Analyzing the influencing mechanism of empowering leadership on organizational learning ability with the mediation of knowledge management and cognitive empowerment of university employees

Nasirzade, Somaye; Zamani, Asghar; Bagherian Far, Mostafa

doi:10.22055/slis.2025.48156.1977

Analyzing the influencing mechanism of empowering leadership on organizational learning ability with the mediation of knowledge management and cognitive empowerment of university employees

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

somaye Nasirzade ¹

asghar zamani ²

mostafa bagherian far ³

¹ Assistant Professor, Dept. of Higher education management studies, Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education, Tehran,Iran

² Associate Professor, Higher Education Research and Planning Institute, Tehran, Iran

³ Assistant Professor, Dept. of Educational and Curriculum Innovations, Institute for Research and Planning in Higher Education, Tehran,Iran

https://doi.org/10.22055/slis.2025.48156.1977

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which empowering leadership influences organizational learning capability, with the mediating roles of knowledge management and employees' cognitive empowerment, in Farhangian University of Lorestan Province. This research employed a quantitative approach using a descriptive-correlational method based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population included all staff members of Farhangian University in Lorestan during the academic year 2023–2024 (N = 319), from which a sample of 174 individuals was selected using proportional stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Empowering Leadership Questionnaire (Ahearne, Mathieu, & Rapp, 2005), Organizational Learning (Chiva et al., 2007), Knowledge Management (Hemati, 2010), and Psychological Empowerment (Spreitzer, 1995). Content validity was assessed qualitatively, and internal consistency reliability was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha coefficients. To examine the conceptual model and test the hypotheses, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS 3 software. This method is well-suited for analyzing complex relationships among variables and non-normally distributed data. The findings revealed that empowering leadership has a direct effect on organizational learning, knowledge management, and cognitive empowerment. Furthermore, both knowledge management and cognitive empowerment directly affect organizational learning. However, the mediating roles of knowledge management and cognitive empowerment in the relationship between empowering leadership and organizational learning were not statistically significant. Based on these findings, it is recommended that academic institutions emphasize the importance of empowering leadership and implement programs to enhance knowledge management and organizational learning among staff.

Keywords

Empowering leadership

organizational learning

knowledge management

cognitive empowerment

Subjects

Knowledge Management

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