Qaisar Iqbal and Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej
Considering the vital role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in accomplishing sustainable development goals, this study aims to examine how and when sustainable leadership…
Abstract
Purpose
Considering the vital role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in accomplishing sustainable development goals, this study aims to examine how and when sustainable leadership (SL) influences sustainable performance by examining social innovation (SI) as a mediating mechanism and managerial discretion (MD) as a boundary condition based on upper echelon theory.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is cross-sectional in nature. The authors adopted a cluster-sampling approach to collect data from 500 employees of HEIs in Pakistan and China. The response rate for this study was 52.63%. As the proposed model is complex, the authors used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the research hypothesis.
Findings
The empirical findings confirm the presence of SI as a competitive partial mediator between SL and sustainable performance. Nevertheless, the findings of this study do not suggest a higher positive effect of SL on SI in the presence of high MD.
Research limitations/implications
The study evaluated the role of SL and SI in fostering sustainable performance from the perspective of employees in HEIs in China and Pakistan. Before the empirical evidence can be generalized, there is a need to conduct similar studies in other parts of Asia and Western countries as well.
Practical implications
This study presents implications for higher education leaders and policymakers at the national level to foster the sustainable performance of their institutions.
Social implications
The current evidence reveals the effectiveness of SL in achieving the social goals of HEIs through SI. The recommendations presented in this study can have an impact on society, providing it with a sustainable future.
Originality/value
This study is the first of its kind to examine the mediating role of SI on the relationship between SL and sustainable performance. The present study also provides pioneering empirical evidence about the negative effects of MD in the context of HEIs.
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Qaisar Iqbal and Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej
Considering the vital role of resource-constraint innovation in developing countries, the aim of the study is to examine the mechanism of internal and external heterogeneous…
Abstract
Purpose
Considering the vital role of resource-constraint innovation in developing countries, the aim of the study is to examine the mechanism of internal and external heterogeneous knowledge sharing (HKS) in the relationship between sustainable leadership (SL) and frugal innovation (FI). The social exchange theory was used to develop a research framework.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis to examine the relationship among several latent factors based on 263 participants from Pakistani SMEs.
Findings
The current findings support the significant positive impact of SL on both internal and external HKS. Moreover, this study also confirms the mediating effect of both types of HKS in the relationship between SL and FI.
Research limitations/implications
To delve further into the benefits and vital role of HKS, it is recommended to conduct further research that would examine the potential impact of heterogeneous knowledge sources on the “SL–FI relationship” and to apply the presented research methodology in other countries and organizations beyond Pakistani SMEs.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first documented attempts to demonstrate HKS as a mechanism in the relationship between a specific type of leadership and FI.
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Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej and Qaisar Iqbal
Based on the social exchange theory, the aim of the present study is to examine the effects, both direct and indirect (through sustainability-oriented innovative behaviors…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the social exchange theory, the aim of the present study is to examine the effects, both direct and indirect (through sustainability-oriented innovative behaviors [SIBs]), of sustainable project leadership (SPL) on sustainable project performance (SPP). Project management approaches (PMAs) (traditional, hybrid and agile) were examined as conditional factors in the “SPL–SIBs” relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs structural equation modeling based on data collected from 197 software engineering project team members working in the financial industry in Poland.
Findings
The study revealed that SPL significantly, positively affected SPP. It also provided evidence for the significant mediating impact of SIBs in the relationship between SPL and SPP and the conditional effect of agile and hybrid PMAs on the “SPL–SIBs” relationship.
Originality/value
The novelty of this work lies in introducing sustainable leadership into project management research, proposing and testing a unique and complex research framework, designing valid scales for measuring SPL and SPP, and suggesting many theoretical and empirical implications.
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Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej, Agata Austen and Qaisar Iqbal
Drawing on the social exchange theory (SET) and the self-determination theory (SDT), the present study aims to examine the impact of green human resource management (GHRM) on…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the social exchange theory (SET) and the self-determination theory (SDT), the present study aims to examine the impact of green human resource management (GHRM) on three types of employee green behavior (EGB) – green in-role, innovative and extra-role – in the presence of environmental managerial support (EMS) as a conditional factor.
Design/methodology/approach
The research model was verified based on data from 419 respondents employed in companies operating in the energy sector in Poland (Europe’s “coal heartland”). PLS-SEM was used in the statistical analyses.
Findings
This study shows that GHRM positively impacts three types of EGB. EMS positively moderates the relationships of GHRM with both green extra-role behaviors and innovative work behaviors; however, EMS does not play a moderating role in the relationship between GHRM and green in-role behaviors.
Originality/value
This study, being one of a kind, enriches the literature by exploring the conditional role of EMS on the integrated relationship of GHRM practices with in-role, extra-role and innovative behaviors and offers evidence from the rarely examined energy sector, which plays a vital role in the transformation of nations toward sustainable development.
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Katarzyna Piwowar-Sulej and Qaisar Iqbal
The aim of this study is to offer evidence-based knowledge of the most popular research topics in studies on spiritual leadership (SL) and the research approaches and theories in…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to offer evidence-based knowledge of the most popular research topics in studies on spiritual leadership (SL) and the research approaches and theories in use. Another aim is to create a comprehensive research framework covering the antecedents and outcomes of SL, as well as the underlying mechanisms and conditional factors. This study also synthesizes future research avenues presented in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a systematic literature review method. The presented analysis covered both bibliometric studies and in-depth manual content analysis. In total, 274 articles indexed in the Scopus database were analyzed, with a particular focus on 126 empirical papers.
Findings
This study shows that most of the research took place in developing countries and focused on the links between SL and workplace spirituality, employee well-being and engagement. It provides a complex research framework which orders previous variables according to their levels. Future research is required that would use a multilevel research approach and determine the impact of SL on society and the leaders themselves, as well as determining the reverse impact of organizational performance on the development of SL.
Originality/value
This study takes advantages of both bibliometric and in-depth content analysis to expand the understanding of the state of the art in SL research. It demonstrates how different factors contribute to SL and how they subsequently influence outcomes. It also offers numerous future research directions which go beyond those identified so far in the literature to further develop the theory of SL.