The mediation between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation: Examining intermediate knowledge mechanisms. Issue 3 (9th May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Yi-Ying; Hodgkinson, Ian; Hughes, Paul; Chang, Che-Yuan
• Is Part Of: Leadership & organization development journal. Volume 40:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 334
• Page End: 355
• Publication Date: 2019-05-09
• Subjects: Participative leadership -- Emerging economy -- Coworker knowledge sharing -- Employee absorptive capacity -- Organizational learning theory -- Employee exploratory innovation; Organizational change -- Periodicals; Leadership -- Periodicals; 658.4
• DOI: 10.1108/LODJ-07-2018-0245
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-7739

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of intermediate knowledge mechanisms on the participative leadership–employee exploratory innovation relationship using a distal mediation model. Design/methodology/approach: Deploying a time-lagged questionnaire method implemented over four business quarters, data are generated from 1, 600 responses in R&D units of Taiwanese technology firms. Findings: The structural equation modeling results reveal that participative leadership is positively related to employee exploratory innovation; coworker knowledge and absorptive capacity partially mediate the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation independently; and coworker knowledge sharing in combination with absorptive capacity partially mediates this relationship. Originality/value: The findings contribute new knowledge on the relationship between participative leadership and employee exploratory innovation by uncovering intermediate knowledge mechanisms that augment this relationship.