The Effect of Sustainable Leadership Orientation on Frugal Innovation Through Diverse Knowledge Sharing by Analyzing the Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Bricolage (Case study: Technological and Knowledge-Based Agricultural Companies in Khorasan Razavi)

Abstract

Background: In many developing economies, crises, resource constraints, and economic recession have heightened sensitivity to costs and the need for optimal resource management.In this context, adopting frugal approaches has gained increasing importance-not only in individuals' daily lives, but especially in sectors such as agriculture-as a fundamental strategy to address these challenges.Agricultural technology-based and knowledge-based companies have emerged to facilitate the sustainable conversion of knowledge into wealth and create value in the agricultural sector.These companies can support the development of a knowledge-based economy and help move toward sustainable development in Iran's agricultural sector.However, a significant portion of efforts to develop agricultural technologies face numerous barriers and challenges, mainly due to the inherent complexity of innovation and the high costs associated with these processes.Under such circumstances, frugal innovation represents a strategic approach that not only offers an effective response to resource limitations in agriculture but can also contribute to improving farmers' quality of life and enhancing the livelihoods of low-income rural populations.These innovations can address neglected or insufficiently served needs of farmers.Given that agricultural knowledge-based companies often face limitations in human and financial resources, as well as insufficient managerial expertise, the development and promotion of frugal innovation can play a key role in their sustainability and survival.Sustainability-oriented leadership, which balances the economic, environmental, and social objectives of the organization, is regarded as the most effective leadership style to strengthen this type of innovation under resource constraints.Accordingly, the present study aims to investigate the effect of sustainability-oriented leadership on frugal innovation through the mediating role of diverse internal and external knowledge sharing and the moderating role of entrepreneurial bricolage. Methods: The statistical population of the study consisted of managers of knowledge-based and agricultural technology companies located in the Science and Technology Park of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and the Technology, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Food Industries Village of Khorasan Razavi.Their number totaled 160 as of the end of April 2025.A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample of 114 individuals based on the Morgan Table.Data were collected using a questionnaire derived from the studies of McCann & Holt (2010), Ye et al. (2016), Davidsson et al. (2017), and Rossetto et al. (2017).The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by academic experts and university professors.Its convergent and discriminant validity were confirmed using the Fornell and Larcker criterion and the HTMT ratio, respectively.The reliability of the questionnaire was verified based on Cronbach's alpha coefficients and composite reliability.Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 27.Given the non-normal distribution of data-as determined by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test-the variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was employed to test the research hypotheses.Results: With a 95% confidence level, the results showed that sustainability-oriented leadership had a direct and significant impact on internal and external diverse knowledge sharing, with tvalues of 4.782 and 4.733, respectively.Additionally, entrepreneurial bricolage moderated these relationships, with t-values of 2.409 and 1.986, respectively.A positive and significant influence of both internal and external knowledge sharing was also found on frugal innovation, with t-

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