Intergroup leadership and competitive advantage in organizations: How developing intergroup effectiveness, collective intelligence, and intellectual capital matters

The purpose of this study was to empirically investigate the relationship between intergroup leadership and competitive advantage in the context of organizations. By drawing on theories of intergroup leadership, the resource-based view, and intergroup relations, this study developed and tested a conceptual model that links intergroup leadership with competitive advantage through several mediating variables. Specifically, the study examined how intergroup leadership contributes to achieving and sustaining competitive advantage in organizations through the mediating effects of intergroup effectiveness, collective intelligence, and intellectual capital. Data for this study was collected from 287 professional bankers working in three commercial banks in Somalia. A correlational research design and a questionnaire were used to gather the necessary information. Structural equation modeling was then applied to analyze the data and assess the degree of correlation between the variables in the model. The results of the structural equation model reveal that (1) intergroup leaders have a significant impact on enhancing intergroup effectiveness, collective intelligence, and intellectual capital, and (2) intergroup effectiveness, collective intelligence, and intellectual capital fully mediate the relationship between intergroup leadership and competitive advantage. Furthermore, the study examined the direct relationship between intergroup leadership and competitive advantage but found no support for such a relationship. Instead, the findings suggest that intergroup leadership is associated with competitive advantage through the full mediation of collective intelligence, intergroup effectiveness, and intellectual capital. Finally, the implications for theories, research methods, and practices are discussed, along with recommendations for future research and key conclusions. Keywords: Leadership, intergroup effectiveness, collective intelligence, intellectual capital, and competitive advantage.