Author(s): Othman, Saman, Karadas, Georgiana
Purpose: The main aim of this study is to examine the influence of corporate entrepreneurship on the relationship between components of transformational leadership and firm performance. Theoretical framework: According to the proposed framework, there is an interrelation between components of transformational leadership, corporate entrepreneurship, and firm performance. The framework suggests that corporate entrepreneurship plays a mediating role between transformational leadership components, namely idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, individual consideration, and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study data was gathered using a quantitative research approach based on a questionnaire survey. Managers from three major Iraqi telecom providers responded with a total of 313 relevant replies. Findings: The results showed that all four components of transformational leadership - intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and individualized consideration – showed significant positive relation with corporate entrepreneurship and firm performance. Furthermore, the link between components of transformational leadership and firm performance was found to be mediated by corporate entrepreneurship. Research, Practical & Social implications: The study recommends organizations to prioritize developing leaders with transformational leadership traits and shift towards entrepreneurial practices for better firm performance. Corporate entrepreneurship partially mediates the relation between all components of transformational leadership and firm performance, while completely mediating the relationship between individualized consideration and firm performance, emphasizing the need for fostering a corporate entrepreneurial culture. Originality/value: The current study contributes to the literature by examining the mediating role of corporate entrepreneurship between components of transformational leadership and firm performance in Iraqi telecom companies. Unlike previous research, it considers the various components of transformational leadership.