Reinforcing innovation through transformational leadership: mediating role of job satisfaction

An exploratory study on the barriers to innovative behavior: the spiteful effect of envy

Purpose

The present investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of envy on the predisposition to innovative behavior, starting from a conceptual model that considers not only the direct influence of envy but its indirect influence through ostracism and alignment with the negative behaviors of superiors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a survey applied to 168 individuals, a conceptual model was developed based on the relationship ignored in the literature between envy and innovative behavior. The model was validated using the multivariate statistical technique of structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation (Partial least squares structural equation modeling [PLS-SEM]).

Findings

The results of the study suggest that envy not only has a direct positive influence on alignment with negative boss behaviors and ostracism, but also an indirect influence on ostracism mediated by alignment with negative boss behaviors. Another important result of the present investigation refers to the negative effect of envy on the predisposition to innovative behavior. The results suggest that the greater the envy, the lower the innovative behavior.

Practical implications

This research provides evidence that envy can act as a barrier to innovation by triggering counterproductive behaviors such as ostracism and a decrease in predisposition to innovative behaviors, either due to innovative individuals prematurely exiting the organization or due to them lessening/dampening their innovativeness to avoid the negative consequences. Given this scenario, it becomes necessary to increase managerial awareness on the subject to manage negative emotions to promote the conditions for organizational innovation.

Originality/value

The present research contributes in both practical and theoretical ways to understanding the effects of envy on the predisposition to innovative behavior. Adding to this, this research represents a conceptual advance by linking envy to innovative behavior, providing a promising avenue for extending the psychological relevance of the envy construct to organizational and management studies, which are generally positive, normative and outcome-oriented.

How to recover from difficult condition? The relationship between leader-employee congruence in creativity goal and innovative performance

Purpose

Drawing upon the literature on person-leader supplementary fit literature, this study aims to positions dissatisfaction with organizational performance as a difficult condition that moderates the relationship between leader-employee congruence/incongruence in creativity goal and employee innovative performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper data were collected from 226 leader-employee dyads from several information technology companies in China. Polynomial regression combined with the response surface methodology was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Three conclusions were drawn. First, employee innovative performance was maximized when leaders and employees were congruence in creativity goal. Second, in the case of congruence, employee had higher innovative performance when a leader's and an employee's creativity goal matched at high levels. Third, dissatisfaction with organizational performance moderated the effect of leader – employee congruence in creativity goal on employee innovative performance.

Originality/value

This study enhanced theoretical developments by considering the importance of leaders' congruence with employees in creativity goal for the first time. Additionally, the research results provided better practical guidance for how to help employees recover from difficult condition and continue to participate in innovation.

Linking transformational leadership with job satisfaction: the mediating roles of trust and team cohesiveness

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the roles of trust and team cohesiveness as mediating variables to transmit the effect of transformational leadership dimensions on job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a quantitative approach with 405 respondents as the samples. The respondents are teachers and staff of schools in East Java, Indonesia. The data are analyzed using partial least square (PLS).

Findings

Trust and team cohesiveness fully mediate the relationship between idealized influences on job satisfaction. Besides, idealized influence, inspirational motivation and individualized consideration directly affect job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The relationship between transformational leadership and employee job satisfaction in educational institutions has been rarely explored. The study contributes to the literature on the role of trust and team cohesiveness in transmitting the effect of transformational leadership dimensions on job satisfaction of school employees.

Practical implications

To increase employee job satisfaction at schools, principals need to be highly concerned about trust in the leader–follower relationship. Therefore, principals are responsible for responding to the followers' needs and aspirations and caring for followers.

Originality/value

The significance of the result findings lies in the detailed model that transmits the direct and indirect effect of the transformational leadership dimensions on job satisfaction.

The Role of Military Leadership in Shaping Innovative Personnel Behaviour: The Case of the Lithuanian Armed Forces

Innovation is important for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to peace and justice, as well as strengthening defence and security institutions. In view of innovation and the creation of an innovative environment, the influence of leaders not only on the innovativeness of employees, but also of the organization as a whole, is considered one of the most prospective areas of future research. This article explores the influence of leadership behaviour (support for innovation, delegating, intellectual stimulation, and rewards) of top (sample size N = 275) and middle (sample size N = 891) management on the innovative behaviour of military officers. The empirical validation of the selected four leadership behaviours is based on the methodology of quantitative sociological research—a questionnaire. Research results show that strong and statistically significant correlation relationships were established at the level of top managers (commanders) between such factors as Intellectual Stimulation and Delegating, Rewards and Delegating, Delegating and Support for Innovation, as well as Support for Innovation and Rewards. Meanwhile, for middle-level managers (military officers) two strong relationships were found between such factors as Rewards and Delegating, and Delegating and Support for Innovation. Analysis of the compatibility of opinions showed that although commanders and military officers both appreciate the leadership behaviours of the top and middle management of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, it was also found that commanders are more positive about the opportunity to offer new ideas at their military unit. Furthermore, they are more positive about the statement that leadership grants them the right to take decisions and implement them, and they are also more positive about taking the initiative, when they feel support for innovation. The identified difference in the leadership behaviours of top and middle management leads to the conclusion that, at different hierarchical levels of leadership, innovative behaviour of subordinates is influenced differently in the innovation promotion process in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Staying grounded! Organizational identification and perceived control during crises

Purpose

Organizational identification could play an important role during crises if it contributes to individuals' perceptions of control. This study examines this relationship and unpacks some of its complexities by investigating the mediating role of job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors that have previously been examined as outcomes of organizational identification in noncrisis contexts. The authors also investigate the moderating role of the perceived severity of the crisis on the relationships between organizational identification and job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors. There is limited empirical research on these relationships in a crisis context, and studying them is important for understanding the role of identification in diverse contexts and for crisis management research and practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the survey method, quantitative data were collected from 354 individuals from a nonprofit organization that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This was supplemented with qualitative data from respondents' comments in the survey.

Findings

Using process analysis, the authors find the following: (1) job satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between organizational identification and perceived control; (2) the perceived severity of the crisis moderates the relationship between organizational identification and job satisfaction; (3) citizenship behavior is associated with organizational identification but is not a significant mediator in the relationship between organizational identification and perceived control and (4) the perceived severity of the crisis is not a significant moderator of the relationship between organizational identification and citizenship behaviors.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s model can be further tested in public and private organizations that are experiencing bankruptcies to examine the robustness of our findings. Also, due to the cross-sectional design of this study, the findings need to be tested in a longitudinal study to examine if they persist over time during the recovery and growth phases of a crisis.

Practical implications

Leaders can rely on individuals who identify with their organizations during a crisis, such as bankruptcies because they experience job satisfaction and a sense of control. Additionally, these individuals also demonstrate citizenship behaviors in these challenging situations.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to empirically examine the association between organizational identification and perceived control, the mediating role of job satisfaction and citizenship behaviors and the moderating role of perceived severity in the context of an organizational crisis. An additional strength of this study is that it provides empirical evidence from individuals in an actual crisis rather than from laboratory studies.

The chain mediation effect of spiritual leadership on employees' innovative behavior

Purpose

Based on the intrinsic motivation theory and spiritual leadership theory, the current study proposes a chain mediation model for testing the linkage between spiritual leadership and employees' innovative behavior through individual values and role identity.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, 309 valid leader–subordinate matching questionnaires from 10 Internet enterprises and 21 manufacturing enterprises in China were collected through a field study. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping.

Findings

The results show that spiritual leadership has a positive impact on employees' innovative behavior. Uncertainty avoidance and creative role identity not only respectively play a mediating role but also play a chain mediating role in the process of spiritual leadership influencing employees' innovative behavior.

Originality/value

This study explores the influence of leadership style on employees' individual values, which has rarely been done in previous studies. Furthermore, the research explores the impact of personal values (uncertainty avoidance) on employee self-perception (creative role identity). And it enriches the relationship between spiritual leadership and employees' innovative behavior and reveals the deeper influence mechanism between them.

Perceived leadership behaviours and their effects on IT departments in Swiss financial companies

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of perceived transformational, transactional and laissez-faire (LF) leadership behaviours on both the effectiveness of the leader and satisfaction with the leader, as perceived by information technology (IT) subordinates in the Swiss financial sector.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 182 IT professionals from 45 Swiss financial companies rated their perceptions using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 5X short). Results were evaluated using partial least squares based structural equation modelling.

Findings

Idealised influence (attributed) and individualised consideration as well as contingent reward (CR) leadership are positively related to effectiveness and satisfaction. LF leadership had a strong, significant negative effect on both outcomes. No augmentation effect of idealised influence and/or inspirational motivation over the effects of CR was found. These results are partly contradictory to findings of earlier studies. Additionally, stability problems/discriminant validity issues were found for some of the examined constructs.

Practical implications

Managers and leaders in IT departments in Swiss financial institutions should be advised of the possibly strong effects of CR on outcomes, together with the risks of potentially highly negative impacts of LF leadership, as well as the possible limitations of the stability and validity problems found. Leadership training could be used to this end. The paper gives specific advice on how the different findings could be included in such training.

Originality/value

IT can significantly contribute to a firm’s success, and leading people who deliver technology is becoming more important in an increasingly digitised world. No previous research has illustrated the effects of leadership behaviours on IT departments in Swiss companies.