Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Innovative Work Behavior: Examining Mediation and Moderation Mechanisms

Cultivating sustainable environmental performance: The role of green talent management, transformational leadership, and employee engagement with green initiatives

BACKGROUND

The success of organizations' sustainable performance mainly depends on their human resource capital and for this organizations now need to focus on green human capital development programs including green talent management (GTM). GTM entails attracting, nurturing, and retaining those people who can promote the green initiatives of the organization.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to investigate the impact of GTM, transformational leadership, and employee engagement on the sustainable environmental performance of organizations.

METHODS

The data were collected from both academic and administrative employees in five Omani higher education institutions (HEIs). In total 367 questionnaires were collected using drop-off and pickup methods.

RESULTS

The results of the study showed that green hard and green soft talent management (TM) and employee engagement with green initiatives are significant predictors of the sustainable environmental performance of HEIs. Moreover, transformational leadership can moderate the influence of green soft TM on employee engagement with green initiatives by strengthening the relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

For sustainable performance and development, organizations especially HEIs need to actively assume their social responsibilities and implement sustainable environmental management. The present study provides meaningful implications for practitioners, educational policymakers, and leaders to promote GTM and employee engagement for sustainable environmental performance. Supporting green skill development, engaging employees with green initiatives, and promoting staff with green skills can help organizations particularly HEIs to increase their sustainable environmental performance and gain a competitive advantage.

Internal factors of entrepreneurial and business performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in East Java, Indonesia

The analysis conducted in this empirical study is the direct and indirect impact of internal entrepreneurial factors on the performance of small and medium enterprises. These factors were identified from previous studies from various countries, such as entrepreneurial-innovative work behavior, entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial motivation, by taking the research object of small-medium enterprise owners in Java. East, Indonesia. Descriptive statistics and structural equation models were used to analyze the research data. Samples were taken with uncontrolled quota sampling techniques. The research data was collected by distributing questionnaires online with the Google form application and offline. The total respondents were 575 small-medium enterprise owners. The test results showed that internal factors such as entrepreneurial self-efficacy, motivation, and leadership could increase business performance significantly.In contrast, entrepreneurial-innovative work behavior cannot significantly increase business performance. Other test results showed that: 1) entrepreneurial self-efficacy significantly improved entrepreneurial motivation; 2) entrepreneurial leadership significantly improved innovative entrepreneurial behavior; 3) entrepreneurial motivation partially mediated the influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on business performance; 4) innovative entrepreneurial behavior did not mediate the influence of entrepreneurial leadership on business performance. The contribution of the results of this study provides additional empirical studies on the role of entrepreneurial leadership, which significantly increases innovative entrepreneurial behavior. There is a lot of potential to develop business existence through entrepreneurial leadership through innovative behavior in entrepreneurship. Another contribution of this study is that entrepreneurial self-efficacy is a dominant predictor of business performance in SMEs and significantly increases entrepreneurial motivation. These findings reveal the importance of self-efficacy for SMEs because high self-efficacy for business actors is expected to increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy and teamwork motivation in helping to achieve business performance.

Investigating the nexus between critical success factors, supportive leadership, and entrepreneurial success: evidence from the renewable energy projects

This study focuses on entrepreneurs associated with construction-based renewable energy projects located in Pakistan. The objectives of this research to identify the critical factors that affect the success of entrepreneurs. We used three dimensions of critical success factors such as government support (GS), access to finance (AF), and personality traits (PTs). This study consists of four important direct and indirect relationships. First, we examine the direct relationship between critical success factors (CSFs) and the success of entrepreneurs. Second, we investigate the direct relationship between CSFs and supportive leadership (SL). Third, we also examine the indirect relationship of supportive leadership between CSFs and the success of entrepreneurs. Fourth, we test the direct relationship between supportive leadership and the success of entrepreneurs. In this study, we collected data from 255 entrepreneurs using convenience sampling techniques associated with construction-based renewable energy projects in Pakistan. A five-point Likert scale is used for data collection through a research questionnaire. The direct and indirect path analyses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of this study conclude. First, in the direct relationship, all the critical success factors, i.e., personality traits, access to finance, and government support, positively and significantly impact entrepreneurs' success. Second, the results confirmed that all critical success factors positively correlate with supportive leadership. Third, the results also revealed that supportive leadership significantly and positively mediates the relationship between the three CSFs and the success of entrepreneurs. Fourth, the outcomes also demonstrate that supportive leadership positively affects the success of entrepreneurs. The outcomes of this study also suggest some theoretical and practical suggestions for academicians and entrepreneurial personnel.

Assessment of Entrepreneurial Leadership among Undergraduate Nursing Students: The Case from Thailand

Background: Entrepreneurial leadership is the becoming concept in health, social sciences, business, management, and education that can influence and direct the performance and achievement of either staff or organizations. Unfortunately, entrepreneurial leadership has received limited attention in healthcare fields, especially nursing.Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to explore entrepreneurial leadership and examine its associated factors among undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 nursing students who were recruited using a simple random sampling strategy. The data were collected using an online self-reporting survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results: This study’s results revealed that most nursing students generally have entrepreneurial leadership at a high level (Mean=4.04, SD=0.49). The factors  significantly associated with entrepreneurial leadership among the undergraduate nursing students were the level of study year class and parental income (p<0.05).Conclusion: This study proposed critical factors influencing entrepreneurial leadership among nursing students and recommends that entrepreneurial characteristics and approaches be utilized to improve all educational aspects among undergraduate nursing students. Nursing students must learn, train, and practice entrepreneurial leadership for the development of professional skills, abilities and initiation of innovation.

How does goal orientation affect employees' innovation behavior: Data from China

The study takes an interaction perspective to examine possible interaction effects of goal orientation, psychological capital, and organizational innovation climate aimed at enhancing employees' innovation behavior. A total sample of 398 employees were selected in Chinese enterprises. The descriptive statistical analyses, multiple regression, and bootstrap approach are adopted to test the interactive effects after controlling for gender, age, years for work of employees, type of enterprises, and industry. Results indicate that learning goal orientation and proving goal orientation have a positive effect on employees' innovation behavior through psychological capital. The positive relationship between psychological capital and employees' innovation behavior is stronger when employees perceive more organizational innovation climate. Additionally, the positive effect of learning goal orientation and proving goal orientation on employees' innovation behavior is stronger in high organizational innovation climate through high-level psychological capital than in low organizational innovation climate. However, the negative effect of avoiding goal orientation on innovation behavior is not significant. Finally, implications and further research are discussed.

Environmental Sustainability Commitment and Access to Finance by Small and Medium Enterprises: The Role of Financial Performance and Corporate Governance

Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa contribute critically to the economy, yet they face many challenges, such as lack of access to external finance. Thus, applying the stakeholder theory, this study tested the relationship between environmental sustainability commitment and access to finance and whether this relationship was mediated by financial performance. The study further examined the moderating role of corporate governance on the relationship between environmental sustainability commitment and access to finance. Owner/managers of 600 SMEs from three provinces in South Africa were randomly selected using a probability sampling method. Primary data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The moderated mediation model was tested using PLS-SEM. The findings showed that environmental sustainability commitment significantly predicts access to finance both directly and indirectly through financial performance. Moreover, the results showed that corporate governance positively moderates the link between environmental sustainability commitment and access to finance. This study has several implications. Practically, small unlisted firms can adopt and apply the model developed in this study to enhance their environmental, social, and governance practices to unlock external funding. The novelty of this study is that it proposed and tested a moderated mediation model to understand SMEs’ determinants of access to finance. In addition, this study provides a nuanced understanding of responsible business through green behaviour in the context of SMEs, which has been lacking in the existing literature.

Green talent management and employees’ innovative work behavior: the roles of artificial intelligence and transformational leadership

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the significance of an emerging concept – green talent management (TM) and its influence on employees’ innovative work behavior, together with the moderating roles of transformational leadership and artificial intelligence within the context of higher educational institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Two hundred and thirty-five structured questionnaires were administered to the academic staff in five universities located in Northern Cyprus, and the data was analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling with the aid of WarpPLS (7.0).

Findings

This study provides evidences that green hard and soft TM exerts significant influence on employees’ innovative work behavior. Similarly, transformational leadership and artificial intelligence were confirmed to have a significant impact on employees’ innovative work behavior. Moreover, the study found transformational leadership and artificial intelligence to significantly moderate the relationship between green hard TM and employees’ innovative work behavior.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides theoretical and managerial implications of findings that will assist the leaders in higher educational institutions in harnessing the potential of green TM in driving their employees’ innovative work behavior toward the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage in the market where they operate.

Originality/value

The attention of researchers in the recent time has been on the way to address the challenge facing organizational leaders on how to develop and retain employee that will contribute to the sustainability of their organization toward the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage in the market they operate. Meanwhile, the studies exploring these concerns are limited. In view of this, this study investigates the significance of an emerging concept – green talent management and its influence on employees’ innovative work behavior, together with the moderating roles of transformational leadership and artificial intelligence within the context of higher educational institutions.

The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Affective Organizational Commitment and Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Employee Engagement

This study investigated the impact of transformational leadership on affective organizational commitment and job performance with the mediating role of employee engagement. This study gathered data from 845 hotel employees in China and the structural equation modeling technique was used to verify the results. The findings indicated that transformational leadership has a positive effect on affective organizational commitment and job performance. Meanwhile, results showed that employee engagement partially mediates in the relationship between transformational leadership, affective organizational commitment, and job performance. This study contributes to the research on transformational leadership in the Chinese hospitality sector and analyzes its effects on work performance metrics. Furthermore, theoretical and practical implications were also discussed in this article.

Entrepreneurial Leadership and Entrepreneurial Success: The Role of Knowledge Management Processes and Knowledge Entrepreneurship

Various leadership styles have been widely studied to understand success. However, little research has empirically explored how entrepreneurial leadership (EL) influences entrepreneurial success (ES). Moreover, the role of knowledge management processes (KMPs) and knowledge entrepreneurship (KE) have been overlooked. Thus, using a knowledge-based view theory, this study aims to determine the relationship between EL and ES, mediated through KMPs. In addition, for a better understanding, the study also used KE as a moderator. A quantitative survey method has been employed to collect data from 390 entrepreneurial venture (EV) owners, co-founders, and managers in tech-oriented ventures (IT and Software-based) operating in Pakistan. Smart partial least squares (PLS) statistical software was used to analyze the impact mechanism of EL on ES through the structural equation model. The findings revealed that EL style positively influences ES. In addition, KMPs fully mediate the relationship between EL and ES. Furthermore, KE as a moderator, strengthens the relationships between EL and the knowledge management process. Theoretically, this study has complemented and enriched research on the influence mechanism between EL and ES. Practically, this study has important implications for leaders, managers, and founders to promote KMPs to achieve ES.

Strategy for Sustainability of Social Enterprise in Indonesia: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Social enterprise (SE) is a significant global phenomenon that occurs when an organization with social concerns can grow concurrently with its commercial activities. However, the factors that influence the sustainability of SE remain relatively understudied. This study argues that innovation is a prerequisite for SE’s sustainability. Therefore, this study aims to find alternatives to SE’s sustainability strategy, considering the need for SE to have dynamic capabilities, to anticipate changes in the ecosystem, and to manage the company’s internal resources to build on SE’s innovation and sustainability. The dataset was obtained from a survey of 187 SEs in Indonesia, which was then processed using SEM. Results indicate that internal factors have no direct significant effect on sustainability, but the ecosystem and innovation have been shown to have a direct and significant positive effect on sustainability. Dynamic capabilities have a significant but negative direct relationship to sustainability. Internal and ecosystem factors cannot be mediated by dynamic capabilities when it comes to sustainability, whereas innovation can only mediate internal factors towards sustainability. Finally, serial mediation of dynamic capabilities and innovation are key elements that contribute to sustainability. It is proven that if dynamic capabilities are directed to foster innovation, it will increase sustainability.

Does Entrepreneur Moral Reflectiveness Matter? Pursing Low-Carbon Emission Behavior among SMEs through the Relationship between Environmental Factors, Entrepreneur Personal Concept, and Outcome Expectations

The intensity and severe impact of carbon emissions on the environment has been witnessed globally. This study aims to unravel how environmental factors, personal factors, and entrepreneur outcome expectations affect entrepreneur low-carbon emission behavior (LCB) through the lens of social cognitive theory (SCT). To achieve the aims of this study, we gathered data from 1015 entrepreneurs and small, medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Jiangsu province of China to analyze the predictors of entrepreneur low-carbon behavior. The proposed relationships were tested using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings from the study indicate that environmental factors (i.e., climate change (CC), public media (PM), and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have a significant and positive relationship with entrepreneur LCB. Moreover, entrepreneur green production self-efficacy (GPS) is positively associated with entrepreneur LCB. The findings further revealed that entrepreneur personal concepts such as entrepreneur self-monitoring (SM), entrepreneur self-esteem (SE), and entrepreneur self-Preference (SP) significantly and completely affect entrepreneur GPS. Likewise, entrepreneur moral reflectiveness (EMR) substantially moderates the relationship between entrepreneur green production outcome expectation and LCB. This study concludes with recommendations for researchers interested in enhancing knowledge in this field. In summation, this study shows that a behavioral science viewpoint is critical for improving knowledge of low-carbon environment, CC drivers, mitigation strategies, and sustainable transition to our complex environment.

The Effect of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Employees’ Tacit Knowledge Sharing in Start-Ups: A Moderated Mediation Model

Background

This study explores the causal relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and employees’ tacit knowledge sharing in start-ups. Construct a moderated mediation model to test the mediating role of affective commitment and the moderating role of career growth opportunities.

Methods

A questionnaire was used to collect data, and 485 samples of employees in Chinese start-ups were collected. Regression analysis and structural equation model were used to analyze data and verify hypotheses.

Results

The study shows that entrepreneurial leadership has a significant positive effect on employees’ affective commitment and tacit knowledge sharing. Affective commitment plays a mediating effect between entrepreneurial leadership and employees’ tacit knowledge sharing. Career growth opportunities play a positive moderating role in the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on affective commitment and tacit knowledge sharing, and positively moderate the indirect effect of entrepreneurial leadership on tacit knowledge sharing through affective commitment.

Conclusion

The research illustrates that the managers of start-ups can improve employees’ affective commitment by giving full play to entrepreneurial leadership and combining the career growth opportunities provided by the organization. Employees’ tacit knowledge sharing behavior is stimulated, providing guiding value for knowledge management and the human resource management of start-ups.

How Supervisor-Subordinate Guanxi Influence Employee Innovative Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model

Purpose

In the practice of inspiring employees’ innovative behavior (IB), managers often pay attention to the role of policies, capitals, incentive measures, equipment and other factors, while ignoring the role of the relationship between leaders and employees. Based on social exchange theory and conservation of resources theory, this paper is to examine the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC) in the relationship between supervisor–subordinate guanxi (SSG) and employee IB, and the moderating role of psychological safety (PS) in the series mediation model between SSG and employee IB.

Patients and Methods

Cross-sectional data came from 207 employees of Chinese scientific and technological enterprises. The participants completed the SSG scale, JS scale, OC scale, IB scale, and PS scale. SPSS PROCESS macro was used to test the research hypothesis.

Results

SSG was positively associated with employee IB. SSG can not only influence IB through JS or OC (SSG→JS→IB; SSG→OC→IB) but also influence IB through JS and OC (SSG→JS→OC→IB). PS moderated the joint mediating effects between SSG and IB (SSG→JS→OC→IB).

Conclusion

To stimulate employees’ IB within an enterprise can pay attention to the relationship between leaders and employees, improve employee JS, and strengthen employee OC. The lower the PS, the stronger the joint mediation effects between SSG and employee IB. Therefore, leaders should also pay attention to employees with high PS to avoid the counterproductive effect of cultivating SSG.

The Performance Impact of New Ventures in Working Environment and Innovation Behavior From the Perspective of Personality Psychology

A new venture barely makes a profit in its initial stage, and its success depends on innovation. Innovation is related to the work environment, and the innovation behavior of employees is of great significance to the performance improvement of new venture. Based on the previous research, in this study, hypotheses on the correlation between work environment, employee innovation behavior, and corporate performance are put forward first. Then, with team cooperation, organizational incentive, leadership support, sufficient resources, and work pressure as the factors of the work environment, the bosses, middle and senior managers involved in entrepreneurship, and the main members of the entrepreneurial team of 202 newly established enterprises in developed regions are surveyed online or in scene. Multivariate hierarchical regression analysis is performed to analyze the data collected from the questionnaire. The results show that the effective recovery rate of the questionnaire is 86.4%; the number of traditional enterprises is 108 (53.47%), and that of R&D enterprises is 68 (33.66%); teamwork, leadership support, and work pressure are all correlated with employees’ innovative behavior (P < 0.05), while organizational motivation and sufficient resources are not correlated with employees’ innovative behavior (P > 0.05); employee innovation behavior is positively correlated with enterprise performance (β = 0.375, P ≤ 0.01); the working environment and employee innovation behavior promote enterprise performance (β = 0.433, P ≤ 0.01); and the working environment affects the relationship between employee innovation behavior and enterprise performance (β = 0.399, P ≤ 0.05). The study theoretically enriches the research on the relationship between innovation behavior, work environment, and enterprise performance of new ventures. In practice, it is suggested that start-up enterprises provide good working environment for employees and attach importance to innovation activities at the individual level of employees, which provides useful guidance and reference for the development of Chinese start-up enterprises.

Linking cognitive flexibility to entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial intention among medical students with the moderating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy: A second-order moderated mediation model

This study extended the research on the association between cognitive flexibility and entrepreneurial intention by developing a moderated mediation model. This research examined whether entrepreneurial alertness mediates this association. This study also investigated whether entrepreneurial self-efficacy moderates this mediation model by conducting a moderated mediation model. The sample of this study comprised 486 medical university students of Pakistan. Data gathered using a self-report administered questionnaire and hypotheses were tested with SEM structural equation modeling technique through AMOS user-defined estimates and developed a syntax based on Hayes model 15 of process macro. The results revealed that cognitive flexibility is positively related to entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial intentions. Furthermore, findings showed that the indirect relationship of entrepreneurial alertness via entrepreneurial self-efficacy on cognitive flexibility and the entrepreneurial intention was also significant. This study contributes to the emerging research on psychology and entrepreneurship as well as concludes that individuals with a high level of cognitive flexibility, entrepreneurial alertness, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy are more inclined to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.