Entrepreneurial leadership in high‐tech firms: a field study

Green entrepreneurial leadership and AI-driven green process innovation: Advancing environmental sustainability in the Traditional Chinese Medicine industry

Despite much focus has been given on the relationship between leadership, innovation and firm performance, the impact of green entrepreneurial leadership (GEL) and Artificial Intelligence - driven green process innovation (AI-driven GPI) on firm performance (financial and environmental) remains unclear. Based on upper echelons theory, this study hypothesized that GEL has a positive impact on AI-driven GPI, while green technology turbulence (GTT) moderates this relationship. AI-driven GPI acts as a mediator between GEL and firm performance. We tested the research hypotheses using data from 255 Small and Medium Size Enterprises in China's Traditional Chinese Medicine manufacturing industry. The results indicate that GEL positively impacts AI-driven GPI, while GTT negatively moderates this effect. Moreover, AI-driven GPI mediates the GEL - firm performance relationship. This study enhances the understanding of GEL as a unique leadership behavior that encourages innovation, identifies potential opportunities, and takes risks when leveraging AI-driven GPI to improve firm performance. Furthermore, this study addresses the debate on AI's role in environmental sustainability, identifying AI-driven GPI as a strategic pivot for change in governance, values, and culture within firms. The study concludes by providing suggestions for firms to achieve financial and environmental performance in an uncertain technological environment, thereby providing new insights for future research. Based on these findings, policymakers should develop incentives and frameworks to promote AI-driven GPI and incorporate GEL into leadership practices, enhancing firm competitiveness in the Industry 5.0 era and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Study examining the significant role of intellectual property protection in driving radical technological innovation among national research project teams, employing PLS-SEM and ANN modeling

This study examines the role of intellectual property protection (IPP) in enhancing radical technological innovation (RTI) within national research project teams, using an innovation-driven theory and an ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) perspective. This study utilizes a sample of 336 national research project team members from various Chinese universities, research institutes, and corporations to analyze the theoretical model. Additionally, a two-stage hybrid partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, combined with artificial neural network techniques (ANN), is employed to evaluate the hypotheses. The empirical findings of this study reveal a positive association between the intensity of IPP and RTI within national research project teams. Research and development investment intensity (R&DII) is identified as the primary predictor, while integrated leadership (IL) and group potential (GP) play crucial moderating roles. These groundbreaking findings extend the scope of innovation-driven and AMO theories, providing a proactive model for national research project teams to propose improvements to the IPP system, ultimately enhancing the realization of RTI.

In search of mediators of leadership behavior to Team Creativity in Team Start-ups

Creativity is believed as the first step to innovation, especially in a team or workgroup in an organization. Team Creativity will lead to several innovations in a team, such as product and process innovation. Team leaders play a significant role in embracing Team Creativity. Our study investigates the mediator variables to foster the impact of leadership behavior on Team Creativity in Team Start-up. Earlier research shows that two value-based leadership styles, Transformational and Servant Leadership, significantly affect a team's creativity. We proposed two mediators of leadership behavior to foster Team Creativity: Team Climate and Team Ambidexterity. The sample is early Team Start-ups in several cities in Indonesia, run and led by young people. It is empirical cross-sectional quantitative research with more than 434 participants aggregated into 145 teams. The result shows that Team Climate and Team Ambidexterity are good mediators of Servant and Transformational Leadership behavior to Team Creativity in Team Start-ups. The two variables maximize the impact of leadership behavior on Team Creativity.

The multilevel effectiveness of entrepreneurial leadership: A meta-analysis

The effectiveness of entrepreneurial leadership (EL) at different levels has been widely recognized by scholars who have carried out substantial exploration; however, the empirical studies on the effectiveness of EL are scattered and their results are mixed. This study aims to organize these findings, advance knowledge about the multilevel effectiveness of EL and clarify the heterogeneity in the relationship between EL and effectiveness outcomes. Based on a systematic review of the extant literature and the construction of an integrated framework, this study examines the influence of EL on effectiveness outcomes at multiple levels and the moderators of this relationship through meta-analysis of 35 empirical studies including 35 independent samples. The results show that EL can improve effectiveness outcomes at different levels of organization, team and individual; cultural context obviously moderates this relationship, whereas the moderating effects of enterprise type and EL measure are all not significant. This study helps to determine the specific association of EL with effectiveness outcomes at different levels, and identify important factors influencing this relationship, which broadens the understanding of leadership effectiveness and provides certain value for enterprises to give full play to the role of EL at all levels.

Factors affecting the entrepreneurial leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that affect the entrepreneurial leadership in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework is developed after reviewing a vigorous literature. This is a quantitative methodology in which cross-sectional data are collected from top managers and founders in SMEs of Pakistan through a survey questionnaire. The random technique is applied for the collection of data. The total samples are 352. Initially, 500 survey questionnaires are distributed through personal visits in different cities of Pakistan. The returned rate is noticed as 70 percent.

Findings

The data are analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 24.0. The overall Cronbach’sαreliability is 0.866. On the other hand, theαfor all variables (dependent and independent) is observed within the adequate ranges. The overall findings reveal that there is a positive and significant relationship among strategic factor, motivational factor, personality factor, communicative factor and entrepreneurial leadership.

Practical implications

This study may contribute to existing efforts to assimilate the arenas of strategy, motivation, communication, leadership and entrepreneurship. In addition, by reviewing the outcomes of present study, the policy makers and planners may further concentrate for promoting SMEs sector that is famous as a backbone for economic development.

Originality/value

This study is original and valuable with respect to data and context. The findings of such study may play a substantial role in the stability of the economy in Pakistan through enriching the SMEs sector.

Entrepreneurship

High-tech businesses are the driving force behind global knowledge-based economies. Academic institutions have positioned themselves to serve the high-tech industry through consulting, licensing, and university spinoffs. The awareness of commercialization strategies and building an entrepreneurial culture can help academics to efficiently transfer their inventions to the market to achieve the maximum value. Here, the concept of high-tech entrepreneurship is discussed from lab to market in technology-intensive sectors such as nanotechnology, photonics, and biotechnology, specifically in the context of lab-on-a-chip devices. This article provides strategies for choosing a commercialization approach, financing a startup, marketing a product, and planning an exit. Common reasons for startup company failures are discussed and guidelines to overcome these challenges are suggested. The discussion is supplemented with case studies of successful and failed companies. Identifying a market need, assembling a motivated management team, managing resources, and obtaining experienced mentors lead to a successful exit.

Avery G. Employee satisfaction and sustainable leadership practices in Thai SMEs

Purpose

– Given previous findings that employee satisfaction contributes to firm performance and sustainability, this study examined the relationships between 23 leadership/management practices on employee satisfaction. It identified specific practices with significant effects on employee satisfaction. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using a theoretical framework and questionnaire derived from Avery and Bergsteiner's Sustainable Leadership Model, data were collected from 1,152 employees in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Findings

– Overall, adopting sustainable leadership (SL) practices was related significantly to employee satisfaction, consistent with Avery and Bergsteiner's model. Twenty of the 23 SL practices were linked to enhanced employee satisfaction, the exceptions being independence from the financial markets, self-management and environmental responsibility. Specific SL practices predicted enhanced employee satisfaction more than others, the strongest predictor being high staff engagement. Other practices associated with employee satisfaction were: valuing employees, ethical behaviour, considered organizational change, a strong and shared vision, an enabling culture, and quality in products and services.

Research limitations/implications

– Considerable scope exists for future research into the relationships between individual and bundles of SL practices with employee satisfaction in different national, industry and other contexts. Further limitations are discussed in the paper.

Practical implications

– Managers of SMEs in Thailand and possibly in other contexts should consider adopting the SL practices shown to significantly enhance employee satisfaction and in doing so help sustain their business success.

Originality/value

– This study pioneered research into a gap in the literature about the SL and management practices that positively predict enhanced employee satisfaction, an area of importance to both leadership practice and research.