The Mediating Role of Leadership in the Effect of Competitive Strategies on Firm Performance: A Research in Van Province

Öz

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Porter’s Generic Competitive Strategies on firm performance, as well as the mediating role of Transformational and Transactional Leadership behaviors in this relationship. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered via face-to-face interviews with entrepreneurs and managers of SMEs operating in Van, with a total of 359 completed questionnaires evaluated. Regression analysis was conducted to test the validity of the hypotheses developed within the scope of the study. Direct and mediating relationships among variables were analyzed using Process Macro v4.0, an SPSS add-on. Mediation hypotheses were assessed following Hayes’ (2013) methodology. The findings indicate that competitive strategies positively influence firm performance and that leadership behaviors mediate this effect. Among the competitive strategies, cost leadership exhibited the strongest direct effect on firm performance. Mediation analysis revealed that transformational leadership enhances the positive effect of differentiation strategy on firm performance, while transactional leadership strengthens the positive impact of focus strategy on firm performance.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Competitive Strategies
• Transformational Leadership
• Transactional Leadership
• Competitive Advantage
• Firm Performance
• SME

Rekabet Stratejilerinin Firma Performansı Üzerindeki Etkisinde Liderliğin Aracılık Rolü: Van İlinde Bir Araştırma

Öz

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, Porter’ın Jenerik Rekabet Stratejilerinin firma performansına etkisini ve dönüştürücü ile işlemci liderlik davranışlarının bu etki üzerinde aracılık rolünü ortaya koymaktır. Araştırmada veri toplama yöntemi olarak anket kullanılmış ve Van ilinde faaliyet gösteren küçük ve orta büyüklükteki işletmelerin (KOBİ) girişimci ve yöneticileriyle yüz yüze görüşülerek 359 anket değerlendirmeye alınmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında geliştirilen hipotezlerin test edilmesinde regresyon analizleri gerçekleştirilmiş, değişkenler arasındaki doğrudan ve aracılık etkileri SPSS programına entegre edilen Process Makro v4.0 aracılığıyla analiz edilmiştir. Aracılık analizlerinde Hayes (2013) tarafından geliştirilen yöntem kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular, genel olarak rekabet stratejilerinin firma performansı üzerinde olumlu bir etkiye sahip olduğunu ve liderlik davranışlarının bu etkiyi aracılık yoluyla güçlendirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Özellikle, maliyet liderliği stratejisinin firma performansı üzerinde en yüksek doğrudan etkiye sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Aracılık analizleri sonucunda, dönüştürücü liderlik davranışlarının farklılaştırma stratejisiyle etkileşim içerisinde firma performansını olumlu yönde etkilediği; işlemci liderlik davranışlarının ise odaklanma stratejisi ile bütünleşerek firma performansına katkı sağladığı tespit edilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Rekabet Stratejileri
• Dönüştürücü Liderlik
• İşlemci Liderlik
• Rekabet Avantajı
• Firma Performansı
• KOBİ

Kaynakça

1. Acar, A. Z., (2010). The Role of Logistics Capabilities on Strategy-Performance Relationship: A Field Study on SMEs. Atatürk University, Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences, 24 (4), 1-21.
2. Anolay, R. M., (2015). The Relationship between Perceived Competitive Strengths, Competitive Strategy and Organizational Performance: Turkey Otelcilik Endüstrisi Uygulaması. (Unpublished Master's Thesis). Istanbul: Istanbul Technical University/Institute of Science and Technology.
3. Arıkan, Ö.U. (2021). The Effect of Competition Strategies in Increasing the Organizational Performance of Organizations, the Mediating Role of Entrepreneurship: An Application in Mersin Region Enterprises. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Mersin: Toros University / Institute of Postgraduate Education.
4. Aslan, Y. (2018). The Impact of Innovation on Firm Performance: A Review on the Turkish Capital Market. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Van: Van Yüzüncü Yıl University / Institute of Social Sciences.
5. Avcı, A. (2015). Transformational and transactional leadership styles: Conceptual Framework and Effects on Educational Organizations. FSM Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5, 85- 108.
6. Barca, M. and Esen, Ş. (2012). Strategic Approaches in Providing and Sustaining Competitive Advantage. E-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 7(2), 89-107.
7. Bass, B.M. (1990). From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to Share the Vision, Organizational Dynamics (4), 19-31.
8. Bass, B.M. (1997). Does the Transactional-Transformational Leadership Paradigm Transcend Organizational and National Boundaries? American Psychologist (52), 130-139.

9. Bass, B.M., Avolio, B.J., Jung, D.I. and Berson, Y. (2003). Predicting Unit Performance by Assessing Transformational and Transactional Leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (2), 207- 218.
10. Bass, B.M. and Avolio, B.J. (1993). Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture. Public Administration Quarterly, 17 (1), 112-121.
11. Bingöl, D. (2018). Introduction to Human Resources Management. In A. Naktiyok (Ed.), Human Resources Management (pp. 4-28). Atatürk University AÖF Publication.
12. Bay, M. and Söker, F. (2016). Intrapreneurship and Managerial-Transformational Leadership in Businesses: A Research in Karaman. International Journal of Social Research, 9 (45), 698- 713.
13. Çalık, M., Altunışık, R. and Sütütemiz, N. (2013). Investigation of the Relationship between Integrated Marketing Communication, Brand Performance and Market Performance, International Journal of Management, Economics and Business, 9 (19), 137-161.
14. Donkor, F. (2021). Do Transformational Leaders Afect Employee Performance and Normative Commitment Through General Self-Efficacy? Analysis in Ghanaian Public Sector Organizations, Public Organization Review, 22, 707-723.
15. Eren, E. and Özdemirci, A. (2018). Strategic Management and Business Policy. Beta Publishing House.
16. Eroğlu, E. (2003). Analysis of Total Quality Management Applications with Structural Equality Model (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Istanbul: Istanbul University / Institute of Social Sciences.
17. Gönen, S. A. (2019). The Relationship between Leadership Styles and Competition Strategies: The Case of Textile Enterprises. (Unpublished Master's Thesis), Gaziantep: Hasan Kalyoncu University / Institute of Social Sciences.
18. Gürbüz, S. and Şahin, F. (2018). Research Methods in Social Sciences (Philosophy-Methods- Analysis). 5th Edition. Seçkin Publishing House.
19. Hatipoğlu, C., (2011). Kriz Dönemlerinde Küçük ve Orta Ölçekli İşletmelerde (SMEs) İzlenen Rekabet Stratejileri ve Bir Uygulama, PhD Thesis, Niğde: Niğde University Institute of Social Sciences.
20. Hayes, A., F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. The Guilford Press.
21. Hayes, A., F. (2018). Introduction To Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach (Second Edition). Guilford Publications.
22. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D. & R. E. Hoskisson. (2009). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalisation (Concepts and Cases) 8th Edition. South Western: Cengage Learning.
23. Kalaycı, Ş. (2010). SPSS Applied Multivariate Statistical Techniques. Pegem Publications.
24. Kamanlı, A. İ., (2015). The Effect of Entrepreneurial Manager's Job Passion and Leadership Style on the Performance Perceptions of Employees. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Istanbul: Marmara University / Institute of Social Sciences.
25. Kamaşak, R. (2010). The Effects of Generic Competition Strategies on Business Profitability and Market Performance. Management, 21(65), 47-64.
26. Karakaş, B. and R. Ak. (2003). "Kamu Yönetiminde Performans Yönetimi Önemlimidir?", Kamu Yönetiminde Kalite 3. Ulusal Kongresi Bildirileri, TODAİE Yayınları No: 319, 337-351.
27. Keskin, H. Zehir, S. and Ayar, H. (2016). The Relationship between Market Orientation and Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Differentiation Strategy. Journal of Doğuş University, 17(1), 111-127.
28. Koçel, T. (2005). Business Management 10th Edition, Arıkan Basım Yayım Dağıtım.
29. Mina, S. (2018). Transactional and Transformational Leadership, Constanta Maritime University Annals, 27, 149-154
30. Pearce II, J.A. and Robinson Jr, R.B. (2020). Overview of Strategic Management, M. Barca (Ed.). M. Barca (Trans.). Strategic Management - Development, Implementation and Control (Translation from the twelfth edition, pp. 2-18) in. Nobel. Publishing.
31. Peker, A. A. Özdemir, Ş. Kerse, G. and Arsu, T. (2016). Porter's Generic Competition Strategies and Performance Relationship; the Case of Aksaray Province Organized Industrial Zone, MANAS Journal of Social Research, 5 (5), 11-22.
32. Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Free Press.
33. Robert, A. & Loice, G. (2014). The Relationship Between Competitive Strategies And Firm Performance: A Case of Mobile Telecommunication Companies in Kenya, International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 2 (9), United Kingdom.
34. Şeref, A. (2022). An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Transformational Leadership, Organizational Culture, Learning Organizations, Organizational Flexibility and Performance: TOBB Örneği. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Istanbul: Beykent University / Institute of Graduate Studies.
35. Tabachnick, B., G., Fidell, L., S. (2013). Using Multivariate Statistics. Allyn and Bacon.
36. Ural, A. Kılıç, İ. (2011). Scientific Research Process and Data Analysis with SPSS. Detay Publishing. Ülgen, H. and Mirze, S. K. (2004). Strategic Management in Businesses. Istanbul: Literatür Publishing.
37. Yamin, S. Mavondo, F. Gunasekaran, A. and Sarros, J. C. (1997). "A Study of Competitive Strategy, Organizational Innovation and Organizational Performance among Australian Manufacturing Companies. International Journal of Production Economics, 52, 161-172.
38. Yamin, S. Gunesekaran, A. and Mavondo, F. (1999) "Relationship between generic strategies, competitive advantage and organizational performance: An empirical analysis", Technovation, 19, 507-518.
39. Yıldız, Ö. (2021). Investigation of the Effect of Competition Strategies in Organizations on Organizational Performance in the Context of Leadership Styles and Leadership Tasks. (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Istanbul: Arel University, Institute of Postgraduate Education.
40. Yukl, G. (2018). Leadership in Organizations. Translation from the Eighth Edition (Ş. Çetin and R. Baltacı, Translation). Nobel Publishing House.