Assessing the green behaviour of academics Fawehinmi, Olawole; Yusliza, Mohd Yusoff; Mohamad, Zaleha ...
International journal of manpower,
10/2020, Letnik:
41, Številka:
7
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose
Studies have highlighted concerns about the role of knowledge creation between human resource management practices and employee behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact ...of green human resource management (green HRM) on employee green behaviour (EGB) through the mediation of environmental knowledge of lecturers in public research universities in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional study examines the mechanism in which green HRM affects the EGB of lecturers through environmental knowledge in Malaysian public research universities. Smart PLS was used to analyse the relationships from 425 valid responses.
Findings
The findings of the study show that green HRM affects EGB through the full mediation of environmental knowledge. This finding gives a theoretical implication in terms of ability, motivation and opportunity theory.
Research limitations/implications
The scope of this study is limited to public research universities in Malaysia. Future studies may explore other variables that could expedite the relationship between green HRM and EGB. Implications include policy making that emphasises on enhancing environmental knowledge of lecturers.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has been conducted using environmental knowledge as a mediator between green HRM and EGB.
Self-healing rubbers have been widely developed by introducing reversible dynamic crosslinked networks into rubber so that it can repair mechanical damage automatically without requiring any manual ...intervention. The major successful self-healing methods in rubber and underlying mechanisms, such as the covalent adaptable network and supramolecular interaction, were reviewed. Although these methods have been established to develop self-healing rubber, the materials often exhibit relatively poor mechanical properties compared to traditional rubber. In addition, the unique properties of vitrimers as a new class of polymer network is described in the covalent adaptable network subsection. This review also focuses on the effect of filler reinforcement using fillers such as carbon base, silica, chitin and cellulose nanocrystals, as well as metallic and other types, which can participate in reversible crosslink reactions and enhance the mechanical properties. The review also includes an overview of the applications of self-healing rubber.
•Successful self-healing methods and mechanisms for rubber were reviewed.•The effect of filler reinforcement on self-healing were focused.•Advantages and disadvantages of different fillers were further compared.•Potential applications of self-healing rubber were discussed.
In this work, self‐healing natural rubber (SHNR) foam incorporating an intrinsic zinc thiolate ionic network was successfully prepared. The materials exhibited the ability to autonomously repair ...damage at room temperature without the need for external triggers. The investigation focused on the effect of sodium bicarbonate, employed as a blowing agent, on the self‐healing performance, as well as the physical and mechanical properties of the foam. Various concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (0, 1, 4, 8, and 10 phr) were employed. The conventional two‐roller mill was used for mixing and compounding, while compression molding was utilized for the vulcanization process. With increasing sodium bicarbonate concentration, the density, tensile strength, elongation at break, and compression set of the self‐healing NR foam were found to decreased. Conversely, the porosity, shrinkage, compressive strength, and water uptake of the SHNR foam increased as the concentration of sodium bicarbonate increased. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the optimal concentration of sodium bicarbonate (8 phr) resulted in smaller, finer, and more uniform porous structures. The self‐healing rubber foam incorporating 8 phr sodium bicarbonate exhibited improved properties in terms of tensile modulus, elongation at break, and tear strength, with healing efficiencies of 91.27%, 69.39%, and 83.99%, respectively.
Morphology of damage recovery of self‐healing natural rubber foam.
A series of intrinsic self‐healing natural rubber (NR) integrated with thermo‐reversible (zinc) Zn2+ salt bonding networks was successfully fabricated via reversible ionic interaction approach. The ...formation of Zn2+ salt bonding in the rubber networks was evidenced by FTIR analysis. The developed materials showed excellent self‐healing capability as the properties could recover up to 76% under tensile mode and 100% under tear mode and fatigue. The crosslink density of self‐healing NR‐g‐MAA/ZT rubber obtained from the swelling test evident that interaction between NR‐g‐MAA and zinc thiolate (ZT) increased with the self‐healing ability of the materials. SEM images suggested the occurrence of chain diffusion between the fracture interfaces when the broken pieces were brought in contact with each other's. The reconnection of ionic salt bonding is expected to allow rearrangements of rubber segments, which turns NR‐g‐MAA into potential self‐healing rubber materials.
The slow and inefficient environmental performance of universities is drawing the attention of scholars towards behavioural change in employees rather than just relying on technological upgrades. ...Drawing upon the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) theory, the purpose of this study is first to examine the influence of Green Human Resource Management (HRM) practices (green competence building practices, green motivation enhancing practices, and green employee involvement practices) on the organisational citizenship behaviour towards the environment (OCBE) of academic staff and, in turn, its impact on the environmental performance. Second, the mediating impact of OCBE between each of Green HRM practices and environmental performance is assessed. The data were collected from September until November 2017 on two campuses of a renowned public research university in Malaysia. Using quantitative research design, a structured questionnaire was used among the academic staff of the university. Convenience sampling was used to select the respondents from both campuses, and the Partial Least Squares (PLS) modelling technique was used to analyse the data, which comprised 122 respondents. Overall findings showed that three sets of Green HRM practices based on the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity framework had a significant impact on OCBE. Furthermore, OCBE had a significant relationship with environmental performance. For the mediation analysis, the results showed that OCBE exhibited by academic staff acted as a means through which the Green HRM practices of a university can positively influence the environmental performance of a university campus. The originality of this study rests in shedding light on Green HRM practices in the higher education sector and highlighting the critical role of academic staff’s environmentally friendly behaviour for improving the environmental performance of a university.
Display omitted
•An empirical investigation of the relationship between Green HRM practices, OCBE and environmental performance was explored.•The Ability-Motivation-Opportunity Theory was used as a theoretical foundation.•Green HRM practices was found to have a positive relationship with OCBE and in turn, influenced environmental performance.•OCBE mediates the relationship between Green HRM and environmental performance.
Abstract This work is motivated by the desire to restore the quality of rubber-based product properties with the intention of prolonging the service life period, thus helping create a sustainable ...environment by proposing effective rubber waste management. This study experimentally investigated an intrinsically self-healing zinc thiolate grafted natural rubber (NRZT) compound filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to assess its influence on mechanical properties and self-healing performance. The MWCNT loading varied to 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 phr. The Equilibrium swelling test was used to quantify the amount of ionic and covalent crosslinks formed. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra were used to detect the presence of MWCNT in the compound. The mechanical properties computed by the tensile and tear strength tests showed that the incorporation of MWCNT increased both properties up to three and twofold, respectively. However, as expected, the elongation at break (Eb) value was reduced. The unfilled sample showed that it can heal up to ∼98 %, measured from the tensile strength. However, the healing efficiency obtained from tensile strength reduces to ∼88 % by incorporating 2 phr MWCNT. The Eb and its self-healing efficiency gradually decreased as the MWCNT amount increased. All samples showed outstanding properties under the tearing mode, where the healed samples produced higher tear strength (>100 % healing) than the initial value. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed a noticeable gap along the healed cut line with increased MWCNT numbers, possibly due to the lower reaction between polymerized zinc thiolate (PZTh) radicals with zinc thiolate (ZT) and rubber molecules. The work aims to investigate the influence of MWCNTs on the mechanical and healing performance of self-healing NR composites by comparing them to their unfilled sample.
This study examined the relationship between green intellectual capital and sustainable performance. While many studies have focused on sustainability, this study is one of the first that focuses ...exclusively on green intellectual capital. This research used survey data from 112 manufacturing firms in Malaysia. As anticipated, the results found that green intellectual capital positively influenced economic, environmental, and social performance. The findings of this study have various implications for green companies and organizations in general and green manufacturing firms in particular. The novelty of this study is unfolding the contribution of green intellectual capital as an intangible resource for organizations in achieving sustainable performance and a competitive advantage for future researchers. Manufacturing industries of developing or developed countries can enhance their cleaner production capabilities by incorporating this model as a strategy.
•The relationship between green intellectual capital and sustainable performance was explored.•Intellectual Capital-based View Theory was used as a theoretical foundation.•Green intellectual capital was found to have a positive relationship with sustainable performance.•Green intellectual capital was highlighted in creating cleaner production in the manufacturing industry.
Polymethylmethacrylate‐co‐methacrylic acid (PMMA‐co‐MAA) was utilized for surface improvement of silica to be used as reinforcement in self‐healing natural rubber based on metal thiolate ionic ...network. The amount of PMMA‐co‐MAA was varied at 1, 3, and 5 wt% of silica content and the optimized PMMA‐co‐MAA was utilized to investigate the self‐healing NR/silica composites at different filler loading (5, 10, 20, and 30 phr). The graft polymerization of PMMA‐co‐MAA on silica was confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy and grafting percentage was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Intermolecular diffusion occurred at the fractured area was detected using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the results revealed that the composite tensile and tear performance increased 22%–70% with healing efficiency percentage ranging between 70% and 97% depending on the silica loading.
Preparation of self‐healing NR/modified silica composites.
This study aimed to explore the reinforcement effect of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in self‐healing natural rubber based on metal thiolate ion networks. The amount of HNTs was varied at five levels ...(2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 phr) in order to assess the optimum amount of filler for self‐healing efficiency and mechanical recovery performance. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) provides evidence for the reversible ionic bonding, facilitated by Zn2+ and S− bonding from the metal thiolate vulcanization with rubber molecular chains. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the NR/HNTs composites with lower filler loading exhibited better recovery, as there were no observable gaps between the cut surfaces of the samples. The results also revealed that addition of HNTs resulted in a significant improvement in the mechanical performance, particularly the tensile strength, which increased by approximately 20%–75%. Furthermore, the extent of healing after the broken pieces were brought in contact with each other varied from 87% to 98%, depending on HNT concentration.
Highlights
Fabrication of self‐healing elastomers based on natural rubber.
Self‐healing NR presented enhanced mechanical performance with addition of HNTs.
HNTs lumen endows the composites with excellent self‐healing efficiency.
Developed NR/HNTs composite exhibited room temperature self‐healing properties.
Reversible ionic bonding expedited by Zn2+ contributes in excellent self‐healing.
Fabrication of self‐healing NR/HNTs composites.
Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of green human resource management (Green HRM) on employee ecological behaviour (EEB) using the mediating role of green commitment. ...Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered using convenience sampling by surveying 308 academicians in five public research universities across Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) tested the hypothesised model. Findings The results offered support for the hypotheses. Green HRM was related positively to EEB, and Green HRM influenced EEB indirectly via green commitment. Practical implications This study has significant implications for policymaking regarding higher education institutions that maintain an eco-friendly environment in Malaysia. The study offers guidelines to decision makers for enhancing EEB and environmental commitment in the workplace. Originality/value This study contributes to the current literature on green behaviour and Green HRM by examining these relationships and testing the mediation effect of green commitment from the developing economy of Malaysia. It also offers guidelines for policymakers and HR practitioners to promote environmental friendliness at work and create an environmentally friendly organisational culture.
