Entrepreneurial Orientation, Creativity, and Productivity: The Influence of Self-leadership Strategies

Abstract

This study examines the influence of self-leadership strategies on the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, creativity, and productivity. It also investigates the psychometric properties of the relatively newly developed self-leadership measurement instrument. The study involves a questionnaire-based survey of employees from a perceived innovative organisation operating in the United Arab Emirates. A total of 255 employees participated in the study. The responses were subject to a serious of factor, correlation and regression analyses using SPSS and structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the second order factor of self-leadership behavioural-focused strategies has a significant and strong effect on entrepreneurial orientation, which in turn enhances influences on creativity and productivity. Furthermore, the second order factor of self-leadership natural reward strategies has no effect on entrepreneurial orientation, suggesting that strategies that seek work activities which are pleasant and enjoyable neither affect the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, nor the dimensions of creativity and productivity. Results also showed that self-leadership behavioural-focused strategies accounted for 51% of the variance in entrepreneurial orientation, and 40% and 52% of the variance in creativity and productivity, respectively. The findings also showed that entrepreneurial orientation impacts significantly the dimensions of creativity and productivity. In conclusion, the findings clearly suggest that organisations should train and/or hire those employees who encompass strategies that are intended to strengthen positive, desirable behaviours, such as self-goal setting, self-observation, self-reward, self-punishment, and self-practice, if they wish to maintain and/or increase innovativeness, pro-activeness, creativity, and productivity. Directions for future research and practical implications for leadership and business approaches are discussed.