Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises

Objective: This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on innovation performance, focusing on the mediating roles of innovation processes and products in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/Methods/Approach: Data were gathered from 105 SME employees through purposive s...

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Main Authors: Viajeng Purnama Putri, Iqbal Ramadhani Fuadiputra, M Abdi Dzil Ikhram W
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Airlangga 2025-04-01
Series:Jurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan
Subjects:
Online Access:https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JMTT/article/view/70558
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author Viajeng Purnama Putri
Iqbal Ramadhani Fuadiputra
M Abdi Dzil Ikhram W
author_facet Viajeng Purnama Putri
Iqbal Ramadhani Fuadiputra
M Abdi Dzil Ikhram W
author_sort Viajeng Purnama Putri
collection DOAJ
description Objective: This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on innovation performance, focusing on the mediating roles of innovation processes and products in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/Methods/Approach: Data were gathered from 105 SME employees through purposive sampling and analyzed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS). Findings: Reveal that entrepreneurial leadership significantly influences innovation performance. The innovation process and products also play crucial roles in enhancing innovation performance. Additionally, entrepreneurial leadership positively affects the innovation process and products, which, in turn, mediate its relationship with innovation performance. These results highlight the importance of strengthening innovation processes and products to optimize the impact of entrepreneurial leadership. SMES should prioritize leadership development while balancing process and product innovation for sustainable growth. Lastly, innovative products can partially address process deficiencies, but an integrated approach is essential for long-term success. Originality/Value: The research provides a unique contribution by integrating multiple factors (leadership, innovation processes, and products) rather than analysing them in isolation. In addition to SEM-PLS, the FsQCA methodology is employed, which offers a more nuanced analysis than traditional methods. It focuses on a specific regional context and provides localised insights for business growth. Practical/Policy implication: The study provides actionable insights for SME leaders, emphasizing leadership training, R&D investment, and process efficiency. These are sensible recommendations that can be applied in real-world settings. Also, by highlighting the role of leadership in innovation, the research adds value to entrepreneurial strategy and organizational management literature. The study suggests a holistic approach integrating leadership, product innovation, and process improvement, paving the way for future research on external factors (e.g., policies and market conditions) affecting SME innovation.
format Article
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series Jurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan
spelling doaj-art-ed36d4d4acda433eb95542b9d8a7da482025-08-20T02:30:24ZengUniversitas AirlanggaJurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan1979-36502548-21492025-04-0118113615510.20473/jmtt.v18i1.7055868747Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium EnterprisesViajeng Purnama Putri0Iqbal Ramadhani Fuadiputra1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7955-2355M Abdi Dzil Ikhram W2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2102-2343Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, IndonesiaUniversitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, IndonesiaBudapest University of Economics and Business, Budapest, HungaryObjective: This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial leadership on innovation performance, focusing on the mediating roles of innovation processes and products in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/Methods/Approach: Data were gathered from 105 SME employees through purposive sampling and analyzed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS). Findings: Reveal that entrepreneurial leadership significantly influences innovation performance. The innovation process and products also play crucial roles in enhancing innovation performance. Additionally, entrepreneurial leadership positively affects the innovation process and products, which, in turn, mediate its relationship with innovation performance. These results highlight the importance of strengthening innovation processes and products to optimize the impact of entrepreneurial leadership. SMES should prioritize leadership development while balancing process and product innovation for sustainable growth. Lastly, innovative products can partially address process deficiencies, but an integrated approach is essential for long-term success. Originality/Value: The research provides a unique contribution by integrating multiple factors (leadership, innovation processes, and products) rather than analysing them in isolation. In addition to SEM-PLS, the FsQCA methodology is employed, which offers a more nuanced analysis than traditional methods. It focuses on a specific regional context and provides localised insights for business growth. Practical/Policy implication: The study provides actionable insights for SME leaders, emphasizing leadership training, R&D investment, and process efficiency. These are sensible recommendations that can be applied in real-world settings. Also, by highlighting the role of leadership in innovation, the research adds value to entrepreneurial strategy and organizational management literature. The study suggests a holistic approach integrating leadership, product innovation, and process improvement, paving the way for future research on external factors (e.g., policies and market conditions) affecting SME innovation.https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JMTT/article/view/70558entrepreneurial leadershipinnovation performanceinnovation processinnovation products
spellingShingle Viajeng Purnama Putri
Iqbal Ramadhani Fuadiputra
M Abdi Dzil Ikhram W
Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
Jurnal Manajemen Teori dan Terapan
entrepreneurial leadership
innovation performance
innovation process
innovation products
title Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
title_full Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
title_fullStr Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
title_short Exploring the Link between Entrepreneurial Leadership and Innovation Success: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises
title_sort exploring the link between entrepreneurial leadership and innovation success evidence from small and medium enterprises
topic entrepreneurial leadership
innovation performance
innovation process
innovation products
url https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JMTT/article/view/70558
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AT mabdidzilikhramw exploringthelinkbetweenentrepreneurialleadershipandinnovationsuccessevidencefromsmallandmediumenterprises