Is Green Transformational Leadership the Panacea to Environmental Challenges in Africa? A Systematic Review of Literature

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Published Mar 28, 2025
https://doi.org/10.71064/spu.amjr.1.1.2025.355
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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Special Issue - African Multidisciplinary Journal of Research (AMJR)

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Tabithah Wanjiru K. Kimani
St. Paul's University
Daniel M. Nzengya
St. Paul's University

Abstract

Modern organizations have developed ambitious environmental goals, but there is a gap between espoused goals and actual environmental practices and outcomes. Green transformational leadership (GTL) is viewed as one of the strategies that organizations can use to translate environmental goals into green outcomes. However, the literature examining the outcomes of green transformational leadership is fragmented and disjointed. This study sought to conduct a systematic review of studies on GTL outcomes for purposes of synthesis and presenting them on a single platform. A search was conducted on EBSCOhost that yielded 141 results out of which 36 articles made it to the final review. The analysis revealed that the majority of the studies on GTL have been conducted in Southeast Asia and focus on employee green behaviour as the outcome. Other outcomes include green creativity, green performance, and green resilience. The analysis reveals that the majority of studies utilize a quantitative approach predominantly employing cross-sectional designs, with a significant emphasis on identifying mediating and moderating factors that shape this relationship. Based on these findings, the review recommends a diversification of research methodologies to incorporate longitudinal, experimental and qualitative approaches to enhance understanding of GTL outcomes. The paucity of research on GTL within the African continent raises questions regarding the commitment of African countries towards the realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs). There is need to explore GTL in regions currently underrepresented in the literature, particularly the East African context, to gain insights into local practices and challenges.

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How to Cite
Kimani , T. W. K., & Nzengya , D. M. (2025). Is Green Transformational Leadership the Panacea to Environmental Challenges in Africa? A Systematic Review of Literature. African Multidisciplinary Journal of Research, 1(1), 414–442. https://doi.org/10.71064/spu.amjr.1.1.2025.355

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