Towards Sustainability: A Quantitative Inquiry into Chinese University Students’ Perceived Learner Empowerment and Innovative Behaviour

Jiying Han, Zhe Zhang, Zhenmei Liu () and Chao Gao
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Jiying Han: School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Zhe Zhang: School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Zhenmei Liu: Taishan College, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
Chao Gao: School of Foreign Languages, Shandong Women’s University, Jinan 250300, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-14

Abstract: Innovation is universally acclaimed as the crux of organisational sustainability in the current dynamic and competitive market and knowledge economy, and psychological empowerment provides a more comprehensive pathway to human creative performance. However, the pivotal role of students’ innovation in driving sustainability has been largely overlooked within the context of higher education for sustainable development (HESD). This study investigated the relationship between university students’ perceived learner empowerment and their innovative behaviour from a multistage perspective. An online survey was conducted among 868 Chinese university students from 21 institutions. The results indicated that Chinese students’ self-perceived level of empowerment and innovative behaviour was relatively high, but that they viewed themselves as less competent in generating innovation outputs. The results of structural equation modelling revealed that competence was positively related to all factors of innovative behaviour, the impact was positively associated with six factors of innovative behaviour, and meaningfulness was positively related solely to involving others. The findings have significant implications for stimulating students’ innovative behaviour towards sustainable development.

Keywords: learner empowerment; innovative behaviour; university students; quantitative inquiry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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