The Mediating Role of Transformational Leadership in the Relationship Between Institutional Pressures and Collaboration with Commercialization of University Research Output: A Pilot Study

Abstract

The increasing recognition of universities as a seedbed of new knowledge and technology to boost economic growth, technological improvements, and competitiveness has led to the notion of commercialization of university research outputs to gain traction and popularity in different fora. Despite the significance attached, the commercialization of research outputs and innovation has remained low in universities. The purpose of this study is to lay emphasis on Uganda’s Universities in light of the examination of how institutional pressures and collaboration influence the commercialization of university research output with the mediating role of transformational leadership. Data was collected using a questionnaire from 115 university staff in the 23 chartered universities in Uganda. The paper adopted Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for instrument validity and reliability, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for testing and estimating relations between the commercialization of university research outputs with its antecedents of institutional pressures, collaboration and transformational leadership. The results indicate that the operational measures developed for research commercialization, along with its antecedents satisfy the reliability and validity tests. The proposed measurement scale for research commercialization with its antecedents (institutional pressures, collaboration and transformational leadership) will help practitioners to measure research commercialization performance in universities. The findings demonstrated that transformational leadership mediates the relationship between institutional factors and collaboration with the commercialization in Ugandan Universities.