How Leaders’ Intellectual Humility Drives Frugal Innovation: A Moderated Mediation Study of Pharmaceutical SMEs in Pakistan

Qandeel Anjum; M. Ali Asghar S andhu; Fauzia  Syed

doi:10.62270/jirms.v6i4.133

Authors

Qandeel Anjum Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3163-306X
M. Ali Asghar S andhu Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8198-0738
Fauzia Syed Associate Professor, Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2187-6506

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62270/jirms.v6i4.133

Keywords:

Leaders Intellectual Humility (LIH), Strategic sustainable orientation (SSO), Relational embeddedness (RE), Frugal Innovation (FI), Upper Echelon Theory (UET)

Abstract

Purpose—In the face of contemporary challenges, the pursuit of sustainability has become imperative for SMEs of emerging economies. Despite the recent upsurge in attention to leaders’ humility, its subdomain, intellectual humility as a leadership psychological trait, has been less explored in sustainability research. Based on Upper Echelon Theory, this study aims to examine how and when leaders’ intellectual humility influences the adoption of frugal innovation by examining strategic sustainable orientation as a mediating mechanism and relational embeddedness as a boundary condition in SMEs of the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan.

Study Design/Methodology/Approach—This study used a simple random sampling approach for data collection through time lagged design, with a one-month lag between each measurement point (three-time intervals) from 275 managers of SMEs working in the pharmaceutical sector. Moreover, PROCESS-macro by Hayes was used for testing the proposed hypothesis.

Findings—Our findings reveal a significant positive impact of leaders’ intellectual humility on frugal innovation. In addition, strategic sustainable orientation partially mediates the leader’s intellectual humility – frugal innovation relationship. Moreover, relational embeddedness moderates the relationship between leaders’ intellectual humility and strategic sustainable orientation and between leaders’ intellectual humility and frugal innovation through strategic sustainable orientation.

Theoretical and practical implications— This study is novel in introducing intellectual humility as a distinct cognitive leadership trait that shapes strategic sustainable orientation and frugal innovation within the Upper Echelons framework. This study offers context-specific insights from pharmaceutical SMEs in an emerging economy, thereby improving the relevance of humility-based leadership research for resource-constrained settings. Practically, this suggests nurturing intellectual humility in leadership development to foster sustainable outcomes.

References

Aftab, J., Veneziani, M., Sarwar, H., & Ishaq, M. I. (2022). Entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial competencies, innovation, and performances in SMEs of Pakistan: Moderating role of social ties. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 31(2), 419-437.

Agarwal, N., Grottke, M., Mishra, S., & Brem, A. (2016). A systematic literature review of constraint-based innovations: State of the art and future perspectives. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 64(1), 3-15.

Agarwal, U. A. (2019). Examining links between abusive supervision, PsyCap, LMX and outcomes. Management Decision, 57(5), 1304-1334. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-02-2017-0103

Al-Abrrow, H., Fayez, A. S., Abdullah, H., Khaw, K. W., Alnoor, A., & Rexhepi, G. (2023). Effect of open-mindedness and humble behavior on innovation: mediator role of learning. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 18(9), 3065-3084.

Al Hawamdeh, N., & Al-Edenat, M. (2025). Digital leadership and frugal innovation: the mediating role of knowledge sharing and the moderating role of digital organisational culture. International Journal of Innovation Science, 1-24.

Alblooshi, M., Shamsuzzaman, M., & Haridy, S. (2021). The relationship between leadership styles and organisational innovation: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. European Journal of Innovation Management, 24(2), 338-370.

Albort-Morant, G., Leal-Millán, A., Cepeda-Carrion, G., & Henseler, J. (2018). Developing green innovation performance by fostering of organizational knowledge and coopetitive relations. Review of Managerial Science, 12(2), 499-517.

Anwar, A., Zafar, A. U., Papa, A., Pham, T. T. T., & Apostolidis, C. (2024). Exploring the ascendancy of social capital in entrepreneurial behavior: new insights from mix model perspective in digital healthcare. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 30(8), 2001-2026.

Arici, H. E., & Uysal, M. (2022). Leadership, green innovation, and green creativity: A systematic review. The Service Industries Journal, 42(5-6), 280-320.

Bos‐Brouwers, H. E. J. (2010). Corporate sustainability and innovation in SMEs: Evidence of themes and activities in practice. Business Strategy and the Environment, 19(7), 417-435.

Bouncken, R. B., Kraus, S., & de Lucas Ancillo, A. (2022). Management in times of crises: reflections on characteristics, avoiding pitfalls, and pathways out. Review of Managerial Science, 16(7), 2035-2046.

Bowes, S. M., & Tasimi, A. (2023). Is intellectual humility ‘good’for people? The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(2), 250-253.

Calabrese, A., Costa, R., Levialdi, N., & Menichini, T. (2019). Integrating sustainability into strategic decision-making: A fuzzy AHP method for the selection of relevant sustainability issues. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 139, 155-168.

Cao, Q., Simsek, Z., & Zhang, H. (2010). Modelling the joint impact of the CEO and the TMT on organizational ambidexterity. Journal of Management Studies, 47(7), 1272-1296.

Carnevale, J. B., Huang, L., & Paterson, T. (2019). LMX-differentiation strengthens the prosocial consequences of leader humility: An identification and social exchange perspective. Journal of Business Research, 96, 287-296.

Chan, E. T., Hekman, D. R., & Foo, M. D. (2024). An examination of whether and how leader humility enhances leader personal career success. Human Resource Management, 63(3), 427-442.

Chandler, J. A., Johnson, N. E., Jordan, S. L., & Short, J. C. (2023). A meta-analysis of humble leadership: Reviewing individual, team, and organizational outcomes of leader humility. The Leadership Quarterly, 34(1), 1-63.

Chatterjee, A., & Hambrick, D. C. (2007). It's all about me: Narcissistic chief executive officers and their effects on company strategy and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52(3), 351-386.

Chen, Y., Liu, B., Zhang, L., & Qian, S. (2018). Can leader “humility” spark employee “proactivity”? The mediating role of psychological empowerment. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 39(3), 326-339.

Cheng, C., Ahmad, S. F., Irshad, M., Alsanie, G., Khan, Y., Ahmad, A. Y. B., & Aleemi, A. R. (2023). Impact of green process innovation and productivity on sustainability: The moderating role of environmental awareness. Sustainability, 15(17), 12945.

Cheng, C. C. (2020). Sustainability orientation, green supplier involvement, and green innovation performance: Evidence from diversifying green entrants. Journal of Business Ethics, 161(2), 393-414.

Choi, Y., Ha, S.-B., & Choi, D. (2022). Leader Humor and Followers’ Change-Oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Role of Leader Machiavellianism. Behavioral Sciences, 12(2), 1-14.

Chughtai, M. S., Amin, S., Khalid, Y., & Ahmed, S. I. (2023). Change-Oriented Leadership and Frugal Innovations: A Moderated Mediation Model of Readiness to Change and Learning Goal Orientation. Journal of Innovative Research in Management Sciences, 4(2), 69-90.

Chughtai, M. S., Khalid, Y., Guan, R., & Razzaq, T. (2023). When does leadership humility nurture career success: A moderated mediation model of career adaptability and proactive personality. Journal of Innovative Research in Management Sciences, 4(1), 35-53.

Chughtai, M. S., Syed, F., Naseer, S., & Chinchilla, N. (2023). Role of adaptive leadership in learning organizations to boost organizational innovations with change self‑efcacy. Current Psychology, 43(33), 27262-27281.

Chughtai, M. S., Syed, F., Naseer, S., & Chinchilla, N. (2024). Role of adaptive leadership in learning organizations to boost organizational innovations with change self-efficacy. Current Psychology, 43(33), 27262-27281.

Claudy, M. C., Peterson, M., & Pagell, M. (2016). The roles of sustainability orientation and market knowledge competence in new product development success. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 33, 72-85.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8th, Ed.). Rroutledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Collins, J. (2001). Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 67-76.

Çop, S., Olorunsola, V. O., & Alola, U. V. (2021). Achieving environmental sustainability through green transformational leadership policy: can green team resilience help? Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(1), 671-682.

Córcoles Muñoz, M. M., Parra Requena, G., Garcia Villaverde, P. M., & Ruiz Ortega, M. J. (2023). Relational antecedents of sustainability orientation in hospitality and tourism firms: the mediating role of absorptive capacity. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 31(3), 778-800.

Cortes, A. F., & Herrmann, P. (2021). Strategic leadership of innovation: a framework for future research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 23(2), 224-243.

Cristofaro, M., Giardino, P. L., Camilli, R., & Hristov, I. (2024). Understanding behavioral strategy: A historical evolutionary perspective in “Management Decision”. Management Decision, 62(13), 426-455.

Davis, D. E., Rice, K., McElroy, S., DeBlaere, C., Choe, E., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Hook, J. N. (2016). Distinguishing intellectual humility and general humility. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(3), 215-224.

Dey, P. K., Malesios, C., De, D., Budhwar, P., Chowdhury, S., & Cheffi, W. (2022). Circular economy to enhance sustainability of small and medium sized enterprises. In Supply chain sustainability in small and medium sized enterprises (pp. 10-45). Routledge.

DiVito, L., & Bohnsack, R. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation and its effect on sustainability decision tradeoffs: The case of sustainable fashion firms. Journal of Business Venturing, 32(5), 569-587.

Dost, M., Pahi, M. H., Magsi, H. B., & Umrani, W. A. (2019). Effects of sources of knowledge on frugal innovation: moderating role of environmental turbulence. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(7), 1245-1259.

Dubey, R., Gunasekaran, A., Childe, S. J., Papadopoulos, T., & Helo, P. (2019). Supplier relationship management for circular economy: Influence of external pressures and top management commitment. Management Decision, 57(4), 767-790.

Eisenhardt, K. M., & Schoonhoven, C. B. (1996). Resource-based view of strategic alliance formation: Strategic and social effects in entrepreneurial firms. Organization Science, 7(2), 136-150.

Emami, R., Moradi, E., Idrus, D., & Almutairi, D. O. (2012). Investigating the relationship between organizational learning culture, job satisfaction and turnover intention in it SMEs. International Journal of Innovative Ideas, 12(1), 8-23.

Emamisaleh, K., & Rahmani, K. (2017). Sustainable supply chain in food industries: Drivers and strategic sustainability orientation. Cogent Business & Management, 4(1), 1345296.

Erthal, A., & Wegner, D. (2025). Strategy and Leadership for Grand Societal Challenges: Bridging Theory and Practice. Taylor & Francis.

Farhikhteh, S., Kazemi, A., Shahin, A., & Mohammad Shafiee, M. (2020). How competitiveness factors propel SMEs to achieve competitive advantage? Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 30(3), 315-338.

Finkelstein, S., Cannella, S. F. B., Hambrick, D. C., & Cannella, A. A. (2009). Strategic leadership: Theory and research on executives, top management teams, and boards. Oxford University Press, USA.

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error: Algebra and Statistics. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(3), 382-388.

Frank, F. (2023). The power of humility in leadership: Influencing as a role model. Productivity Press.

Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Pittman.

Gallego‐Álvarez, I., & Pucheta‐Martínez, M. C. (2022). Sustainable development through the effect of board diversity and CEO duality on corporate risk: Does the state‐owned enterprises matter? Sustainable Development, 30(6), 1462-1476.

Gao, C., Niu, A., & Yu, C. (2025). The role of intellectual humility leadership on thriving at work and performance of new generation employees. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1673728.

Geletkanycz, M. A., Boyd, B. K., & Finkelstein, S. (2001). The strategic value of CEO external directorate networks: Implications for CEO compensation. Strategic Management Journal, 22(9), 889-898.

Geletkanycz, M. A., & Hambrick, D. C. (1997). The external ties of top executives: Implications for strategic choice and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 654-681.

Gherghina, Ș. C., Botezatu, M. A., Hosszu, A., & Simionescu, L. N. (2020). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): The engine of economic growth through investments and innovation. Sustainability, 12(1), 347.

Gillani, A., Kutaula, S., & Budhwar, P. S. (2023). Heading home? Reshoring and sustainability connectedness from a home‐country consumer perspective. British Journal of Management, 34(3), 1117-1137.

Gollwitzer, A., Bao, E., & Oettingen, G. (2024). Intellectual humility as a tool to combat false beliefs: An individual‐based approach to belief revision. British Journal of Social Psychology, 63(3), 1450-1478.

Govindan, K. (2022). How artificial intelligence drives sustainable frugal innovation: A multitheoretical perspective. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 71, 638-655.

Granovetter, M., & Action, E. (1985). The problem of embeddedness. American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), 481-510.

Gull, A. A., Hussain, N., Khan, S. A., Mushtaq, R., & Orij, R. (2023). The power of the CEO and environmental decoupling. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(6), 3951-3964.

Gutiérrez, S. (2024). How and when CEO servant leaders fuel firm innovation: the role of social capital and knowledge absorptive capacity. 20, 4(2729-2761).

Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2-24.

Haldorai, K., Kim, W. G., & Garcia, R. F. (2022). Top management green commitment and green intellectual capital as enablers of hotel environmental performance: The mediating role of green human resource management. Tourism Management, 88, 104431.

Hambrick, D. C. (2007). Upper echelons theory: An update. In (Vol. 32, pp. 334-343): Academy of Management Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510.

Hambrick, D. C., & Mason, P. A. (1984). Upper echelons: The organization as a reflection of its top managers. Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 193-206.

Hayes, A. F. (2018). Partial, conditional, and moderated moderated mediation: Quantification, inference, and interpretation. Communication monographs, 85(1), 4-40.

Hayward, M. L., & Hambrick, D. C. (1997). Explaining the premiums paid for large acquisitions: Evidence of CEO hubris. Administrative Science Quarterly, 103-127.

Heikkurinen, P., & Bonnedahl, K. J. (2013). Corporate responsibility for sustainable development: a review and conceptual comparison of market-and stakeholder-oriented strategies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 43, 191-198.

Helfat, C. E., & Martin, J. A. (2015). Dynamic managerial capabilities: Review and assessment of managerial impact on strategic change. Journal of Management, 41(5), 1281-1312.

Hengst, I.-A., Jarzabkowski, P., Hoegl, M., & Muethel, M. (2020). Toward a process theory of making sustainability strategies legitimate in action. Academy of Management Journal, 63(1), 246-271.

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.

Herrmann, D., & Felfe, J. (2014). Effects of leadership style, creativity technique and personal initiative on employee creativity. British Journal of Management, 25(2), 209-227.

Hiller, N. J., & Hambrick, D. C. (2005). Conceptualizing executive hubris: the role of (hyper‐) core self‐evaluations in strategic decision‐making. Strategic Management Journal, 26(4), 297-319.

Hoekstra, R., & Vazire, S. (2021). Aspiring to greater intellectual humility in science. Nature Human Behaviour, 5(12), 1602-1607.

Hörisch, J., Freeman, R. E., & Schaltegger, S. (2014). Applying stakeholder theory in sustainability management: Links, similarities, dissimilarities, and a conceptual framework. Organization & Environment, 27(4), 328-346.

Hossain, M. (2021). Frugal innovation and sustainable business models. Technology in Society, 64, 101508.

Hossain, M., Simula, H., & Halme, M. (2016). Can frugal go global? Diffusion patterns of frugal innovations. Technology in Society, 46, 132-139.

House, R. J., & Aditya, R. N. (1997). The social scientific study of leadership: Quo vadis? Journal of Management, 23(3), 409-473.

Howitt, D., & Cramer, D. (2020). Research Methods in Psychology. Pearson.

Ikram, M., Zhou, P., Shah, S., & Liu, G. (2019). Do environmental management systems help improve corporate sustainable development? Evidence from manufacturing companies in Pakistan. Journal of Cleaner Production, 226, 628-641.

Iqbal, Q., Ahmad, N. H., Li, Z., & Li, Y. (2022). To walk in beauty: Sustainable leadership, frugal innovation and environmental performance. Managerial and Decision Economics, 43(3), 738-750.

Iqbal, Q., Piwowar-Sulej, K., & Kallmuenzer, A. (2025). Sustainable development through frugal innovation: the role of leadership, entrepreneurial bricolage and knowledge diversity. Review of Managerial Science, 19(2), 573-594.

Jansen, J. J., George, G., Van den Bosch, F. A., & Volberda, H. W. (2008). Senior team attributes and organizational ambidexterity: The moderating role of transformational leadership. ournal of Management Studies, 45(5), 982-1007.

Jonker, J., & Faber, N. (2018). Business models for multiple value creation: Exploring strategic changes in organisations enabling to address societal challenges. In Sustainable business models: innovation, implementation and success (pp. 151-179). Springer.

Kang, M., & Sauk Hau, Y. (2014). Multi-level analysis of knowledge transfer: a knowledge recipient’s perspective. Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(4), 758-776.

Kelemen, T. K., Matthews, S. H., Matthews, M. J., & Henry, S. E. (2023). Humble leadership: A review and synthesis of leader expressed humility. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44(2), 202-224.

Kesebir, P. (2014). A quiet ego quiets death anxiety: humility as an existential anxiety buffer. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(4), 610.

Khizar, H. M. U., Iqbal, M. J., Khalid, J., & Adomako, S. (2022). Addressing the conceptualization and measurement challenges of sustainability orientation: A systematic review and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 142, 718-743.

Khizar, H. M. U., Iqbal, M. J., Murshed, F., & Ahsan, M. (2024). Sustainability outcomes in SMEs: a configurational view of the interplay of strategic orientations and environmental conditions. Journal of Macromarketing, 44(2), 534-552.

Kiss, A. N., Cortes, A. F., & Herrmann, P. (2022). CEO proactiveness, innovation, and firm performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 33(3), 101545.

Klewitz, J. (2017). Grazing, exploring and networking for sustainability-oriented innovations in learning-action networks: an SME perspective. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 30(4), 476-503.

Kroll, H., & Gabriel, M. (2020). Frugal innovation in, by and for Europe. International Journal of Technology Management, 83(1-3), 34-54.

Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., & Begin, M. R. (2022). Cultivating intellectual humility in leaders: Potential benefits, risks, and practical tools. In (Vol. 36, pp. 1404-1411): SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA.

Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., & Newman, B. (2021). Sociopolitical intellectual humility as a predictor of political attitudes and behavioral intentions. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 9(1), 52-68.

Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., Pärnamets, P., Bland, S., Astola, M., Cichocka, A., de Ridder, J.,…Porter, T. (2025). Toward an understanding of collective intellectual humility. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 29(1), 15-27.

Kutaula, S., Chowdhury, S., Gillani, A., Budhwar, P. S., & Dey, P. K. (2025). Linking HRM with sustainability performance through sustainability practices: Unlocking the black box. British Journal of Management, 36(2), 615-632.

Landrum, R. E. (2011). Measuring dispositional humility: A first approximation. Psychological Reports, 108(1), 217-228.

Leana, C. R., & Pil, F. K. (2006). Social capital and organizational performance: Evidence from urban public schools. Organization Science, 17(3), 353-366.

Leary, M. R., Diebels, K. J., Davisson, E. K., Jongman-Sereno, K. P., Isherwood, J. C., Raimi, K. T.,…Hoyle, R. H. (2017). Cognitive and interpersonal features of intellectual humility. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(6), 793-813.

Lei, H., Gui, L., & Le, P. B. (2021). Linking transformational leadership and frugal innovation: the mediating role of tacit and explicit knowledge sharing. Journal of Knowledge Management, 25(7), 1832-1852.

Lei, H., Ha, A. T. L., & Le, P. B. (2020). How ethical leadership cultivates radical and incremental innovation: the mediating role of tacit and explicit knowledge sharing. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 35(5), 849-862.

Liao, Y. (2022). Sustainable leadership: A literature review and prospects for future research. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1045570.

Liborius, P., & Kiewitz, C. (2022). When leader humility meets follower competitiveness: Relationships with follower affective trust, intended and voluntary turnover. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 135, 103719.

Lin, J. L., Fang, S.-C., Fang, S.-R., & Tsai, F.-S. (2009). Network embeddedness and technology transfer performance in R&D consortia in Taiwan. Technovation, 29(11), 763-774.

Liu, C.-H., Chang, A. Y.-P., & Fang, Y.-P. (2020). Network activities as critical sources of creating capability and competitive advantage: The mediating role of innovation capability and human capital. Management Decision, 58(3), 544-568.

Liu, X., Shin, H., & Burns, A. C. (2021). Examining the impact of luxury brand's social media marketing on customer engagement: Using big data analytics and natural language processing. Journal of Business Research, 125, 815-826.

López-Arceiz, F. J., Santamaría, R., & Del Río, C. (2020). Sustainability for European investors: Evidence from a sustainable ranking. Revista de Contabilidad, 23(2), 148-166.

Mallén, F., Domínguez-Escrig, E., Lapiedra, R., & Chiva, R. (2019). Does leader humility matter? Effects on altruism and innovation. Management Decision, 58(5), 967-981.

Martin, J. A., & Bachrach, D. G. (2018). A relational perspective of the microfoundations of dynamic managerial capabilities and transactive memory systems. Industrial Marketing Management, 74, 27-38.

Martínez‐Ferrero, J., & García‐Meca, E. (2020). Internal corporate governance strength as a mechanism for achieving sustainable development goals. Sustainable Development, 28(5), 1189-1198.

Martins, V. W. B., Rampasso, I. S., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O. L. G., & Leal Filho, W. (2019). Knowledge management in the context of sustainability: Literature review and opportunities for future research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 229, 489-500.

McDonald, M. L., & Westphal, J. D. (2003). Getting by with the advice of their friends: CEOs' advice networks and firms' strategic responses to poor performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 48(1), 1-32.

Meagher, B. R., Gunn, H., Sheff, N., & Van Tongeren, D. R. (2019). An intellectually humbling experience: Changes in interpersonal perception and cultural reasoning across a five-week course. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 47(3), 217-229.

Milanesi, M., Runfola, A., & Guercini, S. (2020). Pharmaceutical industry riding the wave of sustainability: Review and opportunities for future research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 261, 121204.

Morris, J. A., Brotheridge, C. M., & Urbanski, J. C. (2005). Bringing humility to leadership: Antecedents and consequences of leader humility. Human Relations, 58(10), 1323-1350.

Mubarak, Z., Javed, A., Manzoor, M., Riaz, A., Akbar, F., Shahbaz, H.,…Abbas, N. (2025). Barriers to and enablers of Pakistani pharmaceutical export to regulated markets: regulatory perspective. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, 18(1), 2564828.

Naseer, S., Chughtai, M. S., & Syed, F. (2023). The Interactive Effects of HPWP and Adaptive Leadership on Readiness and Commitment to Change. Academy of Management Proceedings,

Naseer, S., Raja, U., Syed, F., Donia, M. B., & Darr, W. (2016). Perils of being close to a bad leader in a bad environment: Exploring the combined effects of despotic leadership, leader member exchange, and perceived organizational politics on behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 27(1), 14-33.

Naseer, S., Syed, F., Nauman, S., Fatima, T., Jameel, I., & Riaz, N. (2020). Understanding how leaders’ humility promotes followers’ emotions and ethical behaviors: Workplace spirituality as a mediator. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(3), 407-419.

Nasir, S., Chinchilla, N., Chughtai, M. S., & Khalid, Y. (2024). Living a Calling and Career Success: A Moderated Mediation Model of Psychosocial Safety Climate and Leadership Humility through Job Crafting. Journal of Innovative Research in Management Sciences, 5(4), 48-73.

Newstead, T., Dawkins, S., Macklin, R., & Martin, A. (2021). We don't need more leaders–We need more good leaders. Advancing a virtues-based approach to leader (ship) development. The Leadership Quarterly, 32(5), 101312.

Nguyen, N. T. H., Nguyen, D., Vo, N., & Tuan, L. T. (2023). Fostering public sector employees’ innovative behavior: The roles of servant leadership, public service motivation, and learning goal orientation. Administration & Society, 55(1), 30-63.

Nielsen, R., Marrone, J. A., & Slay, H. S. (2010). A new look at humility: Exploring the humility concept and its role in socialized charismatic leadership. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 17(1), 33-43.

Niu, Z., Willoughby, J., & Zhou, R. (2021). Associations of health literacy, social media use, and self-efficacy with health information–seeking intentions among social media users in China: cross-sectional survey. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(2), 1-10.

Ou, A. Y., Tsui, A. S., Kinicki, A. J., Waldman, D. A., Xiao, Z., & Song, L. J. (2014). Humble chief executive officers’ connections to top management team integration and middle managers’ responses. Administrative Science Quarterly, 59(1), 34-72.

Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016). How does leader humility influence team performance? Exploring the mechanisms of contagion and collective promotion focus. Academy of Management Journal, 59(3), 1088-1111.

Owens, B. P., Johnson, M. D., & Mitchell, T. R. (2013). Expressed humility in organizations: Implications for performance, teams, and leadership. Organization Science, 24(5), 1517-1538.

Pagell, M., & Wu, Z. (2009). Building a more complete theory of sustainable supply chain management using case studies of 10 exemplars. Journal of supply chain management, 45(2), 37-56.

Pallotti, F., & Lomi, A. (2011). Network influence and organizational performance: The effects of tie strength and structural equivalence. European Management Journal, 29(5), 389-403.

Pereira, V., Nandakumar, M., Sahasranamam, S., Bamel, U., Malik, A., & Temouri, Y. (2022). An exploratory study into emerging market SMEs’ involvement in the circular Economy: Evidence from India’s indigenous Ayurveda industry. Journal of Business Research, 142, 188-199.

Peterson, S. J., Galvin, B. M., & Lange, D. (2012). CEO servant leadership: Exploring executive characteristics and firm performance. Personnel Psychology, 65(3), 565-596.

Petrenko, O. V., Aime, F., Recendes, T., & Chandler, J. A. (2019). The case for humble expectations: CEO humility and market performance. Strategic Management Journal, 40(12), 1938-1964.

Planko, J., & Cramer, J. (2021). The networked business model for systems change: Integrating a systems perspective in business model development for sustainability transitions. In Business models for sustainability transitions: How organisations contribute to societal transformation (pp. 59-88). Springer.

Plohl, N., & Musil, B. (2023). Assessing the incremental value of intellectual humility and cognitive reflection in predicting trust in science. Personality and Individual Differences, 214, 112340.

Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879.

Ponte, R. C. D. V., Viana, F. L. E., & Silva, M. E. (2023). Diving into the business strategy: The strategy tripod's influence on supply chain sustainability orientation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(4), 2155-2174.

Porter, T., Baldwin, C. R., Warren, M. T., Murray, E. D., Cotton Bronk, K., Forgeard, M. J.,…Jayawickreme, E. (2022). Clarifying the content of intellectual humility: A systematic review and integrative framework. Journal of personality Assessment, 104(5), 573-585.

Porter, T., & Schumann, K. (2018). Intellectual humility and openness to the opposing view. Self and Identity, 17(2), 139-162.

Prashantham, S., & Dhanaraj, C. (2010). The dynamic influence of social capital on the international growth of new ventures. Journal of Management Studies, 47(6), 967-994.

Pratono, A. H. (2018). From social network to firm performance: The mediating effect of trust, selling capability and pricing capability. Management Research Review, 41(6), 680-700.

Priest, M. (2017). Intellectual humility: An interpersonal theory. Ergo, an Open Access Journal of Philosophy, 4.

Rego, A., Owens, B., Yam, K. C., Bluhm, D., Cunha, M. P. e., Silard, A.,…Liu, W. (2019). Leader humility and team performance: Exploring the mediating mechanisms of team PsyCap and task allocation effectiveness. Journal of Management, 45(3), 1009-1033.

Rehman, S. U., Bresciani, S., Ashfaq, K., & Alam, G. M. (2022). Intellectual capital, knowledge management and competitive advantage: a resource orchestration perspective. Journal of Knowledge Management, 26(7), 1705-1731.

Ren, S., Cooke, F. L., Stahl, G. K., Fan, D., & Timming, A. R. (2023). Advancing the sustainability agenda through strategic human resource management: Insights and suggestions for future research. Human Resource Management, 62(3), 251-265.

Reniati, R., Susantyo, B., Irmayani, N. R., Sabri, F., & Widiastuti, W. (2025). The influence of leadership strategies and social capital on the business performance and resilience of Indonesian MSMEs. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 16(2), 9932-9971.

Rodrigo-Alarcón, J., García-Villaverde, P. M., Ruiz-Ortega, M. J., & Parra-Requena, G. (2018). From social capital to entrepreneurial orientation: The mediating role of dynamic capabilities. European Management Journal, 36(2), 195-209.

Rodríguez-Sánchez, J.-L., Montero-Navarro, A., & Gallego-Losada, R. (2019). The opportunity presented by technological innovation to attract valuable human resources. Sustainability, 11(20), 5785.

Rossetto, D. E., & Borini, F. M. (2017). A proposed instrument for measuring frugal innovation: the first stage of development a new scale. Academy of Management Proceedings,

Rossetto, D. E., Borini, F. M., Bernardes, R. C., & Frankwick, G. L. (2017). A new scale for measuring frugal innovation: the first stage of development of a measurement tool. VI SINGEP–International Symposium on Project Management, Innovation, and Sustainability, Brasil.

Rossetto, D. E., Borini, F. M., Bernardes, R. C., & Frankwick, G. L. (2023). Measuring frugal innovation capabilities: An initial scale proposition. Technovation, 121, 102674.

Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2018). Business cases and corporate engagement with sustainability: Differentiating ethical motivations. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(2), 241-259.

Schaltegger, S., Hörisch, J., & Freeman, R. E. (2019). Business cases for sustainability: A stakeholder theory perspective. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 191-212.

Schmitz, E. A., Baum, M., Huett, P., & Kabst, R. (2019). The contextual role of regulatory stakeholder pressure in proactive environmental strategies: An empirical test of competing theoretical perspectives. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 281-308.

Setya, P. A., & Djatmika, E. T. (2017). Networking factor of top eng malangan (malangan mask) industry for the business sustainability (case study on gunung sari craft malang). International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(5), 2222-6990.

Shahzad, M., Qu, Y., Javed, S. A., Zafar, A. U., & Rehman, S. U. (2020). Relation of environment sustainability to CSR and green innovation: A case of Pakistani manufacturing industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 253, 119938.

Shalley, C. E., Gilson, L. L., & Blum, T. C. (2009). Interactive effects of growth need strength, work context, and job complexity on self-reported creative performance. Academy of Management Journal, 52(3), 489-505.

Sharma, A., Pandey, D. K., Girdharwal, N., & Charon, J. (2024). Global Culture of Eco-Friendly Products and Preference of Consumer in Digital Economy for Sustainable Development of G-20 Countries. In Diversity, Equity And Inclusion (pp. 368-380). Routledge.

Sheldon, R. A. (2017). The E factor 25 years on: the rise of green chemistry and sustainability. Green Chemistry, 19(1), 18-43.

Simsek, Z., Heavey, C., & Veiga, J. F. (2010). The impact of CEO core self‐evaluation on the firm's entrepreneurial orientation. Strategic Management Journal, 31(1), 110-119.

Snyder, C. R., & Lopez, S. J. (2001). Handbook of positive psychology. Oxford university press.

Son, J., Park, O., Bae, J., & Ok, C. (2020). Double-edged effect of talent management on organizational performance: the moderating role of HRM investments. The InTernaTIonal Journal of human resource managemenT, 31(17), 2188-2216.

Steier, L., & Greenwood, R. (2000). Entrepreneurship and the evolution of angel financial networks. Organization studies, 21(1), 163-192.

Sternberg, R. J. (1998). A balance theory of wisdom. Review of general psychology, 2(4), 347-365.

Sternberg, R. J., Cianciolo, A. T., & Antonakis, J. (2004). The nature of leadership. Sage Publications.

Sung, C. S., & Park, J. Y. (2018). Sustainability orientation and entrepreneurship orientation: is there a tradeoff relationship between them? Sustainability, 10(2), 379.

Tangney, J. P. (2002). Humility. Handbook of Positive Psychology (Snyder CR, Lopez SJ ed.). Oxford University Press.

Throop, W., & Mayberry, M. (2017). Leadership for the sustainability transition. Business and Society Review, 122(2), 221-250.

Tran, N. K. H. (2024). Influence of corporate social responsibility and ethical leadership on employees' affective commitment: Evidence from the hospitality industry in Vietnam. Business Strategy & Development, 7(2), e389.

Tuwey, J. K., & Ngeno, V. (2019). Does CEO traits influence innovation? Evidence from the Kenya banking sector. Journal of Accounting, Business and Finance Research, 7(2), 98-106.

Vesal, M., Siahtiri, V., & O'Cass, A. (2022). Do senior managers hold the keys to unlock innovation and environmental sustainability? Industrial Marketing Management, 103, 83-96.

Waldman, D. A., Ramirez, G. G., House, R. J., & Puranam, P. (2001). Does leadership matter? CEO leadership attributes and profitability under conditions of perceived environmental uncertainty. Academy of Management Journal, 44(1), 134-143.

Wang, J., & Lv, W. (2023). Research on the impact of green innovation network embeddedness on corporate environmental responsibility. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 3433.

Weidinger, C. (2014). Sustainable entrepreneurship business success through sustainability. Springer.

Whitcomb, D., Battaly, H., Baehr, J., & Howard-Snyder, D. (2017). Intellectual humility. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 94(3), 509-539.

Yan, J., & Ahmad, F. (2025). Bridging Institutional Voids in a Volatile Emerging Economy: Role of Regulatory Cultural Stewardship as a Dynamic Capability for Sustainable AI-Enabled Digital Transformation in SMEs. Sustainability, 17(22), 10397.

Yang, Z., Nguyen, V. T., & Le, P. B. (2018). Knowledge sharing serves as a mediator between collaborative culture and innovation capability: an empirical research. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 33(7), 958-969.

Yu, K., Hou, S., Qian, C., & Zhang, L. (2024). CEO attention and sustainable development: An analysis of its influence on firm's sustainability orientation. Sustainable Development, 32(4), 4042-4056.

Zahoor, N., & Gerged, A. M. (2021). Relational capital, environmental knowledge integration, and environmental performance of small and medium enterprises in emerging markets. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(8), 3789-3803.

Zmigrod, L., Zmigrod, S., Rentfrow, P. J., & Robbins, T. W. (2019). The psychological roots of intellectual humility: The role of intelligence and cognitive flexibility. Personality and Individual Differences, 141, 200-208.