scholarly journals When can felt accountability promote innovative work behavior? The role of transformational leadership

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Che-Chun Kuo ◽  
Ying-Lien Ni ◽  
Chia-Huei Wu ◽  
Rong-Ruey Duh ◽  
Mei-Yen Chen ◽  
...  

PurposeStudies have reported negative effects of felt accountability on employees' extra-role behavior. Deviating from that focus, this study proposes that leadership plays a role in shaping the implications of felt accountability for employees' extra-role behavior. We propose that under high transformational leadership, felt accountability can motivate employees to engage in task-relevant information elaboration and facilitate innovative work behavior, a form of extra-role behavior that seeks to improve the work environment.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a pilot study to validate measurements of felt accountability and task-relevant information elaboration in a sample of 202 employees. We then conducted the main study using a time-lagged, multisource survey design with a sample of 120 supervisor–employee pairs.FindingsThe results from the main study reveal that the association between felt accountability and task-related information elaboration is positive and stronger when transformational leadership is higher. Furthermore, task-relevant information elaboration positively predicts innovative work behavior. Finally, when transformational leadership is higher, the mediation effect of task-relevant information elaboration on the association between felt accountability and innovative work behavior is stronger.Originality/valueOur study indicates that felt accountability can have positive implications for employees' extra-role behavior contingent on leadership styles. In contrast to previous studies that emphasize the negative implications of felt accountability on employees' behavior, our study depicts when and why felt accountability can have positive implications on employees' behavior.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emil Knezović ◽  
Amina Drkić

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of innovative work behavior (IWB) by examining the moderating role of transformational leadership in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 371 employees from SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina by adopting convenience sampling. Hierarchical regression was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings supported the authors’ assumptions that IWB determinants such as psychological empowerment, participation in the decision-making process and organizational justice are positively related to IWB. Besides, transformational leadership moderates the relationship between organizational justice and IWB.Research limitations/implicationsThe data for this study was collected by using convenience sampling as well as a cross-sectional survey method, which limits the generalization of results.Practical implicationsTo spur the IWB among the employees in SMEs, an organization has to create an environment where psychological empowerment is high, employees have a chance to participate in the decision-making process and organizational rules and procedures are fair. In the case of organizational justice, the relationship shall be stronger if transformational leadership is present.Originality/valueIn SMEs, transformational leadership plays an important role. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the moderating effect of transformational leadership on the relationship between one specific IWB determinant and IWB.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Namra Mubarak ◽  
Jabran Khan ◽  
Robina Yasmin ◽  
Atasya Osmadi

PurposeThrough the lens of social exchange theory, this study aims to assess the relationship between proactive personality and innovative work behavior by incorporating the mediating role of work engagement and moderating role of transformational leadership between proactive personality and work engagement.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 259 employees working in Pakistani small-medium enterprises (SMEs). The purposive sampling technique was used to collect data. For hypothesis testing, Preacher and Hayes process macro was employed.FindingsConfirmatory factor analysis verified the distinctiveness of the variables used in this study. The findings show that a proactive personality had a positive influence on innovative work behavior directly and indirectly through work engagement, and transformational leadership positively moderates the relationship between a proactive personality and work engagement in such a way that with high transformational leadership behavior relationship will be strengthened.Originality/valueThis study has addressed three research questions that have been left unanswered in the literature. The initial research question is “how proactive personality enhances innovative work behavior?” This study found that proactive personality enhanced innovative work behavior. The second research question is “what are the suggested mechanisms for proactive personality to promote innovative work behavior?” This study has proven that a proactive personality enhanced innovative work behavior through an important mediating mechanism, namely work engagement. Finally, the third question of the study is “does transformational leadership moderate the relationship between proactive personality and work engagement? The study shows that transformational leadership positively moderates between proactive personality and work engagement.


2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (8) ◽  
pp. 1270-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bilal Afsar ◽  
Yuosre F. Badir ◽  
Bilal Bin Saeed

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the moderating role of self-construal (independent and interdependent) on the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior (IWB). Design/methodology/approach – A total of 639 followers and 87 leaders filled out questionnaires from cross-industry sample of five most innovative companies of China. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relations. Findings – Results revealed that psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and IWB. The research established that transformational leadership positively influences IWB which includes idea generation as well as idea implementation. The results also showed that the relationship between transformational leadership and IWB was stronger among employees with a higher interdependent self-construal and a lower independent self-construal. Originality/value – This study adds to IWB literature by empirically testing the moderating role of self-construal and the mediating role of psychological empowerment on transformational leadership-IWB link.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1186-1208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bilal Afsar ◽  
Mariam Masood ◽  
Waheed Ali Umrani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of transformational leadership on an employee’s innovative work behavior through job crafting. In addition, the study explores the moderating effect of knowledge sharing behavior in the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative and cross-sectional approach was used to collect data. Data were collected from 325 subordinates and 126 supervisors working in the hotel industry. Subordinates were asked to rate transformational leadership style of their respective supervisors and their own job crafting and knowledge sharing behaviors. Supervisors were asked to rate innovative work behavior of their respective subordinates. Findings The results showed that job crafting behaviors (increasing structural job resources, increasing social resources and increasing job challenges) mediated the effect of transformational leadership on an employee’s innovative work behavior. Moreover, knowledge sharing moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Practical implications Organizations may reap the benefits of an innovative workforce by selecting, nurturing and developing transformational leaders who facilitate employees to proactively craft a challenging and resourceful work environment. Originality/value This is the first study to test the mediating effect of job crafting behaviors on the relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marium Arslan Zuberi ◽  
Arif Khattak

Purpose It has been established that innovation is determined by leadership and personality characteristics. Further inquiry in this line of research is encouraged. Accordingly, the authors propose inter-correlations between personality, leadership, innovation and job design characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to understand how proactive personality and leader member exchange can derive innovative work behavior, in employees of telecommunication industry, by increasing task feedback and task significance. Design/methodology/approach A deductive approach was used to propose hypotheses. Objective data were collected through a cross sectional survey of 292 samples from three large multinational telecommunication companies located in Islamabad (Pakistan). The survey instrument was a 25-item questionnaire adopted from previously developed and well-validated scales used by prior researches. The survey yielded findings in support of proposed hypotheses of the study. Findings Hierarchical regression analysis yielded findings, which suggested that proactive personality and leader member exchange (LMX) both have a strong positive relationship with innovative work behavior (IWB). Furthermore, task significance and task feedback were found to moderate the aforementioned relationships such that strong leader member exchange and proactive personalities resulted in increased innovative work behavior at higher levels of task feedback and task significance. Practical implications The managers can raise their innovation enhancing strategies one step higher by integrating it with enhanced task feedback and significance. This can be done while working on the relationship of their employees with the leaders/managers and by encouraging proactive personalities at work. Infusing the proposed integrated and holistic framework, of innovative behavior, into their organizations will lead to better retention of key employees, higher job satisfaction and increased loyalty. Originality/value This paper adds significance to the extant literature by examining proactive personality and LMX as determinants of innovative work behavior and the moderating impact of job design characteristics in the context of telecommunication companies, particularly from developing countries, such as Pakistan. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that has tested the interplay between a relational concept of leadership (LMX), proactive personality, task significance and task feedback and the outcome variable innovative work behavior.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 402-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bilal Afsar ◽  
Waheed Ali Umrani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of transformational leadership on employee’s innovative work behavior, and the mediating role of motivation to learn, and the moderating role of task complexity and innovation climate on the link between transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire, designed as a self-reported survey, was distributed to full-time employees and their respective supervisors working in 35 firms (services and manufacturing sectors) in Pakistan. Data were collected from 338 employee–supervisor dyads. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings Results showed that transformational leadership had a positive impact on employees’ innovative work behavior and motivation to learn mediated transformational leadership–innovative work behavior link. The study further showed that task complexity and innovation climate moderated the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ innovative work behavior. Research limitations/implications Based on the premises of interactionist perspectives on individual innovation, this study integrated multi-level variables to investigate leaders’ influences on followers’ innovative work behavior. This study contributed to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on influence of transformational leadership on employees’ innovative work behavior as well as the impact of both individual and organizational level variables. Practical implications The close connection among transformational leadership, motivation to learn and innovative work behavior suggests that transformational leadership traits among managers are important to enhance employees’ innovative work behavior. Organizations should pay attention to creating a climate that is supportive of innovation and encourage individuals to learn new knowledge and skills, and provide employees with opportunities to use their acquired knowledge and skills. Originality/value This paper contributed to leadership and innovation literatures and provided insights into how the practitioners could use an appropriate leadership style to enhance innovative work behavior among employees. The study adopted a distinct model comprising five variables to investigate innovative work behavior from a multi-level perspective, i.e., motivation to learn and innovative work behavior at the individual level, task complexity at the unit level and innovation climate and leadership at the organizational level. This integrated model of using predictors from multiple levels supported the theoretical assumptions that innovative work behavior resulted from the interaction of individual, group and organizational level factors.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan ◽  
Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik ◽  
Syed Saad Ahmed ◽  
Tahir Islam ◽  
Essa Khan

PurposeThis study aims to ascertain the role of servant leadership in inducing flow at work. The study, along with confirming the relation between flow at work and innovative work behavior (IWB), intends to explore the mediating role flow at work plays in relating servant leadership to IWB.Design/methodology/approachThe data collection was conducted through an interviewee-administered questionnaire in three waves that were four weeks apart. The data were collected from 267 respondents. To run the measurement model and structural model, Smart-PLS was used, and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) was used to summarize the demographic information and conduct hierarchal regression.FindingsServant leadership is related to flow at work. Additionally, flow at work is related to IWB. Finally, flow at work mediates the relationship between servant leadership and IWB.Originality/valueThe study found servant leadership is related to flow at work. Moreover, the study unearthed the relation between flow at work and IWB. Finally, the study unveiled that flow at work acts as a mediator between servant leadership and IWB.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadi Youssef Bou Reslan ◽  
Zanete Garanti ◽  
Okechukwu Lawrence Emeagwali

PurposeThis study aims to peruse the underlying effect of servant leadership (SL) on innovative work behavior (IWB) and employee knowledge sharing behavior (KSB), directly and through the mediating effect of job autonomy (JA), by using autonomous psychological needs of self-determination theory and embracing Hofstede's framework in information and telecommunication technology (ICT) companies in Latvia.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative analysis of data from 271 employees and managers in Latvian ICT companies was used by applying structural equation modeling.FindingsThe result discloses that SL can promote IWB and KSB directly and through mediating effects of JA.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is constricted by geography and sample data representation from a specific sector. Hence, future studies can determine the gender effects, carry out more preventive measures to avoid common method bias between constructs, measure antecedents and the mediator before outcomes and examine JA as a moderator.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate that the Latvian ICT sector should recruit managers with SL potentials, train and equip managers with the required resources to implement SL practices properly and integrate JA across the organization to increase the manifestation of IWB and KSB.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to examine JA as the underlying process through which SL’s effects on IWB and KSB are explained in an individualistic country.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuan Trong Luu

Purpose The ongoing improvement of hospitality services stems from innovative behavior among employees. This study aims to investigate how and when human resource (HR) flexibility promotes hospitality employees’ innovative work behavior. Design/methodology/approach The data were garnered from 438 employees and 67 managers from 19 hotels operating in Vietnam. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Findings The positive association was observed between HR flexibility and innovative work behavior. Harmonious passion functioned as a mediator for such a relationship. While promotion focus was found to positively interact with HR flexibility to predict employee harmonious passion, prevention focus demonstrated an attenuating effect on the association between HR flexibility and harmonious passion. Practical implications The findings suggest that hospitality organizations can promote innovative work behavior among employees through building skill and behavioral flexibility, as well as flexibility in HR practices. Hospitality organizations should also realize the role of harmonious passion as a mechanism that can channel HR flexibility into innovative work behavior and the interactive effect of promotion focus and HR flexibility on fostering harmonious passion and, in turn, innovative work behavior. Originality/value This inquiry advances the strand of research on the HR management-innovative behavior linkage by offering insights into how and when HR flexibility promotes innovative work behavior among hotel employees.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizaveta Yu Logacheva ◽  
Maria S. Plakhotnik

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of humor work climate on innovative work behavior of back-office employees in the banking industry in Russia. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected via an online survey that included scales to measure humor climate and innovative work behavior. The survey was distributed electronically among employees of one department of a bank. The sample included 104 back-office employees (response rate 60.4%). Correlation and regression analyses were used. Findings The results indicate that humor climate fosters employee innovative work behavior. Positive humor contributes to innovative work behavior more than remaining humor climate dimensions (i.e. negative humor, outgroup humor and supervisory support). Only position type (managers vs non-managers), and not gender, education and job tenure, was found to have a significant impact on employee perceptions of humor climate and innovative work behavior exhibition. Originality/value This study adds to the limited empirical evidence on the links between humor and innovative work behavior, especially at a group level. This study focused on humor climate as a multidimensional construct, whereas previous research mostly explored positive forms of humor in relation to different social aspects of the organization. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is first to use a validated scale to explore connections between innovative work behavior and humor climate.


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