Sustainable leadership in higher education institutions: social innovation as a mechanism

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.

Managerial Networking and Frugal Innovation: Situational Leadership Perspective

“…In this study, the alpha value is 0.943, indicating high reliability. This result is in reference to a similar measurement scale from Iqbal and Piwowar-Sulej (2022) findings (alpha = 0.668).…”

“…Hence, all variables presented a low presence in SMEs of Pakistan, indicating that organizations are putting diminished efforts in this regard. Contrastingly, a study examined sustainable leadership in the HEIs of Pakistan and China, revealing a moderate level Iqbal and Piwowar-Sulej, 2022 ).…”

“…According to situational leadership theory, every situation is unique and requires a specific type of leadership ( Vecchio, 1987 ). Sustainable leadership has emerged as the most effective leadership style for dealing with sustainability challenges ( Avery and Bergsteiner, 2011 ; Gerard et al, 2017 ; Iqbal and Piwowar-Sulej, 2022 ). Under the umbrella of situational leadership theory, sustainable leaders promote sustainability at the organizational level ( Hallinger, 2020 ).…”

Factors Affecting Employee’s Retention: Integration of Situational Leadership With Social Exchange Theory

“…They must also ensure sufficient resources to employees following the organisational goals. Moreover, shared vision is directly related to the employees’ engagement ( Boyatzis et al, 2017 ) and continuous improvement ( Fardazar et al, 2015 ; Iqbal and Piwowar-Sulej, 2022 ). This leadership style presents a shared vision and elaborates the underlying reasons, enhancing their participation and involvement in decision-making.…”

Sustaining eSports Industry and Regulatory Focus: Empirical Evidence From Chinese Universities

“…Due to the severe competition in the higher education industry, universities are pressured in introducing new methods and approaches to enhance the students' learning experience (Li et al, 2020 ). Along with this line, students will feel advantageous in learning about the presence of eSports in their institutions (Iqbal and Piwowar-Sulej, 2022 ). The eSports is the fastest emerging industry in educational institutions, encompassing millions of global spectators and players, where students make up the majority of them.…”