The Impact of Responsible Leadership on Employees’ Green Behavior in Vietnamese Hospitals: The Mediating Role of Felt Obligation for Constructive Change

Abstract

Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly important priority for healthcare organizations, where employees' environmentally responsible behaviors contribute to both organizational performance and public health. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, this study investigates the influence of responsible leadership on employees' green behavior in Vietnamese hospitals and examines the mediating role of felt obligation for constructive change. Using a quantitative research approach, the study analyzes the relationships among responsible leadership, felt obligation for constructive change, stakeholder values, and employees' green behavior. The findings indicate that responsible leadership positively promotes employees'green behavior both directly and indirectly through employees' felt obligation for constructive change, confirming its mediating role in the proposed research model. The study extends the responsible leadership literature by explaining the psychological mechanism through which responsible leadership fosters environmentally responsible workplace behaviors. The findings also provide practical implications for hospital administrators seeking to strengthen environmental sustainability by cultivating responsible leadership and encouraging employees' proactive commitment to organizational change.