Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2022

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Advisor(s)

Harter, Donald

Keywords

Asset Management, Innovation, Leadership, Sustainability, Transformational, Transportation

Subject Categories

Civil and Environmental Engineering | Civil Engineering | Engineering

Abstract

The unprecedented challenges the infrastructure domain has been facing for the past few decades are forcing the authorities and owners of relevant organizations, particularly within the ground transportation sector, to introduce more innovative measures and to mitigate risks by embracing and adopting sustainability and asset management practices. This study examined the relationship between transformational leadership and the embracing and adopting of sustainability and asset management practices in the U.S. ground transportation sector. Further, this study assessed the mediation effect of organizational innovation on the relationship between transformational leadership style and the leaders' perception in terms of adaptation of sustainability and asset management practices. Moreover, the study investigated the moderation effect of organization type (public and private) on the relationship between transformational leadership and the perception of adopting sustainability and asset management practices. Structural Equation Modeling – Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) technique was used to analyze the quantitative data collected using a questionnaire survey distributed to a sample of leaders working in the ground transportation sector in the U.S. The results revealed a positive and significant relationship between transformational leadership and the leaders' perception of adopting asset management and sustainability practices. Moreover, the results supported the mediation influence (partial mediation) of organizational innovation on the relationship between transformational leadership and the leaders' perception of adopting sustainability and asset management. The results also revealed the prominent leadership style (transformational) that embraces sustainability and asset management practices. The findings claim that organization type does not have a significant influence on the relationship between transformational leadership and the research's outcomes (adoption of sustainability and asset management). Moreover, according to the results, no significant moderation effect was detected of organization type (public vs. private) on the relationship between transformational leadership and the leaders' perception of embracing and adopting sustainability and asset management practices. The study attempts to fill an important gap in the body of knowledge by investigating the influencing role of leadership style on the leaders' willingness to adopt and embrace sustainability and asset management practices and applications in the ground transportation sector. In addition, the study investigated the mediation effect of leadership styles on the organization's climate for innovation that, in turn, influences the adoption of sustainability and asset management practices. As the results revealed the prominent leadership style that is more likely to embrace sustainability and asset management practices, ground transportation authorities and owners are expected to effectively and seriously consider hiring, recognizing, promoting and endorsing leaders with transformational skills and traits. Further, as the results revealed a positively mediating influence of organizational innovation on the relationship between transformational leadership style and the adoption of sustainability and asset management. ground transportation organizations are urged to identify the factors that both facilitate and inhibit the development of non-technological innovation in their work environment.

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Open Access

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