Sustainable leadership and knowledge ingredients - the recipe for sustainable competitive advantage: a mixed-method approach

Drawing on the principles of complexity theory, the research seeks to ascertain the causal configurations that can lead to enhanced Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The sample was drawn from HEIs in Pakistan. The research used asymmetrical fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), to identify the antecedent conditions that predict high SCA scores in HEIs. The results revealed several configurations that can help HEIs improve SCA, complementing the major tenets of complexity theory. Symmetric methods see SCA as the result of isolated antecedents, they have significant limitations when it comes to understanding SCA, which is a complex construct. This is evident from recent research. Symmetric approaches have fewer theoretical ramifications and are less informative. The study adds to the literature on leadership and knowledge management by highlighting the causal configurations that result in improved SCA. The research will assist management in understanding the complexity of SCA and the possibility that different recipes may be more effective in enhancing SCA than concentrating on individual factors and their effects on HEIs. Managers will find new paths to SCA with the aid of the study.