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.

Entrepreneurial Leadership and Employees’ Proactive Behaviour: Fortifying Self Determination Theory

The prevailing pandemic (COVID-19) has increased socioeconomic problems and caused psychological distress due to work uncertainty, specifically in emerging economies. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies have been severely affected. Particularly, work uncertainty is becoming a hindrance towards proactive work behaviour (PWB) that can be improved by an effective entrepreneurial leadership role and proactive personality attribute. Based on fortifying self-determination theory, this research answered the question to what extent proactive personality moderates the relationship between work uncertainty and PWB and strengthens the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and PWB. To empirically examine the study’s underlying theoretical framework, respondents were selected from SMEs working in Pakistan from the high-tech industry. Multisource data were accumulated from 420 workers and their leaders utilizing a two-wave, time-lagged research design. Conclusions revealed that entrepreneurial leadership first reduced individuals’ work uncertainty, which in turn, led to enhanced proactive work behaviour of employees. Furthermore, the results revealed that work uncertainty mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and proactive work behaviour. Moreover, proactive personality moderates the link concerning work uncertainty and proactive work behaviour, such that this association is significant only when proactive personality is low. Additionally, the moderated mediation analysis indicated that less proactive people, compared with their extraordinarily proactive colleagues, trusted entrepreneurial leadership to be more proactive in the workplace. These findings have important implications to induce PWB among employees.

The leadership behaviors needed to implement clinical genomics at scale: a qualitative study

Purpose

To investigate leadership in clinical genomics and identify likely implications of different leadership approaches for future implementation of clinical genomics.

Methods

We undertook 37 interviews in a cross-sectional qualitative study examining implementation of clinical genomics in Australia. Participants were either nongenetic medical specialists working with genomic initiatives (e.g., immunologists, nephrologists) or working at a service/organizational level (e.g., department heads, chief medical officers). We identified participants as genomic migrants (long-established practitioners) and genomic natives (those medical specialists coming into independent practice with genomic technology in situ). Data were analyzed deductively with reference to leadership approach.

Results

Leadership approaches were often blended or reported to iteratively support development of another. There was concern at both the absence or the excess of entrepreneurial leadership (i.e., risk-taking).

Conclusion

Entrepreneurial leadership is needed to promote innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactivity, essential in these early stages of clinical genomics. Shared decision-making is required from a wide range of clinicians, calling for both clinical and distributed leadership. Sharing leadership, and the potential loss of positional status from formal senior positions, may prove challenging to genomics “migrants,” who are essential for nurturing genomic “natives.” Clinicians will need support from their organizations and professional bodies to manage the transition.

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

Purpose

Based on social cognitive theory, the present study aimed to explore the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on employees’ innovative work behavior through the moderating path of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in technology-based SMEs. The study also explains the mechanism through which a firm’s innovative environment mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior.

Methods

To pursue the objectives, this study has used data from a sample of 350 supervisor–subordinate dyads working in cross sectional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Jiangsu province of China. Based on social cognitive theory and specific continuum of self-efficacy theory, a conceptual model was developed and the hypotheses were tested with the help of SPSS 20.

Findings

Empirical findings recommend a significant positive effect of entrepreneurial leadership on employees’ innovative work behavior. The study suggested that firm’s innovative environment mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and the employees’ innovative behavior. The results also confirmed that entrepreneurial self-efficacy exerts a positive moderating effect on the association of entrepreneurial leadership and employees’ innovative behavior.

Conclusion

Findings of the present research work have several implications for the management and policymakers of high-tech SMEs who want to augment their employees’ innovative behavior in order to compete in a highly competitive and challenging business environment. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this work is the first attempt that presents an empirically supported comprehensive model for the development of employees’ innovative behavior within entrepreneurial-based high-tech SMEs. It contributes to literature by examining the mediation and moderation process for the development of employees’ innovative behavior.