IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i22p12465-d676956.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of Empowering Leadership, Innovative Work, and Organizational Learning Readiness on Sustainable Economic Performance: An Empirical Study of Companies in Russia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Baira Faulks

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

  • Yinghua Song

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

  • Moses Waiganjo

    (Business Management Department, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Windhoek 51434, Namibia)

  • Bojan Obrenovic

    (School of Management, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China)

  • Danijela Godinic

    (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic shocked the global economy, with numerous companies suffering losses and shutting down. However, some companies proved to be resilient, being able to sustain their economic performance despite the pandemic. The study aims to explain the sustainable economic performance of companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationships between empowering leadership, innovative work behavior, organizational readiness to change, and sustainable economic performance were assessed. The data were collected via an online questionnaire from January 2021 to March 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia. The respondents were Russian companies’ employees holding management positions, competent to objectively assess organizational circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 337 was used in the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation was conducted using SPSS AMOS. The structural model was tested with standardized parameter estimates, standard errors, and p -values calculated. The findings of the study suggest that innovative work behavior and organizational readiness to learn have a direct influence on sustainable economic performance. The findings also suggest that empowering leadership impacts innovative work behavior but not sustainable economic performance. The mediation analysis indicates that innovative work behavior is a mediator between empowering leadership and sustainable economic performance, whereas organizational readiness to learn is not a moderator. The study adds to the leadership and sustainability body of knowledge and contributes to the research on the COVID-19 pandemic in the organizational context.

Suggested Citation

  • Baira Faulks & Yinghua Song & Moses Waiganjo & Bojan Obrenovic & Danijela Godinic, 2021. "Impact of Empowering Leadership, Innovative Work, and Organizational Learning Readiness on Sustainable Economic Performance: An Empirical Study of Companies in Russia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-27, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12465-:d:676956
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12465/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12465/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang Zhen & Zahid Yousaf & Magdalena Radulescu & Muhammad Yasir, 2021. "Nexus of Digital Organizational Culture, Capabilities, Organizational Readiness, and Innovation: Investigation of SMEs Operating in the Digital Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Hassan Nor-Aishah & Noor Hazlina Ahmad & Ramayah Thurasamy, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Leadership and Sustainable Performance of Manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia: The Contingent Role of Entrepreneurial Bricolage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Ben Youssef, Adel & Boubaker, Sabri & Omri, Anis, 2018. "Entrepreneurship and sustainability: The need for innovative and institutional solutions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 232-241.
    4. Pedro Soto-Acosta & Diana-Maria Cismaru & Elena-Mădălina Vătămănescu & Raluca Silvia Ciochină, 2016. "Sustainable Entrepreneurship in SMEs: A Business Performance Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-12, April.
    5. Roman Teplov & Ekaterina Albats & Daria Podmetina, 2019. "What Does Open Innovation Mean? Business Versus Academic Perceptions," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(01), pages 1-33, January.
    6. Dasgupta, Partha, 2001. "Human Well-Being and the Natural Environment," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199247882.
    7. Weiping Jiang & Xianbo Zhao & Jiongbin Ni, 2017. "The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee Sustainable Performance: The Mediating Role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-17, September.
    8. Eltayeb, Tarig K. & Zailani, Suhaiza & Ramayah, T., 2011. "Green supply chain initiatives among certified companies in Malaysia and environmental sustainability: Investigating the outcomes," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 55(5), pages 495-506.
    9. Jun Xie & Wataru Nozawa & Michiyuki Yagi & Hidemichi Fujii & Shunsuke Managi, 2019. "Do environmental, social, and governance activities improve corporate financial performance?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 286-300, February.
    10. Changhong Zhao & Yu Guo & Jiahai Yuan & Mengya Wu & Daiyu Li & Yiou Zhou & Jiangang Kang, 2018. "ESG and Corporate Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from China’s Listed Power Generation Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-18, July.
    11. Bojan Obrenovic & Jianguo Du & Danijela Godinic & Diana Tsoy & Muhammad Aamir Shafique Khan & Ilimdorjon Jakhongirov, 2020. "Sustaining Enterprise Operations and Productivity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: “Enterprise Effectiveness and Sustainability Model”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-27, July.
    12. Grama-Vigouroux, Simona & Saidi, Sana & Berthinier-Poncet, Anne & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Madanamoothoo, Allane, 2020. "From closed to open: A comparative stakeholder approach for developing open innovation activities in SMEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 230-244.
    13. Johan Jansson & Jonas Nilsson & Frida Modig & Gabriella Hed Vall, 2017. "Commitment to Sustainability in Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises: The Influence of Strategic Orientations and Management Values," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 69-83, January.
    14. Almira Kulmaganbetova & Igor Dubina & Zhibek Rakhmetulina & Elvira Tlessova & Zhanat Tulegenova, 2020. "Innovative potential of small and medium business," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 8(2), pages 1286-1304, December.
    15. Hui Li & Nazir Sajjad & Qun Wang & Asadullah Muhammad Ali & Zeb Khaqan & Shafi Amina, 2019. "Influence of Transformational Leadership on Employees’ Innovative Work Behavior in Sustainable Organizations: Test of Mediation and Moderation Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, March.
    16. Saira Begum & Enjun Xia & Khalid Mehmood & Yaser Iftikhar & Yan Li, 2020. "The Impact of CEOs’ Transformational Leadership on Sustainable Organizational Innovation in SMEs: A Three-Wave Mediating Role of Organizational Learning and Psychological Empowerment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    17. Mei, Liang & Zhang, Tao & Chen, Jin, 2019. "Exploring the effects of inter-firm linkages on SMEs' open innovation from an ecosystem perspective: An empirical study of Chinese manufacturing SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 118-128.
    18. Maryam Farhadi & Rahmah Ismail & Masood Fooladi, 2012. "Information and Communication Technology Use and Economic Growth," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-7, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Baira Faulks & Song Yinghua & Akmal Khudaykulov & Aziz Jumanov, 2023. "Exploring Organizational Readiness to Change and Learn: A SciVal Analysis from 2012 to 2021," Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 7(4), pages 18-22, January.
    2. Moses Waiganjo & Danijela Godinic & Bojan Obrenovic, 2021. "Strategic Planning and Sustainable Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review," International Journal of Innovation and Economic Development, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 7(5), pages 52-59, December.
    3. Batara Surya & Hernita Hernita & Agus Salim & Seri Suriani & Iwan Perwira & Yulia Yulia & Muhlis Ruslan & Kafrawi Yunus, 2022. "Travel-Business Stagnation and SME Business Turbulence in the Tourism Sector in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-37, February.
    4. Yustinus Budi Hermanto & Veronika Agustini Srimulyani, 2022. "The Effects of Organizational Justice on Employee Performance Using Dimension of Organizational Citizenship Behavior as Mediation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
    5. Mimica R. Milošević & Miloš M. Nikolić & Dušan M. Milošević & Violeta Dimić, 2022. "Managing Resources Based on Influential Indicators for Sustainable Economic Development: A Case Study in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Sara Mehrab Daniali & Sergey Evgenievich Barykin & Farzin Mohammadbeigi Khortabi & Olga Vladimirovna Kalinina & Olga Anatolievna Tcukanova & Elena Konstantinovna Torosyan & Svetlana Poliakova & Sergey, 2022. "An Employee Competency Framework in a Welfare Organization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hussain Zaid H Alsharif & Tong Shu & Bojan Obrenovic & Danijela Godinic & Ashraf Alhujailli & Alisher Makhmudovich Abdullaev, 2021. "Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Bricolage on Job Security and Sustainable Economic Performance: An Empirical Study of Croatian Companies during COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Hassan Nor-Aishah & Noor Hazlina Ahmad & Ramayah Thurasamy, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Leadership and Sustainable Performance of Manufacturing SMEs in Malaysia: The Contingent Role of Entrepreneurial Bricolage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Maha Faisal Alsayegh & Rashidah Abdul Rahman & Saeid Homayoun, 2020. "Corporate Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability Performance Transformation through ESG Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Said Yousef Dwikat & Darwina Arshad & Mohd Noor Mohd Shariff, 2023. "Effect of Competent Human Capital, Strategic Flexibility and Turbulent Environment on Sustainable Performance of SMEs in Manufacturing Industries in Palestine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-29, March.
    5. Ruixin Su & Bojan Obrenovic & Jianguo Du & Danijela Godinic & Akmal Khudaykulov, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic Implications for Corporate Sustainability and Society: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-23, January.
    6. Muhammad Azeem Qureshi & Minhas Akbar & Ahsan Akbar & Petra Poulova, 2021. "Do ESG Endeavors Assist Firms in Achieving Superior Financial Performance? A Case of 100 Best Corporate Citizens," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, June.
    7. Said Yousef Dwikat & Darwina Arshad & Mohd Noor Mohd Shariff, 2022. "The Influence of Systematic Strategic Planning and Strategic Business Innovation on the Sustainable Performance of Manufacturing SMEs: The Case of Palestine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-26, October.
    8. El Maalouf, Nicole & Bahemia, Hanna, 2023. "The implementation of inbound open innovation at the firm level: A dynamic capability perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Federica Ielasi & Paolo Ceccherini & Pietro Zito, 2020. "Integrating ESG Analysis into Smart Beta Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    10. Gianpaolo Iazzolino & Maria Elena Bruni & Stefania Veltri & Donato Morea & Giovanni Baldissarro, 2023. "The impact of ESG factors on financial efficiency: An empirical analysis for the selection of sustainable firm portfolios," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1917-1927, July.
    11. Sciarelli Mauro & Cosimato Silvia & Landi Giovanni, 2020. "Benefit Corporations Approach to Environmental, Social and Governance Disclosure: A Focus on Italy," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(4), pages 1-25, October.
    12. Chunya Ren & Irene Wei Kiong Ting & Wen‐Min Lu & Qian Long Kweh, 2022. "Nonlinear effects of ESG on energy‐adjusted firm efficiency: Evidence from the stakeholder engagement of apple incorporated," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1231-1246, September.
    13. Paula Bajdor & Ilona Pawełoszek & Helena Fidlerova, 2021. "Analysis and Assessment of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Practices in Polish Small and Medium Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-28, March.
    14. Remo-Diez, Nieves & Mendaña-Cuervo, Cristina & Arenas-Parra, Mar, 2023. "Exploring the asymmetric impact of sustainability reporting on financial performance in the utilities sector: A longitudinal comparative analysis," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    15. Lishi Zeng & Xuemei Jiang, 2023. "ESG and Corporate Performance: Evidence from Agriculture and Forestry Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    16. Guangping Xu & Guangyuan Hou & Jinshan Zhang, 2022. "Digital Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Digital Capability Perspective through Digital Innovation Orientation for Social and Environmental Value Creation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    17. Daniel Ştefan Armeanu & Georgeta Vintilă & Ştefan Cristian Gherghina, 2017. "Empirical Study towards the Drivers of Sustainable Economic Growth in EU-28 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Das Gupta, Monica & Bongaarts, John & Cleland, John, 2011. "Population, poverty, and sustainable development : a review of the evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5719, The World Bank.
    19. Fereshteh Mahmoudian & Johnny Jermias, 2022. "The influence of governance structure on the relationship between pay ratio and environmental and social performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2992-3013, November.
    20. Jinshan Zhang & Man Liu, 2024. "How to Leverage Digital Sustainability Orientation to Promote Environmentally Sustainable Practices of Manufacturing Enterprises in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-20, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12465-:d:676956. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.