The Role of Participatory Leadership and Employee Innovative Behavior on SMEs’ Endurance
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This research address the mediating effect of Participatory Leadership on the relationship between EWIB and SME Endurance in Saudi Arabia.
Overall, this manuscript is presented succinctly.
To improve the quality of the manuscript, it will be necessary for the authors to address the following issue:
1. the author adopts a construct of SME Endurance. However, the references and theoretical background address SME survival. It will be very important to state whether survival and Endurance are the same.
2. The importance of SME endurance should be explained extensively in Literature & Hypothesis section.
3. Explanation of the role of PL as mediating factor should be addressed in the Literature review & hypothesis section.
4. Theoretical framework needs to be revised. Figure 1 indicates the link between EWIB and SMEE, and between PL and SMEE. The mediating effect of PL Should be added. A link between EWIB and PL should also be added
5. The number of samples in this study is 390, representing 144 SMEs. Please explain whether the unit analysis is individual or SME. How many respondents were selected for each SME?
Author Response
Dear reviewer,
Greetings!
Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We have tried hard to respond to all of them. I hope the response is as you expected.
Regards,
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
(1). Abstract: Abstract needs to be re written with more information.
(2). Keywords: Add two more adequate keyword
(3). Introduction: This section messes that why this particular study is needed, what gaps will be addressed by doing this research and what will be the contribution of the research. I suggest a complete re-writing of Introduction section considering the points raised.
(4). Literature Review: The literature review is adequate but could be more thorough and could be presented more effectively.
(5). Materials and Methods: Elaborate the details of the research methodology. Justify, why adopted the Structural equation modelling approach. Discus the suitability of this methodology for this problem. Address the advantages of this methodology over other methodologies.
(6). Results: Explained well. Highlights the novel aspects
(7). Discussion: Reads well
(8). Theoretical and Managerial /practical implications of the findings: Incorporate
(9). Conclusion: Reads well
(10). Citations/references are not proper format in the entire paper. It should be corrected. Attention should be paid to clarity of expression and readability
Author Response
Dear reviewer
Greetings!
Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We have tried hard to respond to all of them. I hope the response is as you expected.
Regards,
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
In order for an article to meet scientific requirements, all of the comments below must be addressed:
1. Point 2: In hypotheses, the authors use the term “endurance”. Please define an „endurance of SMEs”, explain what factors determine it and write why is it necessary for the company and employees.
Line 194-195 “For this study, “SME endurance” refers to the consistent existence or operation of the SME during the COVID-19 pandemic.” - How it is understood and how it has been studied in the article?
You explain that: “SME endurance was measured through two dimensions [60]: financial and 198 strategic indicators. The financial indicator included six items related to deposit adequacy, 199 debt-to-asset ratio, use of retained earnings to finance production operations, capital turn-200 over, and technology use in business operations” but why this indicators are important in endurance of SMEs?
Please define the concept, give measurements and explain why they indicate the endurance of the enterprise.
2. Figure 1. The Research Theoretical Framework - The figure does not show all hypotheses - especially the mediating one. Please elaborate this figure according to the hypotheses.
3. In discussion please better explain the main theoretical and practical contributions of your research results.
I hope my comments will help improve the quality of this article.
Author Response
Dear reviewer
Greetings!
Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We have tried hard to respond to all of them. I hope the response is as you expected.
Regards,
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors have addressed all of my comments
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you for the improvements you made.
The article is very interesting and quite well prepared methodologically. In addition, the manuscript is clear, relevant to the field, and presented in a well-structured manner. Now introduction, limitations, implications and conclusions contain the necessary elements and information.
The cited literature is appropriate, it concerns both the most recent (from the last 5 years) and older publications.
In my opinion, the article can be accepted for publication.
