From entrepreneurial leadership to new product development performance: A study of the Coleman bathtub model

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership (EL) and new product development performance (NPDP) at the firm level (level 2) of analysis and employee’s creativity (EC) at the cross level (level 1) of analysis. It also examines the serial mediations of (1) intrinsic motivation (IM)-EC and (2) creative self-efficacy (CSE)-EC on the relationship between EL and NPDP.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic random sampling technique was used to collect data through self-administered surveys from leaders and employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan’s IT sector. Analysis was conducted on net responses from 114 leaders and 476 employees.

Findings

The results revealed significant positive associations between EL and NPDP at the firm level of analysis and EC at the cross level of analysis. The results of the cross-level serial mediations show that (1) IM and EC, and (2) CSE and EC serially mediate the relationship between EL and NPDP.

Originality/value

This study is among the few to use the Coleman bathtub model to show top-down and bottom-up relationships. The study extends and complements the multilevel perspective on leadership and new product development research by simultaneously examining the relationships between EL and NPDP at the individual and firm levels.

Citation

Sultan, M., Hussain, G., Ismail, W.K.W. and Rashid, M.A. (2024), "From entrepreneurial leadership to new product development performance: A study of the Coleman bathtub model", European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 27 No. 8, pp. 2623-2645. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-12-2022-0723