Green Organisational Identity and Employees’ Green Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Environmental Commitment in Tourism Enterprises

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. Originality:

• The introduction section, although outlining the environmental issues faced by the tourism industry and the importance of green practices, lacks specific cases or data to support these viewpoints.  For instance, incorporating examples of companies in the tourism industry that have successfully implemented green management practices, or providing concrete data or citations regarding environmental pollution and resource consumption within this sector, would greatly enhance the persuasiveness of the argument.  

• Additionally, the authors need to review the deficiencies in the existing research field and propose clear research questions. Currently, the authors mention that "There is no existing research in the literature regarding the mediating role of EC in the effect of GOI on EGB," but they fail to provide any evidence to support this statement.  

• While studying this topic within the context of the tourism industry is a commendable endeavor, the authors have not adequately established a foundation in the introduction.  If the authors intend to focus specifically on this industry, they should elucidate the unique aspects of the research topic within the tourism industry.  Alternatively, if the authors aim to use the tourism industry as a representative case, they should discuss the industry's representativeness and how it serves as a valuable perspective for exploring this broader topic.

• Overall, the authors have not clearly articulated the research questions nor has discussed the innovation and significance of the study with clarity.

 

2. Relationship to Literature:

• The paper lacks a review of the theoretical foundation.

• Furthermore, there is an absence of discussion within this specific domain, resulting in a relatively weak derivation of hypotheses.  To strengthen the paper, it is crucial to provide a comprehensive review of existing theories and research related to the tourism industry, as this would help establish a solid foundation for the study.  

• It is noteworthy that the authors have provided extensive literature to develop the hypotheses. However, given that the authors fail to elaborate on the unique aspects of the relevant research within this particular field, the provision of these extensive references actually indicates a lack of novelty in the research.

• Some updated and related literature about Green marketing/identity & Employees' Green Behaviour were not mentioned/cited yet. Having symbolic, impactful, and updated literature review support will much enhance your arguments in no matter hypotheses development or theoretical contribution. I suggest the author(s) to consider reading and citing the following symbolic, impactful, and updated literature. Of course, the authors can cite other similar papers not limit to listed ones.

• Mo, Z., Liu, M., Wong, I. A., Wu, P. (2022). The role of (in)congruence modes between supervisor prescriptive and descriptive norms on employee green behavior, Tourism Management, 93, 104627

• Ali, M., Puah, C. H., Ali, A., Raza, S. A., & Ayob, N. (2022). Green intellectual capital, green HRM and green social identity toward sustainable environment: a new integrated framework for Islamic banks. International Journal of Manpower, 43(3), 614-638.

• Mo., Z. Liu, M., Lai, K. W. (2025). The dynamic joint roles of green human resource management and environmentally specific transformational leadership on team green behavior, Tourism Management. 107, 105046.

• Bu, H., Yang, K., Huang, R., Liu, M. (2025) How green marketing practices improve customer loyalty: Mediating role of green corporate image and moderating role of green self-identity, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics. DOI 10.1108/APJML-01-2024-0095

• Wang, S., Liu, M., Pérez, A. (2023). A bibliometric analysis of green marketing in marketing and related fields: From 1991 to 2021, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 35(8), 1857-1882.

• Mirahsani, N., Azizan, O., Shahriari, M., Rexhepi, G., & Najmi, A. (2024). Green culture toward employee green behavior; the mediation roles of perceived support and green identity. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(6), 16149-16172.

• Mo. Z., Liu M., Wu, P. (2022). Shaping employee green behaviour: A multilevel approach with Pygmalion effect, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 34(2), 322-349.

3. Methodology:

• Common Method Bias (CMB): Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires, which poses a risk of CMB, but no control methods (e.g., Harman’s single-factor test) were mentioned. It is necessary to supplement relevant tests to enhance the credibility of the results.

• Missing Model Fit Indices: The PLS-SEM analysis only reports CR, AVE, and HTMT values but does not provide traditional SEM fit indices (e.g., CFI, TLI, RMSEA). It is recommended to supplement the overall model fit assessment.

• Discriminant Validity Issue: The correlation coefficient between EC and EGB is as high as 0.820, which may indicate conceptual overlap. Further validation through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is needed to test the discriminant validity of these constructs and avoid potential multicollinearity issues.

• Sample Limitations: The sample only includes hotel employees from Muğla Province, Turkey, which limits the generalizability of the conclusions. It is recommended to discuss the impact of regional and cultural differences and clearly specify the scope of the findings.

• Statistical Power Not Reported: Although the sample size is large (n=607), there is no mention of whether it meets the statistical power requirements (e.g., a priori analysis based on effect size). A power analysis should be added to enhance methodological rigor.

• Insufficient Explanation of Mediation Effects: The VAF=0.478 indicates partial mediation, but other potential mediating variables (e.g., green leadership, perceived organizational support) are not explored. It is recommended to compare with existing studies in the discussion and analyze why EC only plays a partial mediating role.

• High Correlation Risk: The high correlation between EC and EGB may suggest issues with the measurement tool design (e.g., overlapping items). The complete scale items should be provided in the appendix for readers to evaluate content validity.

 

4. Results:

• The research results presented are clear and concise, comprehensively covering all the necessary analyses required to draw valid conclusions. 

• Furthermore, the indicators employed in the study are robust and reliable, indicating a high level of methodological rigor. 

 

5. Implications for research, practice and/or society:

• The theoretical contribution section of the study is notably weak, as the authors merely repeat the research findings without clearly elucidating the novelty of the study. Instead of highlighting unique insights or advancements, the authors simply emphasize the consistency of the results with previous research, further underscoring the apparent lack of innovation in this study. 

• Furthermore, there is a marked absence of discussion on how the research results have expanded the existing theoretical foundation within the field. 

• The authors hardly propose any practical implications based on the research conclusions. The authors should discuss how the findings can be applied in real-world scenarios or influence industry practices. 

• To enhance the study's practical value, the authors should provide specific recommendations, strategies, or guidelines that stem directly from the research results, thus making the study more relevant and actionable for practitioners and policymakers within the relevant domain. 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

• While the overall language in the article is generally acceptable, there are a few instances where the expression could benefit from a more academic tone to enhance the rigor and precision of the writing.

Author Response

Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers for their valuable suggestions and criticisms. The changes suggested by the reviewers for our research have been revised and are presented in the attached file. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is a very meaningful research topic, but it still needs a lot of revision before acceptance, especially the research conclusions and implications are very incomplete.

1. The research background and motivation are too general, please add details.

2. It is recommended that in the literature review section, literature on related topics be supplemented so that the research has more theoretical support, especially the formulation of research hypotheses.

3. How to obtain the data of 607 researchers? And how to judge the authenticity of these 607 great beings?

 

4. The second half of the article needs a lot of additions and revisions. For example, the discussion should be combined with the data in the previous article, the innovation and importance of the theoretical implications, and the value of the practical implications, etc.

Author Response

Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers for their valuable suggestions and criticisms. The changes suggested by the reviewers for our research have been revised and are presented in the attached file. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review of the paper "Green Organizational Identity and Employees' Green Behavior: The Mediating Role of Environmental Commitment in Tourism Enterprises"

 This paper addresses a highly relevant and important topic related to sustainable development in the tourism industry. The authors examine how green organizational identity (GOI) influences employees' behavior and their environmental commitment (EC) using structural equation modeling (SEM). This study is of interest not only to the academic community but also to business professionals, as it reveals the mechanisms behind the formation of an environmentally responsible corporate culture.

 The paper is highly relevant, as sustainability and environmental responsibility are particularly crucial in the tourism sector, where companies interact directly with nature. The topic aligns with current global challenges and trends.

The authors conducted an in-depth literature review, drawing upon theoretical frameworks such as social identity theory and expectancy theory, making the study well-founded.

The research is based on data from 607 employees of tourism enterprises, and the analysis is conducted using SEM modeling, which enhances the reliability and validity of the conclusions.

The study also provides valuable recommendations for managers and businesses looking to implement green strategies.

The paper is well-structured, with a logical flow, including an introduction, literature review, hypotheses, methodology, data analysis, and conclusions, making it easy to read and comprehend.

 

Comments and Suggestions

- Include an Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)

The authors immediately proceed to statistical methods, but it would be useful to first conduct Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA). This would allow for detecting outliers and anomalies in the data, assessing the distribution of variables and their normality, and identifying relationships between variables at an early stage.

 - Visualizing Correlations with Heatmaps

The paper already includes correlation analysis, but it is presented in table format. Using heatmaps would enhance the visualization of the relationships between variables, making it easier to interpret.

- Incorporate EDA analysis with visualizations, such as histograms, boxplots, and scatter plots, to improve the clarity of data representation.

- Add heatmaps to graphically display correlations and facilitate data interpretation.

 - Figure 1 (Research Model)

The model is presented clearly, but lacks explanations of the relationships between variables. A brief explanation should be added to make the figure more informative and understandable.

 

Conclusions

This paper presents high-quality research that is essential for understanding the mechanisms behind the development of environmentally responsible corporate behavior. The authors have done a great job, but some improvements—such as incorporating EDA analysis and data visualization (heatmaps)—could enhance the clarity and depth of the study.

Author Response

Firstly, we would like to express our gratitude to the reviewers for their valuable suggestions and criticisms. The changes suggested by the reviewers for our research have been revised and are presented in the attached file. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Proofreading should be considered.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Proofreading should be considered.