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Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Product Innovation Performance: Intervening Effect of Absorptive Capacity, Intra-Firm Networks, and Design Thinking

Author

Listed:
  • Khaliq Ur Rehman

    (School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
    Office of Research Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), University of Management and Technology, Lahore 54782, Pakistan)

  • Farhan Aslam

    (School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China)

  • Mário Nuno Mata

    (Lisbon Accounting and Business School, Lisbon Polytechnic Institute, 1069-035 Lisboa, Portugal
    Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, School of Management and Technology (ESGTS-IPS), 2001-904 Santarém, Portugal)

  • José Moleiro Martins

    (Lisbon Accounting and Business School, Lisbon Polytechnic Institute, 1069-035 Lisboa, Portugal
    Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • António Abreu

    (Lisbon Higher Institute of Engineering (ISEL), Lisbon Polytechnic Institute, 1959-007 Lisboa, Portugal
    CTS Uninove, Faculty of Science and Technology, New University of Lisbon, 2829-516 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • António Morão Lourenço

    (Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, School of Management and Technology (ESGTS-IPS), 2001-904 Santarém, Portugal)

  • Sabita Mariam

    (Department of Business Administration, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan)

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to investigate the nexus between entrepreneurial leadership and product innovation performance. In addition, the mediating mechanism of absorptive capacity, intra-firm networks, and design thinking through which entrepreneurial leaders influence product innovation performanceis also studied. The researcher contacted three hundred (300) plus firms; 157 firms showed a willingness to participate, and 96 firms provided the data with a response rate of 61.15%. Out of those 96 firms, the data from 71 firms were used for the final analysis, yielding an effective response rate of 45.22%. Only middle and top-level employees from the marketing and research & development departments from Pakistani firms were selected as respondents because these two departments are directly related to product innovation performance. To test the hypothesis, the Smart PLS-SEM technique wasused. The empirical analysis revealed that entrepreneurial leadership impacted product innovation performance through the mediating mechanism of design thinking, intra-firm networks, and absorptive capacity. The current research contributes to entrepreneurial leadership theory by proposing and empirically testing how entrepreneurial leaders affect product innovation performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Khaliq Ur Rehman & Farhan Aslam & Mário Nuno Mata & José Moleiro Martins & António Abreu & António Morão Lourenço & Sabita Mariam, 2021. "Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Product Innovation Performance: Intervening Effect of Absorptive Capacity, Intra-Firm Networks, and Design Thinking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:13:p:7054-:d:580804
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    References listed on IDEAS

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