Agile Leadership and Learning Culture Drive Organizational Performance, Study Finds

AI Generated

FORMOSA NEWS - Bogor - Agile leadership plays a decisive role in improving organizational performance by strengthening learning culture and business intelligence capability. This conclusion comes from a 2026 study by Gina Hafsari Arifin, Eri Sarimanah, and Dian Wulandari from University of Pakuan, published in the International Journal of Management and Business Intelligence. The research, based on data from 210 managers, shows that leadership flexibility and a strong learning environment help organizations use data more effectively and stay competitive in a rapidly changing business landscape. 

The findings arrive at a critical moment when companies worldwide face constant disruption driven by digital technology, market competition, and economic uncertainty. Organizations must respond quickly to change while making accurate, data-driven decisions. In this environment, leadership style and workplace culture have become as important as technology itself.

Modern Organizations Need Agile and Adaptive Leaders

Today’s companies operate in environments defined by rapid change and high uncertainty. Traditional leadership models that rely on rigid hierarchies and slow decision-making often struggle to keep up.

Agile leadership offers a different approach. Agile leaders focus on flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. They encourage employees to share knowledge, experiment with new ideas, and respond quickly to emerging challenges.

According to Gina Hafsari Arifin and her colleagues at University of Pakuan, leadership influences not only employee performance but also how effectively organizations use knowledge and technology. 

Equally important are two supporting factors:

  • Organizational climate, which refers to the work environment and employee relationships
  • Learning culture, which reflects how strongly an organization supports continuous learning

Together, these factors shape how organizations use business intelligence to improve performance.

Survey of 210 Managers Reveals Strong Connections

The research team collected data from 210 managers working in various organizations. They analyzed how leadership style, organizational climate, and learning culture influenced business intelligence capability and organizational performance.

Business intelligence refers to the ability to collect, analyze, and use data to guide strategic decisions.

The study’s statistical analysis revealed strong and significant relationships among these factors.

Key findings include:

  • Agile leadership strongly improves organizational climate, with a relationship score of 0.62
  • Agile leadership also strengthens learning culture, with a score of 0.58
  • Organizational climate improves business intelligence capability, score 0.41
  • Learning culture strengthens business intelligence capability even more, score 0.46
  • Business intelligence capability has the strongest direct effect on organizational performance, score 0.67 

These results confirm that leadership does not influence performance alone. Instead, leadership works through workplace culture and learning systems to improve organizational outcomes.

Business Intelligence Emerges as a Key Performance Driver

One of the most important discoveries is the central role of business intelligence capability.

Organizations that can turn data into useful insights perform better in several areas, including:

  • Operational efficiency
  • Strategic planning
  • Problem-solving
  • Competitive advantage

The research shows that leadership and culture directly strengthen this capability.

Gina Hafsari Arifin of University of Pakuan explains that agile leadership creates conditions where knowledge sharing and learning can thrive, allowing organizations to use data more effectively. 

In other words, technology alone is not enough. Leadership and culture determine whether organizations can fully benefit from business intelligence.

Learning Culture Strengthens Organizational Competitiveness

The study highlights learning culture as one of the most powerful drivers of performance.

Organizations with strong learning cultures encourage employees to:

  • Develop new skills
  • Share knowledge
  • Learn from mistakes
  • Adapt to change

This creates a workforce capable of responding to challenges quickly.

Learning culture also improves business intelligence capability because employees are more willing and able to use data in decision-making.

As Gina Hafsari Arifin and her University of Pakuan colleagues note, continuous learning strengthens organizational adaptability and long-term performance. 

Organizational Climate Supports Innovation and Collaboration

Organizational climate also plays an essential role.

A positive climate includes:

  • Trust between employees and leaders
  • Open communication
  • Supportive teamwork

This environment encourages collaboration and information sharing, which improves data analysis and strategic planning.

Organizations with strong climates are better prepared to use business intelligence effectively.

Implications for Business Leaders and Organizations

The findings offer clear lessons for companies seeking to improve performance.

For business leaders

Developing agile leadership skills can improve both culture and performance. Leaders who encourage flexibility and learning help organizations adapt faster.

For organizations

Building a strong learning culture and supportive work environment strengthens business intelligence capability and competitiveness.

For decision-makers

Investing in leadership development and employee learning can deliver measurable performance benefits.

The research confirms that leadership, culture, and data capability must work together.

Organizations cannot rely on technology alone.

Critical Strategy for the Digital Economy

The study is particularly relevant as companies accelerate digital transformation.

Business intelligence tools are becoming more common, but their success depends on human and organizational factors.

Without agile leadership and learning culture, even advanced technology may fail to improve performance.

Gina Hafsari Arifin and her team emphasize that agile leadership strengthens organizational effectiveness both directly and indirectly through learning culture, organizational climate, and business intelligence capability. 

This integrated approach helps organizations remain competitive in the modern economy.

Author Profile

Gina Hafsari Arifin is a researcher and academic affiliated with University of Pakuan, Indonesia. Her expertise focuses on leadership, organizational behavior, business intelligence, and organizational performance.

Eri Sarimanah and Dian Wulandari are also researchers at University of Pakuan, specializing in management, organizational development, and strategic performance.

Their work contributes to understanding how leadership and organizational culture influence business success in the digital era.

Source

Arifin, Gina Hafsari; Sarimanah, Eri; Wulandari, Dian. 2026.

“The Role of Agile Leadership, Organizational Climate, and Learning Culture.”

International Journal of Management and Business Intelligence (IJBMI), Vol. 4 No. 1, 2026.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijmbi.v4i1.317

Official URL:

Posting Komentar

0 Komentar