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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP: STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS INNOVATION

T. UYYAVANTHAL, Dr. M. AYISHA MILLATH

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has become a big change in how modern companies operate, offering new ways tocombine innovation with sustainability. At the same time, green entrepreneurship is important for starting andgrowing businesses that are good for the environment and support long-term development. This paper looks athow AI can work together with green entrepreneurship, especially in areas like managing people in the workplaceand creating new, sustainable business ideas. The study uses ideas from theories such as the Resource-Based Viewand Sociotechnical Systems Theory to show how AI tools in human resource management like analyzingemployee data, training programs, and hiring practices can help support eco friendly business ventures. The papershows how using AI in HR strategies helps build a workforce that supports sustainability, encouragesenvironmentally friendly innovation, and makes companies more able to handle challenges. The research adds towhat is known by showing that AI is more than just a way to make work faster it can also help drive sustainableand responsible business practices.

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Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [219] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND GREEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP: STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS INNOVATION T. UYYAVANTHAL Research Scholar, Alagappa Institute of Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi. Dr. M. AYISHA MILLATH Professor, Alagappa Institute of Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi. ABSTRACT Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has become a big change in how modern companies operate, offering new ways to combine innovation with sustainability. At the same time, green entrepreneurship is important for starting and growing businesses that are good for the environment and support long-term development. This paper looks at how AI can work together with green entrepreneurship, especially in areas like managing people in the workplace and creating new, sustainable business ideas. The study uses ideas from theories such as the Resource-Based View and Sociotechnical Systems Theory to show how AI tools in human resource management like analyzing employee data, training programs, and hiring practices can help support eco friendly business ventures. The paper shows how using AI in HR strategies helps build a workforce that supports sustainability, encourages environmentally friendly innovation, and makes companies more able to handle challenges. The research adds to what is known by showing that AI is more than just a way to make work faster it can also help drive sustainable and responsible business practices. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Green Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Sustainable Innovation. INTRODUCTION: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most transformative forces in the digital era, reshaping industries by enabling smarter decision-making, optimizing resource allocation, and fostering innovative business models (Davenport & Ronanki, 2018)6. AI tools such as machine learning, predictive analytics, and natural language processing are increasingly applied across domains like finance, marketing, and operations to enhance efficiency and competitiveness (Jarrahi, 2018)9. In recent years, AI has also been recognized as a powerful enabler of sustainability, offering solutions for energy efficiency, waste reduction, and eco-innovation (George, Merrill, & Schillebeeckx, 2021)8.Parallel to this technological revolution, green entrepreneurship has gained prominence as a critical response to pressing global sustainability challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation (Schaltegger & Wagner, 2011)16.Green entrepreneurs integrate ecological values into their ventures by creating sustainable products, services, and processes that balance profitability with environmental responsibility (Carrillo-Hermosilla, del Río, & Könnölä, 2010)3. Their efforts contribute significantly to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on climate action, responsible consumption, and sustainable industrialization (United Nations, 2015)19.Within this context, Human Resource Management (HRM) plays a vital role in building and sustaining a workforce that is aligned with both organizational and environmental objectives (Klofsten, Urbano, & Heaton, 2021)11. HRM functions such as recruitment, training, and performance management can be strategically leveraged to develop eco-conscious employees and green leadership (Meijerink, Bondarouk, & Lepak, 2021)12. However, despite growing recognition of AI’s transformative potential, limited scholarly attention has been paid to how AI-enabled HRM practices can support green entrepreneurship (Raisch & Krakowski, 2021)15. This paper seeks to fill this gap by examining how the integration of AI with HRM can nurture sustainable talent, foster eco-innovation, and drive long-term sustainable business innovation (Bresciani et al., 2021)2. Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [220] LITERATURE REVIEW: Ai In Business: Applications In Analytics, Forecasting, And Innovation Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a key part of how businesses change and grow in the digital world. It helps with making better decisions, predicting future trends, and coming up with new ideas. Technologies like machine learning, natural language processing, and data mining are commonly used for analyzing business data and making predictions. According to Jarrahi (2018), AI helps managers make smarter decisions by giving them useful information from data, which helps companies find patterns and reduce uncertainty. Davenport and Ronanki (2018) also said that AI lets companies automate tasks, spot problems, and create useful insights that make business operations more efficient. In the world of starting new businesses, AI helps predict what customers want, set better prices, and see possible challenges ahead (Chatterjee et al., 2021). These abilities help companies move quickly in response to changes in the market and what customers prefer. Additionally, AI has changed how industries work by creating new ways of doing business. George et al. (2021) pointed out that AI and tools for digital sustainability help entrepreneurs deal with climate change by promoting eco-friendly innovations. When companies use AI in their innovation processes, they can find ways to use resources more wisely, adopt renewable energy, and cut down on waste. So, AI is not just a new technology, but also a valuable tool for helping businesses become more sustainable. Green Entrepreneurship: Sustainable Ventures, Eco-Innovation, and SDG Alignment Green entrepreneurship has become an important way to deal with environmental issues while also helping the economy grow. Schaltegger and Wagner (2011) say that green entrepreneurship is about starting businesses that make money while also taking care of the environment. These entrepreneurs create companies focused on things like clean energy, managing waste, farming in a sustainable way, and using eco-friendly technologies. These kinds of businesses not only help companies stay competitive but also match up with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those about using resources responsibly, taking action against climate change, and making industries more sustainable (United Nations, 2015). Eco-innovation is a key part of green entrepreneurship and has been getting a lot of attention lately. Carrillo-Hermosilla, del Río, and Kännölä (2010) explain that eco-innovation is about creating new ideas that help the environment, use resources more efficiently, and support living in a sustainable way. In the world of starting new businesses, eco-innovation helps create new ways of doing business that make money while also being good for the planet. Recent research by Klofsten, Urbano, and Heaton (2021) shows that businesses that make sustainability a core part of their values are more likely to handle changes in the rules and market conditions. These findings show how important it is to connect entrepreneurship with sustainability goals to stay competitive in the long run. AI in Human Resource Management (HRM): Recruitment, Performance, Learning, and Sustainable Workforce AI has changed the way human resource management (HRM) works by using data to make decisions and helping companies take better care of their employees. According to Meijerink et al. (2021), AI systems in HRM help make things more efficient by doing everyday tasks automatically, using data to see what might happen next, and helping plan the workforce more clearly. One big change is in hiring. AI tools use smart programs to go through resumes, find the best matches for a job, and even guess if a candidate would fit well in the company culture (Upadhyay & Khandelwal, 2018). These systems help companies not only find people with the right skills but also those who share the company's values around sustainability. In managing how well employees perform their jobs, AI systems allow for real-time tracking of performance. This helps managers set goals related to sustainability (Raisch & Krakowski, 2021). By connecting employee work to both company goals and environmental targets, AI ensures that everyone is working towards a common sustainable future. AI is also changing how employees learn and grow by creating training programs that are tailored to each person's needs. For example, AI-based platforms can offer specialized training in areas like renewable energy, waste reduction, and green innovations (Dwivedi et al., 2021). Another important area is building a workforce that supports sustainability. Choudhury, Foroughi, and Larson (2021) suggest that AI can help create remote and flexible work options, which reduce commuting and lower carbon emissions. Bresciani et al. (2021) say that building a sustainable workforce through AI-driven HR practices can speed up the shift toward eco-friendly businesses. This shows that AI in HRM is not just about making processes faster but also about creating a workplace culture that cares about sustainability. Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [221] Theoretical Insights Resource-Based View (RBV) The Resource-Based View (RBV) says that companies can have a lasting edge over others by using special resources that are valuable, rare, hard to copy, and can't be easily replaced (Barney, 1991). In the case of using AI for green business ideas, human skills improved by AI tools are seen as important resources. When companies use AI in their people management, they build abilities that focus on being eco-friendly, having good leadership for sustainability, and making sure the workforce can change and learn. These resources are hard for other companies to copy, which helps them stay ahead in the long run. Researchers like Priem and Butler (2001) say that the resources a company has are key to how it develops new ideas, which supports using AI in green entrepreneurship. Sociotechnical Systems Theory looks at how people and technology work together (Trist & Bamforth, 1951). When it comes to using AI in human resource management for green entrepreneurship, this theory shows that it's important to match new technology with human values and environmental goals. For example, even though AI can help with hiring and training, it works best when employees trust it, accept it in their culture, and believe in its fairness. Pasmore, Winby, and Khalsa (2019) say that sociotechnical systems help make sure AI is used in a way that makes the company better and also supports employee happiness. Using this idea, the suggested framework says that only when AI is in line with nature and human needs can green entrepreneurship be successful in the long term. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial intelligence is the ability of a system to understand information from the outside world, learn from it, and use that knowledge to reach certain goals and complete tasks in a way that can change and improve over time (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2019)10. Green Entrepreneurship Green entrepreneurship is when someone starts a business that focuses on solving environmental problems and aims to create both money and benefits for the environment (Schaltegger & Wagner, 2011)16. Human Resource Management (HRM) HRM is a group of rules and actions that help a company work together better, make employees feel more involved, be more flexible, and improve the quality of work (Storey, 2007)17. How AI Tools Enhance HRM for Sustainability ➢ Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed the way Human Resource Management (HRM) works by making routine tasks easier and helping make better decisions based on data (Meijerink, Bondarouk, & Lepak, 2021)12. In the area of sustainability, AI tools are very helpful in making sure that HR activities match the green goals of a company. ➢ For instance, predictive analytics lets HR managers guess how many workers will be needed for projects that focus on the environment (Dwivedi et al., 2021)7. Also, natural language processing (NLP) tools can look at what employees say about their experiences to spot areas where the company can improve its sustainability efforts (Upadhyay & Khandelwal, 2018)20. ➢ AI-powered dashboards also help keep track of how happy and healthy employees are, which can lower stress and reduce the number of people leaving the company. This is important for long-term growth in a sustainable way (Choudhury, Foroughi, & Larson, 2021)5. By using AI, HR departments can go beyond just managing paperwork and start actively helping the company meet its environmental and social goals (Bresciani et al., 2021)2. AI in Recruitment for Eco-Focused Talent ➢ Recruitment is one of the areas where AI significantly supports green entrepreneurship. AI-powered recruitment platforms can screen candidates not only for technical expertise but also for values, attitudes, and competencies aligned with sustainability (Upadhyay & Khandelwal, 2018)20. ➢ Algorithms trained on sustainability-related keywords can identify applicants with experience in renewable energy projects, eco-friendly innovations, or green certifications (Meijerink et al., 2021)12. Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [222] Chatbots and virtual assistants streamline the recruitment process, reducing paperwork and energy consumption in hiring (Dwivedi et al., 2021)7. ➢ By enabling organizations to hire talent committed to environmental responsibility, AI ensures that entrepreneurial ventures have the right workforce to pursue green strategies effectively (Raisch & Krakowski, 2021)15. AI in Employee Training for Green Skills ➢ AI-powered learning platforms create personalized training programs that help employees gain skills focused on sustainability (Dwivedi et al., 2021)7. For example, adaptive learning software can create modules on topics like reducing waste, using renewable energy, or managing sustainable supply chains, based on what each employee does (George, Merrill, & Schillebeeckx, 2021)8. Virtual reality and AIbased simulations can also teach employees how to save energy, reduce their carbon footprint, or develop eco-friendly innovations in a realistic and engaging way (Chatterjee, Rana, & Dwivedi, 2021)4. ➢ These tools help employees keep improving their green skills, which supports the company’s long-term sustainability goals. By building these skills, AI changes how human resources work, making them a key part of promoting environmental awareness and eco-innovation (Bresciani et al., 2021)2. Linking HRM Outcomes to Green Entrepreneurship Growth ➢ HRM outcomes like sustainable talent acquisition, development of green skills, and leadership focused on the environment directly affect the growth of green entrepreneurship (Klofsten, Urbano, & Heaton, 2021)11. AI-powered HRM helps organizations not only hire the right people but also support employees in driving eco-friendly innovations (Raisch & Krakowski, 2021)15. ➢ As HRM builds a company culture that values the environment, employees are more likely to start and carry out green entrepreneurial projects (Schaltegger & Wagner, 2011)16. This connection shows that AIenabled HR practices help build green entrepreneurship by creating a workforce that is both skilled and committed to sustainability (Carrillo-Hermosilla, del Río, & Körnölä, 2010)3. AI as a Driver of Sustainable Business Innovation ➢ Beyond just helping with HR, AI also helps businesses come up with new and better ways to operate in a sustainable way. AI tools can analyze data to help business owners find chances to sell eco-friendly products, guess what customers will want in terms of green items, and use resources more wisely to cut down on waste (Davenport & Ronanki, 2018)6. For instance, machine learning can make factories use less energy or suggest better ways to manage supply chains in a sustainable manner (George et al., 2021)8. ➢ When AI is used together with HRM, it helps create a team that is ready and trained for sustainability. This makes sure that new ideas actually work in real life (Meijerink et al., 2021)12. So, AI is not just a tool, but also a key part of the company’s strategy that helps make sustainability a big part of how the business runs (Bresciani et al., 2021)2. CONCLUSION: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a key force for sustainable growth by changing the way Human Resource Management (HRM) works, making it a supporter of green entrepreneurship. 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