Volume 31, Number 2, 2026

Humble Leadership and Project Success: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and the Moderating Effect of Emotional Intelligence

Mohamed Ali Hedhili
Department of Management Science, Faculty of Economics and Management of Sfax,Tunisia
 mohamedali.hedhili@fsegs.usf.tn

ABSTRACT

This study examines how humble leadership (HL) is associated with project success (PS) in Tunisian private-sector organizations. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, it investigates organizational commitment (OC) as an explanatory mechanism and emotional intelligence (EI) as a boundary condition. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used with data from 250 project managers across construction, ICT, manufacturing, and service industries in Tunisia. The model was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4.1.1.8. Direct, indirect, moderation, and moderated-mediation relationships were assessed using 5,000 bootstrap resamples and 95% confidence intervals. HL was positively associated with PS and OC, while OC was positively associated with PS. The indirect HL–PS relationship through OC was significant. The EI × HL interaction was positively associated with OC, indicating that the HL–OC relationship was stronger at higher EI. The EI × HL → OC → PS moderated-mediation relationship was significant, showing that the indirect HL–PS relationship through OC became stronger as EI increased. The study extends COR theory by integrating relational and personal resources within a project-management framework. It identifies OC as an explanatory pathway and EI as a boundary condition, while providing evidence from an underrepresented Tunisian context.

JEL Classifications: M12, M14, D23

Keywords: humble leadership, organizational commitment, emotional intelligence, project success, conservation of resources theory, Tunisia

Cite this article: 

Hedhili, MA, 2026, “Humble Leadership and Project Success: The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment and the Moderating Effect of Emotional Intelligence,” International Journal of Business , 31(2), 004. https://doi.org/10.55802/IJB.031(2).004