۱- Introduction

۲- Background and hypotheses development

۳- Methodology

۴- Items measurement

۵- Discussion

۶- Theoretical and practical implication

۷- Limitation of study

۸- Future researches

References

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of two leadership styles – Transformational and Authentic leadership on process and product innovation in higher education institutions in Jordan. We also examine how the effect of these leadership styles fluctuates based on the extent to which knowledge sharing is prevailing norm in an institution. We examine our suggested model in higher education institutions in the north of Jordan and utilize structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques for data analysis. Findings reveal that Transformational leadership and Knowledge sharing have a positive impact on the innovativeness of higher education institutions in Jordan. On the other hand, Authentic leadership does not show any support for innovativeness in the higher education sector in a non-western country like Jordan. In addition, knowledge sharing norms significantly moderate the effect of Transformational leadership but exhibited no moderating influence on the effect of Authentic leadership.

Introduction

The higher education sector is plagued by numerous amount of challenges including technological development and political issues as well as novel and non-traditional demands on education sectors worldwide, all of which make the higher education sector an attractive area for research (Mathew, 2010). With increased pressure from globalization, changing funding structures in higher education, and changing supply of and demand for higher education, many higher education institutions around the world strive for survival and seek for competitive advantages through innovations (Brown, 2008; OECD, 2009; Brennan, 2008; Gibbs & Barnett, 2014; Gaspar & Mabic, 2015). Factors affecting innovation in higher education institutions have thus always represented a vital area of concern in the field of organizational studies(Meek, Teichler, & Kearney, 2009). Typically, extant literature is of the general position that successful innovative practices in organizations build on the interplay among several individual and institutional factors (Hoidn & Kärkkäinen, 2014; Silver, 1999; Zhu, 2015). In particular, prior research on higher education has highlighted the prominent role played by both leadership and knowledge sharing practices (Li, Shang, Liu, & Xi, 2014; von Krogh, Nonaka, & Rechsteiner, 2012). Proper leadership has the potential to promote organizational innovation by motivating employees and fostering a conducive atmosphere for the development of their creative and innovative skills which eventually lead to enhanced innovation capabilities and superior competitive advantages for the organization (Li et al., 2014; Srivastava, Bartol, & Locke, 2006; Xue, Bradley, & Liang, 2011; Yang, 2007). Despite the variety of theories debating what the proper leadership style for noticeable innovations in an organization should be, prior research has emphasized the importance of Transformational leadership (TL) to do so (Lin, 2014; Masa’deh, Obeidat, & Tarhini, 2016; Rawung, Wuryaningrat, & Elvinita, 2015b). Transformational Leadership styles focus on teamwork, motivation and collaboration with employees at different levels to ascertain the desired change in an organization (Bass & Riggio, 2006; Leithwood & Sleegers, 2006).