GREEN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN HA GIANG
MA. Dao Thi Hong Thuy1
TS. Phan Quang Anh2
Abstract: In the master plan for tourism development in Ha Giang, the focus is on promoting
sustainable tourism. Achieving this goal requires prioritizing the human factor, which is crucial
for sustainable development. This study aims to assess whether human resource management
(HRM) in Ha Giang is being implemented with a green focus. Specifically, it investigates whether
the green HRM model is being applied in hotel management and in the management of state
agencies. Based on this assessment, recommendations will be made for improving green HRM in
Ha Giang. The study employs a qualitative descriptive analysis, supported by quantitative data.
Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, documents, and focus group
discussions, including questionnaires targeting state management agencies at the provincial
Department of Culture, district and commune Culture Offices, as well as homestay managers
in the four districts of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark (Quan Ba, Dong Van, Yen Minh,
and Meo Vac). The findings from interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) indicate that
green HRM has been appropriately implemented, as evidenced by the feedback from Ha Giang
managers.
Keywords: Sustainable tourism, human resource management, Ha Giang.
1. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, the trend of green and sustainable development is one
of the primary goals that most industries are striving towards. As a
result, organizations across various sectors are working to improve
and align their activities with green development practices. Human
1
Faculty of Tourism - Thai Nguyen University of Sciences.
2
PhD student in the Department of Tourism Studies - VNU University of Social
Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi.
ĐÀO TẠO VÀ SỬ DỤNG NGUỒN NHÂN LỰC DU LỊCH VĂN HÓA TRONG BỐI CẢNH HỘI NHẬP QUỐC TẾ798
resource management (HRM) is also evolving to create optimal
working environments for employees, while being responsive to
global sustainability trends. Through studying and synthesizing green
HRM activities, it is clear that businesses and other organizations are
making significant contributions to both the academic and practical
aspects of HRM.
Green human resource management is an emerging field of
research within organizational studies that began to take shape in the
early 1990s. Specifically, the first study mentioning HRM in this context
was conducted in 1992, using multi-criteria analysis as a tool to explore
the balance between conservation and development on the island of
Salina (Giavelli, 1992). However, little research followed until 2022,
when renewed interest in green HRM began to emerge, as indicated
by studies indexed in Scopus. According to the Web of Science, green
HRM in the tourism sector has seen 29 studies (Obeng, HA et al, 2024).
This paper aims to explore green HRM practices, based on existing
theoretical and empirical studies, with a particular focus on the tourism
sector in Ha Giang.
In the study of Renwick et al. (Renwick & Redman, 2008) defined
the integration of corporate environmental management into HRM
as green HRM, while Jabbour et al. (Jabbour, Santos, & Nagano, 2010)
highlighted the “greening” of HRM functions such as job descriptions,
recruitment, selection, training, performance appraisal, and rewards.
They argue that policies in these areas, particularly recruitment,
performance management, and training, serve as powerful tools to align
employees with an organization’s environmental strategy. In the study
of Jabbour (Jabbour, CJC, 2011) further described green HRM as “the
degree of greening of HRM practices,” emphasizing both functional
and competitive aspects. In 2013, Opatha defined green HRM as all
activities related to the development, implementation, and ongoing
maintenance of systems that make an organization’s employees
“green” ultimately contributing to environmental sustainability. This
definition provides a comprehensive understanding of green HRM
within an organizational context.
TRAINING AND USING CULTURAL TOURISM HUMAN RESOURCES... 799
Human resource management practices are defined as the
specific programs, processes, and techniques implemented within
an organization or business unit (Gerhart, Wright, McMahan, &
Snell, 2000; Huselid & Becker, 2000). Therefore, green HRM can be
understood as the actual HRM programs, processes, and techniques
applied in organizations, businesses, and government agencies that
aim to minimize negative environmental impacts or enhance positive
environmental contributions. The ultimate goal of green HRM is
to improve an organization’s capacity to manage the environment
effectively and sustainably.
In the tourism sector, green HRM practices are gaining increasing
attention, particularly in light of climate change and the rising demand
for sustainable tourism. Green HRM integrates environmental
considerations into every aspect of HRM, aiming to build a
workforce that is both environmentally conscious and responsible for
environmental protection.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The study aims to achieve the following objectives:
1. To build a theoretical framework that covers the entire operation
of the organization, documenting the research variables and
all related aspects by defining the concepts, importance, and
dimensions of the two variables at the community level. This
includes completing the work started by previous researchers,
with their studies serving as a foundation for the current
research.
2. To determine the current status of green human resource
management in Ha Giang and assess the level of sustainable
tourism development in the research organization.
3. To develop a model linking the research variables and verify the
reliability of the study’s basic assumptions.
4. To study the relationship and influence between green human
resource management and sustainable tourism development at
the community level of research.
ĐÀO TẠO VÀ SỬ DỤNG NGUỒN NHÂN LỰC DU LỊCH VĂN HÓA TRONG BỐI CẢNH HỘI NHẬP QUỐC TẾ800
This study adopted a mixed-method approach, combining both
qualitative and quantitative phases. A mixed-method approach helps
build theory by overcoming the limitations of any single research
method (Byrd, 2007). This approach was chosen to collect rich, detailed
data for analyzing HR managers’ views on green human resource
management (GHRM) practices. Quantitative and qualitative data
were collected to combine the strengths of both methods and validate
the results (Creswell, 2016), using expert knowledge through a scientific
approach.
In the first step of the study, a literature review on GHRM was
conducted using a methodological repository approach (Tranfield,
Denyer, & Smart, 2003). The review followed a format based on
human resource management processes, from green human resource
planning to green complaint handling and resolution (as adopted by
(Renwick & Redman, 2008; Mandip, 2012). From the identified articles,
GHRM practices were discussed from an organizational perspective,
applying Richards et al.’s (Richards & Gladwin, 1999) three criteria
appropriateness, feasibility, and relevance to decide which GHRM
practices should be included in the GHRM framework.
Based on this, the research hypothesis is proposed as follows:
Main Hypothesis: There is a significant, statistically significant
impact of green human resource management on sustainable tourism
development. From this, two hypotheses are derived:
H1. There is a lack of adoption of green human resource management
practices within official tourism and hotel bodies in Ha Giang.
H2. Green human resource management practices positively impact
official tourism and hotel bodies.
Survey Instrument
The author conducted a survey, widely used in research for its
ability to measure constructs (Cohen, Manion, & Morison, 2000). The
final survey consisted of ten items on a five-point Likert scale: “1 =
strongly disagree,” “2 = disagree,” “3 = neutral,” “4 = agree,” and “5 =
strongly agree.” The study employed a descriptive critical approach to
TRAINING AND USING CULTURAL TOURISM HUMAN RESOURCES... 801
fully and accurately describe the research object, collect, and analyze
evidence on the extent to which green HRM practices are applied in
official agencies in the tourism and hospitality industry in Ha Giang.
The survey was conducted among employees in state management
agencies operating in the tourism and hospitality sector, including
employees at the Department of Culture of four districts in the Dong
Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark area, the Department of Culture,
Sports, and Tourism, and managers of tourism service activities in
communes, homestays, and hotels in the area.
Population and Sampling Techniques
The researchers selected the Dong Van Karst Plateau Global
Geopark area in Ha Giang province (comprising the four districts of
Dong Van, Meo Vac, Quan Ba, and Yen Minh) as the research site. The
study targeted all employees working in state management agencies of
tourism and services, accommodation business owners, and managers
of departments within the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism,
as well as district cultural departments. The total sample size was 100
people. Based on the research model, a questionnaire was distributed
to leaders and staff at the Department and District Cultural Offices
and community members (100). Ninety-two completed surveys were
returned, yielding a 92% response rate.
Data were collected from human resource professionals in
accommodation establishments, including homestays and three-star
hotels, in the four districts located within the Geopark area. In 2023,
there were two three-star hotels, eight two-star hotels, 13 one-star
hotels, 85 motels, and 288 homestay accommodation establishments (Sở
Văn hóa Thể thao và Du lịch, 2023). In the study, 26 HR professionals
participated in the survey.
Data Analysis
The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 25), and
descriptive analysis was performed on the ten items. The research
data were then analyzed using SEM and Analysis of Moment Structure
(AMOS) software (version 25). AMOS was used to test the statistical
correlations between the items of each component and between factors.