Leader boundary-spanning behavior and creative behavior: the role of need for status and creative self-efficacy
Leadership & Organization Development Journal
ISSN: 0143-7739
Article publication date: 21 July 2022
Issue publication date: 18 August 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to examine the positive relationship between leader's boundary-spanning behavior and employee creative behavior. Moreover, the research investigates a three-way effect by exploring leader's boundary-spanning behavior, need for status and creative self-efficacy on employee creative behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey involving 260 supervisor-subordinate dyads from various companies in South Korea. The research tests the hypotheses through a hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
The authors provided empirical evidence that leader's boundary-spanning behavior positively related to employee creative behavior. Moreover, the result demonstrated that the effect of leader's boundary-spanning behavior on creative behavior was the strongest in the context of high need for status and high creative self-efficacy.
Research limitations/implications
The research contributes to the three streams of literature on boundary spanning, creativity, and leadership by exploring leaders' boundary-spanning behavior, employees' need for status, and employees' creative self-efficacy.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that organizations should promote leaders' boundary-spanning behavior, thereby enhancing employees' creative behavior. Also, the study highlights the critical role of individual factors, such as the need for status and creative self-efficacy, and situational factors that determine the level of creative behavior.
Originality/value
Integrating the componential model of creativity and the interactionist perspective of creativity, this research examines the positive influence of leaders' boundary-spanning behavior on creative behavior. Furthermore, the research exhibits how leader's boundary-spanning behavior, need for status and creative self-efficacy could develop creative conditions to promote employee creative behavior.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Institute of Management Research at Seoul National University.
Citation
Kim, S.L., Lee, D. and Yun, S. (2022), "Leader boundary-spanning behavior and creative behavior: the role of need for status and creative self-efficacy", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 43 No. 6, pp. 835-846. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-05-2021-0235
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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