The Impact of Strategic Leadership on Enhancing Competitive Advantage in the Government Sector in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Strategic leadership has become a key driver for enhancing organizational competitiveness in modern government institutions. In the context of the United Arab Emirates, government entities are increasingly required to adopt innovative leadership practices to maintain service excellence, institutional efficiency, and sustainable competitive advantage. This study aims to examine the impact of strategic leadership on enhancing competitive advantage in the 
government sector in the UAE. The motivation for the study stems from the limited empirical research that explores how strategic leadership contributes to strengthening competitive advantage within public sector institutions, particularly in the UAE context. To achieve the objectives of the study, a mixed methods research design was adopted, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed to employees working in government entities, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with selected leaders and managers. The results reveal a significant positive relationship between strategic leadership practices and the enhancement of competitive advantage. In addition, the findings indicate that human capital development and organizational innovation play an important mediating role in strengthening institutional performance and improving the sustainability of competitive advantage. The study highlights the practical importance of strengthening strategic leadership capabilities in government organizations through participative decision-making, support for innovation initiatives, and continuous investment in human capital development. Overall, this research contributes to the literature on strategic leadership in the public sector by providing empirical evidence from the UAE and offering a conceptual framework that explains how strategic leadership practices can enhance competitive advantage and sustain government service excellence.