Linking Intellectual Leadership Practices to Sustainability Outcomes: Moderated Mediation Effect of Employees’ Multifunctionality

Abstract

This study aims to examine the indirect mechanism by which intellectual leadership practices influence sustainability outcomes. By using the multi-source data from 289 manufacturing firms around the world, regression and bootstrapping analysis are applied to test both the mediation and moderated mediation models. The findings show that environmental competitive advantage indirectly mediates the relationship between intellectual leadership practices and sustainability outcomes. In addition, the indirect mediating relationship is strengthened as the level of employees’ multifunctionality increases. By exploring the jointed effect of intellectual leadership practices and employees’ multifunctionality on sustainability outcomes, this study provides insights into how manufacturers effectively enhance the economic consequences of sustainability management.