Although the existing literature emphasizes how green intellectual capital (GIC) impacts sustainable performance (SP), few studies exist regarding Saudi Arabian hotels employing dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) and knowledge sharing (KS) as moderators. This study sought to exhibit the influence of GIC on SP in Saudi hotel management, where leadership commitment (LC) functioned as the mediator and KS as the moderator over two tiers. Furthermore, it addresses the existing gap by investigating the relationship between GIC and SP in the Saudi hotel industry, concentrating on the significance of LC and KS.
Between February and April 2024, 415 hotel employees at 21 hotels in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, participated in a multi-wave survey. Measurement scales were adopted to construct 12 latent variables, and an instrument employing a 5-point Likert scale was devised for data collection purposes. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was used for data analysis.
The research findings indicate GIC has a positive influence on both LC and SP, with LC also positively influencing SP. Additionally, LC mediates between GIC and SP. Notably, KS negatively moderates the nexus between GIC and LC, while positively moderating that between GIC and SP. However, from a statistical viewpoint, as a moderator KS does not influence the relationship between LC and SP.
This research highlights the potential contribution of KS toward improvements in SP in the hospitality sector. It acknowledges the multifaceted role KS plays, offering recommendations for those hotel managers who are motivated to increase standards of sustainable practices by managing their intellectual capital and practicing effective leadership. The research is geographically limited in scope, limiting its wider application. Additional studies will examine similar models in other service sectors as well as cross-cultural contexts in the future.
We build on the intellectual capital literature by using KS as a moderator variable, grounded in the DCT. The blending of these theories enables us to develop a clearer understanding of the use of LC and GIC to influence SP within the hospitality sector. Additionally, this research is one of the first empirical attempts to construct and validate a moderated mediation model based on GIC, KS and LC in hospitality environments. The model offers a nuanced explanation of the mechanisms by which intellectual capital and leadership collectively drive sustainability performance, a topic studied relatively less frequently in the hospitality and service operations literature.
