–46.
Lu, L., Bock, D., & Joseph, M. (2013). Green marketing: What the millennials
buy. Journal of Business Strategy, 34(6), 3–10.
Mahipalan, M., & Sheena, S. (2018). Mediating effect of engagement on work-
place spirituality–Job involvement relationship: A study among Generation Y
professionals. Asia-Pacific Journal of Management Research and Innovation,
14(1–2), 1–9.
Mahmoud, A. B., Fuxman, L., Mohr, I., Reisel, W. D., & Grigoriou, N. (2020).
‘We aren’t your reincarnation!’ workplace motivation across X, Y and Z genera-
tions. International Journal of Manpower, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-
print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-09-2019-0448
Mark, N., & Law, M. (2015). Encouraging green purchase behaviours of Hong
Kong consumers. Asian Journal of Business Research ISSN, 5(2), 2015.
McDougle, L. M., Greenspan, I., & Handy, F. (2011). Generation green:
Understanding the motivations and mechanisms influencing young adults’
environmental volunteering. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary
Sector Marketing, 16(4), 325–341.
Nadanyiova, M., Gajanova, L., & Majerova, J. (2020). Green marketing as a part
of the socially responsible Brand’s communication from the aspect of genera-
tional stratification. Sustainability, 12(17), 7118.
148 I. ADISA ET AL.
Naderi, I., & Van Steenburg, E. (2018). Me first, then the environment: Young
millennials as green consumers. Young Consumers, 19(3), 280–295.
Ncube, M. (2017). Demographics are shaping the investment attractiveness of
Africa’s hotel sector. Quantum Global Research Lab. https://www.howwema-
deitinafrica.com/demographics-shaping-investment-attractiveness-africas-
hotel-sector/60046/?lp_txn_id=73641
Ottman, J. A., Stafford, E. R., & Hartman, C. L. (2006). Avoiding green market-
ing myopia: Ways to improve consumer appeal for environmentally preferable
products. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development,
48(5), 22–36.
Peattie, K., & Ratnayaka, M. (1992). Responding to the green movement.
Industrial Marketing Management, 21(2), 103–110.
Polonsky, M. J. (1994). An introduction to green marketing. Electronic Green
Journal, 1(2), 1–11.
Price, T. (2018). ‘Generation Green’: How millennials will shape the circular econ-
omy. https://environmentjournal.online/articles/generation-green-how-
millennials-will-shape-the-circular-economy/
Sima, C. (2016). Generations BB, X, Y, Z, a–the changing consumer in the hospi-
tality industry. In the Routledge handbook of hotel chain management
(pp. 497–505). Routledge.
Singh, P. B., & Pandey, K. K. (2012). Green marketing: Policies and practices for
sustainable development. Integral Review, 5(1), 22–30.
Squires, S. (2019). Do generations differ when it comes to green values and prod-
ucts? Electronic Green Journal, 1(42), 1–17.
Synodinos, C., Bevan-Dye, A. L., & De Klerk, N. (2013). Influence of conative
attitudes towards green advertising on black generation Y students’ environ-
mental behaviour. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 17–24.
Tan, K. L., Lew, T. Y., & Sim, A. K. (2019). An innovative solution to leverage
meaningful work to attract, retain and manage generation Y employees in
Singapore’s hotel industry. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes,
11(2), 204–216.
Testa, F., Sarti, S., & Frey, M. (2019). Are green consumers really green? Exploring
the factors behind the actual consumption of organic food products. Business
Strategy and the Environment, 28(2), 327–338.
Thach, L., Riewe, S., & Camillo, A. (2020). Generational cohort theory and wine:
analysing how gen Z differs from other American wine consuming generations.
International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-
of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-12-2019-0061
ThisDay. (2017, August 19). Green marketing: The LG example. https://www.
thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/08/19/green-marketing-the-lg-example/
Tugend, A. (2020). Higher Ed’s multigenerational work force: Perceptions and real-
ities about age groups—And how to manage them. The Chronicle of Higher
Education.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2011). Towards a Green
Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication - A
Synthesis for Policy Makers. https://www.unep.org/greeneconomy
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2017). Six African Countries
Switch to Green Business Development for Sustainable Growth. Retrieved
from https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/six-african-countries-
switch-green-business-development-sustainable-growth
United Nations Environmental Programmes. (n.d.). Green Economy. https://
www.unenvironment.org/regions/asia-a nd-p acific/regional-i nitiatives/
supporting-resource-efficiency/green-economy#:~:text=A%20green%20econ-
omy%20is%20defined,r esource%20ef ficient%20and%20socially%20
inclusive.&text=UN%20Environment%20promotes%20a%20
development,livelihoods%20depend%20on%20natural%20resources
Verma, S. (2017). Niche level segmentation of green consumers. South Asian
Journal of Business Studies, 6(3), 274–293.
Vermillion, L. J., & Peart, J. (2010). Green marketing: Making sense of the situa-
tion. In Allied Academies International Conference. Academy of Marketing
Studies. Proceedings (Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 68). Jordan Whitney Enterprises, Inc.
Williams, K. C., Page, R. A., Petrosky, A. R., & Hernandez, E. H. (2010). Multi-
generational marketing: Descriptions, characteristics, lifestyles, and attitudes.
The Journal of Applied Business and Economics, 11(2), 21.
CHAPTER 10
Green People Management, Internal

Communications and Employee Engagement
Esmond Naalu Kuuyelleh, Desmond Tutu Ayentimi,
and Hossein Ali Abadi
Abstract The notion of green management is progressively securing an

important spot within recent academic and practitioner literature in differ-
ent domains. Green People Management (GPM) recognises the relation-
ship between employee attraction, employee engagement, retention and
environmental stewardship. GPM practices and strategies can generate
greater efficiencies and improve employee engagement and talent
E. N. Kuuyelleh (*)
Department of Secretaryship and Management Studies, Bolgatanga Technical
University, Bolgatanga, Ghana
e-mail: akinoti@riarauniversity.ac.ke
D. T. Ayentimi
School of Management and Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and
Economics, Sandy Bay, TAS, Australia
e-mail: desmond.ayentimi@utas.edu.au
H. Ali Abadi
School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
e-mail: h.aliabadi@ecu.edu.au

Switzerland AG 2021
152 E. N. KUUYELLEH ET AL.
retention. Though the concept of GPM is gaining both theoretical and

conceptual support, little attention has been paid to how internal com-
munications and employee engagement through a GPM lens can be posi-
tioned to advance green marketing. This chapter focuses on how GPM
can drive employee engagement through robust internal communication
routines and how these empowered or engaged staff, in turn, deliver out-
standing customer service. Advancing this new corporate insight and cor-
porate orientation can induce green behavioural values to build a corporate
culture of green marketing in emerging markets. This chapter offers areas
of further reflection to inspire future GPM pathways in emerging markets.
Keywords Employee engagement • Environment • Emerging markets

• Internal communications • Green people management
Introduction
There is a rising need for the incorporation of environmental management
orientation into Human Resource Management (HRM)—sustainable
HRM or green HRM. Indeed, top practice workplaces and organisations
are able to inspire employees to be environment-friendly in performing
their activities and functions, which, in turn, help deliver on corporate
environmental goals. The interest of business enterprises in environmental
issues and sustainability trajectories has been intensifying in both devel-
oped and emerging markets (Ren & Jackson, 2020). The notion of Green
Human Resource Management (GHRM) is synonymous with Green
People Management (GPM) or sustainable HRM, which is progressively
securing an important spot within recent academic and practitioner litera-
ture in different domains.
The transition to GPM has proven to be valuable for corporate organ-
isations (Pham et al., 2019). GPM practices and strategies can generate
greater efficiencies and improve employee engagement and talent reten-
tion, which, in turn, reinforce business enterprises’ commitment to pro-
moting sustainable marketing practices. GPM supports the use of Human
Resource (HR) practices to promote sustainable resource utilisation and
largely encourages the principles of sustainability within an organisation.
It supports the formation of a workforce that appreciates, understands and
10 GREEN PEOPLE MANAGEMENT, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS… 153
engages in green practices and policies (Jerónimo et al., 2020). Through

HRM functions of recruitment, selection, talent development, compensa-
tion and employee engagement, organisations are able to uphold their
green strategies and objectives. The key to nurturing environmental and
social innovation is to advance GPM initiatives.
Drawing from recent literature, Chaudhary (2020) found that the
adoption of Green HRM practices in an organisation can predict both
employees’ task-related and voluntary green behaviour. The author’s evi-
dence underscores the contribution of GPM practices in accomplishing an
organisation’s environmental and sustainability goals. This explicitly calls
for organisations to establish corporate sustainability principles in their
HR processes and practices. Indeed, for organisations, GPM initiatives
have been acknowledged to contribute to gaining a reputation as an
employer of choice or best employer (green employer). Prior green man-
agement literature provides documented evidence to suggest that employer
reputation constitutes an important driving force in talent attraction and
talent retention (Chaudhary, 2020). For example, developing HR systems
that support employees and help address bullying, dementia, depression,
domestic violence, obesity and sexual harassment in the workplace is
reflected in employee health, safety and well-being, thus contributing to
the long-term well-being of employees and the wider community.
GPM recognises the relationship between employee attraction, engage-
ment, retention and environmental stewardship (Masri & Jaaron, 2017).
Establishing a friendly employer–employee relationship represents an
important aspect of the HR function, especially at this crucial time of
union decline and increasing non-unionised organisations (Ayentimi et al.,
2019). Employee engagement as a psychological state in which people are
engrossed with the work role (Kahn, 1990, 1992) can be nurtured
through HR policies and practices, organisational culture, and the com-
pany’s work systems and processes. Within the growing strategic HRM
literature, employee engagement has emerged as a strategic corporate pri-
ority which is closely linked to employee commitment which implicitly or
explicitly underpins corporate competitive advantage—human capital as a
source of corporate competitiveness (Nel et al., 2017; Renwick et al., 2016).
This chapter focuses on how GPM drives employee engagement
through robust internal communication routines, so these empowered or
engaged staffs, in turn, deliver outstanding customer service. The chapter
further contributes to debates in the literature on whether internal
communication should remain with corporate communication or become

a shared responsibility with the HR department. Primarily, this chapter
makes the case that internal communication is a shared responsibility since
GPM needs specialised communication routines, and therefore, the HR
department must be actively involved. Finally, this chapter offers areas of
further reflection to inspire future GPM pathways in emerging markets.
Advancing this new corporate insight and corporate orientation can induce
environmental behavioural values to build a corporate culture of green
marketing in emerging markets. Conceptually, developing organisational
environmental culture can influence employee behaviour and also help to
empower employees through environmental and social values towards
business sustainability in emerging markets.
The Concept of Green People Management

There is a growing demand towards green strategic management think-
ing—incorporating environmental considerations into HRM. Historically,
financial performance of any corporate entity was benchmarked as the
standard of corporate accomplishment and corporate success, but in
recent times, this benchmark of corporate success is gradually diminishing
and making way for an extended view of corporate performance and suc-
cess (Chaudhary, 2020). These include the rising attention to environ-
mental and social performance of business enterprises in addition to
economic outcomes.
GPM is relatively new in its conceptualisation. Interestingly, typical
GPM activities are performed to promote sustainability consciousness
among employees and their organisations. It extends beyond the creation
of environmental awareness among employees, but also the economic and
social well-being of employees and the organisation at large. This new
corporate people management thinking and orientation directly coincide
with the sustainable development agenda. Therefore, the financial success
of a corporate organisation is expected to correspond with the minimisa-
tion of its environmental footprints in line with societal expectations
(Singh et al., 2020; Guerci & Carollo, 2016). It is within this notion that
GPM emerged, which denotes the conception of employees’ commitment
and awareness towards the promotion of green business practices. GPM
represents the consolidation of environmental considerations into human
resources management within corporate organisations (Ren et al., 2018).
The idea of GPM highlights the role and contribution of targeted HR

practices and policies towards environmental objectives of corporate enti-
ties. It supports HR initiatives that are environment-friendly, leading to
improved employee engagement and better efficiencies. It has become a
significant consideration by forward-thinking managers and business lead-
ers across the globe. Practically, it assists organisations in the utilisation of
alternative approaches to minimise costs and create value to customers and
other key stakeholders. The strategic initiative of GPM supports business
sustainability practices and help firms to maintain their top talents whilst
reducing costs. GPM is influential in the application of green behaviour
and attitudes towards corporate environmental agenda by translating into
the HR functions of recruitment, training and development, employee
engagement and compensation. For example, HRM practices such as
online training, virtual interviews and teleconferencing reduce employee
carbon footprints on the environment. By aligning HR policies and prac-
tices with sustainability principles and goals within an organisation, the
HR function becomes the pillar of social, economic and environmental
sustainability.
Green Employee Engagement

Green employee engagement denotes the establishment of a friendly
employer–employee relationship by providing employees with a voice to
actively engage in environmental issues within the organisation (Haddock-
Millar et al., 2016). As a psychological state, engagement is ‘the simulta-
neous employment and expression of a person’s preferred self in task
behaviours that promote connections to work and to others, personal
presence (physical, cognitive, and emotional) and active full role perfor-
mances’ (Kahn, 1990, p. 700). Employee engagement facilitates employee
morale and motivation and increases employee productivity (Haddock-
Millar et al., 2016). Employee engagement signifies employee participa-
tion and empowerment. Engaged employees actively participate in the
work environment (Benn et al., 2015), demonstrate organisational citi-
zenship behaviour and enthusiastically offer discretionary effort to assist
an organisation to be successful by helping to improve greater functioning
and organisational efficiency (Nel et al., 2017).
Employee empowerment and engagement boost their participation in
green initiatives as it aligns with their organisational citizenship behav-
iour—motivations with green initiatives. Organisational citizenship
behaviour may potentially align with individual employee behaviours and

actions that are not required or critical to the job but may help the organ-
isation to achieve its environmental goals. Green employee engagement
initiatives are expanded to include environmental engagement initiatives
where employees’ morale towards environmental issues can be boosted
within an organisation (Opatha & Arulrajah, 2014). This kind of engage-
ment produces greater consciousness on green matters and offers a plat-
form to generate new eco-friendly ideas from employees. Haddock-Millar
et al. (2016) found that people-centred initiatives and a range of opera-
tional initiatives supported proactive environmental management in mul-
tinational corporations. Other aspects of green employee engagement,
especially involving workplace health and safety issues, can help to improve
employee health and well-being, which directly correspond with the social
performance of organisations. Green employee engagement encourages
employees’ voice in relation to an organisation’s environmental manage-
ment processes by stimulating their active involvement in addressing cor-
porate environmental challenges.
The Underpinning Drivers of Green People

Management in Emerging Markets
Corporate social responsibility and, by extension, corporate sustainability
have become of critical concern for managers and key stakeholders across
the corporate world (Podgorodnichenko et al., 2020). Reflecting on sev-
eral corporate scandals and their economic, social and environmental
impact highlights the inseparable link between business operations and the
wider community. This link occasioned state regulatory intervention to
restrain the economic, social and environmental impact of these business
activities (Stahl et al., 2020). Notwithstanding, not everyone subscribes to
the notion that organisations have any social responsibility other than
maximising shareholder value—economic responsibility. This assertion
has been affirmed by free market thinkers including the likes of Milton
Friedman (1970) who argued that ‘there is one and only one social respon-
sibility of business—to use its resources and engage in activities designed
to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which
is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or
fraud’. Interestingly, over the last few decades, these ideals propagated by
Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, have received
less recognition into the broader business domain. Corporate social

responsibility originally centred on minimising the environmental impact
of corporate operations, expanding to a much broader scope of corporate
citizenship behaviour and corporate sustainability. The responsibility of a
business is now strongly linked to issues of corporate ethics, corporate citi-
zenship behaviour and corporate sustainability (Stahl et al., 2020). This
broader view of corporate responsibility allows for the prospect of inte-
grating social, economic and ecological considerations into corporate
functioning.
This last decade has witnessed a strong convergence in search of reason-
able sustainability management orientation and drive across the globe.
This progressive trend is reinforced by the growing detrimental effects of
climate change, and pollution, which the corporate sector being the fore-
most perpetrator has constantly drained the natural resources as a result of
its activities. This follows growing pressure from stakeholders and key
actors to address sustainability concerns and the negative consequences of
business activities on the environment (Podgorodnichenko et al., 2020).
The increasing demand for business sustainability or sustainable people
management implies a major shift in HRM focus and orientation from the
Michigan HRM model (hard HRM) to the Harvard HRM model (soft
HRM). While the former is driven by cost reduction, and greater effi-
ciency, and views employees as resources that must be managed as such,
the latter is inspired by the human relations movement which strengthens
employee engagement and commitment and views employees as capital
assets and a source of achieving and sustaining competitiveness (Aust
et al., 2020).
According to Jerónimo et al. (2020), despite many businesses being
compelled to make some adjustments to their business models and corpo-
rate culture, sustainability orientation is an important source of organisa-
tional long-term success. For Ahmad (2015), incorporating GHRM
practices into organisational operations helps to gain competitive advan-
tages. The emerging literature provides strong support for green people
management initiatives due to their contribution to organisational success
(Wagner, 2013; Renwick et al., 2013). For example, green recruitment
which often aligns with environmental management principles provides
organisations with opportunities to differentiate and enhance their chances
of talent attraction and retention (Renwick et al., 2013). Essentially,
e-learning and training technologies reduce employee travel requirements,
printed materials, energy and carbon footprints while producing greater
flexibility, better content consistency, greater cost advantage, greater effi-

ciency and greater convenience (Stone, 2017). In addition, e-performance
management and e-appraisal systems support the use of internet-based
appraisal systems to lessen printed material requirements and reduce the
carbon footprints while giving managers and employees precise and timely
information.
Positioning Green HRM to Promote Employee

Engagement and Internal Communications
The outcome of green people management surpasses the strategic posi-
tioning of environmental sustainability. However, the integration of green
attitude in an organisational culture creates a pathway for effective employ-
ees’ green participation. This signals the proactive role of HR in embrac-
ing sustainable green business strategies. The alignment of green people
management initiatives to the strategic goals of an organisation is funda-
mental in advocating green business sustainability. The intensity of
employees’ engagement in green functions demonstrates how well the
concept permeates into the organisation’s philosophy, values and culture.
Employee engagement denotes employee involvement, participation,
commitment and voice. Employee engagement can be nurtured through
HRM policies and practices, organisational culture and its work systems
and processes (Haddock-Millar et al., 2016). Overall, employee engage-
ment signifies the way an organisation manages its employees. This,
indeed, highlights the contribution of HRM in areas of job design, train-
ing, career development and employee health, safety and well-being.
Engaged employees are not just psychologically attached to the organisa-
tion; they are inspired to support the organisation to be successful by
performing and doing their jobs appropriately (Masri & Jaaron, 2017).
Employee engagement is further closely linked with the nature of the
psychological contract between them and their employers. This contract,
though not written in a document, highlights the expectations that are
exchanged in an employment relationship. The HRM literature points to
two forms of psychological contract: transactional and relational. The for-
mer is centred on specific economic exchange of benefits with no guaran-
tee of job security, or career advancement, whereas the latter is centred on
working partnership, built on affective involvement and mutual obliga-
tion, guaranteed job security and career development opportunities.
Primarily, employee engagement can be nurtured by the relational psycho-

logical contract. However, the increasing trend in casualisation, part-time
employment and zero-hour contracts are far away from the relational psy-
chological contract (Nel et al., 2017). With these evolving trends in the
employment relationship, it presents a key challenge for many businesses.
Notably, if organisations legitimately want to foster green behaviour and
deliver outstanding customer service, the focus on robust internal com-
munication routines to drive employee engagement remains important.
Green engagement or empowering employees who demonstrate sensi-
tivities and behaviours for the environment helps them to abide by sustain-
ability objectives because they are inclined to participate in
environment-friendly pursuits to boost their organisation’s sustainability
image and performance (Jerónimo et al., 2020). Green employee engage-
ment increases employee environmental engagement and motivation and
generates organisational fit between the employer and employee values
about environmental maintenance. This is where internal communication
routines help to articulate a clear corporate environmental vision and cir-
culate information using appropriate channels (formal and informal)
which in turn help in guiding employees to engage in corporate environ-
mental initiatives. The linkage between internal communication and
employee engagement, born out of green people management initiatives,
enables employee interactions which encourage green engagements in an
organisation. In practice, green people management functioning aims to
promote green engagement among employees, while internal communi-
cation promotes the mutual exchange of information and green ideas with
management—demonstration of a shared responsibility.
Internal Communications: A Shared Responsibility

Internal communication (IC) units are tasks with the core responsibility of
ensuring successful communication among key actors and employees in an
organisation. While the scope of responsibility may vary from organisation
to organisation, internal communication generates campaigns and delivers
messages to facilitate dialogue and promote communication between
employees and management (Cheney & Christensen, 2001). Internal
communication must be carried out appropriately to be effective, so
employees can be productive, which also could add to their positive work
experience within the organisation. By contrast, internal communication
routines when carried out inappropriately can leave employees
disconnected from corporate initiatives and, in most instances, may lead to

an unproductive and even a confused workforce.
The changing nature of the current workforce coupled with techno-
logical advancement poses a new set of challenges and, at the same time,
offers opportunities for internal communications. The growth of ‘the
internet of things’, especially intranet systems within organisations, has
shifted and transformed internal communication from traditional com-
munication channels to web-based platforms. Not long ago, the arrival of
social media has further heightened the shift in internal communication.
According to Huang et al. (2013, p. 112), ‘While many organisations may
only partially and selectively incorporate certain aspects of the array of
applications and features available, the growing incorporation of social
media in organisations has led to a further significant reshaping of internal
communication’. Indeed, with these developing changes and challenges,
internal communications will need to be effective and efficient and now
has to focus on employee engagement and experience. The achievement
of any organisational initiative generally hinges on whether employees are
willing to support their organisations to meet their corporate green objec-
tives. This is genuinely important during this period of green revolution
that is being propagated in every sphere of life. If employees are discon-
nected from the organisation’s green initiatives, such initiatives may fail.
However, effective internal communication routines help to stimulate
employee engagement that drives desired green and sustainable outcomes.
Green people management practices necessitate employee engagement
with eco-friendly initiatives and strategies at the organisational level. They
support engendering green consciousness and behaviour among employ-
ees for the enhancement of a green organisational culture (Wagner, 2013).
Green people management practices influence employee environmental
behaviours and attitudes and directly contribute to an organisation’s envi-
ronmental performance. Drawing from employee motivation theories,
and increasing employee green motivation and opportunities, helps to
promote green behaviour and awareness (Jerónimo et al., 2020). This is
where internal communication routines have a responsibility to contribute
to advancing green behaviour through green people management initia-
tives in an organisation. To advance employee engagement, internal com-
munication routines need to correspond with employee and organisational
expectations. As such, organisations are expected to explore new possibili-
ties to incorporate emerging internal communication routines that help to
shape employee engagement.
Reflecting on recent organisational and employee dynamics, internal

communication routines need to keep the workforce informed and con-
nected to ensure they create a mutual sense of direction around corporate
values, principles and goals. Importantly, internal communication routines
are the gateway to streamline communication among the various units,
facilitate trust and a voice of autonomy and keep the workforce well
informed on new initiatives (Welch & Jackson, 2007). If the workforce is
not getting important information within the organisation, they may not
even be aware of the corporate strategic goals and direction. On the one
hand, when internal communication routines are carried out effectively, it
practically offers organisations the opportunity to engage with the work-
force at all levels and give them a voice. This requires a shared responsibil-
ity between the HR department and corporate communication and
support in developing an engaged (empowered) workforce, which in turn
increases their incentive to pursue green behaviour. Green people manage-
ment practices are found to be related to organisational citizenship behav-
iour in relation to the adoption of eco-friendly practices (Roscoe et al.,
2019). Thus, internal communications involvement is especially key in
reaching out to employees, propagating environmental messages and
campaigns and persuading employees to accept green behaviour.
Discussion of Future Green People Management

Pathways and Recommendation for Emerging Markets
Over the last decade, corporate organisations are harmonising their people
management practices into systems that are commonly consistent with
their business strategy and culture. Green people management initiatives
are part of the broader propagation of sustainable development and also as
part of the social responsibility of corporate organisations (Aust et al.,
2020). This is why, today, corporate organisations, large and small, are
incorporating green initiatives into every sphere of their operations. As
HR managers are making significant efforts to contextualise the need for
green people management initiatives, equally are marketing practitioners’
efforts directed at delivering outstanding customer service through green
marketing initiatives. In order to gain competitiveness, corporate organ-
isations are implementing green initiatives which necessitate changes to
existing managerial orientation and employee behaviour. This emerging
corporate trend actually demands some co-operation between employees
and managers towards the adoption of eco-friendly practices. This implies

that the HR department and line managers need to foster support by help-
ing to create a workforce that is mindful and appreciative of green business
orientation and culture. This does not only help to maintain green objec-
tives, but also informs the execution of the HRM functions, such as job
design, recruitment, training and development, performance manage-
ment, employee engagement and talent retention (Haddock-Millar et al.,
2016). Green people management strategies can be instrumental in craft-
ing and promoting sustainable green culture in an organisation.
Interestingly, we do admit that the intersection of green people man-
agement and corporate communication is a shared responsibility.
Advancing green employee engagement initiatives through internal com-
munications have not been fully substantiated and propagated in the lit-
erature. It, however, offers prospects whose aims and communication
mechanisms are aligned with each other in order to intensify the possibility
for organisations to empower their workforce, which in turn increases
their incentive to pursue green behaviour. While the HR department
works to stimulate employee environmental behaviour and develop its
environmental technical competencies, internal communication routines
may focus on reinforcing the organisation’s environmental values through
messaging and campaigns.
On the one hand, reflecting on future green people management path-
ways in emerging markets, organisations may need to introduce green
values and eco-friendly HR initiatives that help to build better employee
engagement to generate greater efficiencies (Nel et al., 2017). There is a
strong business case for green marketing initiatives, including boosted
business opportunities. It is now becoming noticeable that state institu-
tions, non-profit-based organisations and even profit-driven corporate
organisations are requesting their suppliers and contractors to meet spe-
cific green protocols. Similarly, affluent customers and environmentally
conscious customers also demand to transact business with only organisa-
tions that pursue environment-friendly operations in producing their
goods and services. This is where the promotion of green marketing val-
ues may generate outstanding customer service and improve customer sat-
isfaction. While there is a strong business case for green marketing in
emerging markets, conceivably the drawbacks of going green include
increased capital costs, uneven competition and employee indifference and
unwillingness.
Conclusion
It is becoming evident from the emerging sustainability literature that
green people management practices guarantee some possible advantages
for both employees and their organisations. For employees, green people
management practices offer improved employee health, safety and well-
being as well as creating opportunities to improve workplaces or work
environments and potentially satisfying the needs of ecologically conscious
employees. For corporate organisations, environmental performance has
been found to be positively related with a firm’s economic outcomes. It
offers organisations greater efficiencies, differentiating power, brand
equity, corporate image and social legitimacy. All these benefits are strongly
linked with attractiveness to customers, while corporate image and social
legitimacy support the attraction and retention of a talented workforce.
Green people management practices potentially create a better employee
engagement with a focus on environmental issues which is useful for the
achievement of organisational environmental performance. The green
people management literature is generally a western lens, and given the
position of emerging and developing economies towards green marketing
behaviour, this is an important area for the corporate sector to achieve
competitiveness. This is where green people management can drive
employee engagement through robust internal communication routines,
so these empowered or engaged staff, in turn, deliver outstanding cus-
tomer service. In a nutshell, this may offer opportunities for corporate
organisations and business leaders to examine various green people man-
agement practices that can possibly accelerate the attainment of green
marketing goals in emerging markets.
References
Cogent Business & Management, 2(1), 1030817.
Aust, I., Matthews, B., & Muller-Camen, M. (2020). Common good HRM: A
paradigm shift in Sustainable HRM? Human Resource Management Review,
30(3), 100705.
Ayentimi, D. T., Burgess, J., & Dayaram, K. (2019). Union suppression and union
substitution strategies of multinational enterprises in Ghana. Industrial
Relations Journal, 50(4), 379–398.
Benn, S., Teo, S. T., & Martin, A. (2015). Employee participation and engage-
ment in working for the environment. Personnel Review, 44(4), 492–510.
Chaudhary, R. (2020). Green human resource management and employee green

behavior: An empirical analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and
Environmental Management, 27, 630–641.
Cheney, G., & Christensen, L.T. (2001). Organizational identity. The new hand-
book of organizational communication. In Advances in Theory, Research, and
Methods (pp. 231–269). SAGE Publications.
Friedman, M. (1970, September 13). The social responsibility of business is to
increase its profits. The New York Times, pp. 32–33 & 122 & 126.
Guerci, M., & Carollo, L. (2016). A paradox view on green human resource man-
agement: insights from the Italian context. The International Journal of Human
Resource Management, 27(2), 212–238.
Haddock-Millar, J., Sanyal, C., & Müller-Camen, M. (2016). Green human
resource management: a comparative qualitative case study of a United States
multinational corporation. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 27(2), 192–211.
Huang, J., Baptista, J., & Galliers, R. D. (2013). Reconceptualizing rhetorical
practices in organizations: The impact of social media on internal communica-
tions. Information & Management, 50, 112–124.
Jerónimo, H. M., Henriques, P. L., de Lacerda, T. C., da Silva, F. P., & Vieira,
P. R. (2020). Going green and sustainable: The influence of green HR practices
on the organizational rationale for sustainability. Journal of Business Research,
112, 413–421.
Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disen-
gagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4), 692–724.
Kahn, W. A. (1992). To be fully there: Psychological presence at work. Human
Relations, 45, 321–349.
Masri, H. A., & Jaaron, A. A. M. (2017). Assessing green human resources man-
agement practices in Palestinian manufacturing context: An empirical study.
Nel, P., Werner, A., Fazey, M., Millett, B., du Plessis, A., Wordsworth, R.,
Mackinnon, B. H., & Suseno, Y. (2017). Human resource management in
Australia (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Opatha, H. H. P., & Arulrajah, A. A. (2014). Green human resource manage-
ment: Simplified general reflections. International Business Research, 7(8), 101.
Pham, N. T., Tučková, Z., & Jabbour, C. J. C. (2019). Greening the hospitality
industry: How do green human resource management practices influence orga-
nizational citizenship behavior in hotels? A mixed-methods study. Tourism
Podgorodnichenko, N., Edgar, F., & McAndrew, I. (2020). The role of HRM in
developing sustainable organizations: Contemporary challenges and contradic-
tions. Human Resource Management Review, 30(3), 100685.
Ren, S., & Jackson, S. E. (2020). HRM institutional entrepreneurship for sustain-
able business organizations. Human Resource Management Review,
30(3), 100691.
Ren, S., Tang, G., & Jackson, S. E. (2018). Green human resource management
research in emergence: A review and future directions. Asia Pacific Journal
Renwick, D. W. S., Jabbour, C. J. C., Muller-Camen, M., Redman, T., &
Wilkinson, A. (2016). Contemporary developments in Green (environmental)
HRM scholarship. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,
27(2), 114–128.
Renwick, D. W. S., Redman, T., & Maguire, S. (2013). Green Human Resource
Management: A Review and Research Agenda. International Journal of
Management Reviews, 15, 1–14.
Roscoe, S., Subramanian, N., Jabbour, C. J., & Chong, T. (2019). Green human
resource management and the enablers of green organisational culture:
Enhancing a firm’s environmental performance for sustainable development.
Singh, S. K., Del Giudice, M., Chiericie, R., & Graziano, D. (2020). Green inno-
vation and environmental performance: The role of green transformational
leadership and green human resource management. Technological Forecasting
& Social Change, 150, 119762.
Stahl, G. K., Brewster, C. J., Collings, D. G., & Hajroe, A. (2020). Enhancing the
role of human resource management in corporate sustainability and social
responsibility: A multi-stakeholder, multidimensional approach to
HRM. Human Resource Management Review, 30(3), 100708.
Stone, R. J. (2017). Human resource management (9th ed.). John Wiley & Sons
Australia Ltd..
Wagner, M. (2013). ‘Green’ human resource benefits: Do they matter as determi-
nants of environmental management system implementation? Journal of
Business Ethics, 114, 443–456.
Welch, M., & Jackson, P. R. (2007). Rethinking internal communication: a stake-
holder approach. Corporate communications: An international journal,
12(2), 177–198.
PART IV

CHAPTER 11
Conclusion and Implications for Theoretical

Adoption, Policy Formulation
and Managerial Decision-Making
in Emerging Markets
Abstract Implementation and the achievement of positive green-market-

ing outcomes are crucial to the quest for a green emerging economy. As
green marketing in the twenty-first century is an integral aspect of business
sustainability practices, the authors in the chapters have advocated that
appropriate green people management practices will drive the achieve-
ment of green- marketing goals in emerging markets. This chapter
R. E. Hinson (*)
O. Adeola
I. Adisa

Switzerland AG 2021
highlights the findings of the authors in this book and discusses the impli-
cations for theory, policy formulation and managerial decision-making in
emerging markets.
Keywords Green marketing • Green human resources management •

Business sustainability • Policy formulation • Managerial
decision-making
Introduction
Rapid growth in the establishment of industries in emerging markets has
heightened environmental challenges. These unintended outcomes, if not
effectively minimised through appropriate business practices, the resultant
effect might likely be severe health, social and economic concerns, which
ultimately may lead to the death of millions (Shaw, 2012). Hence, con-
tinuous growth in economic activities in emerging markets must be
accompanied by sustainable business practices. Green marketing is a cru-
cial aspect of sustainable business practices; it is an important approach to
achieving sustainable production and consumption, globally. Sustainable
production and consumption (Goal 12) is a crucial aspect of the United
Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are expected
to be achieved globally, by 2030 (United Nations, n.d.). Green marketing
offers approaches that encourage sustainable products and services, pro-
vide profit for businesses and also protect the environment from produc-
tion hazards (Peattie, 2001). The successful outcome of the
green-marketing action plan is not exclusive of crucial resources and activ-
ities, such as people and people management. This chapter examines how
businesses in emerging markets can achieve green-marketing goals through
people and people management.
Green marketing offers an environmentally conscious perspective to
marketing; it considers consumers, product processes and the sustainabil-
ity of the resources. The concept represents an organisational commit-
ment towards developing safe, eco-friendly services and goods through
the employment of easily decomposed and recyclable packaging with mea-
sures that prevent pollution and promote efficient energy use (Mukonza
& Swarts, 2020). It is also an encompassing management practice that
identifies and puts forward ways to meet consumer needs profitably and
11 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORETICAL ADOPTION… 171
sustainably (Peattie, 2001). In other words, it is a concept that is focused

on meeting social, economic and ecological needs in societies.
Green marketing is a complex activity that must be integrated across all
organisational functions if it is to be successfully implemented and achieve
long-term benefits. Green people management practices are essential to
achieving all green objectives, including green marketing. In recent times,
green-marketing discussions have neglected the importance of green peo-
ple practices, ignoring the fact that people (human resources) will carry
out green oriented strategies. Thus, it is essential that human resource
have the needed green skills towards the achievement of green goals.
Overall, this book’s chapters have discussed how organisations in emerg-
ing markets can achieve green-focused goals through people.
Human resources are at the core of successful innovations and changes
in an organisation. Businesses must, therefore, understand how to manage
people from a green perspective to achieve green-focused goals. This is
because traditional human resources management approaches do not con-
form to green practices needed for green innovation. Green Human
Resources Management (GHRM) utilises human resources management
approaches to promote sustainable practices and stimulate employees’
commitment to issues related to environmental sustainability (Masri &
Jaaron, 2017). GHRM applies ecological management principles in
human resources practices to promote green activities in an organisation.
The chapters in this book outlined the implications of the concept for
theoretical development, policy formulation and managerial decision-
making in emerging markets. The study’s findings are tabularised in the
next section; the third section explains the book’s theoretical contribution
to business practices; the fourth section provides the implication for policy
formulation in emerging markets, while the fifth section presents a
conclusion.
Summary of the Findings
We present findings of the chapter authors who have provided theoretical
and empirical perspectives on the role of people in green marketing suc-
cess. Chapters 1 and 11 are not included in the summary of findings as
they constitute the introductory and concluding aspects of the book. The
findings of featured chapters are highlighted in Table 11.1.
Table 11.1 Summary of findings in the book

Chapters and titles Findings and recommendations
Chapter 2: Green Business • The outcome of the implementation of green

Practices in Emerging business practices in emerging markets has received
Economies less attention from researchers, government and
firms in emerging markets.
• There are contextual constraints (domination of
economic informality and weaknesses in regulatory
institutions) apart from the cost that hinder the
adoption of green practices in emerging markets.
• Green investment will help businesses in an
emerging market to build dynamic capability and
support business performance even during
challenging economic times.
Chapter 3: Green Human • GHRM is an innovation in HRM, and research is
Resources Management as an still evolving to concretise the practice.
Innovation Mechanism • Stakeholders’ demands and the availability of
resources to an organisation determine the rate of
going green.
• Implement a green code of conduct to regulate
behavioural changes that will support the green
strategies. HRM activities must align to green
agenda and create a green working environment and
awareness too.
Chapter 4: Green Marketing • Through social practice perspective, corporate
and Social Practices: organisations in emerging markets can promote
Managing People as Carriers green people management and sustainable
of Sustainability Practices development.
• Corporations in less-developed economies could
focus on how their products or services influence the
socio-material arrangements of social practices.
Chapter 5: Driving Green • There is need for green transformational leadership
Marketing in Emerging and striking of a balance between the twin objectives
Markets Through Green of profitability and sustainability, as well as the need
Leadership for concerted efforts by stakeholders in the
implementation of green marketing in emerging
markets.
(continued)
Chapter 6: Green Leadership • Chinese firms reduce environmental impacts

Approaches and Motivations through innovation while avoiding superficial
for Green Practice window-dressing.
Implementation Among • Green human resource presents a sustainable avenue
Marketing Firms in China to promote firms’ productivity and competitive
advantage in the green economy.
• Managers have nationalistic sentiments to protect
the environment and rejuvenate the nations’
influence in the global economy.
• Government and policymakers can consider
implementing comprehensive training and education
in green human resource development while
organisations can also increase awareness of
environmental sustainability.
Chapter 7: Green Marketing • Green-marketing planning is a strategic part of the
Planning in an Emerging green-marketing process.
Market Context: A People • Organisations in emerging markets must ensure that
Perspective there is no gap between the price of the products
and the consumers’ capacity to pay.
• People and people management are crucial factors in
the success of the green-marketing plan.
Chapter 8: Competencies for • Green competencies, green thinking and appropriate
Green Marketing Success in employee engagement will foster green-marketing
Emerging Markets activities in emerging markets.
• More still needs to be done to improve soft and hard
competencies needed to cascade global green-
marketing solutions to local firms.
Chapter 9: Harnessing the • Emerging markets in Africa have heightened
Potentials of Generation environmental issues leading to health and economic
Green for Green Marketing challenges for their people.
Success in Africa’s Emerging • Organisations in Africa’s emerging markets must have
Economies a green marketing strategy that responds effectively to
the green consumer and environmental needs.
• The success of green marketing in emerging markets
in Africa depends on the extent to which businesses
in these economies harness the opportunities in
green generations.
(continued)
Chapter 10: Green People • Green People Management (GPM) recognises the
Management, Internal relationship between employee—attraction,
Communications and engagement and retention—and environmental
Employee Engagement stewardship.
• Green people management strategies can be
instrumental in crafting and promoting sustainable
green culture in an organisation.
• Green people management offers benefits for
employees and organisations.
Implications for Theory Adoption

The findings in this book emanate from diverse perspectives on theory and
practice. The theoretical contributions stem from the firm’s resource-
based theory, the triple bottom line theory, the institutional theory, stake-
holder theory, social practice theory and the generational cohort
theory—which were applied in the discussions.
The firm’s resource-based theory was used to emphasise the impor-
tance of building strong internally dynamic capabilities, which makes
organisations in emerging markets flexible to change and resistant to
social, economic and ecological challenges. As applied in this book, the
tenet of the resource-based theory provides that organisations must har-
ness and reconfigure their internal capacities and competencies to meet
their business, social, economic and environmental needs. Based on the
theory’s proposition, organisations must develop and harness green com-
petencies in their workforce through green people management practices
to achieve green-marketing goals. Similarly, the triple bottom line theory
with its three Ps—profit, people and the planet—although borrowed from
the accounting discipline, the theory was used to elucidate the outcome of
green business practices, such as green marketing on the organisation
(p-profit), the role of people in its success (p-people) and the preservation
of the planet (p-planet) as a crucial goal it seeks to achieve. With the the-
ory’s application in this book, its flexibility and diverse applicability are
emphasised.
Through the lens of the institutional and stakeholders theory, the book
was also able to extend its application to explain the necessity of organisa-
tions conforming to institutional regulations, such as green marketing by
harnessing the stakeholders within and outside the organisation. In this

book’s context, the institutional regulations are environmental sustain-
ability practices, while the internal stakeholders are managers, leaders and
employees. In contrast, the external stakeholders are customers, the gov-
ernment and the larger community. The theories, institutional and stake-
holder, are applied to concretise the crucial role of obeying ecological
regulations and the proper management of people (workers and consum-
ers) towards the successful implementation and outcome of green market-
ing. While the institutional and stakeholders theory identifies institutions’
role in green-marketing practice, the social practice theory focuses on the
range of activities that order and give meaning to social living. The social
practice theory identified three interconnected elements (materials, mean-
ings and competencies) crucial to green marketing success in emerging
markets.
Lastly, the generational cohort theory focused on competencies that
the social practice theory identified as crucial to green-marketing success.
Therefore, it posits that the organisation can harness the green genera-
tion’s workers and consumers’ competencies for green-marketing success
in emerging markets. The generational cohort theory was adopted in this
book. The theory recognises the diversities in a different generation and
how these can be harnessed for green-marketing success in an emerging
market. The applicability of the theories used in this book has been
extended beyond their domain to explain green marketing, management
and the crucial role of people and green people management practices
towards the successful implementation. Therefore, this edited book con-
tributes to knowledge of the domains in which the theories can be applied.
The Implication for Policy Formulation

in Emerging Markets
The findings in this book provide implications for policy formulation in

emerging markets. In this context, policy formulation is for government,
public organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to take
necessary steps to implement sustainable development. First, emerging
markets’ national governments must identify regulatory institutions’
weaknesses that serve as constraints for the success of green practices. The
findings in this book have shown that cost is not the only challenge to
green success in emerging markets but also weaknesses in regulatory
institutions; hence, the government must put appropriate policies in place

to strengthen weak regulatory institutions.
Second, government and policymakers may consider implementing
comprehensive training and education in green human resource develop-
ment. It is observed that few individuals with GHRM knowledge are avail-
able for managing people in the green context. Also, governments of
emerging markets must intensify green awareness at the local and national
level. The people must be well oriented on the benefits of complying with
green practices and the dangers to the environment in failure to comply.
Lastly, the government must provide an enabling business environment
that encourages green business practices and also show commitment to
the green initiative by making social and environmental policies that stim-
ulate green compliance by an organisation and the larger society.
Implications for Management Decision-Making

Management and leaders of organisations in emerging markets are key
drivers of sustainable business practices. They must be aware of key deci-
sions needed to improve their green practice and performance towards
sustainable development. First, leaders and managers must invest in inno-
vative green research to improve their understanding of the green needs of
their immediate environment and consumer needs to respond appropri-
ately. Second, managers must implement a green code of conduct to regu-
late behavioural changes to support green-marketing strategies. Through
HRM activities, managers and organisations must align employees to the
green plan and create a green working environment that will enable
employees to perform optimally. Managers in organisations must create a
green awareness tool for both current and newly recruited employees to
establish a green-driven pool of talent.
Third, managers and leaders’ personal drive towards green goals has
been proven to positively influence green innovations and outcomes.
Therefore, it is crucial that managers are knowledgeable on green prac-
tices and can also promote green people management towards sustainable
development. Lastly, managers should have nationalistic sentiments to
protect the environment and rejuvenate their nations’ global economic
influence through green business practices. The benefits of green business
practices are enormous, and managers must take the lead in the pursuit of
sustainable development through business practices.
Conclusion
Green marketing is an integral part of the movement for global sustain-
ability, and it focuses on achieving sustainable production and consump-
tion through marketing practices. The literature on green marketing has
shown that green marketing, when appropriately implemented, leads to
enormous economic, social and ecological benefits for an organisation and
society. In this book, authors have contributed to the literature on green
marketing by making salient arguments for the crucial role of people man-
agement in the successful implementation of green marketing in emerging
markets, where there are heightened environmental challenges due to
increased industrialisation. To this end, we conclude that people (manag-
ers, leaders, consumers and employees) and Green People Management
practices are crucial to green marketing in emerging markets. The success
of green marketing in emerging markets is a precursor to achieving critical
aspects of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
such as Goal 3 (good health and well-being), Goal 6 (clean water and sani-
tation), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal 9 (industry
innovation and infrastructure) and Goal 11 (sustainable cities and com-
munities). Organisations in emerging markets, therefore, must adopt
green marketing as a strategic plan of action, capable of achieving both
business and sustainable environmental goals through people and green
people management practices.
References
Masri, H. A., & Jaaron, A. A. (2017). Assessing green human resources manage-
ment practices in Palestinian manufacturing context: An empirical study.
Mukonza, C., & Swarts, I. (2020). The influence of green marketing strategies on
business performance and corporate image in the retail sector. Business Strategy
and the Environment, 29(3), 838–845.
Peattie, K. (2001). Towards sustainability: The third age of green marketing. The
Marketing Review, 2(2), 129–146.
Shaw, W. (2012). Will emerging economies repeat the environmental mistakes of
their rich cousins? Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. https://carn-
egieendowment.org/2012/03/01/will-e merging-e conomies-r epeat-
environmental-mistakes-of-their-rich-cousins-pub-47307#:~:text=Rapid%20
growth%20in%20the%20major,likely%20millions%20of%20premature%20
deaths
United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Index
A Corporate competitive
Africa’s emerging economies, 135 advantage, 153
American Marketing Association Corporate Ecological Response
(AMA), 4 (CER), 76
AWA Bike, 54 Corporate environmental
initiatives, 159
Corporate marketing, 117
B Corporate philosophy, 30
Business image, 142 Corporate social responsibility, 157
Business sustainability, 14 Corporate social responsibility
commitment, 25
Corporate strategic thinking, 17
C Creative and innovative thinking, 122
Capabilities and competencies, 22 Cross-functional, 117
China, 116
China’s economy, 88
Chinese firms, 75 D
Climate change, 46 Design thinking, 121
Competency, 116 Digital skills, 141
Competitive businesses, 30 Double bottom trickle line, 116

Switzerland AG 2021
Economies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73007-9
180 INDEX
E Forward-thinking managers, 155

Eco-friendly initiatives, 31 Friends of the Earth International and
Eco-innovation practices, 15 African Impact, 54
Ecologically conscious
employees, 163
Ecological marketing, 4 G
Economic benefits, 31 Generational cohort theory, 175
Emerging markets, 9 Generations, 132
Emotional derivatives, 99 Generations X and Y, 132
Employee empowerment, 155 Global warming, 116
Employee engagement, 155 Governmental support, 31
Employee green behaviour, 63 Green abilities, 117
Employment relationship, 30 Green Africa Youth Organisation, 54
Environmental advocacy, 102 Green attitudes, 117
Environmental challenges, 6, 74, 170 Green awareness, 117
Environmental-conscious leaders, 102 Green behaviors, 30, 117
Environmental considerations, 46 Green brands, 99, 119
Environmental disruption, 132 Green business practice, 14
Environmental excellence, 63 Green competencies, 116
Environmentally conscious, Green consumers, 116
60, 96, 132 Green economy, 132
Environmentally green Green employee engagement, 156
consumer, 98 Green firms, 116
Environmental management, Green generation, 133
36, 102 Greenhouse emission, 60
Environmental management practices, Green human resource
102, 103 competencies, 117
Environmental outcomes, 116 Green Human Resources Management
Environmental performance, 117 (GHRM), 7
Environmental problems, 96 Greening approach, 75
Environmental protection, 74 Greening initiatives
Environmental regulations, 23 implementation, 75
Environmental sustainability, 76 Greening strategies, 75
Environmental uncertainty, 31 Green knowledge, 117
European Union’s Technical and Green leadership, 61
Financial Support, 133 Green-management systems, 102
Green marketing, 5, 116
Green-Marketing Environmental
F Action Plan, 96, 103–104
Financial performance, 14 Green marketing myopia, 99
Firms’ reputations, 15 Green-marketing planning, 9, 96
INDEX 181
Green marketing strategy, 143 O

Green motivations, 75, 83 Open-ended timeframe, 46
Green movement, 36 Organisational citizenship, 155
Green people management, 5
Green products, 121
Green skills, 117 P
Greenwashing, 49 Packaging, 137
Green workforce, 5 Philosophical and social
responsibility, 76
Pollution, 60
H Post-millennial, 138
Harnessing, 135 Proactive environmental
HR function, 153 strategies, 102
Human capital, 153 Product attributes, 142
Human waste, 116 Product modification, 137
Profit, people and the planet, 174
I
Industrialisation, 74 Q
Innovative ideas, 141 Quasi-strategic (or business strategic)
Institutional theory, 63 greening, 77
Integrative thinking and
practice, 122
Internal environmental R
advocates, 102 Recycling facilitation, 55
Regulatory pressure, 31
L
Life cycle thinking, 121 S
Service marketing mix, 48
Social Accountability, 20
M Social practices, 48
Managerial corporate thinking, 17 Social well-being, 46
The market dynamics, 141 Socio-economic consequences, 55
Ministry for Environmental Socio-environmental, 48
Protection, 74 Stakeholders, 61
Ministry of Ecology and Environment Stakeholders theory, 63
(MEE), 74 Strategic greening, 77
Multinational corporations, 156 Sustainability challenges, 46
182 INDEX
Sustainability programmes, 86 Traditional economies, 64

Sustainable business Traditional human resources
practices, 5, 132 management, 171
Sustainable Development Goals Traditional marketing, 46
(SDGs), 170 Transformational leadership, 63
Sustainable policies, 63 Triple bottom line theory, 17, 174
Sustainable production and
consumption, 170
Sustainable production U
pattern, 133 Unchecked production, 46
T V
Tactical greening, 77 Voluntary green behaviour, 153

Green Marketing and Management in Emerging Markets

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Green Marketing and Management in Emerging Markets

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Green Marketing

Edited by Robert E. Hinson

More information about this series at

Green Marketing and

ISSN 2730-5554 ISSN 2730-5562 (electronic)

Increasing demand for a sustainable social and economic environment by

and consumption in emerging markets and an essential pathway to sus-

Part I Introducing Green Marketing, Green Business

1 Introduction: Green Marketing and Management in

2 Green Business Practices in Emerging Economies 13

3 Green Human Resources Management as an Innovation

Part II Green Marketing and Green Leadership 43

4 Green Marketing and Social Practices: Managing

5 Driving Green Marketing in Emerging Markets

6 Green Leadership Approaches and Motivations

7 Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market

Part III Green Competencies, Potentials and Engagement

8 Competencies for Green Marketing Success in Emerging

9 Harnessing the Potentials of Generation Green for Green

10 Green People Management, Internal Communications

Part IV Conclusion and Recommendations 167

11 Conclusion and Implications for Theoretical Adoption,

Hossein Ali Abadi is Lecturer in Management in the School of Business

Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, PhD is a lecturer and the Management Major

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) in modern

Management Limited. Shittu’s research interests include plastic consump-

Fig. 2.1 Illustration of the view of green business practices 18

Table 6.1 Firms’ characteristics of case studies 79

Introducing Green Marketing, Green

Introduction: Green Marketing

Robert E. Hinson, Ogechi Adeola, and Isaiah Adisa

Abstract The increased industrialisation in emerging markets has its asso-

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 3

marketing literature. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of green

Keywords Green marketing • Green people • Emerging market •

itself is not enough to offer solutions to environmental problems. Citizens,

Green Marketing and Management Through People,

Sustainable business practice is a major concept in modern business prac-

About 85% (6 billion people) of the global population live in emerging

businesses in emerging markets, the opportunity to reduce waste, curb

Kuuyelleh, in Chap. 2, discuss “Green Business Practices in Emerging

Green Business Practices in Emerging

Abstract The notion of sustainable development has propelled a new

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature 13

social elements are closely interconnected and cannot be considered dis-

Keywords Emerging economies • Environment • Green business

to suggest that a firm’s investment in green innovation can increase its

Conceptualising Green Business Practices

Corporate sustainability has been considered an important component of

potentially is reflected in improved housing, technical infrastructure,

Fig. 2.1 Illustration of the view of green business practices

Examining the Level of Receptivity and Progress

There exists a global divide between countries and economies based on

green business practices as a cost, which is mostly linked to regulatory

environmental impact of information has a significant influence on green

Discussion and Lessons for Emerging Economies

practices beyond economic costs and may possibly provide a comprehen-

promoting green business practices, they fail to integrate sustainability

constraints, some governments in developing and emerging markets are

addition to the three arms of government—the legislature, executive, and

response to green business practices or sustainability practices in develop-

Green Human Resources Management

Abstract Going green is a competitive business strategy mainly driven by

Keywords Green Human Resource Management • Human resource

Part I Introducing Green Marketing, Green Business

1 Introduction: Green Marketing and Management in

2 Green Business Practices in Emerging Economies 13

3 Green Human Resources Management as an Innovation

Part II Green Marketing and Green Leadership 43

4 Green Marketing and Social Practices: Managing

5 Driving Green Marketing in Emerging Markets

6 Green Leadership Approaches and Motivations

7 Green Marketing Planning in an Emerging Market

Part III Green Competencies, Potentials and Engagement

8 Competencies for Green Marketing Success in Emerging

9 Harnessing the Potentials of Generation Green for Green

10 Green People Management, Internal Communications

Part IV Conclusion and Recommendations 167

11 Conclusion and Implications for Theoretical Adoption,

Fig. 2.1 Illustration of the view of green business practices 18

Table 6.1 Firms’ characteristics of case studies 79

decision-maker’s views of social and private benefits. This is especially