Organizational climate for innovation and organizational performance: The mediating effect of innovative work behavior

Balancing employee flexibility and organizational performance: implications for innovation, productivity, and company attractiveness in SMEs

Introduction

Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) have become increasingly prevalent, offering employees flexibility in time, tasks, and location. While extensively researched at the employee level, FWAs organizational impact, particularly on innovation, productivity, and perceived organizational attractiveness, is less explored, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to explore how FWAs influence these key areas from the perspective of SME managers.

Method

A qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with 17 managers from SMEs in Sweden. Participants were selected based on diversity in industry, gender, and experience. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring themes regarding innovation, productivity, and company attractiveness in relation to FWA.

Results

The results revealed that while FWAs can enhance innovation by promoting employee autonomy and diverse work settings, they may also hinder long-term innovation by reducing spontaneous discussions and collaboration. FWAs may improve individual performance but pose challenges to productivity in coordinating teams and maintaining project timelines, necessitating increased managerial oversight. Additionally, while offering an FWA attracts employees, it may weaken employee loyalty.

Discussion/conclusion

These findings highlight the need for SMEs to carefully balance the benefits of FWAs with potential drawbacks, to maintain a competitive edge, suggesting the importance of structured management processes, regulated onsite workdays, and strategies to strengthen organizational connections. This balance is essential for sustaining innovation, productivity, and organizational cohesion. The findings also underscore the complexity of implementing FWAs in a way that supports long-term organizational success.

Knowledge management infrastructure capabilities towards innovative work behavior: Employee's resilience and role of functional flexibility

This study aims to identify the specific mechanisms through which knowledge management infrastructure capabilities (KMIC) can affect IWB and provide insights into how organizations can support innovation through the development of resilient employees. Therefore, current research investigates the association between Knowledge-Management Infrastructure Capability (KMIC), Employee Resilience, Function-al-Flexibility (FF), and Innovative Work-Behavior (IWB) in the workplace. The data was collected through a survey of 374 employees working in tourism firms. For data collection, random sampling method and SEM technique was used. The outcomes demonstrate that KMIC has significant link with IWB; findings also present that employee's resilience mediates and functional flexibility moderates in the association between KMIC and IWB, which in turn have a positive and significant impact on IWB. By investing in knowledge management practices, developing employee resilience, and enhancing functional flexibility, organizations can improve their competitiveness, promote growth and innovation, and enhance their employees' well-being and job satisfaction. This study just explored how KMIC affected innovative work behavior directly and indirectly. In future additional factors such as leadership style and organizational culture could be explored. Additionally, the study found that functional flexibility moderates the relationship between employee resilience and IWB. This study finding offer imperative implications for organizations that aims to improve their employees' resilience, functional flexibility, and IWB through knowledge management practices. Through inferring these dynamics, this research provides valued insights for upcoming studies on the executive origination and offer useful instructions for industries pursuing to raise employee determined invention with strong KMIC, nurturing resilience and stimulating functional flexibility.

The HR revolution: Redefining performance paradigms in Pakistan's pharma landscape through moderating role of innovative climate

The main objective of this research is to examine whether the implementation of new human resource management practices (NHRM) can enhance innovative performance (IP) by fostering innovation capability (NC). Additionally, it examines the moderating influence of an innovative climate (IC) and its associated attributes on the association with new human resource management and innovation capability, a factor that has been relatively overlooked in prior research. The study's data was obtained from 398 employees in the pharmaceutical sector of Pakistan, and hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to analyze the data. The results from the mediating and moderating analyses underscore the significance of NHRM practices, innovation capability, and an innovative climate, along with its specific attributes, in promoting innovative performance through factors such as operational efficiency, suitable practices, and employees' willingness to participate in organizational endeavors. Furthermore, the moderated mediation analysis findings reveal that the influence of innovation capability as a mediator is strengthened when the workplace climate is more conducive to innovation. These findings have implications for both theoretical understanding and practical application, particularly in similar developing countries. The study offers insights that can be generalized to developing nations with comparable economic and social structures.

Shaping individual competitiveness: The role of discipline, parental expectations, and participation in extracurricular activities

Purpose

This research seeks to extend previous research into student discipline and competitiveness, at the macro or national level, to the micro or individual level. The role of factors with the potential to impact individual competitiveness, namely the expectations of the mother and the father, the importance of school discipline played in primary and secondary schools, and past participation in sport and music were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from a sample of current university students and recent graduates representing Western (the United States) and Asian regions (South Korea and China) were analysed using multiple regressions to establish the explanatory power of independent variables in the competitiveness model, including testing for moderation effects of country of birth.

Results

The study found that personal discipline is significantly associated with individual competitiveness. The importance placed on discipline in primary schools was found to predict individual competitiveness as were parents' expectations, yet with nuances in terms of maternal and paternal expectations. Surprisingly, neither participation in music nor discipline at secondary school was found to significantly associate with individual competitiveness. At the same time, the study did find moderating effects of country of birth and the number of years students played sport in predicting competitiveness.

Originality/value

Guided by the Ecological Systems Theory and the notion of the Pygmalion effect, we develop a framework of factors that shape an individual's competitiveness. The results make several theoretical contributions by establishing new drivers of individual competitiveness, and as such illuminating the importance of discipline during schooling and how parental expectations drive performance. Implications for employers, educational institutions, and parents are outlined and directions for further research are offered.

Antecedents of innovative work behavior among leading physicians: Empirical evidence from German hospitals

Healthcare professionals' innovative work behavior (IWB) plays a key role in the development and implementation of innovative solutions in hospitals. However, relevant antecedents of IWB have not been fully captured to date. This study empirically examines the relationships between proactive personality, collaborative competence, innovation climate, and IWB. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 442 chief physicians from 380 German hospitals. The results indicate a positive and significant influence of proactive personality, collaborative competence, and innovation climate on IWB, with collaborative competence having a stronger influence on IWB than innovation climate. Managers should note that important resources for IWB are accessible through a variety of actors and relationships. To leverage these resources and thus promote IWB, more emphasis should be placed on an employee's network.

The impact of employees' experience of high-performance work systems on innovative behavior in professional service firms

This research examines the impact of employees' experience of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on their innovative behavior. The study draws upon social exchange theory to propose that employees' experience of HPWS influences their innovative behavior directly and through sequential mediation of social capital development and knowledge-sharing behavior. Additionally, the study uses the Elaboration Likelihood Model to highlight that individuals' need for cognition strengthens the relationship between employees' knowledge-sharing and innovative behaviors. The study employed a time-lagged quantitative research design with survey data from 262 job incumbents in professional service firms. The proposed model was tested using the PLS-SEM two-stage approach. The findings of the study confirm the proposed direct and indirect relationships. Moreover, the findings also confirm that the need for cognition strengthens the relationship between knowledge-sharing and individual innovation behaviors. The study posits that employees' experience of HRM systems can influence their innovative behavior as a reciprocal exchange toward the employer. Moreover, this study presents a comprehensive model that highlights the interplay of social and cognitive factors that can influence the relationship between HPWS and employees' innovation behavior. This study also fills a gap in the existing literature by highlighting the antecedents of innovative behavior in professional service firms.

Exploring the Nexus of Emotional Intelligence and University Performance: An Investigation Through Perceived Organizational Support and Innovative Work Behavior

Purpose

This study is based on the ability-based theory of emotional intelligence (EI), organizational support theory, and componential theory of creativity. This study intended to investigate organizational performance (OP) against academics' EI in higher education institutions (HEIs) in China. This study further scrutinized perceived organizational support (POS) and innovative work behavior (IWB) as mediators among these associations. Similarly, the inter-link between POS and IWB was investigated.

Design/methodology/Approach

Chinese HEIs academicians (327) were examined using quantitative and cross-sectional research methods. Likewise, PLS-SEM, that is, partial least squares structural equation modeling, was used as a data analysis method to examine assumed relationships statistically.

Findings

The extracted findings established the anticipated relationships, and the results validated that EI had a direct and positive association with OP in HEIs. Similarly, the findings revealed that IWB partially mediated the association between EI and OP; however, full mediation was observed in the case of POS.

Practical Implications

This study emphasizes the importance of unindustrialised glamorous blend of EI and OP in HEIs. In addition, the findings asserted that HEIs staff evaluate and control high-voltage circumstances that assure an effectual valuation and supervision of the self and others' emotions. Equally, EI amplifies POS, which flares up the IWB while enriching OP in HEIs.

Originality/Value

This study examined OP alongside academicians' EI in HEIs, which is among the initial pieces of research on HEIs. Additionally, the wholesome research nexus that scrutinizes POS and IWB as an inter-link between EI and OP in HEIs is original.

Organizational Error Tolerance and Change-Oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment and Moderating Role of Public Service Motivation

Purpose

Error management is an important element of organizational management research, and organizational error tolerance has gradually received attention from researchers in recent years. Most previous studies concluded that organizational error tolerance positively affects both the perceived organizational support and job performance of public sector employees, but few have examined the relationship between organizational error tolerance and change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior.

Methods

This research examines how organizational error tolerance affects change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior using an experimental approach (Study 1, N = 162 and Study 2, N = 228) and a field survey approach (Study 3, N = 377).

Results

The results indicate that organizational error tolerance increases psychological empowerment, which in turn increases change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. Public service motivation plays a moderating role in this process. Specifically, the positive mediating effect of organizational error tolerance on change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior through psychological empowerment was not significant when the level of public service motivation was high, while it was significant when the level of public service motivation was low.

Conclusion

This study clarifies the mechanism and boundary conditions of the effect of organizational error tolerance on change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior, provides a more comprehensive and dialectical perspective for research on organizational error tolerance, and extends research on psychological empowerment and change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior.

Exploring the critical factors influencing the outlying island talent recruitment and selection evaluation model: Empirical evidence from Penghu, Taiwan

The declining birth rate, population ageing and the outbound migration of young people in recent years have created obstacles for local companies in recruiting skilled personnel. Similar factors have also affected recruitment in the outlying island of Penghu, Taiwan. Multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM) techniques for evaluation model development were incorporated in the present research to investigate the key determinants of talent recruitment by the coffee house operators in the outlying island of Penghu. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach was first implemented to (i) examine the extent of mutual impact between evaluation predictors and (ii) develop an influential network relation map (NRM) for indicator and sub-indicator assessments. Subsequently, the DEMATEL-based analytic network process (DANP) technique was utilised to compute the weights of every indicator and sub-indicator. Additionally, the modified VlseKriterijumska Optimizcija I Kaompromisno Resenje or VIKOR (in Serbian) approach evaluated every indicator and sub-indicator performance gap for empirical data analysis with suggested conclusions and recommendations. The results showed that the first dimension that should be improved is past experience, followed by personality traits and professional competence, according to the causal diagram of the NRM. The weights acquired through the DANP indicated that professional competence was the most influential dimension, followed by personality traits, whereas past experience was the least influential. Past experience revealed that the highest gap value is the most important for development if coffee house operators want to attain the appropriate levels. Finally, the theoretical, managerial, and practical implications were discussed. Notably, the research outcomes could optimise talent recruitment, establish appropriate talent recruitment methods for coffee house operators, and enhance the human resource quality in the outlying island of Penghu.

Impact of organizational learning on sustainable firm performance: Intervening effect of organizational networking and innovation

This research has analyzed the role of learning in an organization while measuring and managing sustainable organizational performance. Furthermore, our research has also included the intervening role of organizational networking and organizational innovation while analyzing the relationship between organizational learning and sustainable organizational performance. Our research has adopted a quantitative approach while using the survey method to collect data from 710 owners of the manufacturing sector belonging to the Small and Medium Enterprises SMEs operating in Laos. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for your research. Structure equation modeling SEM was used through partial least square PLS software to test the collected data's reliability and validity and test the hypothesis to meet the research objectives. The study's findings reveal that organizational learning is vital to organizational performance and success. Information sources (networks) moderate the relationship between innovation and organizational performance. Our findings confirm that innovation is disruptive if it is not well-informed and well-processed. The research concludes that organizational learning is very vital for sustainable organizational performance. The current research contributes to the body of knowledge by examining sustainable organizational performance from an entirely different perspective.

Sustainable risk management practice in the organization: a Malaysian case study

Businesses are becoming more conscious of operational risk management practices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some firms practice risk management without fully comprehending how it might help them and their needs. As a result, companies that practice risk management without realizing it are being controlled by the discipline itself. The goal of this study is to look into the epistemic process of risk management practice in the workplace. This phenomenological study interviewed 39 risk management officers, executives, and employees. Data are thematically analyzed. This study discovered five epistemic processes of risk mapping using Foucault's governmentality paradigm. This phenomenological study, interestingly, revealed the black box of risk management practices, as well as the behavior of risk management officers, executives, and risk owners who preferred to monitor the compliance aspects of risk management practices rather than comprehend the capabilities of risk management that could be used within their strategic planning process. Unaware of this black box, organizational actors were blanketed by the organization's culture of fear, which created the impression that the authority was always watching every word said and every action taken. Practically, this study contributes an improved understanding of the real function of risk management that helps them justify the practice and reduce unnecessary fear. The paper concludes with limitations and research recommendations.

The Knowledge Sharing Capability in Innovative Behavior: A SEM Approach from Graduate Students' Insights

The capability to share knowledge is considered one of the most relevant components of knowledge management. Moreover, there is little empirical evidence indicating how future human resources in the construction industry value the richness of knowledge sharing and the richness of their innovative behavior. The purposes of this study are (1) to determine which facilitators, from the point of view of master's degree students related to engineering and construction management in Spain, most substantially influence knowledge sharing capability; (2) to test whether knowledge sharing capability (KS) positively influences innovative behavior (IB); and (3) demonstrating whether organizational innovation climate (OIC) is a factor that moderates the relationship between KS and IB. In this research, we have proposed a theoretical model and empirically tested the model in a sample of 253 master's degree students in public universities in Spain. The findings support the proposed model, and the structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluation suggests that, among all the facilitators of KS, information and communication technologies (ICT) stand out among the other facilitators and have a more significant influence on KS. Furthermore, the research found a direct correlation between KS and IB and causal links between OIC and IB.

Leadership, Innovative Behavior and the Case of Innovative Climate-When the Mediator Becomes the Mediated

This study investigates how leadership, more precisely leader-member exchange (LMX), affects innovative behavior through an innovative climate as well as, indirectly, through organizational commitment and internal trust. A total of 1114 samples were collected from employees working in firms in Slovenia and Serbia. The quantitative data and the proposed model were analyzed with the partial least squares-SEM technique. The results indicate that an innovative climate is a mediator in the relationship between leadership and innovative behavior, and this relationship is also further mediated by internal trust and organizational commitment. These results reveal serial mediation or the complex role of an innovative climate in the process of influencing innovative work behavior. Implications for theory and recommendations for practice are discussed.

Impact of diversity management on innovative work behavior: mediating role of human resource management and affective commitment

Purpose

This paper investigates the effect of diversity management on employees' innovative work behavior (IWB) through human resource management (HRM) and affective commitment (AC).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 358 employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The hypothesized model has been evaluated using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Findings suggest that workforce diversity management directly and significantly affected HRM and AC. Furthermore, findings revealed that HRM significantly influenced both employees' IWB and AC, while AC had a significant positive influence on IWB. Moreover, concerning the indirect effects, AC and HRM significantly mediated the relationship between DM and employees' IWB.

Research limitations/implications

A cross-sectional single source dataset is used to evaluate the hypothesized model.

Originality/value

Grounded in the social exchange and institutional theories, this research fills the gap in the literature by addressing the “black box” of how workforce DM influences employees' IWB while examining the mediating role of employees' AC and firm HRM policies.

Impact of supervisor developmental feedback on employee innovative behavior: roles of psychological safety and face orientation

Purpose

Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study aims to examine the relationship between supervisor developmental feedback and employee innovative behavior, incorporating with the mediating role of psychological safety and the moderating role of face orientation.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted in 15 manufacturing companies in China. The participants comprised 302 employees. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The mediating effects and the moderated mediating effects are further examined with bias-corrected bootstrapping method.

Findings

Supervisor developmental feedback has a positive effect on employee innovative behavior through psychological safety, and this mediating effect is weakened by protective face orientation (fear of losing face), while the moderating effect of acquisitive face orientation (desire to gain face) is not significant.

Practical implications

Organizations should create a development-oriented and safe innovation atmosphere for employees. In addition, leaders should adopt differentiated feedback and communication methods according to subordinates' face orientation.

Originality/value

The study has demonstrated the positive effect of supervisor developmental feedback on employee innovative behavior, which is different from previous studies on performance feedback and leadership types. Meanwhile, this study has also explored the mediating effect of psychological safety and the moderating effect of face orientation, which provides more insights on the mechanism and boundary conditions of the effect of supervisor developmental feedback.

Innovative work behavior in high-tech enterprises: Chain intermediary effect of psychological safety and knowledge sharing

This study aims to explore the relationship between organizational innovation climate (OIC) and innovative work behavior (IWB), using psychological safety (PS) and knowledge sharing (KS) as mediating variables. Based on the social cognitive theory (SCT), this study proposes a conceptual framework to explore innovative work behavior. The structural model of the extended SCT model was tested using sample data from 446 R&D staff of high-tech enterprises in China. SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 were used to test the hypothetical model. The results indicated that organizational innovation climate was positively correlated with psychological safety and innovative work behavior. Psychological safety was positively correlated with innovative work behavior. Knowledge sharing was significantly and positively correlated with innovative work behavior. Moreover, Psychological safety and knowledge sharing play a significant mediating role in the relationship between organizational innovation climate and innovative work behavior, and psychological safety further improves individual innovative work behavior by influencing knowledge sharing among research team members. At the end of the study, this study thoroughly discussed the conclusions, practical implications, limitations, and future research directions of the study.

The influence of big data analytic capabilities building and education on business model innovation

As organizations are benefiting from investments in big data analytics capabilities building and education, our study has analyzed the impact of big data analytics capabilities building and education on business model innovation. It has also assessed technological orientation and employee creativity as mediating and moderating variables. Questionnaire data from 499 managers at enterprises in Jiangsu, China have been analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS. Big data analytics capabilities building and education strengthen technological orientation and increase business model innovation. Technology orientation increases business model innovation and plays a mediating role. Employee creativity also boosts innovation. These findings show that business managers should adopt and promote a technological orientation. They should hire and train employees with big data education and training. Organizations can try to select and support employees who show creativity.

The Influence of Personal Motivation and Innovative Climate on Innovative Behavior: Evidence from University Students in China

Purpose

Drawing on the motivation theory, this study investigated the effect and consequences of personal motivation and innovative climate on innovative behavior among university students in mainland China. The study also examined whether the effect of personal motivation and innovative climate on Chinese university students' innovative behavior is heterogeneous between disciplines and place of residence.

Methods

A quantitative study was conducted to test the hypotheses. Data were collected from 245 undergraduate students at Chinese universities with paper-based questionnaires. Self-report scales were used to measure levels of personal motivation, innovative climate, and innovative behaviors. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the scale and questionnaire's reliability and validity. The logistic model was applied to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

Results

Personal motivation and innovative climate have significant effects on Chinese university students' innovative behavior. The effect of personal motivation and innovative climate on students' innovative behavior is heterogeneous between disciplines and place of residence. Further, extrinsic motivation serves as a positive incentive. Mentor support, good academic climate, and knowledge sharing affect students' innovative behavior positively. However, insufficient guaranteed resources has a significant negative influence. The data demonstrated no statistically significant difference between intrinsic motivation and students' innovative behavior.

Conclusion

This study contributes to the empirical literature on mechanisms that influence innovative behavior by testing the relation between personal motivation, innovative climate, and innovative behavior on the part of Chinese university students. In addition, these findings also provide evidence for ways to improve university students' innovative consciousness and innovative ability, as well as universities' management practice of innovative education.

Leading for Innovation: Self-Efficacy and Work Engagement as Sequential Mediation Relating Ethical Leadership and Innovative Work Behavior

This research investigated the link between ethical leadership and innovative work behavior by examining the role of self-efficacy as a mediating factor and the sequential mediation of self-efficacy and work engagement. Using a survey approach, data were collected from 441 bank employees in the southern region of Thailand. The findings of the structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed an association between ethical leadership and innovative work behavior and self-efficacy, respectively. Work engagement and innovative work behavior were both linked to self-efficacy. Work engagement was associated with innovative work behavior. According to the mediation analysis results, self-efficacy appeared to mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and innovative work behavior. Ultimately, it was shown that self-efficacy and work engagement were sequentially mediated by ethical leadership and innovative work behavior. This research provides insight into the understanding of the connection between ethical leadership and innovative work behavior. The key contributions of this research are the exploration-mediating function of self-efficacy and the sequential mediation roles of self-efficacy and work engagement.

Fostering Enterprise Performance Through Employee Brand Engagement and Knowledge Sharing Culture: Mediating Role of Innovative Capability

Enterprise performance is a critical component of any organizational success that is directly affected by its employees and the culture prevailing in the organizations. In order to gain strategic advantage from the employee brand equity it is important that organizations make efforts in retaining such employees that benefit the organizations. Therefore, this research examines the impact of employee brand equity and knowledge sharing culture on the enterprise performance with the mediating role of innovative capabilities. A self-administered survey was conducted among the 323 employees of information technology sector working in the software houses in China. Smart PLS has been used to analyze the data through partial least square structural equation modeling. Results of the study have demonstrated that knowledge sharing culture plays a significant role in the enterprise performance while employee brand equity could not find statistically significant impact on enterprise performance. In addition, the SEM analysis further showed that employee brand equity and knowledge sharing culture play a significant role in the innovative capabilities. Results also revealed that innovative capabilities mediate the effect of employee brand equity and knowledge sharing culture variables on the enterprise performance. This research enriches the literature by examining the role of knowledge sharing culture in enterprise performance and innovative capabilities. This research further offers certain implications for the human resource department in developing their human resources. This can be achieved by availing the maximum skills of the branded employees by creating learning opportunities for the other employees through training sessions where they help and share their experiences.

Organizational factors, knowledge management and innovation: empirical evidence from medium- and large-scale manufacturing firms in Ethiopia

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the mediating role of knowledge management (KM) in the linkage between organizational factors, namely, organizational culture (OGCUL) and leadership and management support (LMS) and innovation in medium- and large-scale manufacturing firms in Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 200 firms has been used to gather data using simple random sampling and to test the proposed hypotheses. Structural equation modeling and cross-sectional design were used to analyze the data using LISREL 8.80 SIMPLIS program software tool.

Findings

Organizational factors (i.e. OGCUL and LMS) are positively associated with KM and innovation. KM constructs, namely, knowledge sharing, knowledge conversion and knowledge storage, have a significant positive influence on innovation. Knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between organizational factors and innovation.

Research limitations/implications

This study has three potential limitations: first, this study is based on a cross-sectional research design. Future research should include longitudinal design to get in-depth insights into the causal inferences. Second, only a few Ethiopian medium- and large-scale manufacturing firms were included in the sample. As a suggestion for future research, other researchers can include small-scale enterprises using large sample sizes and should examine the effects of organizational factors, KM and innovation across different industries. Finally, this study has only focused on investigating the mediating role of knowledge sharing between organizational factors and innovation. Future research should test the mediating role of the KM process and its constituents (knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, knowledge sharing and knowledge storage) between organizational factors and specific aspects of innovation to gain a full understanding of the critical role of KM in organizational innovation.

Practical implications

The findings of this study would serve as a guide for policy-makers and managers of manufacturing firms in developing countries in the formulation of policies and long-term strategies. It may also provide a better understanding of the causal relationship between organizational factors, KM and innovation, which in turn has value to directors and managers in manufacturing firms in developing countries as a reference for building a good OGCUL, serving as practical guidance for effective leadership and providing organizational or management support. Specifically, the findings would have the following practical implications: first, firms need to have a combination of KM processes (such as acquisition, storage, sharing and conversion). In practice, developing countries such as Ethiopia have based their innovation strategy on knowledge and technology acquisition through encouraging foreign direct investment. It is not in doubt that Ethiopia has been benefiting from the strategy as a lot of foreign companies have opened their subsidiaries in the country. However, in the authors’ view, more emphasis on knowledge acquisition strategy would not take a firm a long time to sustain its innovative activity because it is likely available to firms operating in the same industry, as well as it may hurt a firm’s competitive advantage. In addition, by its nature, knowledge may not be retained for future use; it may expire soon. Second, the current highly impulsive and rapid change in the business environment changes the way firms have to operate and deliver products or services. Knowledge (both tacit and explicit) is a resource that can provide a competitive advantage if used well for the intended purpose. In real practice, firms often face challenges in determining where to get knowledge from and how to value or manage it. Besides, knowledge can be obtained from three sources: knowledge can exist in individuals’ minds (skills, experience, ideas and insight); knowledge can dwell in a group, which we can call collective knowledge (a team of scientists or researchers); and knowledge can be embodied in an organization's systems, tools, procedures, policies, etc. Knowledge cannot be a valuable resource unless it is obtained and used in designing or producing a product or service. To integrate knowledge with business strategies, there should be a platform or framework that helps to manage it properly. Firm managers, policy-makers and other concerned bodies would consider the three sources of knowledge to foster innovative activities and obtain a competitive advantage. In addition, the authors recommend more emphasis be placed on firm-specific factors (such as OGCUL, leadership, management support and KM) to enhance the innovative capacity of a firm. Finally, the most critical issue to be raised while designing an innovation strategy would be employees’ willingness and passion to collaborate with others to develop new ideas, share ideas or implement policies. As knowledge resides in individuals’ minds, the knowledge holder should have a passion to share it with those working with him or her. In practice, knowledge sharing depends extremely on the passion and voluntariness of the two parts: knowledge provider and receiver. Therefore, firm managers would design a platform on how to motivate individuals to share their skills, experience and ideas with others through providing incentive packages, punishment and commitment. In this regard, the authors believe that the results would help individuals who are in the position to manage or regulate the manufacturing sector in designing innovation policies, KM policies or technology management policies and business strategies.

Originality/value

This study provides new empirical insight into the relationships between organizational factors (such as OGCUL and LMS), KM and innovation in a large sample of firms. To date, the empirical research on these relationships has been mainly limited to descriptive case studies (Chen and Huang, 2009; Zack et al., 2009; Donate and Guadaumillas, 2011), and there is thus a lack of empirical evidence with large samples of firms. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the relationship between organizational factors, KM and innovation in developing countries, especially in Ethiopia. This paper intends to fill this gap and nurture future research studies in the area.

The Effect of Organizational Innovation Climate on Employee Innovative Behavior: The Role of Psychological Ownership and Task Interdependence

In today’s era of rapid development of science and technology, organizations are confronted with unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Employee innovative behavior has become the key element to promote organizational innovation and achieve sustainable competitive advantages. This study examines the relationship between organizational innovation climate and employee innovative behavior by focusing on the mediating role of psychological ownership and the moderating role of task interdependence. The survey data were collected from the matched samples of 326 employees and their direct supervisors from 13 enterprises in Guangdong Province, China. The results indicate that organizational innovation climate is positively related to employee innovative behavior and that psychological ownership plays a fully mediating role between them. For the moderating effects, task interdependence positively moderates the relationship between organizational innovation climate and employees’ psychological ownership. The results also reveal an indirect effect of organizational innovation climate on employee innovative behavior through psychological ownership. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

How, Why, and When is the Average Age of Employees Related to Climate for Innovation? The Role of Age Diversity, Focus on Opportunities, and Work Engagement

Folk wisdom suggests that “you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.” Accordingly, as the average age of the workforce increases, there is a potential concern based on negative stereotypes that organizations will become less innovative. Drawing from lifespan development theories and theorizing on innovation, we explore this concern by testing, at the organization level of analysis, whether the average age of employees is indirectly related to climate for innovation through employees’ aggregate focus on opportunities (i.e., a negative indirect effect) and work engagement (i.e., a positive indirect effect). Moreover, we proposed that organizational age diversity is a protective resource that moderates these relationships, such that they are weaker in organizations with high as compared to low age diversity. Organization-level data were collected from teaching and non-teaching staff in n = 133 schools across two time points separated by 4 years (Time 1 n = 3712 respondents; Time 2 n = 5183 respondents). Results suggest that the average age of employees within schools was negatively related to employees’ aggregate focus on opportunities which, in turn, positively predicted climate for innovation above and beyond the positive effect of work engagement. Moreover, the negative indirect effect of average age on climate for innovation through aggregate focus on opportunities was weaker for organizations with high age diversity. Overall, these findings contribute to a better understanding of relationships between age and age-related characteristics and climate for innovation at the organization level, and challenge common misunderstandings regarding the role of age in the workplace.

Organizational Emotional Capability Perspective: Research on the Impact of Psychological Capital on Enterprise Safety Performance

Theoretical researchers of manager psychology have excellent potential to extend its research framework to more enterprise application areas, such as innovation, performance, and safety in production. Research in these areas has also been increasing in the past 10 years. Psychological capital is composed of four aspects: self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and tenacity. It plays an essential role in stimulating organizational growth and improving organizational performance. In safety management work, managers, as the core members of the organization, have a relationship between their psychological capital and employees’ safety performance. Nevertheless, the closeness of the relationship between psychological capital and employee safety performance has not been fully demonstrated by academic circles. Based on positive psychology theory, this paper conducts a questionnaire survey of 157 managers and 314 employees related to safety work in manufacturing enterprises. From the new perspective of organizational emotional capability, this paper investigates the complex and extensive social-psychological role in organizations and combs, analyzes, and integrates relevant psychological research to construct the influence mechanism of managers’ psychological capital and employee safety performance. Finally, the three important issues found based on data analysis were: (1) Managers’ psychological capital has a significant positive impact both on employee safety performance and organizational emotional capability; (2) Organizational emotional capability has a significant positive impact on employee safety performance; (3) organizational emotional capability plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between managers’ psychological capital and employee safety performance.

Psychological Capital's impact on the leadership-organizational climate preference relationship in potential leaders ∼ A study comparing teachers and sportsmen∼

Previous studies have demonstrated to some extent that the psychological capital of employees affects how they respond differently to leadership and organizational climate, but research has yet to investigate this in leaders, whether existing or potential. Studies in this area have also not made comparisons across occupational contexts. Hence, this research was initiated. The participants of our study consisted of 42 pre-tertiary teachers and 112 sportsmen nominated as potential future leaders, with the small group size of teachers being due to the more reserved tendency of their current leaders to elect fewer potential future leaders. The results of the study's survey confirmed the moderating influence of perceived psychological capital on the relationship between leadership style preference and organizational climate preference. However, under the moderating influence of perceived psychological capital, leadership style preference tended to influence organizational climate preference for the teachers while the opposite was the case for the sportsmen, indicating the possible influence of occupational culture.

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Leadership and organizational climate influence each other.

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The direction of the influence may be impacted on by occupational setting and psychological capital.

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42 pre-tertiary teachers and 112 sportsmen seen as potential future leaders were compared.

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Psychological capital and occupational setting were indeed found to affect the direction of the influence.

Fostering knowledge creation through network capability ambidexterity with the moderation of an innovation climate

Purpose

This paper aims to adopt the knowledge-based view and social network theory to investigate the relationship between network capability ambidexterity and knowledge creation (KC) in the context of open innovation. It also examines the moderating effects of innovation climate on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper developed a model including network capability ambidexterity, innovation climate and KC. A total of 463 samples were collected from China to test the model and hypotheses by SEM.

Findings

The empirical results indicate that network capability ambidexterity is the crucial antecedent of KC. Specifically, network capability ambidexterity consists of the balanced and combined dimensions that both have significant and positive effects on KC. More importantly, the balanced dimension has a stronger effect on KC than the combined. In addition, an innovation climate positively moderates the effects of network capability ambidexterity and KC.

Originality/value

This study advances a new understanding of how network capability ambidexterity influences KC. Moreover, investigating the relationships should provide fresh insights into network capabilities and KC for practitioners in the open innovation context.

The impact of performance-based rewards and developmental performance appraisal on innovation: the mediating role of innovative work behaviour

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to study and empirically test the relationship between employees' perceptions of the two motivation-enhancing human resource management (HRM) practices of reward and performance appraisal and both incremental and radical innovation. The paper examines whether innovative work behaviour (IWB) mediates the hypothesised relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 313 unit managers in manufacturing, pharmaceutical and technology companies in Jordan. Structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS v27 was employed to analyse the data and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The study finds that employees perceive rewards to be significant and to directly influence incremental and radical innovation. Additionally, employees perceive that performance appraisal to be significant for incremental innovation. The study also finds that IWB mediates the relationship between rewards, performance appraisal and incremental and radical innovation. No support was found for the impact of performance appraisal on radical innovation.

Originality/value

Distinctively, this paper considers both incremental and radical innovation in studying the link between HRM practices and innovation. It also takes an intra-organisational perspective by considering employees' perceptions of rewards and performance in fostering innovation. Additionally, it assesses the impact of IWB in mediating the relationship between rewards, performance appraisal and innovation. IWB is rarely empirically studied in the HRM–innovation link specifically when linked with radical and incremental innovation.

How Determinants of Employee Innovation Behavior Matter During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Investigating Cross-Regional Role via Multi-Group Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic cropping up at the end of 2019 started to pose a threat to millions of people's health and life after a few weeks. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to social and economic problems that have changed the progress steps of individuals and the whole nation. In this study, the work conditions for employees from Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Chinese mainland are explored and compared, and the relationship between support mechanisms and innovation behaviors (IB) is evaluated with a view of the social cognitive career theory. This study adopts the cross-sectional survey and purposive sampling to collect questionnaires. A total of 623 copies of a questionnaire from Taiwanese, 440 copies from Malaysians, and 513 copies from mainlanders were collected in this study to compare the three groups in developing employees' IBs. Smart-partial least squares for partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied in the structural model to conduct a verification of the hypotheses and comparative analysis in this study. According to the findings, compared with employees from the Chinese mainland, the Taiwanese and Malaysian samples show more significant paths regarding employee employability, IB, prior knowledge, perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and job performance. Our results will offer more insights and advice concerning theories of human resource.

The mediating role of innovative climate on the relationship between transformational leadership and firm performance in developing countries: the case of Ghana

Purpose

Innovative climate has now become a necessity to developing creative behaviours amongst employees. Hence, this study examines the mediating role of innovative climate on the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational performance in a developing context, Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs quantitative research approach and cross-sectional survey design to collect data from 400 employees in 10 selected manufacturing companies in Ghana. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and macro-PROCESS regression techniques in SPSS.

Findings

It is established that all the dimensions of transformational leadership have direct positive and significant effect on organizational performance. At the same time, innovative climate significantly mediated the causal relationship between all the dimensions of transformational leadership and organizational performance, thus creating indirect effect of transformational leadership on organizational performance which is greater than the direct effect.

Originality/value

This study provides new findings to bridge the gap in the general leadership literature by revealing that innovative climate is an effective mediator in the relationship between the dimensions of transformational leadership and organizational performance in a developing country context. Therefore, this study provides evidence for enhancing organizational performance with transformational leadership through innovative climate.

How discretionary behaviors promote customer engagement: the role of psychosocial safety climate and psychological capital

The study examines the effect of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and psychological capital (PsyCap) on customer engagement through discretionary service behaviors including adaptive and proactive service behaviors (ASB and PSB). A field study of 56 managers, 513 service employees, and 560 customers in 56 branches of insurance companies was carried out to test a theoretical model using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM7). The results demonstrated that PsyCap and PSC were both positively associated with ASB and PSB at the individual level. The results also showed that an interaction between PsyCap and PSC was related to ASB but not PSB. This suggested that PsyCap and PSC interact in a synergic manner to affect service employees' engagement in ASB, beyond their direct effects. At the branch level, ASB was not associated with customer engagement behavior, but PSB was. Furthermore, PSB mediated the relationship between PSC and customer engagement behavior, although ASB did not.

The impact of internal control systems on the intensity of innovation and organizational performance of public sector organizations in Vietnam: the moderating role of transformational leadership

Drawing on the resource-based view, new public management theory, and innovation systems theory, this study examines the relationships between internal control systems (ICSs) and organizational performance in Vietnamese public sector organizations (PSOs), with particular emphasis on the mediating role of intensity of innovation and the moderating role of transformational leadership. Data from 319 PSOs in Vietnam corroborated our hypothesis that ICSs boost the intensity of innovation, which has a beneficial effect on organizational performance. Additionally, data demonstrated that intensity of innovation fully mediated the relationships between ICSs and organizational performance, and that transformational leadership reinforced the mediating relationships. The findings have implications for our understanding of the function of leadership and ICSs in managing innovation and promoting performance in PSOs in emerging markets.

What Drives Employees' Innovative Behaviors in Emerging-Market Multinationals? An Integrated Approach

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely damaged the global industrial supply chain and accelerated the digital transformation of the global economy. In such rapidly changing environments, multinational corporations (MNCs) should encourage employees to be more innovative in various fields than ever before. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have become psychologically anxious, their working conditions have deteriorated, and they are in danger of losing their jobs. In this study, we aim to address the question of whether servant leadership facilitates the innovative behavior of employees working in emerging-market MNCs when servant leadership is adopted within the firms. In addition, we explore the mediating roles of work-life balance and psychological stability perceived by employees, and the moderating role of organizational climate in the relationship between servant leadership and MNC employees' innovative behavior. In doing so, we collected data from a sample of 307 Chinese employees who are employed by five different Chinese MNCs from the Internet, information technology, electronics, and e-commerce industries. Based on a sample of survey data collected from employees of Chinese MNCs, we empirically test these ideas by specifically examining how servant leadership may shape the innovation behavior of employees in these MNCs. The results suggest that servant leadership positively influences employees' innovative behavior, and that the contribution of servant leadership to employees' innovative behavior is mediated by work-life balance and psychological stability as well as moderated by the degree of organizational climate. Moreover, the different organizational climates of these MNC employees are also expected to significantly shape the relationship between servant leadership and employees' innovative behavior. This study enriches our understanding of the importance of servant leadership in driving the innovative behaviors of employees in emerging-market MNCs and provides new insights into the mechanisms through which emerging-market MNCs can motivate their employees to be more innovative in their jobs. Thus, this study contributes to the research on human resource management by offering important implications vis-à-vis how MNCs manage their employees more effectively in addressing and responding to the dramatically changing global landscape in the post COVID-19 era.

Effects of managerial coaching on employees' creative performance: cross-level moderating role of a climate for innovation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of managerial coaching (MC) on employee creative performance (CP) based on the knowledge transfer theory and the roles of creative process engagement (CPE) and climate for innovation (IC) in the relationship between MC and CP.

Design/methodology/approach

A moderated mediation model was developed and tested on a dyadic sample of 74 leaders and 292 employees working in South China firms.

Findings

The results show that CPE mediates the relationship between MC and CP and IC amplifies the indirect relationship between MC and CP via CPE.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the MC and innovation literature by clarifying the linking role of engagement in transferring MC into employees' CP from a knowledge transfer perspective and identifies the critical role of IC in effectuating the impact of MC on CP.

Research on the Influence Mechanism of Dual Leadership on the Constructive Deviant Behavior of the New Generation of Employees-The Chain Mediating Effect of Promoting Regulatory Focus and Role Width Self-Efficacy

Under the background of innovation to win, employees' constructive deviant behavior has become an important way for organizations to break through the bottleneck of change and realize transformation and upgrading. At present, it has become the focus of academic and practical circles. Based on cognitive evaluation theory and social cognitive theory, this study explores the impact mechanism of dual leadership on employees' constructive deviant behavior. Using hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap method, this article empirically tests the questionnaire data of 333 new generation employees. It is found that dual leadership has a significant positive impact on constructive deviant behavior; role width, self-efficacy, and promoting regulatory focus play a complete intermediary role between dual leadership and constructive deviant behavior. Promoting regulatory focus and role width self-efficacy play a chain intermediary role in the action path of dual leadership on constructive deviant behavior. The research results enrich the theoretical framework of employees' constructive deviant behavior from the perspective of leadership style, and provide a practical reference for leaders to effectively guide employees to make constructive deviant behavior.

How Does Group Climate Foster or Hinder Employee Voice? A Cross-Level Examination

Although empirical evidence has accumulated showing that group climate has a significant impact on employee voice, knowledge about how different types of climates may influence voice is limited. Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior, we develop and test a model that explains whether and how the two group climates, cooperation and sanction, differentially predict employee promotive and prohibitive voice. We test the hypotheses using data collected from a sample of 274 full-time employees nested in 58 workgroups across two time periods. The empirical results show that group climate predicts employee voice in different ways: Group cooperation climate has a positive effect on both types of employee voice, whereas group sanction climate shows a negative effect on promotive voice. Individuals’ psychological capital is a cross-level mediator in the relationship between group climate and employee voice. Employees’ prevention focus negatively moderates the relationship between psychological capital and employee voice. These results highlight the important effect of group climate on employee voice in organization and calls on managers to create a favorable environment to increase employees’ psychological capital and voice behaviors.

Inclusive Leadership and Subordinates' Pro-Social Rule Breaking in the Workplace: Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and Moderating Role of Employee Relations Climate

Purpose

Drawing on the Social Information Processing (SIP) theory, the study sought to examine the link between inclusive leadership and employees’ pro-social rule-breaking (PSRB) behavior through the mediating effect of self-efficacy. The study also investigates the moderating role of employee relations climate between inclusive leadership and self-efficacy.

Methods

The study’s sample size consists of 438 full-time corporate employees at 47 organizations from China. Statistical analysis methods were used for data analysis, such as Pearson’s correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and multilevel regression analysis.

Results

The results demonstrated that inclusive leadership positively affects PSRB behavior and self-efficacy. Furthermore, the employee relations climate moderate’s self-efficacy, which mediates the relationship between inclusive leadership and the PSRB behavior of employees.

Conclusion

This study determines the psychological factors causing PRSB behavior in light of inclusive leadership. In the context of SIP theory, the findings conclude that inclusive leadership fundamentally influences self-efficacy, encouraging employees to exhibit PSRB behavior. Furthermore, this study also explains the mediating and moderating effect of self-efficacy and employment climate, which shape PSRB behavior. Hence, this study contributes to the organizational behavior literature regarding PSRB behavior and inclusive leadership.

Proactive champions: how personal and organizational resources enable proactive personalities to become idea champions

In investigating the relationship between employees' proactive personality and idea championing, this study addresses how this relationship might be augmented when employees can draw from pertinent personal resources (persuasion self-efficacy and job enthusiasm) and organizational resources (social interaction and organizational support for change). Two-wave survey data, collected among employees in a banking organization, show that employees' proactive personalities increase the likelihood that they mobilize support for innovative ideas, especially if they (1) feel confident that they can defend these ideas successfully, (2) experience their jobs as sources of personal fulfillment, (3) maintain informal relationships with peers, and (4) believe their organizations embrace change. For managers, these findings indicate that employees will leverage their positive energy, derived from their desire for initiative taking, into enhanced change-oriented championing activities if they also can draw from pertinent resources that enhance their ability or motivation to engage in those leveraging efforts.

Would Organizational Climate and Job Stress Affect Wellness? An Empirical Study on the Hospitality Industry in Taiwan during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitality employees face a tremendous amount of job stress due to the decline in revenue and close contact with people. This study has three aims: first, to analyse the status quo of organizational-climate job stress on employee wellness in the hospitality industry during COVID-19; second, to discuss the correlation between organizational-climate job stress and employee wellness in the hospitality industry; and third, to analyze the associations between of personal background and organizational climate on job stress and wellness in the hospitality industry. This research uses a survey method to examine these issues. Participants were employees of franchise hotel branches in Taipei City, which yielded 295 effective sample sizes from five chain hotels. The personal background factor questionnaire, organizational climate questionnaire, job stress questionnaire, and wellness questionnaire served as the main research tools. In this study, Factor analysis, Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis were used for sample analysis. The results revealed a significant relationship between organizational-climate job stress with wellness. Personal background factors, organizational climate, and job stress would affect the wellness of employees. As a result, the present research provides empirical evidence for the impact of organizational climate and job stress on employee wellness in the hospitality industry in Taiwan during COVID-19. The study's findings, as well as its theoretical and practical implications, are discussed. The main contribution of this study is that the results serve as a reference for hospitality business owners to design better organizational environments for their employees, plan human-resource-related strategies, and provide training for their employees during a pandemic.