The Key Determinants of Leadership Performance Effectiveness in Public Research and Comprehensive Universities: An Advanced PLS-Sem Study in Malaysian Context

Abstract

This study was an attempt to highlight the role of capabilities and competencies in determining leadership performance in Malaysian Public Research & Comprehensive Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The previously developed capabilities, competencies, and leadership performance scales in Malaysian academic context were used to collect data from leaders in 6 Public Research and Comprehensive HEIs. In total, 196 completed surveys were collected and the data were screened. SmartPLS 3 was used to analyze the data and the results were extended using Finite Mixture Segmentation Partial Least Squares (FIMIX-PLS) and ImportancePerformance Map Analysis (IPMA). The outcome of FIMIX-PLS implied the existence of two models namely University-Faculty Level Leaders and Department-Individual Professorial Level Leaders models. Additionally, the results of IPMA showed that generic competency and change-oriented capability were the main areas of improvement to be addressed by management activities on the basis of University-Faculty Level Leaders and Department-Individual Professorial Level Leaders models, respectively.