Table 3. Future research agenda for the... | Emerald Publishing

Table 3.

Future research agenda for the GHRM–corporate sustainability field

Priority	Why it matters	Illustrative questions/designs
Implementation quality and HR system strength	Distinguishes substantive from symbolic GHRM and reduces common-method bias	How do distinctiveness, consistency and consensus shape climate and behaviour? Use HR records, line-manager data and employee surveys; exploit staged roll-outs
Triple-bottom-line outcomes and trade-offs	Prevents ‘environment-only’ conclusions and exposes social costs or benefits	When do environmental gains coincide with improved (or reduced) well-being and fairness? Model environmental, social and economic outcomes together
Multi-level mechanisms and time lags	Climate and leadership operate at unit level; capability effects are delayed	How does unit-level green climate emerge and persist? Use multilevel longitudinal designs linking GHRM to eco-initiatives and objective performance metrics
Credibility, justice and greenwashing perceptions	Explains backfiring and legitimacy loss; Central to employee engagement	Which safeguards reduce greenwashing perceptions? Test transparency, participation and fair metrics as moderators; track cynicism and trust over time

Priority	Why it matters	Illustrative questions/designs
Implementation quality and HR system strength	Distinguishes substantive from symbolic GHRM and reduces common-method bias	How do distinctiveness, consistency and consensus shape climate and behaviour? Use HR records, line-manager data and employee surveys; exploit staged roll-outs
Triple-bottom-line outcomes and trade-offs	Prevents ‘environment-only’ conclusions and exposes social costs or benefits	When do environmental gains coincide with improved (or reduced) well-being and fairness? Model environmental, social and economic outcomes together
Multi-level mechanisms and time lags	Climate and leadership operate at unit level; capability effects are delayed	How does unit-level green climate emerge and persist? Use multilevel longitudinal designs linking GHRM to eco-initiatives and objective performance metrics
Credibility, justice and greenwashing perceptions	Explains backfiring and legitimacy loss; Central to employee engagement	Which safeguards reduce greenwashing perceptions? Test transparency, participation and fair metrics as moderators; track cynicism and trust over time