Entrepreneurial Leadership and Academic Entrepreneurship in Malaysian Public Research Universities

Entrepreneurial leadership, capable of overcoming various hierarchical and internal constraints, as well as conflicts, has assumed great significance in the wake of institutions of higher learning trying to promote academic entrepreneurship. There is still a paucity of empirical research on academic entrepreneurship especially in the context of a developing economy like Malaysia and its higher education system. This paper analyzes and presents academic entrepreneurship as a leadership process of creating economic value through acts of organizational creation, renewal or innovation within or outside the university that results in research and technology commercialization. It contributes to the literature by examining the theoretical connection and relationship between leadership behavior and the level of academic entrepreneurship in Malaysian public research universities. Findings and results from this study will enable public research universities to evaluate the level of entrepreneurial leadership, their leadership strategies and capabilities in developing an entrepreneurial mindset which pervades the entire university organization, the status of their entrepreneurial systems within and outside the universities, identify enablers and barriers for academic entrepreneurship within their academic organizations, and, enhance decision making especially in fostering academic entrepreneurship.