Management Innovation in Educational Institutions: Adaptive Leadership Models for Highly Uncertain Environments

Rodríguez Cabrera R.C.; Espina Romero L.; Tuesta Vila J. · Revista Venezolana de Gerencia (2026) · DOI: 10.52080/rvgluz.31.e15.27

Resumen

This quantitative research analyzes the relationship between managerial innovation, adaptive leadership, and uncertainty management in educational institutions in Ecuador. In an environment characterized by volatility and complexity, the ability of educational organizations to adapt and innovate is crucial. A non-experimental, cross-sectional design was applied to a sample of 265 managers and teachers. The instruments, validated by expert judgment and with high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.88), measured the three main variables. The results, analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression, reveal a positive and significant correlation between adaptive leadership and uncertainty management (r = 0.724, p < 0.001), as well as between managerial innovation and said management (r = 0.687, p < 0.001). The regression model explains 62.1% of the variance in uncertainty management, with adaptive leadership being the most robust predictor. It is concluded that fostering leadership capable of navigating complexity and a culture of innovation are determining factors for institutional resilience and effectiveness in high-uncertainty contexts.

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola