THE ROLE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEES’ INNOVATIVE BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

Globalization, competition, communication, and rapid technological development pose
enormous challenges to higher education in developing countries. It is evident that
innovation allows organizations to be competitive and increase their performance. Many
scholars have argued that leadership is an important and crucial factor in achieving
employees’ innovative behavior as part of innovation and creativity. A transformational
leadership style has been found to have an influence on innovation.
This study sought to examine the role of transformational leadership on employees'
innovative behavior through the mediation of organizational culture, employee work
engagement, and attitude towards change in higher education institutions in Jordan. A
quantitative methodological style using a questionnaire survey method approach with
close-ended questions. The primary data collection was supported by secondary data
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collected from a comprehensive review of literature and a conceptual framework was
created and developed in addition to ten hypotheses.
The population consists of academics and administrators from both universities. A total of
420 questionnaires were distributed to both universities. The total number of completed
questionnaires returned was 404, resulting a response rate of 96.1%. The quantitative data
was analysed by using SPSS 20.0 with AMOS 20.0. The structural model was used to test
the hypotheses. The results of the study confirmed that transformational leadership style
positively and significantly influences employees’ innovative behavior in Jordanian higher
educational institutions. It also confirmed that employees’ work engagement,
organizational culture, and attitude toward change play a significant and positive role in
the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ innovative behavior.
This study added importance and significant input to the literature in general and the
literature of developing countries, including Jordan. Moreover, this study has been tested
in the context of higher education, where no other studies have been conducted, which
makes this theoretical framework a unique contribution to higher education institutions in
general and to developing countries in particular.This study contributes to the literature by
enriching the library of theoretical relationships. Also, this study could assist and empower
the leaders and policy makers in higher education institutions enhance their innovative
behavior.