Influence of Collaboration of Team Leadership on Team Effectiveness of Collaborative Partnerships in International Research Organizations in Kenya

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between team leadership collaboration and the effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations operating in Kenya. Drawing on Hill's (2001) theory of team leadership and employing a positivist research philosophy, the research question guiding this study is: "To what extent does team leadership collaboration influence the effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations in Kenya?" The study adopts a correlational research design and includes 164 participants from 12 international research organizations, including program leaders, project managers, and heads of departments. Data collection involves structured questionnaires, and the data is analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS version 25. The results indicate a positive and significant relationship between team leadership collaboration and team effectiveness. The regression analysis demonstrates that team leadership collaboration explains 22.1% of the variance in team effectiveness (R2 = .221). Furthermore, the regression parameter estimates reveal a positive and significant association between team leadership collaboration and team effectiveness (β = .455, t (151) = 6.531, p < .05). These findings reject the null hypothesis and confirm that team leadership collaboration has a significant influence on team effectiveness in collaborative partnerships within international research organizations in Kenya. The study concludes that fostering team leadership collaboration is crucial for enhancing team effectiveness in these organizations. Recommendations include promoting open communication, encouraging participation from all team members, and fostering a sense of shared responsibility. Regular team meetings, clear task delegation, and establishing partnerships with other research institutions are also suggested to promote collaboration and cross-disciplinary research.