Knowledge oriented leadership and employees' innovative performance: a moderated mediation model

The objective of this study is to investigate the mediating role of (Knowledge sharing behavior, work engagement) and moderating role of creative self-efficacy in the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership and employee's innovative performance in the information technology sector of China. Data for this study was collected randomly in three phases with the time-lagged method. Voluntary participation of 452 employees (313 subordinates and 139 immediate supervisors) from the information technology sector. The findings of this study confirm that knowledge-sharing behavior and work engagement mediate the relationship between knowledge-oriented leadership and employees' innovative performance. Moreover, the current study's findings also prove the moderating effect of creative self-efficacy between the relationship of knowledge-oriented leadership and knowledge-sharing behavior and work engagement. Additionally, moderated mediation results confirm that a higher level of creative self-efficacy increases the employees' innovative performance level through the indirect effect of knowledge-oriented leadership via knowledge-sharing behavior and work engagement. The findings of the present study are helpful for the management to enhance the innovative performance of employees through knowledge-oriented leadership especially in the information technology sector. Further, Knowledge-sharing behavior and work engagement helps innovative work behavior. Moreover, creative self-efficacy is a beneficial tool for employees to achieve the organizational goals.