DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/ecos2026_032

CLOSING THE GREEN GAP: HARMONIZING PROJECT AND PROCESS APPROACHES IN HIGHER EDUCATION VIA SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP AND DIGITAL INTERNAL MARKETING

Petra Skořepová1, Petra Marešová1
1 Department of management, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanskeho 62, 500 03 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are currently navigating the complexities of the global “Twin Transition” (green and digital). However, a significant “implementation gap” persists between strategic sustainability declarations and operational reality. This paper scrutinizes this phenomenon within the University of Hradec Králové (UHK), analyzing the misalignment between the university‘s “Sustainable Development Strategy 2030” and actual workforce perception. Drawing on the duality of project and process approaches in institutional adaptability, this study utilizes qualitative data from 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings delineate a critical asymmetry: while respondents widely recognize tangible infrastructure improvements (“hardware”) such as waste sorting stations and energy-saving technologies, they report a profound lack of awareness regarding the strategic vision. The analysis identifies key barriers preventing behavioral adoption, specifically “bureaucratic inertia” where digital goals clash with persistent analog administrative processes, and a “skill gap” where staff lack the know-how to operate new technologies (e.g., smart thermostats), leading to frustration and disengagement. The study argues that without addressing the behavioral dimension through specific internal marketing strategies, the potential of green infrastructure remains untapped, resulting in institutional decoupling. The paper concludes that leadership must pivot towards an Industry 5.0 mindset, leveraging digital tools not just for management, but as internal marketing instruments to “nudge” the sustainable workforce towards active participation.

Keywords: change management, institutional adaptability, Industry 5.0, internal marketing, organizational efficiency, green nudging, sustainable workforce

pages: 299-307, online: 2026



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