Uncovering Innovativeness in Spanish Tourism Firms: The Role of Transformational Leadership, OCB, Firm Size, and Age

Asif Khan, Sughra Bibi, Jiaying Lyu, Achille Claudio Garavelli, Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo and Maria de Angeles Perez Sanchez
Additional contact information
Asif Khan: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Sughra Bibi: Guanghua Law School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Jiaying Lyu: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Achille Claudio Garavelli: Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo: Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
Maria de Angeles Perez Sanchez: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, School of Management, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-26

Abstract: Innovativeness in the tourism and hospitality sector is essential for competitiveness and survival. Leadership plays a key role in promoting (or hampering) firm innovativeness. This article intended to examine the role of transformational leadership (TL) and organization citizenship behavior (OCB) on Spanish tourism firms’ innovativeness (OI). It also investigated whether firm size and age moderate the relationship between TL, OI, and OCB. The cross-sectional survey method was used to collect data from 329 middle-level managers in Spanish tourism firms. The findings of the data revealed that TL and OCB have significant impacts on firm innovativeness; also, OCB mediates the relationship between TL and firm innovativeness. Firm size and age moderate the relationship between TL and firm innovativeness; also, firm size moderates the relationship between TL and OCB. It was found that large firms were more innovative than small ones; also, younger firms showed a higher level of innovativeness than old firms. Managerial and specific firm size and age implications were provided.

Keywords: transformational leadership (TL); organization citizenship behevior (OCB); firm innovativeness (OI); firm size; firm age; tourism firms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:3989-:d:357628

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