Frank Baafi, Abraham Ansong, Kennedy Etse Dogbey and Nicodemus Osei Owusu
This study explores the role of transformational leadership, transactional leadership and resource supply in enhancing innovative work behaviour using the mediation model.
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the role of transformational leadership, transactional leadership and resource supply in enhancing innovative work behaviour using the mediation model.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data was gathered from 314 local government staff from the six metropolitan assemblies in Ghana. Structural equation modelling was used for the analysis.
Findings
The results suggest that transformational and transactional leadership behaviours provided an impetus for innovative behaviours. Also, resource supply was found to mediate the relationship between transformational leadership behaviours and innovative work behaviour.
Practical implications
Public managers can improve the innovative behaviour of public servants by providing resources for innovation, setting up proper reward structures, communicating vision clearly and clarifying performance expectations.
Originality/value
This is the first study to investigate innovative work behaviour within the Ghanaian local government sector and the context of a developing country in Africa. The study extends the literature on innovative work behaviour by exploring the role of leadership and resource supply.
Details
Keywords
Samuel Koomson, William Newlove Azadda, Abigail Opoku Mensah and Frank Yao Gbadago
For a public servant (PS) to be innovative, he or she needs to gather and process enough vital information from budget setting processes. However, research addressing how…
Abstract
Purpose
For a public servant (PS) to be innovative, he or she needs to gather and process enough vital information from budget setting processes. However, research addressing how budgetary participation (BP) can trigger innovative behaviour (IB) in PSs and eventually foster task performance (TP) is rare, which is why the authors conduct this research. The purpose of this study is to understand how BP shapes TP through the IB of PSs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop and test a mediation model with 860 responses from public sector workers across 25 government agencies using the PLS-SEM technique of Smart PLS 4. Possible control factors were addressed for both the mediator and target-independent construct. In particular, the authors use sex, age and tenure as control factors for IB. Also, the authors use job satisfaction, job engagement and perceived fairness in the budgetary system as control factors for TP.
Findings
The authors find a favourable and significant relationship between BP and TP; BP and IB; and IB and TP. The authors also find that IB partially mediates the relationship between BP and TP, such that BP fosters TP through the innovativeness of PSs. This finding suggests that PSs who participate in budget preparation are able to innovate, which, in turn enable them to perform tasks effectively.
Research limitations/implications
The authors call on forthcoming researchers to test the mediation model in other public sector settings worldwide. They may also consider other variables that can possibly mediate the positive impacts of BP on TP.
Practical implications
Lessons are discussed for governments, human resources directors and managers, management accountants, budget officers, procurement officers and other public sector workers and consultants.
Originality/value
The authors show how BP fosters TP through the innovativeness of PSs, since there is much more to know in this regard. The authors also help to resolve the paradox of inconsistency in the BP–TP literature by using IB as a mediator.
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Raminderpreet Kaur and Gurpreet Randhawa
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of three predictors (emotional intelligence, perceived supervisor support and work–life balance) on employee engagement.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of three predictors (emotional intelligence, perceived supervisor support and work–life balance) on employee engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
The employee engagement and its predictor variables considered have been assessed by a survey using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected for 628 government school teachers of Punjab state of India. SEM using SmartPLS software was used to estimate the relationship between employee engagement and its predictors (emotional intelligence, perceived supervisor support and work–life balance).
Findings
The results reveal that the three predictors (emotional intelligence, perceived supervisor support and work–life balance) have a significant positive impact on employee engagement of the government school teachers.
Practical implications
School authorities need to draft teacher-friendly policies so that teachers can stay deeply engrossed in their work and can handle work and family demands. Engaged teachers brim with positive energy, thereby energetically and vigorously preoccupying themselves in their work, leaving no time and space for negative thoughts.
Originality/value
The influence of emotional intelligence, perceived supervisor support and work–life balance on employee engagement of government school teachers is unprecedented. The study also tested the model in a holistic manner. Since the study is based on an Indian sample, it also adds to growing literature on employee engagement in nonwestern countries. The results are of great value to government authorities, school managements, HR managers and policymakers who are seeking to develop practices that enhance employee engagement at workplaces.