KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTED LEADERSHIP: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among knowledge-oriented leadership, knowledge management capability, the social responsibility of educational institutions, and social entrepreneurship in the context of colleges in the Kostanay region. The relevance of the work lies in the need to understand the mechanisms by which leadership in the educational sphere can contribute to the development of socially oriented activities. A quantitative deductive approach was applied in the study. To test the hypotheses and analyse the multidimensional relationships among the variables, structural equation modelling using partial least squares (PLS-SEM) was employed, based on data collected from teachers in educational institutions. The results confirm that knowledge-oriented leadership positively influences knowledge management capability, social responsibility, and organisations' social entrepreneurship. It was found that knowledge management capability and the social responsibility of educational institutions are important predictors of social entrepreneurship, confirming their key role in shaping a socially oriented approach. Mediation analysis showed that knowledge management capability and social responsibility mediate the relationship between leadership and social entrepreneurship. These findings have theoretical and practical significance, providing recommendations for leaders of educational institutions seeking to develop social entrepreneurship.

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