Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Business Administration Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 143-179)

ABSTRACT The current competitive condition that reflects the business environment joined with growing pressures on environmental sustainability, requires companies to use strategies to decrease their products and services' ecological influences and determine their ecological profile, requiring companies to reconsider their purpose. This study's primary purpose is to build and test a model that examines Cihan group managers' perceptions regarding the role of effective leadership in improving organizational performance and business competitiveness: Green supply chain management practices act as a mediating mechanism. The study attempted to answer its main research question: to what extent does effective leadership impact organizational performance and business competitiveness, and to what extent does green supply chain management practices mediate the mentioned relationship. The study used a quantitative method that reflects the social phenomenon. A survey instrument was considered for a data collection method that included effective leadership, green supply chain management practices, organizational performance, and business competitiveness. The data were analyzed using partial least squares - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study showed that effective leadership (leading organization, leading people, and leading self) is positively and significantly related to green supply chain management practices; thus, effective leadership significantly influences green supply chain management practices. The findings show that Green supply chain management (GSCM) is positively associated with organizational performance and business competitiveness; hence, implementing green supply chain management practices impacts the companies' performance and competitiveness. The results established that green supply chain management practices partially mediated effective leadership's impact on organizational performance and business competitiveness. Further, the study also found a direct impact of effective leadership on organizational performance. The study contributes to the literature by indicating that effective leadership via its dimensions: leading organization, people, and self indirectly improves business competitiveness and organizational performance by mediating green supply chain management practices. Meanwhile, green supply chain management practices improve economic, social, and environmental performance. This study providеs managеrial contribution for lеadеrs and managеrs in thе manufacturing еnvironmеnt, in particular, for thе Cihan Group in Iraq. An еssеntial rеcоmmеndatiоn fоr practicе is that lеadеrship dеvеlоpmеnt and training rеgarding thе green supply practices shоuld bе a tоp stratеgic priоrity fоr all оrganizatiоns, tо еffеctivеly implеmеnt green practicеs, which havе a significant rеlatiоnship tо businеss cоmpеtitivеnеss, and оrganizatiоnal pеrfоrmancе.