26-06-2025
AGU Researcher Explores Impact of Sustainable Leadership Practices on Sustainable Performance Through Social Innovation Capabilities in Saudi Arabia
Ms. Ghuzail Maqbool Al Buqmi, a researcher in the Department of Innovation and Technology Management at the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), conducted a study to examine the impact of sustainable leadership practices on sustainable performance through social innovation capabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The findings confirmed that sustainable leadership acts as a key driver of organisational sustainable performance through the channel of social innovation.
The study, recently discussed as part of the requirements for obtaining a Doctorate in Innovation and Technology Management, aimed to identify the influence of sustainable leadership practices on sustainable social performance via social innovation capabilities in Saudi Arabia. Ms. Al Buqmi adopted a mixed-method scientific approach, employing the SPSS software for survey analysis, for interviews, and AMOS to validate the structural model.
The research sample included a total population of 5,000 individuals, with 494 respondents participating in the study. Among them, 481 responded to the survey, and 13 participated in in-depth interviews. Hypotheses were tested and results confirmed using both linear and multiple regression methods, which revealed a positive impact of sustainable leadership practices on social performance via social innovation capabilities.
Further analysis highlighted a positive influence of social innovation capabilities on sustainable performance, as well as a direct positive relationship between sustainable leadership practices and engagement in social innovation. Two out of five variables—knowledge sharing and trust—were found to have a statistically significant effect.
The study was supervised by Prof, Fairouz Mosleh Al Dhmour, Professor of Management Information Systems in the Department of Innovation and Technology Management, and Dr Wid Hussain Daghustani, Associate Professor of Special Education. It recommended further research into the factors shaping social innovation capabilities and urged decision-makers to prioritise the appointment of sustainable leaders to stimulate innovation within their organisations.
