STRATEGIC RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND FIRM COMPETITIVENESS: HOW OMOLUABI LEADERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE

This study assessed the effect of strategic response capability on firm competitiveness of selected paint manufacturers in Lagos State, Nigeria, more so, it ascertained the moderating effect of Omoluabi leadership on the interaction between strategic response capability and firm competitiveness. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and a sample of 343 employees of eighteen selected paint manufacturers in Lagos State, Nigeria. A hierarchical regression analysis to test three-way interaction hypotheses was conducted. The results showed that strategic response capability had a positive and significant effect on firm competitiveness (R2 = 0.46.3, F (1,341) 294.165, p= .000). Further analysis showed that the interaction term of strategic response capability and Omoluabi leadership explained the increase in firms’ competitiveness (ΔR2 =0.039, p=0.000) with the introduction of Omoluabi leadership as a moderator. The study through its findings established that strategic response capability enhances firm competitiveness through the deployment of Omoluabi leadership. Hence, this study recommends that firms should strengthen their strategic response capability and encourages leadership to imbibe the philosophy of Omoluabi leadership this is because such a leadership attribute potentially improves firm competitiveness.