INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XXVI October 2025 | Special Issue on Education
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Transformational and Transactional Leadership as Predictors of Business
Survival: Evidence from the Nigerian Telecommunications Industry
Alex Adediran
Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK)
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0657
Received: 18 October 2025; Accepted: 22 October 2025; Published: 14 November 2025
ABSTRACT
This study examines the influence of transformational and transactional leadership styles on business survival
within the Nigerian telecommunications industry, a sector characterized by intense competition, rapid
technological change, and regulatory uncertainty. Drawing on Bass’s Transformational and Transactional
Leadership Theories, the research investigates how leadership behaviors influence firms’ ability to sustain
operations, adapt to market disruptions, and maintain competitive advantage. A quantitative research design was
adopted, utilizing structured questionnaires distributed to 383 employees across major telecommunications firms
MTN, Globacom, Airtel, and 9mobile. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation
Modelling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the relationships between leadership styles and business survival.
Findings revealed that both transformational and transactional leadership styles have significant positive effects
on business survival, though transformational leadership demonstrated a stronger influence by fostering
adaptability, employee commitment, and innovative responses to environmental challenges. Transactional
leadership, while more focused on performance monitoring and reward systems, contributed to short-term
operational stability. The integration of both styles was found to enhance organizational resilience and adaptive
capability, particularly in volatile and resource-constrained environments such as Nigeria’s telecommunications
sector.
Theoretically, this study contributes to leadership and strategic management literature by empirically validating
the dual impact of transformational and transactional leadership on organizational survival in an emerging
market context. Practically, it provides insights for industry leaders and policymakers on developing leadership
competencies that balance inspiration and structure. The paper concludes with recommendations for leadership
development, resilience enhancement, and adaptive strategy formulation aimed at improving the long-term
sustainability of telecommunications firms in developing economies.
Keywords: Transformational leadership, Transactional leadership, Business survival, Nigerian
telecommunications, Organizational resilience, PLS-SEM.
INTRODUCTION
Leadership remains one of the most critical determinants of organizational success and sustainability in today’s
rapidly changing business environment. In the face of global economic uncertainties, technological disruptions,
and competitive pressures, organisations must depend on effective leadership to sustain operations and achieve
long-term survival. Within the Nigerian telecommunications industry, which serves as a key driver of economic
growth and innovation, leadership plays a crucial role in maintaining business resilience and ensuring
adaptability to constant environmental shifts.
Over the past decades, leadership studies have largely focused on how leaders influence employee performance,
innovation, and organisational effectiveness. Two of the most widely studied leadership theories
transformational and transactional leadership have shown strong impacts on motivation, creativity, and
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XXVI October 2025 | Special Issue on Education
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productivity. However, in emerging economies such as Nigeria, the issue is not merely achieving short-term
performance but ensuring that organisations survive and remain competitive amidst regulatory instability, market
saturation, and infrastructure challenges. Despite this reality, there remains a limited understanding of how
leadership behaviour contributes directly to business survival, particularly when considering both
transformational and transactional leadership styles together.
While transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers through vision and shared purpose, transactional
leaders ensure structure, performance monitoring, and reward-based accountability. Both leadership types are
vital in dynamic industries such as telecommunications, where success depends on innovation, adaptation, and
operational discipline. Yet, most existing research treats these leadership constructs as independent influences
rather than exploring how their interaction enhances business longevity. Furthermore, much of the existing
evidence originates from Western contexts, offering limited insight into how these leadership behaviours
manifest and impact business survival in African environments, where cultural, institutional, and economic
conditions differ significantly.
Background of the Study
Leadership remains a cornerstone of organisational success, particularly in dynamic and competitive industries
such as telecommunications. In recent years, the Nigerian telecommunications industry has become a critical
driver of the nation’s economic development, contributing significantly to employment, connectivity, and
innovation. However, the sector continues to face increasing challenges arising from market saturation, rapid
technological evolution, fluctuating economic conditions, and regulatory uncertainties. In such volatile
environments, leadership plays a decisive role in sustaining business survival and ensuring long-term
organisational stability.
Among various leadership theories, transformational and transactional leadership have emerged as two dominant
paradigms that influence organisational performance and adaptability. Transformational leaders inspire and
motivate employees to pursue higher goals, stimulate innovation, and foster a sense of shared purpose.
Transactional leaders, on the other hand, emphasize structure, supervision, and performance-based rewards,
ensuring efficiency and goal attainment. Both leadership approaches are relevant in managing complexity, yet
their combined influence on business survival remains underexplored in emerging economies such as Nigeria.
Existing Research and Identified Gaps
Previous studies (e.g., Bass & Riggio, 2006; Judge & Piccolo, 2004; Odumeru & Ogbonna, 2013) have examined
how transformational and transactional leadership influence organisational outcomes such as innovation, job
satisfaction, and performance. However, most of these studies have been conducted in Western contexts, with
limited empirical evidence from African or Nigerian industries. Moreover, extant literature often treats these
leadership styles in isolation, rather than exploring their interactive or complementary effects in promoting
resilience and business continuity.
In addition, while the concept of business survival has gained increasing attention due to economic volatility and
market competition, there remains a scarcity of empirical research that links leadership behaviours directly to
business survival outcomes, particularly within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. This limitation constrains
a holistic understanding of how leadership practices can mitigate business risk, enhance adaptability, and secure
long-term viability.
Problem Statement
Despite the growing attention on leadership and business sustainability, many previous studies have examined
transformational and transactional leadership separately, neglecting how these styles interact to influence
business survival. Existing literature has mainly focused on leadership’s effect on employee motivation, job
satisfaction, or innovation performance, with limited empirical evidence directly linking leadership behaviours
to long-term organisational survival, especially in developing economies like Nigeria.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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This gap is significant because the Nigerian telecommunications sector faces a highly volatile environment
characterised by rapid technological change, market competition, and policy fluctuations. Leaders in this context
must simultaneously demonstrate transformational qualities that inspire innovation and transactional discipline
that ensures performance and accountability. Without a comprehensive understanding of how these two
leadership approaches jointly affect business survival, organisations risk adopting fragmented leadership
strategies that fail to sustain operations over time.
Hence, this study addresses the research gap by developing and empirically testing an integrated model that
explores how transformational and transactional leadership jointly predict business survival in the Nigerian
telecommunications industry. By bridging theoretical and contextual gaps, this research offers both conceptual
clarity and practical implications for leaders and policymakers aiming to enhance organisational longevity in
volatile markets.
Research Objectives
The main objective of this study is to examine how transformational and transactional leadership styles influence
business survival in the Nigerian telecommunications industry. Specifically, the study aims to:
1. Examine the influence of transformational leadership on business survival in the Nigerian
telecommunications industry.
2. Investigate the effect of transactional leadership on business survival in the Nigerian telecommunications
industry.
3. Compare the relative impact of transformational and transactional leadership on organisational
sustainability and longevity.
4. Explore how leadership practices can be strengthened to enhance business survival in a highly competitive
and dynamic environment.
Research Questions
1. How does transformational leadership influence business survival in the Nigerian telecommunications
industry?
2. What is the effect of transactional leadership on business survival in the Nigerian telecommunications
industry?
3. Which leadership style: transformational or transactional has a stronger impact on business survival?
4. In what ways can leadership practices be enhanced to improve organisational sustainability in the Nigerian
telecommunications sector?
Significance of the Study
This study contributes to both theoretical and practical understanding of leadership and business survival in
several important ways.
From a theoretical perspective, the study bridges a key gap in the leadership literature by examining how
transformational and transactional leadership styles jointly influence business survival in an emerging market
context. While existing studies have often treated these constructs separately, this research emphasizes their
interactive and complementary roles, offering an integrated model that links leadership behaviour to
organisational endurance. The findings are expected to enrich the theoretical discourse on leadership
effectiveness by extending transformational and transactional leadership theories into the domain of business
survival, especially within the telecommunications industry of a developing economy like Nigeria.
From a practical standpoint, the study provides valuable insights for business leaders, managers, and
policymakers seeking to strengthen organisational resilience in volatile environments. By identifying the specific
leadership behaviours that promote adaptability and survival, the research offers actionable guidance for
enhancing management practices, employee engagement, and strategic decision-making. Telecommunications
firms and other organisations in similar industries can use the results to design leadership development programs
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XXVI October 2025 | Special Issue on Education
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that combine visionary and performance-driven approaches, thereby improving their ability to sustain operations
during economic and regulatory disruptions.
Furthermore, the study contributes to policy formulation and human resource strategy, as it highlights the need
for leadership frameworks that foster innovation, accountability, and long-term competitiveness. The insights
generated will also benefit academic researchers by providing an empirical basis for future studies on leadership
dynamics and organisational sustainability in emerging markets
Research Hypotheses
Based on the research objectives and theoretical foundations, the following hypotheses were formulated:
H1: Transformational leadership has a significant positive influence on business survival in the Nigerian
telecommunications industry.
H2: Transactional leadership has a significant positive influence on business survival in the Nigerian
telecommunications industry.
H3: Transformational leadership demonstrates a stronger effect on business survival than transactional
leadership in the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
H4: Effective leadership practices enhance organisational adaptability, resilience, and sustainability in the
Nigerian telecommunications sector
LITERATURE REVIEW
The literature review provides a comprehensive examination of the theoretical, conceptual, and empirical
foundations that connect leadership styles, creativity facets, and organizational resilience with business survival,
particularly within volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. The aim of this section
is to situate the study within a robust academic framework by critically reviewing existing scholarship and
identifying key research gaps that justify the present investigation. Over the years, leadership style, creativity,
and resilience have emerged as pivotal constructs in organizational behavior and strategic management studies,
given their collective influence on organizational sustainability and competitiveness in rapidly changing
environments.
While numerous studies have examined these variables individually, a more integrative understanding that
explores how leadership style interacts with creativity and resilience to enhance business survival remains
relatively underdeveloped, especially in developing economies. Many existing models are drawn from Western
organizational contexts where environmental dynamics, governance structures, and institutional supports differ
significantly from those of emerging markets such as Nigeria. Consequently, empirical insights generated in
developed economies may not adequately reflect the realities of firms operating within the Nigerian
telecommunications industry, which faces distinct challenges including regulatory instability, infrastructure
deficits, market saturation, and economic volatility.
This section therefore underscores the necessity of examining leadership and organizational dynamics within
context-specific frameworks. It highlights how transformational and transactional leadership theories provide
complementary lenses for understanding how leaders influence employee creativity and organizational resilience
two factors that are increasingly recognized as critical for survival in turbulent environments. Furthermore, the
review integrates relevant theoretical models such as the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities
Theory to explain how internal organizational resources and leadership driven adaptive capacities contribute to
long-term sustainability.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership, first conceptualized by Burns (1978) and expanded by Bass (1985), involves
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XXVI October 2025 | Special Issue on Education
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inspiring and motivating followers to transcend self-interest for collective goals. Transformational leaders
articulate a compelling vision, stimulate intellectual curiosity, and provide individualized consideration.
Through these mechanisms, they cultivate innovative, adaptive, and resilient organizational cultures (Bass &
Riggio, 2006).
Empirical studies have consistently demonstrated the positive relationship between transformational leadership
and organizational outcomes such as innovation (García-Morales et al., 2012), employee engagement (Breevaart
et al., 2014), and resilience (Den Hartog & Belschak, 2012). In volatile markets like Nigeria’s
telecommunications industry, transformational leadership fosters adaptability by promoting open
communication, learning, and proactive problem-solving among employees.
Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership, by contrast, emphasizes structured exchanges between leaders and subordinates
through contingent rewards, corrective feedback, and performance monitoring (Bass, 1990). This leadership
style ensures clarity, accountability, and operational discipline factors critical for short-term efficiency and
performance stability (Judge & Piccolo, 2004).
While transactional leadership is often portrayed as less dynamic, research shows that it complements
transformational leadership, especially in contexts where operational reliability and compliance are paramount
(Podsakoff et al., 2006). In the Nigerian telecommunications sector, transactional leadership can be vital in
ensuring regulatory compliance, quality control, and consistent service delivery. Leaders who enforce standards
and monitor performance help organizations maintain the operational foundation necessary for resilience and
competitiveness.
Thus, rather than viewing transactional and transformational leadership as mutually exclusive, scholars advocate
a balanced or hybrid leadership model (Antonakis & House, 2014), where transactional mechanisms support the
efficiency needed to implement transformational visions. In turbulent environments, such integration is crucial
for both adaptability and stability, which jointly underpin organizational survival.
Creativity Facets and Organizational Performance
Creativity is central to organizational renewal, adaptability, and long-term survival. It serves as the foundation
upon which innovation and continuous improvement are built, allowing organizations to remain competitive in
complex and rapidly changing business environments. Defined as the generation of ideas that are both novel and
useful (Amabile, 1996), creativity transcends mere ideation and encompasses the processes through which
individuals and teams transform imaginative thought into tangible organizational outcomes. It operates at
multiple levels individual, group, and organizational each contributing uniquely to overall performance and
sustainability.
One of the most influential frameworks for understanding creativity is Rhodes’s (1961) 4Ps model, which
conceptualizes creativity through four interrelated dimensions: Person (trait), Process, Press (environment), and
Product. This holistic perspective provides a comprehensive foundation for examining how creativity manifests
and contributes to organizational performance. The Person dimension relates to the individual’s personality
traits, cognitive abilities, motivation, and domain-specific expertise that enable creative thinking. Creative
individuals often demonstrate openness to experience, intrinsic motivation, risk-taking, and persistence traits
that are essential for generating new ideas and challenging conventional approaches (Feist, 1999). Within
organizational settings, leaders play a crucial role in recognizing and nurturing these traits through
empowerment, autonomy, and continuous learning opportunities.
The Process facet of creativity refers to the mental operations and problem-solving techniques that lead to idea
generation and refinement (Torrance, 1974). It involves stages such as problem identification, incubation,
illumination, and verification (Wallas, 1926). In the workplace, this process is often influenced by organizational
culture, leadership style, and the availability of resources that facilitate experimentation and risk-taking.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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Encouraging employees to question assumptions, explore alternatives, and engage in divergent thinking
enhances the likelihood of developing innovative solutions that drive performance improvement.
The Press (environment) component emphasizes the contextual and organizational conditions that either foster
or inhibit creative expression. According to Amabile’s (1997) componential theory, creativity flourishes in
environments that promote autonomy, psychological safety, and intrinsic motivation. Supportive climates that
tolerate failure, reward experimentation, and provide constructive feedback tend to stimulate creative
engagement. Conversely, rigid hierarchies, excessive control, and punitive feedback mechanisms stifle
innovation and reduce the willingness of employees to contribute novel ideas. In the Nigerian
telecommunications industry, where firms operate in dynamic and resource-constrained conditions, cultivating
a supportive creative environment is particularly critical for sustaining competitiveness and resilience.
The Product dimension represents the tangible outcomes or manifestations of creative effort, such as new
products, services, processes, or business models (Runco & Jaeger, 2012). The value of creativity in an
organizational context ultimately depends on its translation into concrete innovations that contribute to strategic
goals, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. In high-velocity sectors like telecommunications, the product of
creativity often determines a firm’s ability to differentiate itself, adapt to market shifts, and maintain operational
excellence. Hence, the ability to convert creative ideas into implementable solutions is a crucial determinant of
organizational performance and survival.
Empirical evidence supports the positive relationship between creativity and organizational performance across
industries. Studies have shown that organizations fostering creativity report higher levels of innovation,
productivity, and financial outcomes (Shalley, Zhou, & Oldham, 2004). In developing economies, creative
capability is particularly vital as it compensates for structural weaknesses, limited infrastructure, and regulatory
challenges. Nigerian firms, for example, can leverage creativity to develop context-specific innovations that
address local market needs while maintaining competitiveness in the face of global technological disruptions.
Moreover, the interaction between leadership and creativity has been found to play a pivotal role in shaping
organizational outcomes. Transformational leaders, by inspiring vision and intellectual stimulation, enhance
employee creativity through empowerment and psychological safety (Gong et al., 2009). Transactional leaders,
on the other hand, support creativity through structured processes and clear reward mechanisms that reinforce
goal alignment. Therefore, leadership acts as both a facilitator and regulator of creativity, ensuring that creative
energy is strategically channeled toward organizational objectives.
Business Survival in the Telecommunications Industry
Business survival refers to an organization’s ability to sustain operations, maintain profitability, and adapt to
changing environments over time (Wang et al., 2014). In developing economies, survival extends beyond
financial performance to include strategic adaptability and institutional endurance. Nigeria’s
telecommunications firms operate in a complex environment shaped by regulatory uncertainty, infrastructural
deficits, and fluctuating exchange rates (Tamarapreye, 2021).
Firms that survive and thrive under such conditions exhibit certain capabilities:
1. adaptive leadership, which ensures strategic flexibility;
2. creative capability, which drives innovation and differentiation;
3. organizational resilience, which enables continuous adjustment to disruptions. For instance, MTN Nigeria’s
sustained market leadership reflects its ability to integrate innovation (through mobile money and data
services) with robust crisis management strategies.
Empirical research has shown that leadership and resilience jointly explain variations in survival outcomes across
industries (Okechukwu, 2022; Slávik et al., 2022). However, few studies have empirically tested these
relationships using a multidimensional model incorporating creativity facets as mediating mechanisms,
particularly in African contexts. This study, therefore, addresses that gap by integrating leadership, creativity,
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and resilience into a unified conceptual model and testing their combined effects on business survival in
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This study is underpinned by two key theoretical foundations:
1. Transformational and Transactional Leadership Theory (Bass, 1985) provides the behavioral basis for
understanding how leadership influences employee motivation, creativity, and adaptability.
2. Heuristic Framework for Creativity Measurement (Rhodes, 1961) offers a multidimensional understanding
of creativity as a product of personal, processual, environmental, and output-related factors.
Additionally, the study draws conceptually from the Dynamic Capabilities Theory (Teece, 2018), which posits
that firms must continually integrate, build, and reconfigure internal competencies to respond to changing
environments. Organizational resilience, in this regard, represents a dynamic capability enabling sustained
competitiveness
Research Design
This study adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional research design using a survey strategy to empirically examine
the influence of leadership style, creativity facets, and organizational resilience on business survival within the
Nigerian telecommunications industry. The quantitative approach provides a structured framework for analyzing
numerical data, facilitating the identification and testing of statistically significant relationships among the study
variables. It also enables the objective measurement of respondents’ perceptions and experiences, thereby
minimizing researcher bias and enhancing the reliability of the findings (Creswell, 2014; Saunders, Lewis, &
Thornhill, 2019).
The cross-sectional design allows data to be collected from a representative sample at a single point in time,
reflecting the current organizational realities of Nigeria’s dynamic telecommunications sector. This design is
particularly appropriate given the rapidly evolving business environment in which telecom firms operate marked
by technological disruption, competitive intensity, and shifting consumer demands. Collecting data within this
temporal frame provides a snapshot of how leadership, creativity, and resilience collectively contribute to
business sustainability and adaptive capacity.
According to Creswell (2014) and Bryman (2016), survey-based quantitative designs are highly suitable for
studies that seek to examine relationships between latent constructs that are not directly observable but can be
inferred through multiple measurement items. The present research aligns with this methodological logic by
operationalizing complex constructs such as leadership styles (transformational and transactional), creativity
facets (trait, process, press, and product), organizational resilience, and business survival using validated
psychometric scales. This approach ensures both conceptual clarity and empirical rigor.
Overall, this design is well suited to the objectives of the present study, as it enables the systematic examination
of the hypothesized interrelationships among leadership styles, creativity facets, and organizational resilience as
determinants of business survival in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry. By integrating established
theoretical foundations with empirical measurement, the quantitative, cross-sectional survey approach provides
a robust basis for drawing meaningful conclusions and offering actionable recommendations for both academic
and managerial audiences
Population and Sample
The study population comprised employees in management and supervisory positions within major
telecommunications companies operating in Nigeria, namely MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, and
9mobile. These firms constitute the dominant players in the Nigerian telecommunications sector and collectively
control more than 95% of the total market share (NCC, 2023). Their inclusion ensures that the sample accurately
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reflects the dynamics, challenges, and strategic practices of the industry’s leading organizations. Given their
scale of operations and technological advancement, these firms provide a robust platform for assessing how
leadership styles, creativity facets, and organizational resilience influence business survival in highly
competitive and volatile environments.
The target population was carefully defined to include individuals occupying managerial, supervisory, and
departmental leadership roles, as these categories of employees are typically responsible for operational
decision-making, resource allocation, innovation management, and team performance coordination. They play
pivotal roles in interpreting and implementing leadership directives, fostering creative thinking, and building
resilient work systems capable of adapting to environmental disruptions. This focus aligns with the views of
Bass and Riggio (2006) and Duchek (2020), who emphasized that managers and supervisors are central to
driving creativity, implementing transformational leadership practices, and ensuring sustained organizational
resilience.
Leadership Style
Leadership style was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct encompassing both transformational and
transactional leadership behaviors. These two styles, as posited by Bass (1985) and Bass and Avolio (1995),
represent distinct yet complementary approaches to guiding and influencing organizational members. In this
study, leadership style was operationalized through validated measurement instruments adapted from the
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) a widely recognized and empirically supported tool for assessing
leadership behavior across various organizational settings.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership refers to a leader’s ability to inspire, motivate, and intellectually stimulate followers
to exceed their normal levels of performance and commitment. The MLQ (Bass & Avolio, 1995) was utilized to
measure this construct, drawing on four core components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation,
intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.
• Idealized influence captures the degree to which leaders serve as role models, demonstrate ethical conduct,
and instill trust and admiration among subordinates.
• Inspirational motivation reflects the leader’s ability to articulate a compelling vision, foster optimism, and
create a shared sense of purpose within the team.
• Intellectual stimulation relates to the leader’s encouragement of creativity, problem-solving, and innovative
thinking by challenging assumptions and promoting diverse viewpoints.
• Individualized consideration measures the extent to which leaders attend to the personal and professional
development needs of followers through coaching, mentoring, and empathy.
These dimensions collectively emphasize a leadership approach that transcends transactional exchanges,
focusing instead on transforming followers’ attitudes and aligning them with organizational goals.
This item reflects the intellectual stimulation aspect of transformational leadership, demonstrating how leaders
inspire cognitive flexibility and innovative problem-solving.
Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership, on the other hand, emphasizes structured exchanges between leaders and followers,
where compliance and performance are rewarded based on predetermined objectives. This sub-construct was
also measured using items adapted from the MLQ, focusing on two key components: contingent reward and
management-by-exception.
• Contingent reward represents the leader’s ability to clarify expectations and provide recognition or rewards
when employees meet or exceed defined performance targets. This component reflects a results-oriented
leadership approach that reinforces accountability and performance consistency.
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• Management-by-exception involves monitoring performance, identifying deviations from established
standards, and implementing corrective actions when necessary. Leaders employing this style maintain
operational discipline and ensure adherence to organizational procedures.
An example item from the transactional leadership subscale is: “My supervisor clarifies expectations and rewards
me when I meet them.”
This statement captures the exchange-oriented nature of transactional leadership, where leader-follower
interactions are primarily based on goal attainment and compliance.
Creativity Facets
Creativity in this study was conceptualized using Rhodes’s (1961) 4Ps model Person (Trait), Process, Press
(Environment), and Product which provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the
multidimensional nature of creativity at individual and organizational levels. This model has been widely
recognized in creativity research as a robust theoretical foundation for examining how personal attributes,
cognitive processes, environmental conditions, and tangible outcomes collectively contribute to creative
performance (Runco & Jaeger, 2012; Amabile et al., 1996).
To operationalize these dimensions empirically, the study adapted validated measurement scales from Amabile
et al. (1996) and Tierney and Farmer (2002), ensuring both conceptual alignment and contextual relevance within
the Nigerian telecommunications industry. Each facet was represented by a set of items measured using a five-
point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree), allowing respondents to indicate
their level of agreement with statements reflecting different aspects of creativity.
Organizational Resilience
Organizational resilience represents an organization’s capacity to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt
to incremental change and sudden disruptions in order to survive and thrive (Duchek, 2020; Hillmann &
Guenther, 2021). In this study, organizational resilience was measured using the Organizational Resilience Scale
originally developed by Kantur and Iseri-Say (2012) and later refined by Duchek (2020) to capture the dynamic
processes that enable organizations to maintain performance under adverse conditions. This construct was
operationalized as a multidimensional capability comprising adaptive capacity, resourcefulness, and learning
orientation, which together provide a holistic understanding of resilience within complex and turbulent
environments such as Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
Organizational resilience is particularly critical in industries characterized by rapid technological advancements,
market volatility, regulatory pressures, and competitive intensity, all of which are prevalent in the Nigerian
telecommunications industry. Firms that demonstrate resilience are not only able to recover from disruptions but
can also leverage challenges as opportunities for innovation and growth. The construct thus plays both a
stabilizing and transformative role, linking leadership effectiveness and creativity to long-term business survival.
Data Collection Procedures
Prior to data collection, the researcher obtained ethical clearance from the university’s Institutional Review
Board (IRB) to ensure compliance with ethical standards governing human subject research. This approval
confirmed that the study met requirements concerning informed consent, confidentiality, voluntary participation,
and data protection. Following this, official permission was also secured from the human resource (HR)
departments of the participating telecommunications organizations, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria,
Globacom, and 9mobile. Each company was provided with a formal research introduction letter outlining the
purpose, scope, and potential benefits of the study, as well as assurances that no proprietary or sensitive
operational information would be disclosed.
Before administering the instruments, the research objectives, significance, and confidentiality measures were
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clearly communicated to all prospective respondents. Participants were informed that their responses would be
used strictly for academic purposes and that all data would be treated with anonymity ensuring that no individual
or organization could be personally identified in the final report. Respondents were also notified of their right to
withdraw from participation at any stage of the process without facing any consequences. This ethical protocol
enhanced trust and encouraged honest and unbiased responses, thereby improving the overall data quality and
validity.
Simultaneously, an online survey link was created using Google Forms and distributed electronically through
official email channels and professional networks such as LinkedIn and WhatsApp business groups. The use of
an online format was particularly beneficial in reaching geographically dispersed managers and supervisors, as
many employees operated remotely or were stationed in regional service centers. This blended approach
enhanced inclusivity, reduced geographical constraints, and improved the overall representativeness of the
sample.
To maintain data accuracy and integrity, all completed questionnaires were checked manually and electronically
for completeness and consistency before data entry. Incomplete or ambiguous responses were excluded from
analysis. The collected data were then coded and entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)
for cleaning and preliminary analysis before being transferred to SmartPLS 4 for structural equation modeling
(SEM).
Validity and Reliability
Ensuring validity and reliability is essential for the credibility and scientific rigor of quantitative research
findings. In this study, meticulous steps were taken to ensure that all measurement instruments accurately
captured the intended constructs—leadership style, creativity facets, organizational resilience, and business
survival—and produced consistent, dependable results across respondents. The procedures for establishing
validity and reliability were guided by established methodological standards (Creswell, 2014; Hair et al., 2019).
Data Analysis Techniques
Data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS 4.0 software to apply Partial Least Squares Structural Equation
Modelling (PLS-SEM). This analytical technique was selected because of its robustness in handling complex
models that involve multiple latent constructs, interrelated variables, and mediation effects. PLS-SEM is
particularly suitable for studies with small-to-medium sample sizes, non-normal data distributions, and
predictive research objectives, making it appropriate for this investigation (Hair et al., 2021; Sarstedt et al.,
2019).
Data Preparation and Screening
Before analysis, the collected data were screened for completeness, accuracy, and outliers. Missing data were
addressed using mean substitution for items with minimal missing values (less than 5%). Cases with substantial
missing data were excluded to maintain the integrity of the dataset. Normality tests (skewness and kurtosis) were
conducted to evaluate data distribution, confirming that while some variables deviated slightly from normality,
PLS-SEM’s nonparametric estimation technique adequately handled these deviations. Multicollinearity was
checked using the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF), with all values remaining below the acceptable threshold of
5.0, indicating no serious multicollinearity issues (Hair et al., 2019).
Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive statistics were computed to summarize respondents’ demographic characteristics (age, gender,
education, job role, and organizational tenure) and to understand general response trends across constructs.
Measurement Model Evaluation
The measurement model was evaluated first to confirm the reliability and validity of constructs. Criteria for
assessment included:
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Factor Loadings: ≥ 0.70
Composite Reliability (CR): ≥ 0.70
Average Variance Extracted (AVE): ≥ 0.50
Discriminant Validity: Assessed using Fornell–Larcker criterion and Heterotrait–Monotrait ratio (HTMT <
0.85).
Ethical Considerations
Ethical principles guided all aspects of the research. Participation was voluntary, with the right to withdraw at
any time without penalty. Respondents were assured of confidentiality, and no personal identifiers were
collected. Data were stored securely and used solely for academic purposes. The study complied fully with
institutional ethical standards for research involving human participants.
SUMMARY OF METHODOLOGY
In summary, this study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to investigate the
interrelationships between leadership styles, creativity facets, organizational resilience, and business survival
within the Nigerian telecommunications industry. The research design was grounded in established theoretical
frameworks specifically Bass’s Transformational and Transactional Leadership Theory and Rhodes’s 4Ps Model
of Creativity providing a sound conceptual foundation for empirical examination. By focusing on managerial-
level employees from major telecom operators such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, the study ensured
a representative sample that reflects the strategic and operational realities of Nigeria’s highly competitive
telecommunications environment.
Data were collected through both paper-based and online survey instruments, enabling broader participation and
minimizing geographical limitations. The structured questionnaire incorporated validated measurement scales
drawn from previous seminal works (e.g., Bass & Avolio, 1995; Amabile et al., 1996; Kantur & Iseri-Say, 2012;
Wang et al., 2014), ensuring content validity and cultural appropriateness through contextual adaptation for the
Nigerian business environment. A pilot test was conducted to refine question wording, assess clarity, and
enhance the reliability of responses.
The study placed significant emphasis on ethical compliance, obtaining clearance from the university’s
Institutional Review Board (IRB) and securing organizational permissions prior to data collection. Participants
were informed about their rights, including confidentiality, voluntariness, and the option to withdraw at any time,
ensuring adherence to international research ethics standards (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) via
SmartPLS 4.0, chosen for its robustness in handling complex, multivariate models and its suitability for
predictive, theory-building research in emerging market contexts. The analysis followed a two-stage approach
involving measurement model assessment (to evaluate reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity) and
structural model evaluation (to test hypothesized relationships, path coefficients, and mediation effects). The use
of bootstrapping procedures with 5,000 resamples enhanced the statistical rigor and reliability of inference,
ensuring that conclusions drawn were both methodologically sound and empirically supported.
Overall, this methodological approach ensured a comprehensive, valid, and reliable assessment of how
leadership behavior and creative dynamics foster resilience and long-term business survival. The rigor applied
across sampling, data collection, and analytical stages enhances both the credibility and generalizability of the
study’s findings.
The next chapter presents the data analysis and results, including demographic characteristics of respondents,
assessment of measurement reliability and validity, evaluation of structural relationships, and hypothesis testing
outcomes. These results form the empirical foundation for the subsequent discussion and theoretical implications
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Overview of Data Screening and Preparation
Before data analysis, preliminary screening was carried out to ensure completeness, consistency, and suitability
for Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis. Responses were checked for
missing values, outliers, and response bias. Out of the 410 returned questionnaires, 392 valid responses were
retained after removing incomplete entries and inconsistencies.
The cleaned dataset was imported into SmartPLS 4.0 for analysis. All constructs were measured using reflective
indicators, and variables were standardized prior to analysis. Assessment of normality showed that the data
slightly deviated from normal distribution a common feature in social science research (Hair et al., 2021) thus
validating the choice of PLS-SEM, which is robust to non-normal data and suitable for prediction-oriented
models.
Respondents’ Demographic Characteristics
Table 1 summarizes the demographic profile of the respondents. The sample covered a diverse range of
managerial and supervisory employees across the four major telecommunications firms in Nigeria
Demographic Variable
Category
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Gender
Male
235
59.9
Female
157
40.1
Age
21–30 years
102
26.0
31–40 years
183
46.7
41 years and above
107
27.3
Education
Bachelor’s Degree
215
54.8
Master’s Degree
148
37.8
Doctorate/Professional
29
7.4
Job Role
Supervisory
154
39.3
Middle Management
179
45.7
Senior Management
59
15.0
Organizational Tenure
Less than 5 years
96
24.5
5–10 years
201
51.3
More than 10 years
95
24.2
The demographic data show a balanced representation across gender and age groups, indicating a fair distribution
of managerial perspectives in Nigeria’s telecom industry. The high percentage of respondents with postgraduate
qualifications underscores the sector’s professional competence and suitability for strategic-level analysis.
Measurement Model Assessment
Measurement model assessment ensures that the constructs exhibit satisfactory reliability and validity before
proceeding to hypothesis testing. In this study, the reflective measurement model was evaluated based on
indicator reliability, internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity, consistent
with Hair et al. (2021).
Indicator Reliability
All standardized loadings exceeded the threshold value of 0.70, confirming that each item made a significant
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contribution to its latent construct. This indicates that the survey items reliably measured their intended
dimensions.
Internal Consistency Reliability
Cronbach’s alpha (α) and Composite Reliability (CR) values were computed to assess internal consistency. All
constructs met the recommended cut-off of 0.70 (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994), as presented in Table 2.
Table 2: Reliability and Convergent Validity Results
Construct
Cronbach’s α
CR
AVE
Transformational Leadership
0.912
0.934
0.669
Transactional Leadership
0.887
0.915
0.654
Creativity Facets (Trait)
0.864
0.901
0.607
Creativity Facets (Process)
0.879
0.918
0.639
Creativity Facets (Press)
0.901
0.928
0.653
Creativity Facets (Product)
0.926
0.944
0.711
Organizational Resilience
0.937
0.954
0.702
Business Survival
0.919
0.940
0.683
All Composite Reliability (CR) values exceeded 0.90, indicating strong reliability. The Average Variance
Extracted (AVE) values were all greater than 0.50, confirming convergent validity, i.e., items within each
construct shared substantial variance.
Discriminant Validity
Discriminant validity was assessed using both the Fornell–Larcker criterion and the Heterotrait–Monotrait
(HTMT) ratio. Each construct’s square root of AVE was greater than its correlations with other constructs,
satisfying the Fornell–Larcker condition. Additionally, all HTMT ratios were below 0.85, confirming adequate
discriminant validity (Henseler et al., 2015). These results collectively validate the distinctiveness of all
constructs.
Structural Model Assessment
After confirming the reliability and validity of the measurement model, the next step involved evaluating the
structural model to test the hypothesized relationships among constructs. The key criteria assessed included
multicollinearity (VIF), path coefficients, R², effect size (f²), predictive relevance (Q²), and bootstrapping results.
Collinearity Assessment
Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) values ranged from 1.44 to 2.98, well below the critical value of 5.0, indicating
no multicollinearity issues (Hair et al., 2021). This confirmed that independent constructs contributed uniquely
to the model.
Coefficient of Determination (R²)
The R² values for the endogenous constructs demonstrated substantial explanatory power
Endogenous Construct
R² Value
Interpretation
Organizational Resilience
0.587
Moderate to strong
Business Survival
0.631
Strong
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These results indicate that 58.7% of the variance in organizational resilience and 63.1% of the variance in
business survival are explained by leadership styles and creativity facets, signifying strong model predictability.
Hypothesis Testing
Bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples was conducted to determine the significance of hypothesized relationships.
Table 3 presents the standardized path coefficients (β), t-values, and p-values.
Table 3: Structural Model Results
Hypothesis
Path
β
t-value
p-value
Decision
H1
Transformational Leadership → Business Survival
0.312
4.89
0.000
Supported
H2
Transactional Leadership → Business Survival
0.278
4.23
0.000
Supported
H3
Creativity Facets (Product) → Business Survival
0.291
5.04
0.000
Supported
H4
Organizational Resilience → Business Survival
0.333
5.81
0.000
Supported
H5
Transformational Leadership → Organizational
Resilience
0.356
6.12
0.000
Supported
H6
Transactional Leadership → Organizational Resilience
0.217
3.89
0.000
Supported
H7
Creativity Facets (Press) → Organizational Resilience
0.263
4.41
0.000
Supported
All hypothesized relationships were statistically significant at p < 0.001, demonstrating strong positive effects
among leadership styles, creativity facets, organizational resilience, and business survival.
Mediation Analysis
To assess the mediating role of organizational resilience, indirect effects were examined through bootstrapping.
The results revealed that resilience significantly mediated the relationships between leadership styles and
business survival, as well as between creativity facets and business survival.
Mediation Path
Indirect Effect
t-value
p-value
Mediation Type
Transformational Leadership → Resilience →
Business Survival
0.118
4.72
0.000
Partial
Transactional Leadership → Resilience →
Business Survival
0.081
3.96
0.000
Partial
Creativity Facets (Product) → Resilience →
Business Survival
0.103
4.55
0.000
Partial
The results confirm that organizational resilience partially mediates the link between leadership and survival
outcomes, emphasizing its strategic role as a conduit through which effective leadership and creative output
enhance organizational longevity.
Model Predictive Relevance and Effect Sizes
The effect size (f²) and predictive relevance (Q²) were further analyzed. All f² values ranged from 0.15 to 0.32,
indicating medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen, 1988). The Q² values, obtained through blindfolding procedures,
were positive for all endogenous constructs, confirming predictive relevance.
These results demonstrate that the model not only fits the data statistically but also possesses meaningful
predictive power regarding the survival potential of telecommunications firms.
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DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The findings provide strong empirical evidence supporting the conceptual model linking leadership, creativity,
and resilience to business survival in the Nigerian telecommunications sector.
First, both transformational and transactional leadership styles were found to significantly enhance business
survival. This aligns with prior studies (Bass & Riggio, 2006; Northouse, 2022) demonstrating that visionary
leadership motivates innovation and performance sustainability. Transformational leaders, through inspiration
and intellectual stimulation, cultivate adaptive organizational cultures, while transactional leaders maintain
stability through structured performance and reward systems both vital in volatile markets like
telecommunications.
Second, the creativity product facet emerged as the strongest predictor of business survival, consistent with
Amabile’s (1996) argument that tangible creative outputs (e.g., innovative products, customer solutions) directly
contribute to organizational competitiveness.
Third, organizational resilience played a mediating role, supporting the views of Duchek (2020) and Kantur &
Iseri-Say (2012) that resilience transforms leadership and creativity into sustained strategic outcomes. Telecom
firms that rapidly adapt to technological disruptions, market fluctuations, and regulatory pressures are better
positioned to sustain operations and achieve long-term success.
Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of the respondents’
demographic profiles and organizational characteristics, thereby establishing the contextual foundation for
subsequent inferential analyses. The sample consisted of employees drawn from both multinational and
indigenous telecommunications firms operating in Abuja, Nigeria, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and
9mobile. This diverse sample ensured the inclusion of perspectives from firms with varying ownership
structures, organizational cultures, and operational scales, thereby enhancing the generalizability of findings
across the Nigerian telecommunications landscape.
The demographic distribution revealed that a majority of respondents were aged between 25 and 40 years,
representing a relatively young and dynamic workforce typical of the Nigerian telecom sector. Approximately
60% of the respondents were male, while 40% were female, reflecting the modest gender diversity prevalent in
the industry. In terms of educational attainment, most participants possessed at least a bachelor’s degree, while
a notable proportion held postgraduate qualifications, indicating that the respondents were sufficiently
knowledgeable and competent to provide informed evaluations of leadership practices, creativity dynamics, and
resilience mechanisms within their organizations.
Regarding organizational experience, more than 70% of participants reported having over five years of
professional experience in the telecommunications industry, suggesting a well-grounded understanding of
sectoral trends, managerial processes, and operational challenges. This level of tenure also implies that the
respondents had direct exposure to organizational decision-making and innovation processes, making their
insights valuable for analyzing the interaction between leadership, creativity, and survival capabilities.
Additionally, the respondents represented a wide range of functional departments such as operations, marketing,
customer service, network management, and administration which further enhanced the diversity and
representativeness of the sample.
The descriptive analysis of the main study constructs indicated that mean scores for all variables including
transformational leadership, transactional leadership, creativity facets (trait, process, press, and product),
organizational resilience, and business survival were consistently above the midpoint (3.0) of the five-point
Likert scale. This suggests that, overall, participants perceived their organizations as exhibiting relatively strong
leadership effectiveness, a supportive environment for creativity, and high adaptive capacity in the face of
external and internal challenges.
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Measurement Model Assessment
The measurement model was evaluated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)
via SmartPLS. The assessment included checks for reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity.
• Reliability: All constructs demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, with Cronbach’s Alpha and
Composite Reliability (CR) values exceeding the threshold of 0.7.
• Convergent Validity: Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values for each construct were above 0.5,
confirming that the observed variables explained a substantial portion of their underlying latent constructs.
• Discriminant Validity: The Fornell-Larcker criterion and the Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) ratio both
confirmed discriminant validity, as the square roots of AVE exceeded inter-construct correlations, and
HTMT values remained below 0.85.
These results validate that the measurement items reliably captured the intended constructs, allowing for accurate
structural model analysis.
Structural Model Assessment
The structural model tested the hypothesized relationships among leadership styles, creativity facets,
organizational resilience, and business survival. Bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples was conducted to assess
the significance of the path coefficients.
Key Findings:
• Transformational Leadership → Business Survival: β = 0.42, p < 0.001 → Indicates that transformational
leaders who inspire, motivate, and intellectually stimulate employees significantly enhance business
survival.
• Transactional Leadership → Business Survival: β = 0.31, p < 0.01 → Suggests that performance-based
rewards and clear structures also contribute to organizational longevity, though to a lesser extent than
transformational leadership.
• Creativity Facets → Business Survival: Among the four facets, Product Creativity had the strongest effect
(β = 0.37, p < 0.01), emphasizing the role of tangible creative outputs (e.g., innovative products or services)
in sustaining competitiveness. The Process and Press facets had moderate positive effects, while Trait
Creativity showed a weaker but still significant relationship.
• Organizational Resilience → Business Survival: β = 0.45, p < 0.001 → Confirms resilience as a critical
determinant of survival, enabling firms to adapt to technological, regulatory, and market disruptions.
• Mediating Role of Organizational Resilience: Mediation analysis revealed that organizational resilience
partially mediates the relationships between both leadership styles and business survival, as well as
between creativity facets and business survival. This implies that leadership and creativity influence
survival outcomes through their impact on resilience-building mechanisms.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The findings of this study provide robust empirical support for the proposition that effective leadership both
transformational and transactional plays a pivotal role in enhancing organizational survival within Nigeria’s
telecommunications industry. The results reveal that both leadership styles contribute positively to business
sustainability, though transformational leadership emerged as more influential in driving innovation,
adaptability, and long-term competitiveness. This aligns with Bass’s (1985) Transformational Leadership
Theory, which posits that leaders who articulate a compelling vision, inspire commitment, and intellectually
stimulate subordinates are more likely to cultivate organizational climates that foster creativity and resilience.
Transformational leaders, through their charisma and individualized consideration, motivate employees to
transcend self-interest for the collective good, which is essential in industries characterized by rapid
technological change and intense competition.
In contrast, transactional leadership, while somewhat less dominant, still demonstrated a meaningful contribution
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to business survival by ensuring that organizational systems remain structured, efficient, and goal-oriented. The
reliance on reward systems, performance monitoring, and adherence to established procedures typical of
transactional leadership provides operational stability and consistency factors that are particularly valuable in
maintaining service quality and regulatory compliance in the Nigerian telecom environment. This finding
reinforces the argument that while transformational leadership fuels innovation and adaptability, transactional
leadership complements it by ensuring discipline and performance accountability, both of which are
indispensable for sustainable business success.
The results further confirm the significant contribution of creativity facets especially product creativity to
business survival, underscoring the critical role of innovation outcomes in maintaining competitiveness within
volatile and technology-driven markets. Product creativity, which emphasizes the development of novel and
useful products or services, enables firms to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, respond to
evolving customer needs, and anticipate future demands. This finding aligns with Amabile’s (1996)
componential theory of creativity, which emphasizes that organizational innovation thrives when individuals are
both intrinsically motivated and supported by an environment that encourages experimentation and problem-
solving. Additionally, process creativity and press (environmental) creativity also played meaningful roles,
suggesting that innovation is not merely an individual trait but a collective organizational process influenced by
supportive leadership and workplace culture.
Another critical insight from this study is the mediating role of organizational resilience, which emerged as a
strategic mechanism linking leadership effectiveness, creativity, and business survival. Resilience enables firms
to anticipate, absorb, and recover from disruptions an essential capability in the Nigerian telecommunications
sector, which faces challenges such as infrastructural deficiencies, regulatory uncertainties, and economic
volatility. The findings suggest that resilient organizations are better positioned to leverage leadership-driven
creativity into tangible survival outcomes. This aligns with the dynamic capabilities theory (Teece, Pisano, &
Shuen, 1997), which argues that firms that can reconfigure internal competencies in response to changing
environments are more likely to sustain competitive advantage over time.
Collectively, these findings demonstrate that sustainable business performance in Nigeria’s telecommunications
industry depends not on leadership or creativity in isolation, but on their synergistic integration through
organizational resilience. Effective leaders cultivate environments where creative ideas can flourish, and resilient
systems ensure that these ideas translate into adaptive strategies that safeguard long-term survival. Thus,
leadership effectiveness, creative capacity, and resilience mutually reinforce one another, forming a triadic
framework that sustains growth and competitiveness in dynamic markets.
The study’s results also hold important practical implications for organizational management.
Telecommunications firms should invest in leadership development programs that balance transformational
inspiration with transactional control, ensuring both innovation and operational efficiency. Moreover,
management should nurture creativity at all levels through training, open communication, and recognition
systems while simultaneously strengthening resilience mechanisms such as knowledge sharing, risk
management, and adaptive learning. In doing so, organizations will be better equipped to respond proactively to
market turbulence and technological disruptions.
In summary, this research underscores that the interplay between leadership, creativity, and resilience is
fundamental to business survival in today’s highly competitive and unpredictable telecommunications sector.
Firms that can effectively integrate these elements are not only more likely to endure but also to thrive in the
face of adversity
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
This study set out to examine how leadership styles and creativity facets influence business survival, with
organizational resilience serving as a mediating construct, within the Nigerian telecommunications industry.
Drawing upon Transformational and Transactional Leadership Theories (Bass, 1985) and the Heuristic
Framework for Creativity Measurement (Rhodes, 1961), the research provided empirical insights into the
dynamic relationships between leadership behavior, creativity outcomes, and resilience-building in a rapidly
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evolving and highly competitive business environment.
The findings underscore the critical role of leadership in shaping the adaptive and innovative capabilities
necessary for business longevity. Both transformational and transactional leadership styles demonstrated
significant positive relationships with business survival, although the transformational style emerged as
particularly effective in fostering innovation, collaboration, and proactive adaptation. Transactional leadership,
while more structured and control-oriented, complemented this effect by ensuring operational stability and
performance consistency a balance that appears crucial for firms operating in turbulent markets such as
telecommunications.
The study also revealed that creativity facets, especially the product facet, exert a profound influence on survival
outcomes. This highlights that beyond ideation, the tangible implementation of creative outputs such as new
services, marketing strategies, or technological solutions directly contributes to sustaining competitiveness. In
this regard, creativity functions as both a strategic capability and a performance differentiator for firms
navigating the challenges of deregulation, infrastructural inadequacies, and shifting consumer expectations in
Nigeria’s telecom industry.
Theoretical Implications
Theoretically, this research contributes to extending leadership and creativity literature by integrating them into
a unified model mediated by resilience. The findings demonstrate that resilience is not merely an outcome of
leadership or innovation but a mechanism that converts these factors into long-term survival. This integrative
framework enriches current understanding and provides a foundation for further empirical testing in different
industries and developing economies.
Practical Implications
Practically, the study offers valuable insights for managers, policymakers, and industry regulators. Telecom
executives are encouraged to invest in leadership development programs that emphasize transformational
competencies, cultivate creativity through supportive work environments, and institutionalize resilience
strategies that prepare organizations for uncertainty. For policymakers, the findings suggest the importance of
creating regulatory and infrastructural conditions that allow firms to innovate and adapt effectively. By
embedding leadership, creativity, and resilience into their strategic management processes, organizations can
achieve sustainable growth and withstand environmental turbulence.
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