The Role of Participative Leadership in Facilitating Smart Learning and Organizational Innovation Culture
Keywords:
Participative leadership, smart learning, innovation culture, organizational trust, collective decision-making, digital innovationAbstract
This study aimed to explain how participative leadership enhances smart learning and fosters an organizational culture of innovation through a systematic review of recent scientific literature. This research employed a qualitative systematic review design using thematic analysis. The study population included scientific articles published between 2015 and 2025 in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald, and Google Scholar. After initial screening and removal of irrelevant and duplicate records, 18 eligible studies were selected for in-depth analysis. Data were coded and analyzed using Nvivo 14 software through open, axial, and selective coding stages. Theoretical saturation was achieved when no new concepts emerged from the data. Findings revealed that participative leadership, characterized by collective decision-making, mutual trust, empowerment, and human-centered communication, plays a facilitative role in smart learning development. Participative leaders promote creative thinking and adaptive learning by establishing knowledge ecosystems, using intelligent feedback systems, and embedding a culture of innovation. The results emphasized that participative leadership serves as a bridge between people, technology, and culture, transforming traditional learning into dynamic, data-driven learning. Participative leadership is more than a managerial style—it represents a human-centered philosophy that harmonizes human intelligence with digital technologies. By cultivating trust, continuous learning, and collaborative innovation, this leadership approach transforms organizations into agile, learning-oriented systems.
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