INTEGRATING LOCAL CULTURE AND GREEN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO STRENGTHEN SUSTAINABLE BLUE ECONOMY PRACTICES IN SMALL ISLAND TOURISM OF INDONESIA Abdul Rahman, Rukhayati, Haris Abdul Kadir, Awaludin, Amelia Maharani, Nurfadilah
Palu Muhammadiyah University
Abstract
This study aims to analyse the strategic role of human resource management (HRM) in supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Blue Economy in the tourism sector in the Indonesian archipelago. The main focus of this study is how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices, local cultural factors, sustainable leadership, and workforce capacity building can improve the effectiveness of blue economy implementation oriented towards economic, social, and environmental balance. This study uses a qualitative approach with a literature review method, which examines 20 reputable international and national indexed scientific publications relevant to the topics of HRM, sustainable tourism, and the blue economy. The analysis was conducted using content analysis techniques, highlighting key themes such as green recruitment, environment-based training, participatory leadership, and local community empowerment. The results of the study indicate that the integration of HRM within the blue economy framework plays an important role in creating sustainable tourism in small island regions. The implementation of HRM has been proven to increase the ecological awareness of workers, strengthen the social responsibility of organisations, and improve the economic efficiency of the tourism sector without compromising marine environmental sustainability. In addition, local culture and sustainable leadership have been proven to strengthen social legitimacy, create green innovation, and increase community involvement in ecosystem-based tourism management. The most relevant HRM strategy for island tourism destinations is one that combines the principles of green HRM, sustainable leadership, and community-based empowerment. The implications of this study emphasise the importance of cross-sector collaboration between the government, the tourism industry, and local communities in building sustainability-oriented human resource capacity. Theoretically, this research expands the understanding of the relationship between HRM and the blue economy in the context of tourism, while practically, the results can serve as a policy reference for the development of highly competitive and environmentally friendly island tourism destinations.
Keywords: Human resource management, Green HRM, Blue economy, Sustainable tourism, Small islands.
Topic: Human Resource Management and Employment Economics
