Impact of agile leadership, organizational learning, and social capital on competitive advantage: The mediating role of sustainable organisational performance

Abstract

This study aims to examine the influence of Agile Leadership, Organisational Learning, and Social Capital on Competitive Advantage, with Sustainable Organisational Performance (SOP) acting as a mediating variable in private primary schools. The study engaged 211 school principals as the primary respondents, given their strategic role in leading educational institutions. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to assess the relationships among the variables. The findings reveal that SOP significantly influences Competitive Advantage and serves as a mediator that strengthens the impact of the three independent variables on competitive positioning. Agile Leadership and Social Capital have a direct positive effect on Competitive Advantage. In contrast, Organisational Learning did not demonstrate a direct impact but contributed indirectly through its positive influence on SOP. Furthermore, all three independent variables showed a significant positive relationship with Sustainable Organisational Performance. These results emphasize the pivotal role of SOP as a strategic enabler of long-term competitiveness in the private primary education sector. The practical implications of this study suggest that schools should prioritize the development of Agile Leadership, foster a culture of Organisational Learning, and invest in building Social Capital as key drivers of sustainable performance. Moreover, the findings offer valuable insights into how schools can leverage both internal capabilities and external relationships to remain relevant and competitive in an increasingly dynamic educational environment. This study contributes to the existing literature on strategic leadership and organisational development in education, serving as a valuable reference for both practitioners and policymakers.