In recent decades, the redevelopment of waterfronts in global cities has become a focal point for large-scale real estate investments, often driven by neoliberal policies. These projects, characterized by the increasing involvement of state agencies, aim to transform obsolete industrial areas into lucrative spaces for tourism, commerce, and luxury living. This article scrutinizes the intricate dynamics of state-led waterfront re-development, through the lens of Istanbul’s Galataport project. It analyzes the multifaceted dimensions of the transformation process, shedding light on the historical backdrop, socio-political underpinnings, and economic imperatives that have shaped the development of Galataport from 2002 to 2022. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary sources, including governmental reports, policy documents, and scholarly literature, the article accentuates the pivotal role of the state and state actors in orchestrating the transformation of Istanbul’s urban landscape. Furthermore, it examines the implications of the Galataport project on urban governance and socio-cultural and spatial dynamics. It concludes that the central government pursued a speculative entrepreneurial approach in the Galataport project, clearing various legal obstacles while neglecting public interest. This case study takes the first step towards a comprehensive critical re-evaluation of the recent urban development/governance model to contribute to a nuanced understanding of contemporary urban/waterfront development paradigms in Türkiye and similar geographies.

This research explores the impact of employee green behavior on green transformational leadership (GTL) and green human resource management (GHRM), and their subsequent effects on sustainable performance within organizations. Utilizing a sample of 482 environmental quality promotion departments across Thailand, the study employs stratified random sampling to ensure representative data collection. Analysis was conducted using SPSS software, applying Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression to test the hypothesized relationships between the variables. The findings reveal a positive and significant influence of employee green behavior on both GTL and GHRM. Additionally, both GTL and GHRM are found to positively correlate with sustainable performance, indicating that enhanced leadership and management practices in the environmental domain can lead to better sustainability outcomes. This research utilizes the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) theory as its theoretical framework, illustrating how organizations can leverage strategic HRM practices to promote environmental consciousness and action among employees, thereby enhancing their long-term sustainability success. Implications of this study underscore the importance of integrating green practices into leadership and HRM strategies, advocating for targeted training programs and energy conservation measures to boost environmental awareness and performance in the workplace. This contributes to the literature on sustainable performance by providing empirical evidence of the pathways through which green HRM and transformational leadership foster a sustainable organizational environment.