Do Transformational Leaders Engage Employees in Sustainable Innovative Work Behaviour? Perspective from a Developing Country

Li Yi, Md. Aftab Uddin, Anupam Kumar Das, Monowar Mahmood and Shanewaz Mahmood Sohel
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Li Yi: School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Md. Aftab Uddin: Department of Human Resource Management, University of Chittagong, Chattogram 4331, Bangladesh
Anupam Kumar Das: School of Management, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Monowar Mahmood: Bang College of Business, KIMEP University, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Shanewaz Mahmood Sohel: Department of Human Resource Management, University of Chittagong, Chattogram 4331, Bangladesh

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Inadequate and inconclusive studies of the role of transformational leadership (TL) on employee creative process engagement (CPE) and sustainable innovative work behaviour (IWB) have motivated the authors to further advance knowledge in this aspect of the workplace. In doing so, the present study seeks to extend the understanding of innovative work behaviour by the involvement of TL and its subordinates through engaging employees in the creative process. The authors adopted the deductive reasoning approach to measure the observed relationships using structural equation modelling (SEM) through SmartPLS 2, a second-generation integrated regression model for statistical measurement. The results from self-report and others’ reported questionnaires reveal that transformational leaders can engage their subordinates in the creative process and sustainable innovative outcomes by influencing employee intrinsic motivation and proactive behaviour. However, the mediating effect of CPE on TL and IWB is not supported. Lastly, the authors discuss the findings and contributions of these empirical findings in theory and practice. In addition to the potential implications of the examined results, this study also recommends directions for further research in the light of its limitations.

Keywords: transformational leadership; creative process engagement; sustainable innovative work behaviour; intrinsic motivation; proactive behaviour; developing country (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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