Article: Empowering performance through engagement: the mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between transformational leadership, self-directed learning, and employee performance in the cosmetics industry Journal: International Journal of Business Innovation and Research (IJBIR) 2025 Vol.37 No.7 pp.1 - 22 Abstract: Amid growing competition in the cosmetics industry, this study explores how transformational leadership and self-directed learning relate to employee performance, with employee engagement as a mediating variable. A survey of 105 employees at a cosmetics company was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) with SmartPLS. Results show that transformational leadership significantly enhances engagement but does not directly affect performance. Self-directed learning positively influences both engagement and performance. Employee engagement has the most potent effect on performance, confirming its mediating role. These findings suggest that leadership and learning strategies must be aligned with engagement efforts to optimise employee performance. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Empowering performance through engagement: the mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between transformational leadership, self-directed learning, and employee performance in the cosmetics industry

Authors: Herni Suhartini; Fetty Poerwita Sary

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Business, Telkom University, Bandung 40152, Indonesia ' Faculty of Economics and Business, Telkom University, Bandung 40152, Indonesia

Abstract: Amid growing competition in the cosmetics industry, this study explores how transformational leadership and self-directed learning relate to employee performance, with employee engagement as a mediating variable. A survey of 105 employees at a cosmetics company was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) with SmartPLS. Results show that transformational leadership significantly enhances engagement but does not directly affect performance. Self-directed learning positively influences both engagement and performance. Employee engagement has the most potent effect on performance, confirming its mediating role. These findings suggest that leadership and learning strategies must be aligned with engagement efforts to optimise employee performance.

Keywords: transformational leadership; employee engagement; self-directed learning; SDL; employee performance; cosmetics industry; structural equation modelling; SEM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2025.148560

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2025 Vol.37 No.7, pp.1 - 22

Received: 20 Jun 2025
Accepted: 08 Jul 2025
Published online: 11 Sep 2025 *

Title: Empowering performance through engagement: the mediating role of employee engagement in the relationship between transformational leadership, self-directed learning, and employee performance in the cosmetics industry

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