Emotional Intelligence as a Mediating Mechanism between Lecturer Competence and Innovation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37641/jimkes.v14i1.4781Keywords:
Emotional Intelligence, Higher Education, Lecturer Competence, Lecturer InnovationAbstract
Improving the quality of higher education requires strengthening lecturers’ competence and innovative behavior in response to digital transformation and the demands of Industry 4.0. This study examined the mediating effect of emotional intelligence in the relationship between lecturer competence and lecturer innovation at private universities under the coordination of LLDIKTI Region IV. A quantitative approach was employed using structured questionnaires distributed to lecturers in private universities across Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. A total of 354 responses were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. The results indicate that lecturer competence has a positive and significant effect on lecturer innovation, both directly and indirectly through emotional intelligence. The mediation analysis confirms that emotional intelligence strengthens the relationship between competence and innovation, serving as a key psychological mechanism that translates professional competence into innovative behavior. These findings suggest that universities should incorporate emotional intelligence development into lecturer capacity-building programs to promote sustainable innovation and academic excellence.
Downloads
References
Almeneessier, A. S., & Azer, S. A. (2023). Exploring the relationship between burnout and emotional intelligence among academics and clinicians at King Saud University. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 1–11.
Alzoubi, H. M., & Aziz, R. (2021). Does emotional intelligence contribute to quality of strategic decisions ? the mediating role of open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 7(2), 130-142.
Andrabi, N. F., Riyaz, P., & Rainayee, A. (2020). Emotional intelligence and innovative work behaviour: a review. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 4(4), 185–192.
Busro, M. (2022). Teori teori manajemen sumber daya manusia (Cetakan ke). Jakarta: Prenadamedia.
Cao, C. D., Phan, L. T., & Nguyen, T. T. (2022). A study on the competency based education of lecturers in universities of technology and education. International Journal of Education and Practice, 10(3), 267–276.
Damayanti, F., Sianturi, N. M., Damayanto, A., Bangkara, B. A., & Ristianti, D. H. (2023). The excellence of lecturer hr in increasing competition in research-based higher education services. Tafkir: Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Education, 4(1), 37-57.
Dewi, T. K., & Crefioza, O. (2022). The affiliation of emotional intelligence with performance of accounting lecturers. Jurnal Ekobistek, 11(3), 264–269.
Di Battista, S., Pivetti, M., Melotti, G., & Berti, C. (2022). Lecturer competence from the perspective of undergraduate psychology students: a qualitative pilot study. Education Sciences, 12(2), 1–13.
Fiernaningsih, N., Herijanto, P., Kristianingsih, T., & Malang, P. N. (2022). Pembentukan perilaku inovatif dosen vokasi di Jawa Timur. Jurnal Riset Dan Konseptual, 7(9), 643–652.
Goleman, D. (2020). Emotional intelligence 25th anniversary edition. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Gunarto, M., Nura, A., & Yanti, P. (2022). Effect of emotional intelligence and competency on lecturer's performance. In Proceedings of the 5th European International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM 2022 Rome). Roma: IEOM Society International.
Hadi, S., Setiawati, L., Kirana, K. C., Lada, S. Bin, & Rahmawati, C. H. T. (2024). The effect of digital leadership and organizational support on innovative work behavior: the mediating role of emotional intelligence. Quality Access to Success, 25(199), 74–83.
Hair, J. F. (2018). When to use and how to report the results of PLS SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24.
Hajiali, I., Muhammad, A., Kessi, F., Prihatin, E., & Sufri, M. (2022). Determination of work motivation, leadership style, employee competence on job satisfaction and employee performance. Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management, 2(1), 57–69.
Halik, J. B., & Nurlia. (2022). The influence of lecturer competence on the quality of education in the management department of UKIP Makasar. Journal Geoekonomi, 15(1), 138–147.
Halim, M. F., Sultan, U. I. N., Muhammad, A., & Samarinda, I. (2025). Kompetensi dosen dalam implementasi manajemen pembelajaran berbasis Outcome Based Education (OBE) di UINSI Samarinda. Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia: Teori, Penelitian Dan Inovasi, 5(4), 152–162.
Hariroh, F. M. R., & Soleha, E. (2022). Analisis mediasi kepuasan mahasiswa pada pengaruh kompetensi dosen terhadap hasil belajar pendahuluan. Jurnal Manajemen Strategi Kewirausahaan, 2(2), 201–214.
Hariyanti, T. Y., Lestari, R. I., Albert, A., & Savitri, F. M. (2023). Peran perilaku inovatif sebagai pemediasi pengaruh kecerdasan emosional dan profesionalisme terhadap pengambilan keputusan anggaran (Studi pada sekretariat daerah Kabupaten Kendal). Governance : Jurnal Ilmiah Kajian Politik Lokal dan Pembangunan, 9(4), 47–62.
Igbafe, E. C. (2020). Exploring the emotional intelligence needs of university lecturers in managing work related challenges. Review of European Studies, 12(3), 18–31.
Isa, E. S. A. I., & Muafi, M. (2022). Human capital, organizational learning and their effects on innovation behavior and performance of banking employees. International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies (2147 4486), 11(1), 01–18.
Jiang, X., & Tong, Y. (2025). Emotional intelligence and innovative teaching behavior of pre service music teachers : the chain mediating effects of psychological empowerment and career commitment. Frontiers in Psychology, 16(4), 1–12.
Jurado, M. del M. M., Perez Fuentes, M. del C., Martinez, A. M., Martin, A. B. B., Marques, M. del M. S., & Linares, J. J. G. (2021). Emotional intelligence as a mediator in the relationship between academic performance and burnout in high school students. Plos One, 16(6), 1–14.
Kurniawan, L. A., Priadana, M. S., & Juniarti, A. T. (2025). Innovation capability as mediator between competence, emotional intelligence, support, and lecturer performance in Indonesia 3885. Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Kesatuan, 13(5), 3385–3396.
Le, W., & Loang, O. K. (2024). China modern teaching’s impact on lecturer competence in entrepreneurship. International Journal of Business and Technology Management, 6(2), 23–33.
Lembaga Layanan Pendidikan Tinggi Wilayah IV. (2023). Lembaga Layanan Pendidikan Tinggi Wilayah IV Jawa Barat dan Banten. LLDIKTI Wilayah IV. Retrieved on December 1, 2025, from https://lldikti4.kemdiktisaintek.go.id/
Lengkong, J. S. J., Pijoh, V. D., Siagian, I. E. T., & Mamesah, Y. P. M. (2023). Lecturer competence in improving the quality of 4c of higher education graduates in the era of society 5 . 0 : literature review. Journal of Education Research, 4(4), 2347–2352.
Ngui, G. K., & Lay, Y. F. (2020). The effect of emotional intelligence, self efficacy, subjective well being and resilience on student teachers’ perceived practicum stress: a Malaysian case study. European Journal of Educational Research, 9(1), 277–291.
Prapantja, Y. (2023). The effect of lecturer pedagogical competence on learning management mediated by learning innovation. Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 1–10.
Puerta, C. D. B., Gonzales, G. B., & Garcia, I. P. S. (2021). Executives ‘knowledge management and emotional intelligence role : dynamizing factor towards open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation, 7(1), 1–16.
Rianti, I., & Salsabilah, W. S. (2024). Literature review: the influence of lecturer competence on effective learning. Indonesian Journal of Education Research, 5(6), 254–259.
Riza, S., Syarif, M., Mardatillah, F., Salam, A. J., Khafidah, W., & Yusuf, M. (2024). Improving lecturer competence to encourage innovation. The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences, 12(1), 249–272.
Romi, M. V., & Windiarti, S. (2023, April). Analysis of work life balance and emotional quotient on lecturer performance at private university in West Java. In ICIFEB 2022: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference of Islamic Finance and Business.
Rubeba, A. M. (2025). Lecturers ‘ teaching competencies towards improving teaching and learning process in universities in Tanzania : Students ‘perspectives. Heliyon, 11(1), 41683-41692.
Sadewa, P., Damayanti, R., & Sopiyana, M. (2025). Pengaruh kompetensi dan disiplin kerja terhadap kinerja dosen program studi sarjana akuntansi Universitas Pamulang. Scientific Journal of Reflection, 8(3), 1025–1034.
Suherman, A., Indrianingsih, & Yusuf. (2022). The influence of lecturer competence, teaching style, and work culture on student preferences in the accounting profession. Jurnal Ekonomi, 11(03), 471–477.
Sung, S. Y., Rhee, Y. W., Lee, J. E., & Choi, J. N. (2020). Dual pathways of emotional competence towards incremental and radical creativity : resource caravans through feedback seeking frequency and breadth. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 3(1), 1–13.
Tj, H. W., Colline, F., Widjaja, D., & Mannuela, R. (2021). The Effect of Intelligence Quotient and Emotional Quotient on Lecturer Performance Mediated by Creativity. IEOM Society International, 3(5), 3278–3285.
Tobias, R. P., Sanchez, R. R. B., Zamora, T. G., Ferdinez, E. B., Ng, P., & Ng, L. (2025). Exploring emotional intelligence and teaching performance of new generation educators. International Journal of Research, IX(2454), 4902–4913.
Trisnaningsih, S. (2023). Model pembelajaran dengan metode team teaching. Jurnal Akuntansi Humaniora, 2(1), 14–19.
Wu, Y., & Vadudeva, C. M. (2025). Emotional intelligence and teaching development among novice university lecturers : a comparative review between Henan province and global contexts. Global Education Ecology, 1(2), 1–15.
