Strategic Leadership Practices Research Articles

Strategic human resource management for sustainability in creative industries: A review and framework proposal

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has emerged as a critical approach for fostering sustainability within the dynamic landscape of creative industries. This review presents a comprehensive review of existing literature on SHRM in the context of creative industries, culminating in a proposed framework aimed at enhancing sustainability in these sectors. The review begins by examining the unique challenges faced by creative industries, characterized by rapid technological advancements, evolving consumer preferences, and intense competition. In this context, traditional HRM approaches are often insufficient, necessitating a strategic alignment between HR practices and organizational objectives to ensure long-term viability. Key themes identified in the literature review include talent management, organizational culture, employee engagement, and leadership development. Effective talent management strategies are crucial for attracting, retaining, and developing skilled individuals who drive innovation and creativity within creative firms. Furthermore, fostering a supportive organizational culture that values diversity, collaboration, and experimentation is vital for promoting sustainability in these industries. Employee engagement emerges as a critical factor influencing organizational performance and resilience, particularly in creative environments where intrinsic motivation plays a significant role. Moreover, leadership development programs tailored to the unique needs of creative professionals can empower individuals to navigate uncertainty and drive strategic initiatives that contribute to organizational sustainability. Building upon these insights, this review proposes a framework for SHRM in creative industries, integrating strategic planning, talent management, culture development, and leadership practices. The framework emphasizes the alignment between HR strategies and business goals, emphasizing the importance of agility, innovation, and adaptability in response to dynamic market conditions. Strategic Human Resource Management plays a pivotal role in enhancing sustainability within creative industries by fostering a culture of innovation, empowering employees, and cultivating leadership capabilities. The proposed framework provides a roadmap for organizations seeking to navigate the complexities of the creative landscape while maximizing long-term success and resilience.

Competitiveness of Tier three Commercial Banks in Kenya: The Role of Strategic Leadership Practices

The banking industry in Kenya has been dynamic, with only eight (8) out of the forty (40) banks controlling over 74% of the market share. The tier three banks, despite being the majority (22), only have 8.8% market share. The banks have also been characterized by turbulent operating market, declining revenues and profits, and shrinking capitalization. This has seen some of these banks being held at receivership and others put under statutory management. This prompted the study to assess whether strategic leadership has been a concern in these banks, and whether this has a hand in competitiveness of third tier banks in Kenya. The study was anchored on Porter’s theory of competitive advantage and the contingency theory of leadership. A cross-sectional research approach informed collection of data though a questionnaire from 112 participants drawn from 22 third-tier banks in Kenya. SPSS was used in analysis. The findings revealed that strategic leadership practices through financial resource mobilization, human resource development, strategic innovation, strategic direction and customer focus had a significant influence on competitiveness of tier three commercial banks in Kenya. The study concluded that strategic leadership practices through financial resource mobilization, human resource development, strategic innovation, strategic direction and customer focus were instrumental in enhancing the competitiveness of tier three commercial banks. The findings from the study could be significant to strategic management practitioners, managers of tier three commercial banks, the government and policy-makers and future researchers.

THE IMPACT OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP STYLES ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN LIBYAN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Purpose: The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of strategic leadership styles on the financial performance of the Libyan oil and gas industry. This is critical considering the industry's role as a mainstay of the Libyan economy and its notable decline over the past decade.
 
 Design/Methodology/Data Analysis: To achieve the study's goals, a cross-sectional approach was employed to accurately reflect the current state of affairs. A quantitative methodology was deemed suitable for this research. Data collection was conducted using a questionnaire distributed among participants. The study's population, as reported by the National Oil Corporation (NOC), was 53,361, with a minimum sample size of 346 staff from various oil and gas companies. This sample size was calculated based on Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) optimal sample size table.
 
 Findings: The research unearthed several key findings. Firstly, it was determined that there is no significant correlation between strategic decision-making and financial performance in Libyan oil and gas companies. However, a negative and significant relationship was identified between human resource management (HRM) activities and financial performance. Conversely, a positive and significant connection was observed between motivational and influential leadership and financial performance within these companies.
 
 Originality/Value: This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the influence of different strategic leadership styles on financial outcomes in the context of the Libyan oil and gas sector, a subject that has not been extensively explored previously.
 
 Practical Implications: Based on the findings, the research advocates for the oil and gas companies in Libya to prioritize the development and implementation of effective strategic leadership practices. Such measures are suggested to enhance financial performance and secure a competitive edge in the marketplace.

The Impact of Strategic leadership and Committee practices, Ethics Training, and Whistleblowing on Fraud Prevention in Churches

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of strategic leadership and committee practices, ethics training, whistleblowing, and their effects on the Fraud prevention of Churches. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 12 surveys conducted in the church of Uganda dioceses in central Uganda. Regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between the impact of Strategic leadership and Committee practices, ethics training, whistleblowing, and fraud prevention. Findings – The findings revealed that strategic leadership and committee practices, ethics training, and whistleblowing significantly contribute to positive fraud prevention for Church finances. Practical implications – In order for Churches to prevent fraud, serious emphasis on strategic leadership, ethics training, and whistleblowing is vital. Originality/value – According to the author’s understanding, this is one of the first empirical studies to assess the impact of strategic leadership and committee practices, ethics training, and whistleblowing on fraud prevention in the Church of Uganda.

Does Strategic Leadership Impact Organizational Performance Outcomes Mediated by Crisis Management Practices in Faith-based Health Institutions in Malawi?

The paper aims to identify the links between strategic leadership practices, crisis management and organizational performance. Specifically, the paper will examine the characteristics of the top management team, their decision-making process and skills, and how they influence crisis management practices and organizational performance. All data were gathered by means of a methodical review of the literature. Based on the COVID-19 circumstance, it was observed that crisis management was difficult in many firms. The gap that was discovered during the COVID-19 timeframe served as the basis for the paper. This study is a component of the ongoing main research project. Top management makes decisions and presents them to staff members in strategic leadership. A crisis is an unwelcome event that could occur in an organization and affect the organization negatively or positively. In healthcare crisis management must be effective from the onset to achieve organizational performance outcomes. Therefore, strategic leadership will enhance crisis management to achieve organizational performance outcomes. Strategic leadership has been identified to have been critical in crisis management because it is visionary. The findings of this literature review identified that organizations must train employees to become strategic leaders because strategic leaders are visionary. Crisis management training should be conducted and have crisis management committees in place. Crisis preparation must be done in all organizations to manage any disaster/crisis.

Effect of Legal Factors on Strategic Leadership Practices and Devolved Administrative Structures in Selected Semi-Arid Counties in Kenya

Purpose: Kenya's devolved administrative structures are yet to realize full implementation of the envisaged devolved units hence underscoring outstanding service delivery. The challenges crippling the progress of devolution have ranged from deficient human resource, legal and institutional infrastructure, capacity gaps, corruption and conflicting association with national government's deliverables. As such, the current study focused on the effect of Legal factors on strategic leadership practices and the devolved administrative structures in Taita Taveta and Makueni Counties, Kenya.
 Materials & Methods: The population targeted was 500 respondents of the study site. Both Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were utilized where sample size of 223 was drawn. The design of the study deployed was descriptive research that sought to produce answers to phenomenon’s questions on what, where, and when. Instrument’s reliability was tested using Cronchba’s alpha reliability of 0.7 that was acceptably reliable. Quantitative and qualitative analytical methods therefore were used. Multiple linear regression was used to test the effects of legal factors on strategic leadership practices and the devolved administrative structures. Data was presented in tables and thematic narrations.
 Findings: The study concluded that, there was a significant effect of legal factors on the relationship between the strategic leadership practices and devolved administrative structures. Hence, legal factors were found to have moderating effects on relationship between strategic leadership ipractices and devolved administrative structures.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study's findings provide constructive perspectives for policymakers at the National and County government levels, addressing impediments to decentralized administrative systems in county governments, contributing to enhanced knowledge aligned with the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, influencing resolutions for Vision 2030, and serving as a reference for the national government to address shortcomings in county administrations' policy implementation.

Strategic Leadership Practices and Devolved Administrative Structures in Selected Semi-Arid Counties in Kenya

Purpose: The presence of devolved administrative structures plays a critical role in safeguarding against the abuse of power and promoting political stability. Consequently, ensuring the effective operation of these structures in Kenya, especially given the introduction of devolution, is of paramount importance. The primary reason for the existing inadequacies in service delivery has been the suboptimal implementation of these devolved administrative entities, often stemming from ineffective managerial practices. To bridge this gap, this study had four specific objectives aimed at delineating the scope of strategic leadership practices within these devolved administrative structures: assessing the impact of resource allocation practices, evaluating the influence of public accountability practices, scrutinizing the effect of stakeholder involvement, and examining the moderating impact of legal factors on the relationship between strategic leadership practices and these administrative structures. The study incorporated three theoretical frameworks: the resource-based view theory, the transformational leadership theory and the institutional theory.
 Methodology: The study's target population encompassed 500 participants from Taveta and Makueni counties. Employing purposive and stratified random sampling techniques, a sample size of 223 was derived from the target population. The research design adopted was descriptive research, intended to provide insights into questions regarding what, where, and when. Quantitative and qualitative analytical methods were applied, with SPSS for data coding and STATA version 12 for analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the collective impacts of resource allocation practices, public accountability practices, and stakeholder involvement practices on devolved administrative structures.
 Findings: The study ascertained that strategic leadership practices have the potential to enhance the efficiency of decentralized administrative organizations and streamline the dissemination of information.
 Recommendations: The research recommends that county leaders articulate plans in a manner that encourages the development of devolved administrative structures, leading to sustainable transformation.

Purpose, focus and voice? Lessons from a curriculum development advisory committee

ABSTRACT The curriculum development process is complex and developing a worthwhile process to support curriculum inception is a valuable endeavour. This paper explores the experiences of the curriculum development process through the lens of an expert advisory committee charged with developing a post-primary curriculum for publicly managed schools in line with their ethos and the national lower post-primary curriculum. The research employed semi-structured interviews with a group of curriculum developers (n = 10) involved in this curriculum development process. Following thematic analysis, four primary themes were identified: Purpose of the Advisory Committee, Focus of the Curriculum Expression, Balance of Voice, and the Role of the Curriculum Lead. These themes offer insights into the complexities of the curriculum development process including the importance of focusing, not just on the teacher’s voice, but also on the conditions that support teachers to engage fully with such processes. The findings also highlight the importance of embracing strategic leadership and democratic practices throughout this process and how the perceived focus of curriculum needs to be explicitly considered so as to unearth hidden assumptions of the curriculum developers. This study contributes to the broader understanding of how curriculum development can be enhanced to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.

Pentingnya Eksekusi Kepemimpinan Strategis Dalam Mencapai Tujuan Perusahaan: Chapter Review Dari Buku The Strategic Leader’s Roadmap

Objective: This article aims to explore the importance of effective strategy execution in achieving organizational goals and draws insights from the case study of H. Lawrence Culp Jr. and the strategy-led execution at Danaher Corporation. The objective is to highlight the key learnings and implications of the study for leaders seeking to enhance their strategic leadership capabilities.Methods: The research employs a case study approach, analyzing the leadership and execution strategies implemented by H. Lawrence Culp Jr. during his tenure at Danaher Corporation. It utilizes secondary data from the book "The Strategic Leader’s Roadmap" by Harbir Singh and Michael Useem, which provides in-depth insights into the strategic leadership practices at Danaher.Results: The study emphasizes the criticality of effective strategy execution in driving organizational performance. By adopting the Danaher Business System (DBS) and incorporating principles from Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma, Culp successfully transformed the company's culture towards a focus on quality, efficiency, and innovation. This resulted in significant improvements in the company's financial performance, steady revenue growth, and successful expansion through strategic acquisitions.Limitations: The study is based on secondary data and the case of a single organization, Danaher Corporation, which may limit its generalizability to other industries or contexts. Additionally, the study does not explore potential challenges or failures in strategy execution that may have occurred during Culp's leadership at Danaher.Keywords: Danaher Business System (DBS), Strategic Leadership, Organizational Performance, Culture Transformation, Continuous Improvement.

The Impact of Strategic Leadership Practices on Organizational performance: A Field Study at Yemeni Private Hospitals in Sana’a

The study aimed to explore the impact of strategic leadership and its dimensions (strategic direction, core capabilities, human capital development, organizational culture, and balanced organizational control) on organizational performance in Yemeni private hospitals in Sana’a. The study followed the descriptive quantitative design. The study population consisted of seven Yemeni private hospitals in Sana’a selected based on their size and age. The study used the complete census method to select the study sample which included 270 individuals with leadership and supervisory positions. A total of 270 questionnaires were distributed, of which 264 were returned. Only 244 questionnaires were valid for analysis. Data was analyzed using SPSS 28 software. The study revealed that there is a statistically significant impact of strategic leadership and its dimensions (strategic direction, core capabilities, human capital development, organizational culture, and balanced organizational control) on organizational performance in Yemeni private hospitals in Sana’a. The study recommends paying more attention to strategic leadership in hospitals, training staff, establishing an organizational culture enhanced by ethical practices, and adopting a control system to correct errors and improve the quality of service.

The Effect of Strategic Leadership on Retention and Creativity of Employee in Chinese Universities: Career Aspiration as A Mediator

This study investigates the relationship between strategic leadership, employee retention, creativity, and career aspirations in Chinese universities. Using a document analysis approach, we conducted a comprehensive review of existing literature on strategic leadership, retention, creativity, and career aspirations, and analyzed relevant documents such as policy statements, strategic plans, and employee surveys from several Chinese universities. Our analysis revealed that strategic leadership practices that emphasize employee development, communication, and empowerment have a significant positive impact on employee retention, creativity, and career aspirations. Specifically, leaders who provide clear career paths and growth opportunities, involve employees in decision-making, and offer regular feedback and recognition tend to foster higher levels of job satisfaction, commitment, and innovation among their staff. Furthermore, our findings suggest that career aspirations act as a key mediator in the relationship between strategic leadership and employee outcomes. Employees with high career aspirations tend to be more motivated, engaged, and innovative and are more likely to stay with an organization for a longer period. In contrast, employees with low career aspirations may be more likely to leave an organization, even if other factors such as compensation and benefits are favourable. Overall, our research highlights the importance of strategic leadership in promoting employee retention, creativity, and career aspirations in Chinese universities. We suggest that university leaders should prioritize the development of a supportive and empowering leadership culture, and invest in training and development programs to enhance leadership skills among managers and supervisors. Additionally, we recommend that universities take steps to create a work environment that fosters employee growth and innovation, such as offering flexible work arrangements, providing opportunities for skill-building and professional development, and establishing mechanisms for employee feedback and recognition. In conclusion, our study contributes to the growing body of research on strategic leadership, employee retention, and creativity in Chinese universities, and provides practical insights for university leaders seeking to improve employee outcomes and drive organizational success.

Agricultural education in times of war: Strategic visions, leadership practices and post-war reconstruction

In the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, agricultural universities will provide the state with specialists capable of implementing the seamless integration of “green” benchmarks. The full-scale war has not only threatened the sustainable operation of all spheres of higher education institutions but also forced them to look for new ways of adaptation and development. This study aims to assess the readiness of higher education institutions in the agrarian sector to meet the personnel needs of the state in the medium-term of post-war reconstruction. The paper used a group of parameters with specific indicators: education (change in the number of graduates at the Bachelor’s and Master’s educational levels, the ratio of publicly-funded and fee-based education seekers, changes in the average entrance score), science (change in the number of articles published in Scopus and the corresponding h-index, the number of Erasmus grants received, the amount of budget funding for science), recognition (academic ranking of higher education institutions by the Webometrics and Top-200 Ratings), and financing (estimated amounts of funding from the general and special fund, and their ratio). The study offers a unique approach to calculating the Integrated Sustainability Index of higher education institutions. This index clearly illustrates how efficiently 15 agricultural higher education institutions have adapted to wartime transformations. For example, Sumy National Agrarian University and Lviv National Natural Resource Management University have this index exceeding 30%. The study draws attention to the problematic areas of university activity during the war and suggests extending the valuable experience of Sumy National Agrarian University. AcknowledgmentThe authors are grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who are liberating the territory of Ukraine at the cost of their own lives, as well as to Ukrainian farmers, who, despite the war, are doing everything possible to prevent a food crisis in the world.This study is co-funded by the European Union through the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) within the project “Europeanisation of Doctoral Studies in Line with the Innovative Doctoral Training Principles in Europe: Towards a Common Future” 101083493 - EDOCS - ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH https://edocs.snau.edu.ua/en/

Strategic Leadership Practices and Their Role in Achieving Competitive Advantage in Schools, Future Agendas, Research Gaps, and the Research Needs: Systematic Literature Review

This comprehensive systematic literature review ("SLR") seeks to give innovative information to future researchers about future agendas, research gaps, and the research needs of strategic leadership practises and their role in achieving competitive advantage in schools. Specifically, this comprehensive SLR aims to clarify an SLR that gives future researchers information about future agendas, research gaps, and the research needs of strategic leadership practises. The PRISMA guidelines served as the basis for this research project's framework. The findings suggested that what distinguishes our most recent comprehensive review of the relevant literature is not only the proliferation of strategic leadership practises but also the role that these practises play in giving schools in Europe, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Australia an advantage over other educational institutions in their respective regions. Countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East should pay more attention to strategic leadership practises and the role that these practises play in acquiring a competitive advantage in the research field of educational institutions. Below, you will find a list of proposals for innovative information that should be offered to future researchers about future agendas, research gaps, and the research needs of strategic leadership practises and their significance in achieving a competitive advantage in schools' research. such as utilising samples that are more extensive and applying quantitative research procedures such as longitudinal, experimental, and time-series design approaches.

Resource Allocation Practice and Devolved Administrative Structures in Selected Semi-Arid Counties in Kenya

Purpose: Since the inception of devolution in Kenya, proper operationalization of devolved administrative structures ought to be in place. The problem lies in the operationalization of devolved administrative structures that has led to poor service delivery. This study intended to bridge the gap by investigating the effect of resources allocation practices on theidevolved administrative structures.
 Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design with aniobjective to determineiwho, what, where, when, and howimuch.iItiwasiconsidered appropriate because itisoughttto generate accurate profiles for ifactors, events and circumstances. The study incorporated transformational leadership theory that was poled as the creation of positive changes within an organization.
 Findings: This study found that, an epitomized rise in strategic leadership practices leads to enhanced operationalization of the devolved administrative structures, and institutionalization that stood to be helpful on devolved administrative structures operations, ensuring information movement should be done continuously and efficiently. As such, significant effect of resources allocation practices on the devolved administrative structures were found to exist.
 Recommendation: The research recommends that top leadership in Counties must lucidify the stratagems that project ideas which are persuasive and create improvement of devolved administrative structures that give persuasive transformation.

Assessment of Strategic Leadership Practices in Small Business Settings

Scholars have considered strategic leadership as a 21st-century imperative. The new millennium seems to have been characterized by a complex competitive business landscape in the organization’s internal and external environments. Strategic leadership has been discussed and considered the way forward. There is extensive leadership literature but with emphasis on how large and medium size businesses should reposition strategically for success. Despite their numerous efforts, small businesses do not seem to have gained enough mastery within their environments and have been marked with limited success. The study assessed strategic leadership practices within small business settings. This was achieved by reviewing relevant literature on leadership practices in small businesses. The review focused on the relationships between the themes and ideas connected to the study. The outcome indicates that the failure of small businesses partly seems to be a result of the minimal application of strategic leadership principles and practices. Major strategic leadership practices found to be effective for small businesses include the need to plan strategically through the visioning and setting of achievable goals, effective allocation of resources, attracting and retaining the right talent, managing risk, fostering innovation, managing stakeholder relationships, and learning continuously. These discoveries served as major recommendations for consideration by small business owners and strategic leaders.

Innovative management practices and firm performance: a case of telecom. Firms in south-east, nigeria

The study explored the effect of innovative management practices (IMP) on performance of telecom firms in South-East Nigeria. The specific objectives are to determine the effects of value creation, hi-tech adaptability, strategic leadership, cultural change and industrial best practices on organizational performance. Methodologically, a cross-sectional survey research design was used on a sample population of management and staff of selected telecom firms of MTN Nigeria, GLOBALCOM and Airtel Nigeria. Data for the study were collected with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire instrument. Krejcie and Morgan-K & M table was used to determine the sample size of two hundred and thirty-four (234) and Bowley's formula was used to apportion the samples to each organization via a stratified sampling technique. The data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation and regression analysis. Findings revealed that value creation has significant effect on organizational performance -ORGP with (β= .347, P =.000 <.05), Hi-tech adaptability has significant effect (β= .124, P =.001 <.05) along with strategic leadership (β= .107, P =.005 <.05). Also Cultural change and industrial best practices with (β= .456, P =.000 <.05) and (β= .116, P =.001 < 05) respectively are significant predictors of ORGP. The study concluded that Innovation management practices which includes changes in the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of tasks supervisors implement in preparing guidelines, creating resolutions, managing events, and encouraging individuals are reflective of innovation management protocols.  Recommendations are to the effect that enterprise leaders should introduce hi-tech adaptability, invest in novel technologies, and provide technical training to their personnel in order to improve employees’ performance. Finally, focused firms in the industry should try to implement innovative strategies to create competitive edge. The study contributed to knowledge by demonstrating that workplaces that foster a culture of innovation generally should subscribe to the belief that innovation is not the province of top leadership but can come from anyone in the organization.

Leadership Practices among Islamic Private Secondary School Principals in Southern Thailand: Validating a Model of Strategic Educational Leadership

This study explored the levels of strategic educational leadership practices (PSELP) among the principals of 92 Islamic private secondary schools (IPSS) in Southern Thailand as perceived by teachers at the schools. It also sought to validate and confirm a hypothesized structural equation model of PSELP based on the data provided by 918 IPSS teachers from the districts of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. The survey instrument was a seven-point PSELP scale with 44 items adapted from five previous studies. Descriptive statistics (i.e., means and standard deviations) were used to summarize the perceived levels of PSELP in nine aspects or domains. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied on the data to test the adequacy of the proposed PSELP model. The results showed that the teachers had the perception that their principals effectively practiced all five factors of strategic educational leadership and exhibited the four characteristics of strategic leaders. This discovery contradicted previous findings that school principals’ leadership practices were low or inadequate. The CFA results established the proposed nine-factor model of IPSS principals’ strategic educational leadership practices as valid and reliable, confirming the presence of strategic orientation, strategic alignment, strategic intervention, strategic translation, strategic intervention, restlessness, absorptive capacity, adaptive capacity, and leadership wisdom in the model. The findings have raised a new concern, that is, if the principals of the IPSS have actively and extensively been practicing strategic leadership, what then could be the causes of the poor performance of the IPSS in Southern Thailand? This concern has paved new directions for future research involving the quality of Islamic schools in the region.

Leadership for inclusive online learning in public primary schools during COVID-19: A multiple case study in Hong Kong

Despite the increasing number of studies on educational leadership during COVID-19, little attention has been paid to the intersections of different educational experiences and perspectives of school leaders, students, and their families that occur both inside and outside of schools. Drawing on eight case studies of public primary schools in Hong Kong, this article explores the challenges and strategies of online learning with a focus on effective leadership practices for supporting economically disadvantaged students during COVID-19. To incorporate the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, a series of questionnaires were distributed to principals (n = 8), teachers (n = 150), parents (n = 775), lower primary students (n = 855), and upper primary students (n = 850) and interviews were conducted with principals (n = 8), teachers (n = 37), parents (n = 32), and students (n = 62). Findings indicated that school leaders and teacher teams demonstrated strategic leadership practices prioritising and responding to the needs and constraints of economically disadvantaged students and their families. The present study draws attention to leadership encouraging collaboration among schools, families, and the wider community, which has become necessary during the shift to online learning during COVID-19.

Strategic leadership in SMEs: the mediating role of dynamic capabilities

PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role throughout the global economy, spurring innovation and job creation. This study investigates the effect of strategic leadership practices on SME performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a quantitative survey of leaders from 290 SMEs to examine their strategic leadership and how it affects SME performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the dependent relationships in this paper.FindingsThe results suggest that the strategic leadership effect on firm performance is fully mediated by employee empowerment dynamic capability (EEDC) as well as resilient dynamic capability (RDC).Originality/valueStrategic leadership is traditionally analyzed in large organizations. The authors evaluate the role of strategic leadership in SMEs which is an underexplored context for leadership studies. In this process, the authors also analyze the mediating role of EEDC and RDC.

Human Capital as A Determinant of Service Quality in Accredited Universities in Kenya

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of human capital on the service quality of accredited universities in Kenya. The study was guided by the positivist domain which is a major doctrine or theory in social sciences largely used in survey types of research. The study employed both a crosssectional research design and an explanatory research design. The target population comprised 74 public and private universities in Kenya. The sample size was 222 respondents. The main data collection tool was a questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings established that human capital had a significantly positive relationship with service quality. Human capital explained about 38% of the variation in service quality of accredited universities in Kenya. The practical implications for the study are that the human capital such as strategic leaders in universities should be aligned and increase their adoption of strategic leadership practices in order to inspire good managerial practices in universities. Additionally, the finding that human capital affects service quality is consistent with the Upper Echelons theory. This theory offers a framework for viewing leaders as wise, experienced, and educated change agents who serve as critical assets capable of enhancing service quality in their institutions.