{"title":"How does transformational leadership impact organizational unlearning: insights from persistence theories","authors":"Shubham Sharma, Usha Lenka","doi":"10.1108/jocm-07-2023-0302","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\n<p>Empirical attempts to recommend enabling mechanisms for organizational unlearning are sparse and have almost neglected the vital role of leadership in transforming organizations through unlearning. Based on the tenets of persistence theories like path-dependence and imprinting theory, this study examines the relationship between transformational leadership and unlearning with the mediating role of knowledge sharing, transparent internal communication and intrapreneurship.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\n<p>To analyze the hypothesized relationship between these constructs, data were collected from 452 faculty members working in Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) in India. The data were analyzed using Process macro (Hayes, 2022).</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Findings</h3>\n<p>The results show a significant effect of transformational leadership on organizational unlearning. This effect is mediated by transparent internal communication and intrapreneurship. However, knowledge sharing did not mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational unlearning.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Practical implications</h3>\n<p>The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Covid-19, the rise of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and policy reforms have pushed higher educational institutions to transform by unlearning old practices and experimenting with new ones. This paper informs how educational institutions can initiate and sustain the unlearning process.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Originality/value</h3>\n<p>Persistence theories like path-dependence and imprinting theory suggest that organizations often stick with proven success formulas and find it challenging to adopt new practices. Moreover, path dependence theorists advocate the role of an external intervening mechanism to break away from rigid and inefficient routines (or paths). This paper argues that in addition to external events (e.g. crisis, etc.), transformational leaders combined with organizational processes also help in unlearning obsolete knowledge and routines.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":47958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Organizational Change Management","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Organizational Change Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-07-2023-0302","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
Empirical attempts to recommend enabling mechanisms for organizational unlearning are sparse and have almost neglected the vital role of leadership in transforming organizations through unlearning. Based on the tenets of persistence theories like path-dependence and imprinting theory, this study examines the relationship between transformational leadership and unlearning with the mediating role of knowledge sharing, transparent internal communication and intrapreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
To analyze the hypothesized relationship between these constructs, data were collected from 452 faculty members working in Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) in India. The data were analyzed using Process macro (Hayes, 2022).
Findings
The results show a significant effect of transformational leadership on organizational unlearning. This effect is mediated by transparent internal communication and intrapreneurship. However, knowledge sharing did not mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational unlearning.
Practical implications
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Covid-19, the rise of generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and policy reforms have pushed higher educational institutions to transform by unlearning old practices and experimenting with new ones. This paper informs how educational institutions can initiate and sustain the unlearning process.
Originality/value
Persistence theories like path-dependence and imprinting theory suggest that organizations often stick with proven success formulas and find it challenging to adopt new practices. Moreover, path dependence theorists advocate the role of an external intervening mechanism to break away from rigid and inefficient routines (or paths). This paper argues that in addition to external events (e.g. crisis, etc.), transformational leaders combined with organizational processes also help in unlearning obsolete knowledge and routines.
期刊介绍:
■Adapting strategic planning to the need for change ■Leadership research ■Responsibility for change implementation and follow-through ■The psychology of change and its effect on the workforce ■TQM - will it work in your organization? Successful organizations respond intelligently to factors which precipitate change. Economic climates, political trends, changes in consumer demands, management policy or structure, employment levels and financial resources - all these elements are constantly at play to ensure that organizations clinging on to static structures will ultimately lose out. But change is a dynamic and alarming thing - this journal addresses how to manage it positively.