Dramatic social change (COVID-19) moderating complexity leadership and organisational adaptability in Zimbabwean SMEs

Purpose Major social changes, such as those induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, intensify the need for organisations in Africa to accelerate adaptation. Leadership plays an important role in their organisations' adaptation. This study focuses on how leaders can build adaptive organisations through appropriate complexity leadership practices by establishing which of these most predict organisational adaptation. The study aims to contribute to dramatic social change (DSC) theory and to empirically confirm conceptual relationships between complexity leadership theory and perceptions of organisational adaptability (OA). Design/methodology/approach The convenience non-probability sample include 126 senior management respondents from 24 small and medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. The study focuses on these individual senior managers' perceptions of their organisations' adaptation, leadership practices and the social changes during COVID-19. The questionnaire used a five-point Likert scale, based on some items from existing scales on entrepreneurial, operational and enabling leadership of complexity leadership and items on OA and DSC. The study applied structural equation modelling using SmartPLS and SPSS software. Findings The study formulates recommendations for the boundary conditions under which each or a combination of the complexity leadership practices will bring about the appropriate level of adaptability. The enabling and entrepreneurial leadership practices required, include brokering, decentralisation and establishing multilevel collaboration. Originality/value The study contributes insight for leaders to differentiate between the levels of adaptation their organisations require at particular times in particular contexts. Different adaptations will require a different combination of complexity leadership practices. When the adaptation sought is internal, operational leadership is more appropriate, whereas if the motive is market adaptation, entrepreneurial leadership is more appropriate.