Purpose While developmental programs act as identity workspaces, existing frameworks treat leader self-efficacy (LSE) as a static antecedent rather than a dynamic regulator. Addressing this gap, this study investigates the co-evolution of leadership identity and LSE within a post-Soviet MBA context to explain how initial confidence dictates divergent developmental trajectories. Design/methodology/approach Anchored in an interpretivist paradigm, we employed qualitative research methods to analyze 30 in-depth narrative interviews from two MBA cohorts. Thematic and narrative analyses were used to capture longitudinal identity shifts and LSE recalibration. Findings We reveal that identity evolution is regulated by LSE recalibration, manifesting in two distinct trajectories: empowerment (for low initial LSE) and grounding (for high initial LSE). These trajectories progress through four phases – Preparation, Orientation, Experimentation and Confirmation. From these findings, we derive the Confidence-Framed Leadership-Identity Evolution (CF-LIE) model, demonstrating how peer validation and cultural holding environments catalyze identity shifts. Research limitations/implications The retrospective, single-cohort qualitative design captures meaning-making but precludes real-time observation of LSE fluctuations. Furthermore, because the CF-LIE model emerged within a post-Soviet institutional context characterized by high power distance, its theoretical transferability requires longitudinal testing across divergent cultural and organizational typologies. Practical implications This study shifts the architectural focus of leadership programs from competency acquisition to targeted identity scaffolding. Curricula must be structurally calibrated to incoming LSE baselines – engineering early mastery experiences for the empowerment trajectory and strategic dissonance for the grounding trajectory. Furthermore, institutions must intentionally design “holding environments” that normalize identity friction as a core mechanism for leader emergence. Originality/value This study reconceptualizes LSE from a static antecedent into a dynamic regulator of identity work. The emergent CF-LIE model bridges social identity and self-efficacy theories, providing a processual architecture for leadership development in transitional economies.
Purpose Drawing from the social exchange theory (SET), the study examined the direct effects of perceived leader integrity on work engagement and the indirect effect of this relationship via emotional intelligence. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a time-lagged design, collecting data in 3 waves from 392 public healthcare employees. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess model fit as well as the composite reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. Hierarchical regression analysis and the Hayes PROCESS macro were subsequently used to test the study's hypotheses. Findings The findings revealed that perceived leader integrity significantly enhances both work engagement and emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence mediates the positive relationship between perceived leader integrity and employee work engagement. Practical implications These findings support SDG 3 (“Good Health and Well Being”) by showing that integrity based leadership is essential for a healthy and engaged healthcare workforce. Employees' perceptions of their leaders' integrity are critical, making it important for leaders to demonstrate consistent ethical behaviour to sustain high levels of engagement. Originality/value This study offers original value empirically examining how perceived leader integrity enhances work engagement through employees' emotional intelligence, an underexplored mechanism in existing research. By focusing on the healthcare sector and using a three-wave time-lagged design, it provides fresh empirical insight into how integrity-based leadership strengthens engagement in emotionally demanding work settings.
Purpose - This study examines the paradox between Algerian women's high educational attainment (55% of university graduates) and their low economic participation (16.4% labor force participation, ranking 150th globally). It analyzes how cultural norms gendered role expectations, mobility restrictions, occupational segregation, social sanctioning and network exclusion constrain women's entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. The research identifies policy interventions to leverage Algeria's underutilized female human capital for inclusive, economic growth. Design/methodology/approach - A mixed-methods design combined quantitative analysis of national datasets (2010-2025) on gender-disaggregated education, training, labor and financing trends with qualitative insights from 35 semi-structured interviews across six Algerian provinces. Data were analyzed using SPSS-V26 (descriptive statistics, correlation, regression) to examine relationships between cultural norms and women's economic empowerment. Comparative institutional analysis contrasted gender-blind (National Agency for Youth Employment Support (ANSEJ) and National Unemployment Insurance Fund (CNAC)) and gender-responsive (National Agency for Microcredit Management (ANGEM)) support mechanisms. Findings - Cultural norms significantly constrain women's entrepreneurial empowerment (p < 0.01), explaining 76.1% of variance in outcomes (R-2 = 0.761); occupational segregation was the strongest predictor (ss = 0.293). A "leaky pipeline" was confirmed, with educated women exiting the labor force during prime years (25-34). Institutional design proved decisive: gender-blind agencies allocated similar to 10% of projects to women, versus 62.3% under ANGEM's gender-targeted approach. However, sectoral segregation persists, with women concentrated in low-growth sectors and excluded from high-capital industries like construction (2-4%) and transport (1-3%). Research limitations/implications - The study's purposive sample (n = 35) limits generalizability, while data gaps in the informal economy, where 78% of women entrepreneurs operate, obscure the full scope of female economic activity. The cross-sectional design restricts causal inference on long-term policy impacts. Future research should employ longitudinal, comparative designs across the Maghreb, disaggregate informal sector data and examine strategies of women who successfully enter male-dominated industries. Practical implications - Findings support a three-pillar strategy: (1) mandate gender quotas in public financing, replicating ANGEM's model; (2) provide sector-specific vocational training for women in high-growth industries (construction, transport, technology) and (3) pursue legal reforms to streamline business registration and strengthen property rights. Complementary interventions subsidized childcare, flexible work arrangements and digital platforms are essential to retain educated women in the workforce Originality/value - This study offers three novel contributions: (1) empirical evidence that Algeria's vocational training system has reversed gender equity since 2008 (female enrollment declining from 47.3% to 35.3%), directly linking this to entrepreneurial exclusion; (2) comparative analysis demonstrating that explicit institutional mainstreaming not voluntary measures drives transformative inclusion and (3) reframing Algeria's gender gap as a policy failure rather than cultural destiny, shifting discourse from "Why won't women participate?"
Purpose This study explores how a 12-week virtual management development program fosters networking leadership, global self-confidence and multicultural acceptance across different career stages (students, managers and executives) using experiential learning theory (ELT) and transformative learning theory (TLT) as integrated design principles.Design/methodology/approach Participants from over 50 countries (N = 214: students, n = 103; managers, n = 89; executives, n = 22) completed post-program survey. We used Welch ANOVA with Games-Howell post hoc tests to address heteroscedasticity and OLS regression with HC3 standard errors for robustness checks, controlling for age and international experience.Findings Career stage-specific peaks emerged: managers scored highest on Networking Leadership (M = 3.64, omega & sup2; = 0.09), executives on Global Self-Confidence (M = 3.82, omega & sup2; = 0.12), and students on Multicultural Acceptance (M = 3.57, omega & sup2; = 0.02). The effects remained strong even after controlling for age and experience. All competencies correlated positively (r = 0.42-0.56), supporting integrated management development approaches.Practical implications Organizations should implement career-stage-aware integrated designs in which all participants experience each component with a developmental focus guided by coaching prompts rather than content separation. This maintains the advantages of cross-stage learning while meeting the diverse needs of learners.Originality/value This is the first study to demonstrate ELT-TLT integration in a scalable virtual format with career-stage differentiation, offering a replicable component-level blueprint and robust statistical methods for analyzing heterogeneous sample data.
Purpose Creating a decision-focused framework for prioritizing, designing, and assessing metaverse-related apps for tourist businesses. We define terms, contextual elements, and evaluation metrics related to concepts and provide a starting point for compiling information on technological choices versus business needs. Design/methodology/approach We conduct a transparent computational assessment: embedding sentences into vectors, combined with topic modeling (LDA) via R/Orange on both academic and practicing datasets; conceptual coding relating constructs, contexts, and KPIs; and a matrix assessing value and feasibility. Reproducible code and a data dictionary promote traceability. Findings Five value themes have been identified (experience co-creation, immersion experiences, smart operations, personalization through data-driven approaches, accessibility and inclusion). The portfolio matrix reveals readiness and value in projects related to business outcomes, ethics/governance, and interoperability. We propose a simple set of metrics related to visitor experience, operations, and economics. Originality/value This paper extends beyond narrative reviews by delivering a replicable pipeline and a decision tool that managers can immediately apply. It integrates constructs, contexts, and measures, offers an empirically grounded agenda, and reframes the metaverse as a portfolio of testable interventions rather than a monolith, thus accelerating evidence-based, responsible adoption in tourism.
Purpose The review study aims to reveal the pathway, more specifically barriers, enablers and impact of technology adoption, among women entrepreneurs of the Global South. We analyzed the existing literature to provide insights and recommendations for future research. Design/methodology/approach Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis and the theories, contexts, characteristics and methods (TCCM) frameworks are used to analyze 73 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus, published between January 2014 and June 6, 2025. Findings Socio-cultural constraints, inadequate infrastructure, skill and literacy gaps and limited access and affordability hinder technology adoption among women entrepreneurs in the Global South. Enablers include capacity-building, support systems and facilitating conditions that strengthen women's capability of technology adoption. Consequently, the improvements in market access, income stability and empowerment are visible. However, online harassment, platform dependence, risk of cyber fraud, etc. are the emerging concerns. Practical implications The barriers, enablers and impacts are integrated into a capability pathway (contextual conditions→ barriers and enablers→ mediating mechanism→ adoption→ outcome→ feedback), which can guide researchers, policymakers, institutions and governments of the Global South to design interventions that target not only skills and infrastructure but also safety, household constraints and institutional supports. Originality/value This study advances understandings about technology adoption among women and explains why adoption trajectories and outcomes differ for women entrepreneurs in the context of the Global South.
Purpose The increasing participation of women in leadership positions has brought renewed attention to how women's leadership contributes to employee development. This study aims to examine how women's inclusive leadership influences career adaptability through psychological empowerment and examine the role of proactive personality in strengthening this mechanism. Design/methodology/approach This study involves 387 employees in Indonesia who worked under the supervision of women leaders. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro to test a moderated mediation model. Findings The results indicate that women's inclusive leadership has a positive effect on career adaptability. Psychological empowerment significantly mediates this relationship. The mediating effect of psychological empowerment is stronger in individuals with a strong proactive personality; thus, individual characteristics strengthen the effectiveness of women's inclusive leadership in supporting employee career development. Practical implications Developing women's inclusive leadership as part of a management development strategy to enhance employee career readiness. Originality/value This research provides empirical evidence regarding the role of women's inclusive leadership as a development mechanism that supports career adaptability through psychological empowerment, particularly in the context of developing countries.
Purpose This study investigates the gap between the rhetorical emphasis on soft skills and their limited practical integration within leadership development systems in Zambian organisations. It specifically investigates how organisational systems and contextual dynamics shape the institutionalisation of relational competencies. It further explores how organisational cultures, human resource systems and leadership mindsets shape the prioritisation of relational competencies such as emotional intelligence and communication. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a qualitative interpretivist design, drawing on 21 semi-structured interviews with senior leaders and a focus group with seven leadership practitioners across public, private and non-governmental organisations in Zambia. Data were analysed using a six-phase thematic analysis approach, with iterative coding and theme development across the qualitative dataset. The analysis was informed by transformational leadership theory and emotional intelligence theory as interpretive lenses. Findings Despite rhetorical commitment to soft skills, leadership development systems privilege technical expertise and task performance. The findings reveal a systemic decoupling between espoused leadership values and organisational practices. Soft skills are perceived as innate personal attributes rather than developable competencies, resulting in weak institutionalisation within leadership curricula and performance frameworks. Misaligned organisational systems (including recruitment, appraisal and promotion mechanisms) reinforce this marginalisation. This misalignment constrains leadership effectiveness and reinforces reliance on externally imported development models. Research limitations/implications The study is context-specific to Zambia, limiting statistical generalisability. However, the findings offer analytically transferable insights into organisational and institutional conditions shaping leadership development in emerging-economy contexts. Practical implications The study advances a soft skills leadership competencies framework that conceptualises relational, emotional and communicative capabilities as developable and assessable leadership competencies. The framework supports the integration of soft skills across organisational systems rather than as standalone training interventions. It further provides a basis for embedding soft skills within recruitment, performance management, leadership development and promotion systems. Originality/value This article provides a systems-oriented explanation of why soft skills remain marginal in leadership development by conceptualising the rhetoric–practice gap as a form of institutional decoupling shaped by organisational systems and contextual dynamics and how this gap can be addressed without advancing a new leadership theory.
Purpose Drawing on the Silence resilience theory, to investigate how Nigerian women entrepreneurs build confidence by resisting the shame and silence imposed by patriarchal norms. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a qualitative, interpretivist approach using semi-structured interviews with 26 Nigerian women entrepreneurs across multiple sectors. Findings Findings reveal that deep-seated patriarchal expectations frame entrepreneurship as a male-dominated domain that leads to internalised shame and reduced confidence. However, Women demonstrating shame resilience developed through peer networks, reframing narratives, and leadership training, which are better equipped in challenging social constraints, sustain ventures, and project confident identities. Resilience emerges not just as an individual attribute but as a socially supported process that is cultivated through mentorship and skill-building initiatives that enable women to navigate cultural barriers and assert their entrepreneurial agency. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to a Nigerian context, potentially constraining the transferability of results. Future research could apply a cross-country comparative lens or mixed-methods designs to deepen the understanding of silence and resilience dynamics in entrepreneurial contexts. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution by bridging Shame Resilience Theory with women’s entrepreneurship in the Global South, an intersection that is hardly addressed in management and leadership development literature. This study highlights the emotional and psychological dimensions of entrepreneurial agency. It advances theory by positioning shame resilience as a leadership development tool, and reframes it from a personal coping mechanism to a strategic, culturally relevant capacity-building approach.
Purpose The study examines how goal orientations (learning goal orientation [LGO], performance-prove goal orientation [PGO], performance-avoid goal orientation [PAGO]) influence workplace flourishing and burnout via self-efficacy and optimism, controlling for positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional survey data from 332 employees were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus 8.8. Sequential mediation was tested with 5,000 bootstrap samples, PA and NA as covariates, and model fit was evaluated via CFI, RMSEA and related indices. Findings Results supported full mediation: LGO indirectly increased flourishing and decreased burnout through self-efficacy and optimism. PGO showed weaker positive indirect effects on flourishing and negative effects on burnout. PAGO negatively influenced flourishing and increased burnout. Practical implications Organizations should promote LGO via mastery-focused training to enhance self-efficacy, optimism and well-being. PGO showed weaker positive indirect effects on flourishing and negative indirect effects on burnout. PAGO negatively influenced flourishing and increased burnout. Originality/value This study advances goal orientation theory by incorporating PA/NA controls and demonstrating full sequential mediation via psychological resources, providing a novel positive psychological framework for workplace well-being.
Purpose This paper examines how women entrepreneurs in developing countries establish sustainable and environmentally friendly businesses while navigating complex entrepreneurial ecosystems, rather than designing them. It investigates how these women define sustainability and sustainable leadership, and examines the barriers and enabling conditions that shape their entrepreneurial journeys within these existing ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing in-depth interviews with women entrepreneurs across various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and digital innovation. Data were thematically analyzed to capture participants' lived experiences and interpretations of sustainability in practice. Findings The study reveals that family support, informal networks, and community associations serve as critical enablers of green business development, while systemic gendered constraints - including restricted access to finance, patriarchal cultural norms, and limited institutional support - pose significant barriers. The findings further connect these experiences to cross-cultural models of sustainability leadership, highlighting pathways for strengthening women-led entrepreneurial ecosystems. Originality/value By foregrounding women's voices in sustainability-focused entrepreneurship, this research contributes new, context-sensitive insights into the intersection of leadership, gender, and sustainable economic transformation in the Global South. The study offers actionable recommendations for policymakers, support organizations, and ecosystem builders seeking to create more inclusive and equitable environments for women-led sustainable ventures.
Purpose This study aims to examine the sequential influence of authoritarian leadership on moral disengagement and covert deviant behaviors (digital presenteeism, data hoarding and micro-sabotage), while also analyzing the mediating roles of workplace alienation and perceived injustice and the moderating role of kinship employee engagement. Design/methodology/approach A total of 321 university lecturers in Indonesia participated through online and offline surveys. The data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling with AMOS software. Findings Of the 13 proposed relationships, 12 were statistically supported. Authoritarian leadership significantly predicts workplace alienation and perceived injustice, which in turn increase moral disengagement. Moral disengagement positively affects digital presenteeism and micro-sabotage, but not data hoarding directly. However, indirect effects through workplace alienation were observed. Kinship employee engagement weakens the effect of authoritarian leadership on moral disengagement, highlighting its buffering role. Research limitations/implications First, the study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design and limiting causal inference. Future research may benefit from using longitudinal or qualitative approaches to capture deeper mechanisms and changes over time. Second, data were collected through self-reports from university lecturers in Indonesia, which may introduce bias. Future studies should consider multi-source data to enhance validity and reduce social desirability effects. Third, the leadership style examined was limited to authoritarian leadership. Future research may explore other leadership styles (e.g. transformational, servant) to provide a comparative perspective on ethical outcomes. Practical implications Higher education institutions should foster kinship-oriented environments to reduce the psychological and ethical harm caused by rigid leadership styles. Social implications Promoting relational support and mutual respect in the workplace may enhance ethical resilience and reduce covert deviant behaviors in academic settings. Originality/value This study contributes to the job demands-resources (JD-R) and moral disengagement theory by introducing kinship employee engagement as a culturally relevant buffer in collectivist societies. It integrates psychological and behavioral outcomes into a single framework of ethical erosion in academia.
Purpose - This study examines the gender-specific barriers and support mechanisms faced by women entrepreneurs and leaders who are advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in selected Global South contexts. It aims to understand how women navigate systemic challenges while developing adaptive strategies to enhance agency and equity in entrepreneurial ecosystems across South Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Design/methodology/approach - The research employs a qualitative, multi-country design, drawing on semi-structured interviews and focus groups with women founders, managers, and DEI advocates from South Asia, Africa, and Latin America (N = 45 interviews; 6 focus groups). The analysis uses the startup, scaling, and leadership stages as a conceptual and analytical lens - developed for this study and informed by prior work on staged entrepreneurial activity - to structure women's entrepreneurial journeys, and maps the roles of formal and informal supports, including family, peer networks, mentorship, and digital platforms. Findings - Results reveal that women entrepreneurs face persistent barriers rooted in patriarchal norms, exclusion from networks, and intersectional inequalities shaped by class, ethnicity, and local culture. Despite these obstacles, participants demonstrate adaptive and transformative strategies that leverage both local and transnational support systems. The findings highlight the interplay between community-based and digital mechanisms for advancing DEI agendas, underscoring the critical role of participatory, context-sensitive models in expanding women's agency and leadership across different stages of business development. Originality/value - This study contributes to an under-examined intersection in the literature by linking women's entrepreneurship, DEI, and multi-level support ecosystems in emerging economies. It introduces an integrative framework that connects gendered and intersectional barriers with individual, family, community, and institutional support systems, informed by feminist, intersectionality, social capital, and push-pull perspectives. By comparing support mechanisms across South Asia, Africa, and Latin America and tracing barriers and supports across startup, scaling, and leadership stages, the study offers practical and policy insights for embedding inclusive approaches in management development, entrepreneurial training, and community initiatives in the Global South.
Purpose This study examines the direct and indirect relationships between ethical leadership, digital inclusion, flexibility fatigue and affirmative commitment within the context of the global online workforce. Specifically, it investigates how ethical leadership and digital inclusion influence employee commitment by mitigating the emerging challenge of flexibility fatigue. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected from employees working in global online, hybrid, and remote work arrangements. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the proposed relationships, drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory and social exchange theory (SET) as the underlying theoretical foundations. Findings The results indicate that ethical leadership and digital inclusion are negatively associated with flexibility fatigue and positively associated with affirmative commitment. Flexibility fatigue is found to have a significant negative relationship with affirmative commitment and partially mediates the relationships between ethical leadership and commitment, as well as between digital inclusion and commitment. Research limitations/implications The study relies on cross-sectional and self-reported data, which limits causal inference. Nevertheless, the findings extend existing research by identifying flexibility fatigue as a critical psychological mechanism linking leadership and digital practices to employee commitment in digitally mediated work environments. Practical implications The findings highlight the importance of ethical leadership and inclusive digital practices in reducing work-related fatigue and strengthening employee commitment in global online work settings. Organizations can leverage these insights to design sustainable HRM strategies that promote employee well-being, retention and long-term organizational sustainability. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating the mediating role of flexibility fatigue and by offering an integrated framework that connects ethical leadership, digital inclusion and affirmative commitment in the context of the global online workforce.
Purpose This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying quiet quitting in non-traditional work contexts by integrating the job demands-resources (JD-R) framework, social exchange theory and happiness management perspective to explain how gig work influences quiet quitting through emotional exhaustion. The study further investigates the protective role of workplace happiness as a psychological resource that helps to sustain engagement among gig workers.Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 425 gig workers in Indonesia between March and May 2025 using purposive sampling and analyzed using SPSS 26 and Hayes' PROCESS Macro (Model 7) to test the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating effect of workplace happiness, with bootstrapping procedures (5,000 resamples) applied to ensure robustness.Findings These findings indicate that gig work does not directly predict quiet quitting. Instead, its effect operates indirectly through emotional exhaustion, suggesting that disengagement arises from psychological strain rather than from employment conditions alone. Workplace happiness significantly attenuates this relationship, confirming its role as a critical psychological resource.Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its cross-sectional design and focus on a single collectivist context. Future research should adopt longitudinal and cross-cultural designs and consider structural equation modelling to capture more complex relationships.Practical implications Organizations and digital platforms should incorporate happiness management practices, including emotional support systems, recognition mechanisms, and digitally mediated social interactions.Originality/value This study advances the literature by demonstrating that emotional exhaustion-not gig work itself-is the primary mechanism driving quite quitting and by positioning workplace happiness as a key buffering resource within JD-R framework.
Purpose This research aims to examine the potential elements influencing women's entrepreneurship in developed and developing nations. A confluence of variables will be used to derive an empirically viable conclusion. Design/methodology/approach The research used a panel data approach. It examines secondary data from 29 nations spanning from 2001 to 2024. The Driscoll-Kraay standard error technique was utilized along with lagged variables for causal impact. It also evaluates developed and developing nations separately to identify any distinctions. Findings The findings demonstrate that factors determining female self-employment include gender equality, access to finance, basic entrepreneurial education. Both developed and emerging economies have comparable outcomes, necessitating equal emphasis. Practical implications Government and international organizations must recognize the factors that contribute to limited participation, and the obstacles women encounter when entering the market to effectively promote women's entrepreneurship. Moreover, policies must focus on training, specific credit guarantees and implementation at the grassroots level, as well as access to financing for aspiring entrepreneurs. Originality/value This research offers an incremental and specific contribution in its inclusion of multiple components to assess individual impact on women's entrepreneurship in developed and developing nations.
Purpose This study reviews recent publications on the informal, experience-based transfer of tacit knowledge within onboarding processes, focusing on the mechanisms, conditions, and barriers influencing this process. It also aims to identify research gaps that require further investigation. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the PRISMA method. A total of 865 publications identified in Scopus and Web of Science were filtered to English-language journal articles published between 2016 and 2025. After screening titles and abstracts, 53 articles were reviewed in detail, of which 46 were found relevant. Findings The reviewed studies emphasise that tacit knowledge transfer enhances individual and organizational performance, supports commitment, and reduces knowledge loss and turnover. While many papers discuss tacit knowledge transfer in various industries and contexts, only a limited number directly address onboarding among knowledge workers. Research limitations/implications The study does not distinguish between organizational size, sector, or job function, despite potential contextual differences in tacit knowledge transfer. Moreover, while the search used major international databases, the limited number of relevant studies indicates the value of extending future searches to additional sources. Originality/value This study highlights tacit knowledge as a key factor in individual and organizational performance and points to onboarding as a critical yet underexplored setting for its transfer. By synthesising recent findings, it underscores the need for further research on onboarding-related tacit knowledge transfer.
Purpose Output-driven leadership has become essential for organizational survival. Therefore, this study focuses on how gritty leadership affects employees' thriving at work. Specifically, grounded in the social embeddedness theory of thriving, this study explores adaptive work performance (AWP) as a mediator between gritty leadership and employee thriving. It further investigates the conditional role of leader humility in the relationship between gritty leadership and AWP. Design/methodology/approach The study approached 368 employees working in the textile sector at two different times to minimize common method bias. The data were analyzed using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). Findings The findings indicate that gritty leadership has a positive effect on employees' thriving, and this relationship is further explained through AWP. Additionally, perceived leader humility strengthens the effect of gritty leadership on AWP. Interestingly, the study noted a negative correlation between leader humility and AWP, which reflects characteristics of high power-distance cultures. Research limitations/implications Although the two-wave time-lagged design may limit causal inferences, the findings suggest that management should prioritize succession planning by identifying, developing, and training high-potential employees for leadership roles. Emphasizing the cultivation of grit and humility in future leaders can enhance employee performance and well-being, thereby contributing to sustained organizational success. Originality/value This study extends the social embeddedness theory of thriving (SETT) by explaining how and when gritty leadership fosters employees' thriving at work through AWP under the condition of leader humility. In doing so, it positions perseverance-oriented leadership as a key contextual driver of vitality and learning within SETT.
Purpose This study examines the role of education in explaining and potentially reducing gender disparities in entrepreneurship in Russia, a country with a relatively low gender gap in entrepreneurial activity. The research aims to assess whether educational attainment - particularly women's superior educational outcomes - contributes to narrowing the entrepreneurship gap over time.Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) covering the years 2000-2022. The sample comprises 226,242 observations from 36,227 individuals, of whom 54.8% are women. Gender disparities in entrepreneurship are analyzed using longitudinal decomposition techniques - extensions of the Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder method - allowing for the separation of differences in levels and changes. The models control for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, marital status, number of children, health status, generalized trust, migration background, ethnicity and residency in Moscow or Saint Petersburg. The study differentiates between necessity-driven and opportunity-driven entrepreneurship.Findings The results indicate that education plays a significant role in reducing the gender gap in entrepreneurship in Russia. Women in Russia exhibit higher levels of educational attainment than men, and this educational advantage is associated with a narrowing of the entrepreneurship gap, which remains relatively small. Importantly, education functions as a structural equalizer rather than a short-term dynamic driver of convergence. These findings are robust across both types of entrepreneurship and persist after controlling for other relevant variables.Originality/value This study contributes novel empirical evidence on gender and entrepreneurship in a transition economy by applying longitudinal decomposition techniques to a large, nationally representative dataset. The research highlights the unique case of Russia, where gender parity in entrepreneurship is comparatively high, and underscores the critical role of education in shaping equitable economic outcomes. The findings offer policy-relevant insights for other countries seeking to use education as a lever to promote gender equality in entrepreneurial activity.
