The Role of Servant and Knowledge Leadership in Big Data Analytics: Insights from Military Officers at the Peruvian Army War College
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60029/rcesge.v4i1ar5Keywords:
Intellectual capital, big data analytics, Army War CollegeAbstract
This study explores the impact of Servant Leadership (SL) and Knowledge Leadership (KL) on the adoption of Big Data Analytics (BDA) within military institutions. Specifically, it analyzes how leadership influences data-driven decision-making and whether Intellectual Capital (IC) mediates this relationship. The study employs a quantitative research design, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 187 officers enrolled in the Command and General Staff Course at the Peruvian Army War College (Escuela Superior de Guerra del Ejército del Perú). The model tests seven hypotheses regarding leadership's direct and mediating effects on BDA adoption. The results confirm that Servant Leadership (SL) significantly enhances BDA adoption by fostering an empowered, data-driven organizational culture. Knowledge Leadership (KL) also serves as a key mediator, facilitating the successful implementation of BDA through knowledge-sharing mechanisms. However, Intellectual Capital (IC) does not directly influence BDA adoption, suggesting that its role depends on additional strategic enablers, such as leadership commitment, digital transformation, and operational intelligence frameworks. These findings provide practical insights for military institutions seeking to enhance their analytics capabilities. The study highlights the importance of leadership development programs in promoting data-driven decision-making, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative intelligence strategies. In addition, it emphasizes the need to institutionalize knowledge leadership within the military to optimize intelligence operations, mission planning, and strategic logistics management. This study contributes to the growing body of research on leadership and military analytics by providing empirical evidence on how leadership models impact BDA adoption in defense institutions. Integrating Servant Leadership and Knowledge Leadership into military strategy introduces a novel framework for enhancing operational efficiency through data-driven intelligence systems. This study is particularly valuable for military leaders, defense policymakers, and strategic planners looking to modernize decision-making processes within the Peruvian Army and other military organizations.
Downloads
References
Alasmari, S., Ali, A. J., Khalid, J., Chuanmin, M., & Rasheed, M. S. (2025). Servant leadership and employee creativity in Islamic context: role of employee empowerment and knowledge sharing. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-06-2024-0291
Ali, M., Hussin, N., Haddad, H., Al-Araj, R., & Abed, I. (2021). A Multidimensional View of Intellectual Capital: The Impact on Innovation Performance. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7040216.
Alkhatib, A. W., & Valeri, M. (2024). Can intellectual capital promote the competitive advantage? Service innovation and big data analytics capabilities in a moderated mediation model. European Journal of Innovation Management, 27(1), 263-289.
Bag, S., Gupta, S., Choi, T., & Kumar, A. (2021). Roles of Innovation Leadership on Using Big Data Analytics to Establish Resilient Healthcare Supply Chains to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multimethodological Study. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, PP, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2021.3101590.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Bazyar, A., Abbasi, M., & Khanachah, S. (2024). Investigating the moderating role of technology turbulence and innovation capabilities in servant leadership, knowledge management and frugal innovation. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/jstpm-10-2023-0168.
Blaikie, N. (2007). Approaches to social enquiry: Advancing knowledge. Polity Press.
Castro, G., & Sáez, P. (2008). Intellectual capital in high‐tech firms. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 9, 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1108/14691930810845786.
Chen, C., & Chen, Y. (2021). Influence of intellectual capital and integration on operational performance: big data analytical capability perspectives. Chinese Management Studies. https://doi.org/10.1108/cms-02-2021-0037.
Chen, X., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Big data analytics in military decision-making: A systematic review. Defence Technology, 19(1), 34-50.
Coetzer, M., Bussin, M., & Geldenhuys, M. (2017). The Functions of a Servant Leader. Administrative Sciences, 7, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/ADMSCI7010005.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE.
Donate, M. J., & de Pablo, J. D. S. (2015). The role of knowledge-oriented leadership in knowledge management practices and innovation. Journal of Business Research, 68(2), 360-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.06.022
Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R. (2019). Servant Leadership: A systematic review and call for future research. The Leadership Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LEAQUA.2018.07.004.
Ferraris, A., Mazzoleni, A., Devalle, A., & Couturier, J. (2019). Big data analytics capabilities and knowledge management: impact on firm performance. Management Decision. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2018-0825.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312
Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 105–117). SAGE.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2021). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE.
Hamyeme, S., Belagra, F., & Bouzidi, F. (2024). The Effect of Implementing Servant Leadership Practices on the Adoption of Digital Transformation for Companies in the Telecommunications Sector. Business Ethics and Leadership. https://doi.org/10.61093/bel.8(3).26-42.2024.
Hariri, R. H., Fredericks, E. M., & Bowers, K. M. (2019). Uncertainty in big data analytics: survey, opportunities, and challenges. Journal of Big data, 6(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-019-0206-3
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Hsu, Y. H., & Fang, W. (2009). Intellectual capital and new product development performance: The mediating role of organizational learning capability. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 76(5), 664–677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2008.03.012
Kadarsah, D., Govindaraju, R., & Prihartono, B. (2023). The Role of Knowledge-Oriented Leadership in Fostering Innovation Capabilities: The Mediating Role of Data Analytics Maturity. IEEE Access, 11, 129683-129702. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3333915.
Khatri, P., Dutta, S., Kumari, P., Duggal, H., Thomas, A., Cristillo, I., & Nobis, S. (2023). Modeling intellectual capital-based intrapreneurial ability of working professionals through servant leadership and self-efficacy. Journal of Intellectual Capital. https://doi.org/10.1108/jic-10-2022-0208.
Kokkinou, A., Mitas, O., & Mandemakers, A. (2024). Cultivating a Data-Driven Culture: Exploring The Role of Data Analytic Capability, Employee Empowerment, and Transformational Leadership. Resilience Through Digital Innovation: Enabling the Twin Transition. https://doi.org/10.18690/um.fov.4.2024.10.
Koohang, A., Sargent, C., Zhang, J., & Marotta, A. (2023). Big data analytics: from leadership to firm performance. Ind. Manag. Data Syst., 123, 2976-2996. https://doi.org/10.1108/imds-06-2023-0415.
Kumar, A., & Chauhan, V. S. (2024). Exploring the mediating role of big data in the relationship between servant leadership and firm performance: insights from private hospitals in India. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 73(8), 2650-2672. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-08-2023-0453
Kweh, Q., Ting, I., Asif, J., & Lu, W. (2024). Managerial ability and firm growth: intellectual capital components. Management Decision. https://doi.org/10.1108/md-01-2024-0183.
Lee, A., Lyubovnikova, J., Tian, A., & Knight, C. (2019). Servant leadership: A meta‐analytic examination of incremental contribution, moderation, and mediation. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/JOOP.12265.
Lee, I. (2017). Big data: Dimensions, evolution, impacts, and challenges. Business Horizons, 60, 293-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BUSHOR.2017.01.004.
Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., Meuser, J. D., Hu, J., Wu, J., & Liao, C. (2015). Servant leadership: Validation of a short form of the SL-28. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(2), 254-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.12.002
Lin, S., Lin, J., Han, F., & Luo, X. R. (2022). How big data analytics enables the alliance relationship stability of contract farming in the age of digital transformation. Information & Management, 59(6), 103680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2022.103680
Ling, Q., Liu, F., & Wu, X. (2017). Servant Versus Authentic Leadership. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 58, 53 - 68. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965516641515.
Liwång, H., Andersson, K., Bang, M., Malmio, I., & Tärnholm, T. (2023). How can systemic perspectives on defence capability development be strengthened?. Defence Studies, 23, 399 - 420. https://doi.org/10.1080/14702436.2023.2239722.
Mahdi, O. (2021). The Business Model of Sustainable Competitive Advantage through Strategic Leadership Capabilities and Knowledge Management Processes to Overcome COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179891.
Oratis, P. (2022). On the lateral axis: A Systems-Psychodynamic study of the lateral relations of collaboration amongst senior leaders in corporate organizations (Doctoral dissertation, University of Essex).
Pigola, A., De Santi, P., Da Costa, P., & Storópoli, J. (2021). Intellectual capital on performance: a meta-analysis study enhancing a new perspective of the components. Journal of Intellectual Capital. https://doi.org/10.1108/jic-01-2021-0025.
Qiong, J. (2010). Empirical Study on Leadership Characteristic Model in Knowledge Management Process. Science of Science and Management of S.& T.
Rettore, P., Zißner, P., Alkhowaiter, M., Zou, C., & Sevenich, P. (2024). Military Data Space: Challenges, Opportunities, and Use Cases. IEEE Communications Magazine, 62, 70-76. https://doi.org/10.1109/MCOM.001.2300396.
Riquelme, H. E., Rios, R. E., & Gadallah, A. S. (2020). The influence of servant leadership on an organization’s serving-driven capabilities in a Kuwaiti bank environment. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 38(3), 692-717. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-08-2019-0280
Roßmann, B., Canzaniello, A., Gracht, H., & Hartmann, E. (2017). The future and social impact of Big Data Analytics in Supply Chain Management: Results from a Delphi study. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 130, 135-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.TECHFORE.2017.10.005.
Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C. M., & Hair, J. F. (2019). Handbook of market research: Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05542-8_15
Schmidt, D., Van Dierendonck, D., & Weber, U. (2023). The data-driven leader: developing a big data analytics leadership competency framework. Journal of Management Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-12-2022-0306.
Singhania, A. K., & Panda, N. M. (2025). Intellectual capital disclosure and firm performance in India: unfolding the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Journal of Intellectual Capital. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-05-2024-0145
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z
Tuan, L. (2016). How servant leadership nurtures knowledge sharing. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29, 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-06-2015-0112.
Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant Leadership: A Review and Synthesis. Journal of Management, 37, 1228 - 1261. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310380462.
Viitala, R. (2004). Towards knowledge leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 25, 528-544. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730410556761.
Zada, S., Khan, J., Zada, M., Saeed, I., & Jun, Z. (2023). Does Servant Leadership Enhance Employee Creativity and Performance?. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing. https://doi.org/10.4018/joeuc.321656.
Zaher, D. (2015). Servant leadership and the successful implementation of knowledge management in organizations. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), 39–59.