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Revising the links of  Knowledge-oriented leadership on innovation in higher education institutions: the mediating role of knowledge sharing

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Abstract

This study aims to discover the association between knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) and determinants of innovation in terms of speed and quality, through the mediation of knowledge sharing (KS) in higher education institutions (HEIs). Based on the structural equation modeling approach, the hypotheses are scrutinized by analyzing survey data from 253 faculty members associated with private and public HEIs. The results reveal that KOL exhibits a significant positive effect on innovation in terms of speed and quality, while KS partially mediates the path between KOL and innovation speed as well as the path between KOL and innovation quality in parallel. This study contributes to the research on relationship between KOL and innovation in HEIs, and provides some suggestions to innovative educational policy makers implementing a KOL style, and encourages employees to share knowledge for innovation effectively.

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The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the scholarship from China Scholarship Council (CSC, Grant No. 202106880018).

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  1. School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 100029, Beijing, China

    Amna Manzoor & Bowen Zhang

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  1. Amna Manzoor
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Correspondence to Bowen Zhang.

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A Questionnaire items

A Questionnaire items

Knowledge-oriented leadership

  • My department Leader has been creating an environment for responsible employee behaviour and teamwork.

  • My department Leader reward employees who share and apply their knowledge.

  • My department Leader promotes learning from experience, tolerating mistakes up to a certain point.

  • My department Leader behaves as advisers, and controls are just an assessment of the accomplishment of objective.

  • My department Leader promotes the acquisition of external knowledge.

  • My department Leader is used to assuming the role of knowledge leaders, which is mainly characterized by openness, tolerance of mistakes, and mediation for the achievement of the department objectives.

Innovation speed

  • Our university is quick in coming up with novel ideas as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university is quick in new program launching as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university is quick in problem solving as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university is quick in new program development as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university is quick in new processes as compared to key competitors.

Innovation quality

  • Our university does better in coming up with novel ideas as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university does better in new program launching as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university does better in processes improving as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university does better in management improving as compared to key competitors.

  • Our university does better in new program development as compared to key competitors.

Knowledge sharing

  • Knowledge sharing among colleagues is considered normal in my department.

  • Knowledge sharing with colleagues is considered normal outside of my department.

  • When I have learned something new, I tell colleagues outside of my department about it.

  • When they have learned something new, my colleagues within my department tell me about it.

  • I share information about teaching profession with my colleagues in the University.

  • I share information about administrative issues with my colleagues in the University.

  • When I have learned something new regarding teaching profession, I tell my colleagues in my department about it.

  • When they have learned something new, colleagues outside of my department tell me about it.

  • I share information I have with colleagues within my department when they ask for it.

  • Colleagues in my university share information about teaching profession with me.

  • Colleagues within my department share knowledge with me, when I ask them about it.

  • I share my skills with colleagues outside of my department, when they ask me to.

  • I share my skills with colleagues within my department, when they ask for it.

  • Colleagues in my university share information about administrative issues with me.

  • I share information I have with colleagues outside of my department, when they ask me to.

  • Colleagues within my department tell me what their skills are, when I ask them about it.

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Manzoor, A., Zhang, B. Revising the links of  Knowledge-oriented leadership on innovation in higher education institutions: the mediating role of knowledge sharing. J. of Data, Inf. and Manag. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42488-024-00120-5

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