The mediation effect of innovation on the relationship between strategic leadership and quality applications: An Application in a university hospital

The aim of this study is to reveal the mediation effect of innovation in the relationship between strategic leadership and quality practices in a healthcare institution. Another aim of the study is to determine whether strategic leadership, quality applications, and perception of innovation differ according to sociodemographic characteristics. The data of the descriptive and cross-sectional study were collected from 421 healthcare professionals working at Kırıkkale University Faculty of Medicine Research and Application Hospital between February and April 2022. The data collection form consisting of four parts included questions about determining the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and statements about quality applications within the framework of Strategic Leadership Scale, Workplace Innovation Scale, and EFQM Excellence Model. Data analyses were performed in SPSS 26 and AMOS 24 programs. As a result of the study, it was determined that the mean value of strategic leadership perceptions of healthcare professionals was 3.49±0.85, the mean value of quality perceptions was 2.99±1.00 and the mean value of innovation perceptions was 3.01±0.96. The level of perception of the healthcare professionals participating in the study toward strategic leadership showed a statistically significant difference in terms of age, marital status, working time in the institution and duration of working with the manager. The level of perception toward quality applications showed a statistically significant difference in terms of age, marital status, education level, duration of working in the institution, and duration of working with the manager. The level of perception toward innovation showed a statistically significant difference in terms of age, marital status, duration of working in the institution and duration of working with the manager. According to the total effect of SEM findings regarding the mediation analysis, strategic leadership had a positive significant effect on quality applications (β=0.669; p<0.001). When the direct effects were examined, strategic leadership had a significant positive effect on innovation (β=0.682; vii p<0.001) and quality applications (β= 0.080; p=0.038) and innovation had a positive significant effect on quality applications (β=0.864; p<0.001). When the indirect effect was examined, it was determined that innovation had a mediation effect in the relationship between strategic leadership and quality applications. Consequently, it can be asserted that the managers of health institutions displayed strategic leadership behaviors and the perception of this by the employees improved the quality and innovation processes, and the institutions familiar with innovation and innovative processes will be more successful in their quality studies. Key words: Mediation effect, innovation, quality applications, health institutions, strategic leadership.