Search results

Drawing from the social exchange theory and leadership-making model, this study aimed to develop a research model where innovation climate (IC) mediates the servant leadership (SL) influence on innovative work behavior (IWB).

Through structural equation modeling, we evaluated the aforementioned links using data gathered from 324 employees drawn from Uganda’s local government (LG) employees.

The findings show that the impact of SL on IWB is mediated by IC. An IC within the organization is made possible by effective SL ethos; moreover, this climate promotes IWB. Also, the innovative nature of LG employees promotes IWB.

LG leadership ought to be committed to the SL philosophy since it fosters an environment that encourages IWB. To spark IWB, it should also take advantage of the innovative environment. Management must make sure that in such a setting, supervisors are construed as servant leaders and low cadre staff have the capacity to be servant leaders. Employees will be more motivated to contribute to the organization by engaging in high IWB once they have received the training, empowerment and rewards they deserve in a setting that emphasizes effective SL principles.

Despite the existence of numerous studies, there is little empirical evidence that SL influences IWB within the setting of the LG sector. Evidence for the underlying mechanism by which SL promotes IWB is still lacking. Third, we explicitly test the IWB model developed based on euro-leaning theories using the LG context. Finally, there is a dearth of data relevant to how IC affects IWB. The research addresses these gaps.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS) and work engagement and the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the POS–work engagement relationship.

A questionnaire survey was developed and distributed to a sample of primary school teachers drawn from the education industry.

Analysis of the data supports a strong positive relationship between the extent of POS and work engagement. This study also found that self-efficacy mediated the relationship between POS and work engagement.

This study has important implications for managers. First, it motivates managers, by providing justification for provision of support to employees for increased engagement at work. Based on the results of this study, POS is associated with enhanced work engagement levels. Second, evidence from this study illustrates to the organization the importance of developing an environment of support to further enhance work engagement. When employees do not acknowledge and feel supported from their respective organizations, work engagement levels may be sub-optimal. This research is limited, as the data were collected at one point of time, and this has implications for employees and organizations.

There is increasing recognition of the importance of POS in enhanced work engagement levels. Within this context, no previous research has empirically examined the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between POS and work engagement in the setting of primary education sector.