Beyond green marketing: how leadership and innovation turn sustainability into competitive advantage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24054/face.v26i1.4449Keywords:
green marketing, green transformational leadership, green innovation, green growth, sustainable business performanceAbstract
This study aims to analyze how green transformational leadership, green innovation and marketing strategies jointly contribute to sustainable business performance within the context of the green and sustainable economy. The research addresses the problem of the fragmentation of the literature on sustainability, where leadership, innovation and marketing are often examined in isolation, which is relevant due to the increasing pressure on firms to reconcile environmental responsibility with economic competitiveness.
Methodologically, a theoretical and documentary approach was employed, using a structured literature review as the primary method. The analysis was based on academic articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, as well as reports from internationally recognized organizations, covering the period from 2000 to 2023. The results indicate that sustainable value creation in the green economy depends on the strategic alignment between leadership-driven innovation capabilities and market-oriented marketing strategies, demonstrating that sustainability becomes a source of competitive advantage when effectively translated into market value and legitimacy. Furthermore, it was identified that public policies and institutional frameworks play an enabling role in supporting green growth, which contributes to understanding the conditions under which sustainability-oriented initiatives generate long-term economic returns. The main contribution of this study lies in the integration of green transformational leadership, green innovation and marketing within a unified value creation framework, providing insights into how sustainability moves beyond symbolic legitimacy to become a driver of competitive advantage. These findings have implications for managers, policymakers and organizations seeking to align sustainability with strategic decision-making and expand knowledge on green growth and sustainable business strategies.
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