Articles
Despite increasing interest in entrepreneurial approaches to school leadership, few empirical studies have examined how edupreneurial leadership shapes school culture in resource‐constrained contexts. Recognising this, the present study was undertaken to empirically examine how seven entrepreneurial competencies in school leaders (strategic thinking, innovativeness, risk‐taking ability, emotional intelligence, community engagement, data‐informed decision‐making, and technological competence) shape five dimensions of school culture (mission and vision, school environment, academic environment, equity and inclusivity, and communication) in Bihar’s secondary schools, with implications for similar contexts worldwide. A quantitative cross-sectional design was adopted, employing a multi‐stage sampling strategy to collect survey data from 2,209 stakeholders (412 school leaders, 717 teachers/staff, and 1,080 students) across 210 secondary schools in 16 districts of Bihar. Data were collected using researcher-developed and validated scales for Edupreneurial Leadership (ELS) and School Culture (SCAS) which were then analyzed via correlation and multiple regression to determine the influence of edupreneurial leadership on the various dimensions of school culture. The findings indicate a positive and significant effect of edupreneurial leadership on school culture, with specific competencies shaping distinct cultural outcomes. Strategic Thinking (ST) emerged as the strongest predictor of Mission & Vision, while Emotional Intelligence (EI) had the greatest impact on School Environment. Risk-Taking Ability (RTA) had the greatest impact on Academic Environment, and Data-Informed Decision-Making (DIDM) was most influential for Equity & Inclusivity. Technological Competence (TC) showed a notable effect on Communication. Collectively, these competencies accounted for between 22% and 35% of the variance in school culture dimensions. By providing large‐scale empirical evidence from a resource‐constrained region, this research fills a critical gap in the global literature on edupreneurial leadership and school culture. Theoretically, it extends entrepreneurial leadership models to under‐resourced secondary schools; practically, it informs policymakers and practitioners worldwide that capacity‐building programs for education leaders focused on strategic planning, data literacy, and emotional intelligence can create mission‐driven, inclusive, and innovative school environments in diverse contexts.
