Leadership styles and employee creativity: the interactive impact of online knowledge sharing and organizational innovation

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the differences in the impact of three leadership styles (transactional, transformational and creative) on intraorganizational online knowledge-sharing and employee creativity. Specifically, we use self-determination theory (SDT) to examine the impact of these three leadership styles on four aspects of online knowledge sharing (knowledge donating, knowledge collecting, lurking and active lurking) and the moderating role of organizational innovation on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 361 employees of business-to-business organizations in Vietnam to support all our hypotheses. Structural equation modelling was used for data analysis. Findings Transformational, transactional and creative leadership were found to affect online knowledge sharing, wherein creative leadership had the most potent effect. Online knowledge sharing was found to mediate the impact of three types of leadership on employee creativity. The results also showed that organizational innovation moderates the influence of leadership on online knowledge sharing. Originality/value This paper extends the current knowledge management research on online knowledge sharing by studying two new behaviors (lurking and active lurking), linking diverse leadership styles to these behaviors and employee creativity, and exploring the moderating role of organizational innovation. Our findings shed light on the complexity of the relationship between leadership and online knowledge sharing. This study also provides valuable implications for practitioners to help them choose the most appropriate leadership style for their digitalization process to ensure optimal outcomes.

Online knowledge sharing and employee innovation: the role of job self-efficacy and innovative climate

“…Online knowledge sharing can be delineated as "the process in which employees make their opinions, skills and know-how available online to other colleagues within the organization to provide mutual help in problem-solving and idea development" (Nguyen, 2019, p. 78). In the age of digital technology, online knowledge sharing has been predicted to become a vital activity in companies (Nguyen et al, 2023). The adoption of information technology has made significant modifications to the way that workers communicate and handle their tasks (Li et al, 2017).…”

“…The adoption of information technology has made significant modifications to the way that workers communicate and handle their tasks (Li et al, 2017). The development of information technology has helped employees access Online knowledge sharing and share information, opinions and solutions more quickly and effectively (Nguyen et al, 2023). Online knowledge sharing within organizations is one of the best ways to learn from each other and improve own decision-making (Nguyen and Nham, 2019).…”

“…Therefore, they participate in knowledge-sharing activities to update and receive new knowledge (Thuan, 2020; Wang and Noe, 2010). Nevertheless, prior research mostly focuses on investigating the role of general knowledge sharing in promoting employees’ innovative performance (Dong et al , 2017; Gilson et al , 2013; Haider et al , 2023; Hu and Zhao, 2016; Huang et al , 2014; Montani and Staglianò, 2022; Rhee and Choi, 2017), there is still a scarcity of study testing online knowledge sharing in organizations (Niu and Wu, 2022; Nguyen et al , 2023; Tønnessen et al , 2021). Moreover, although online knowledge sharing plays an important role in increasing innovation performance at the organizational level (Soto-Acosta et al , 2017), how online knowledge sharing affects innovation at the individual level has received little attention (Niu and Wu, 2022; Nguyen et al , 2023; Tønnessen et al , 2021).…”