As part of efforts to promote scientific research and international academic collaboration, the College of Administration and Economics at the University of Karbala announced the publication of a high-quality scientific paper in the journal Production Engineering Archives, based in Poland and indexed in the global Scopus database.
The published study carries a timely and globally relevant title:
“The Moderating Role of Green Human Resource Management Practices in the Relationship between Green Capital and Sustainable Manufacturing”
The research was conducted by a distinguished academic team comprising leading scholars from the University of Karbala and the Arab Republic of Egypt:
- Prof. Dr. Ali Abdul Hassan Abbas Hassan Abdullah (University of Karbala – College of Administration and Economics – Department of Business Administration)
- Prof. Dr. Hossam Hussein Shiaa Al-Salami (University of Karbala – College of Administration and Economics – Department of Accounting)
- Assist. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Mahmoud Taha (Sadat Academy for Management Sciences – Faculty of Administrative Sciences – Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Insurance – Cairo, Egypt)
The study examined a key variable—Green Human Resource Management (GHRM)—as a moderating factor that enhances the relationship between Green Capital and the achievement of Sustainable Manufacturing goals. The findings highlight the importance of adopting environmentally friendly HR practices in industrial organizations, as they have a direct impact on improving production quality and ensuring environmental sustainability.
This publication is the result of joint scientific collaboration between the University of Karbala and the Sadat Academy for Management Sciences in Egypt, reflecting the college’s openness to regional and international academic institutions, and its continuous efforts to improve the university’s global ranking through publishing in high-impact journals.
The College of Administration and Economics commended this scientific achievement, reaffirming its full support for research efforts that contribute to solving economic and administrative challenges using modern scientific approaches.
Study Summary
This study investigates the moderating role of Green Human Resource Management practices in the relationship between Green Intellectual Capital and Sustainable Manufacturing.
Green intellectual capital is measured through three dimensions:
- Green Human Capital
- Green Structural Capital
- Green Social Capital
Using a quantitative research approach, data were collected from 234 respondents working in a manufacturing company aligned with the study’s objectives. The research framework was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) method.
The analytical strategy included one main structural model assessing the direct impact of green intellectual capital on sustainable manufacturing, along with three sub-models examining the individual effects of each dimension and the moderating role of GHRM practices.
A total of nine hypotheses were developed and empirically tested. The results revealed:
- A significant positive effect of green intellectual capital on sustainable manufacturing
- A strengthening (moderating) role of GHRM practices
- Strong positive relationships for both green human capital and green social capital with sustainable manufacturing, both directly and through moderating effects
- A negative and statistically insignificant moderating effect for green structural capital, indicating that weak institutional environmental knowledge and organizational awareness may hinder sustainable outcomes
Overall, seven out of nine hypotheses were supported.
The study recommends that manufacturing firms strategically enhance GHRM practices—particularly in green training, performance management, and employee engagement—to effectively leverage green human and social capital. It also emphasizes improving environmental governance structures to address weaknesses in green structural capital and achieve better sustainable manufacturing outcomes.
