Seeding Innovation Culture in Online Flexible Distance Learning Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This study endeavours to assess the intricate relationships between organizational culture perceived behavioral control attitude, and the intention to embrace an innovation culture within the context of online distance learning (ODL) higher education institutions in Malaysia. The significance of these findings lies in their potential to empower ODL institutions in enhancing employee performance through the cultivation of an innovation culture, an imperative for their long-term viability and sustainability. The research framework, constituting two exogenous variables (organizational culture and perceived behavioral control), incorporates attitude as a mediator and intention as an endogenous variable. Primary data was meticulously collected through a survey questionnaire adapted from prior studies and disseminated via email. Non-probability purposive sampling was employed due to the absence of an available sample frame. The study meticulously analyzed 316 pristine questionnaires out of the 333 received, representing a commendable 86.5% response rate. The empirical results affirm all proposed hypotheses, establishing the considerable impact of organizational culture and perceived behavioral control on intention, with attitude serving as a pivotal mediator. This study underscores the crucial role of attitude in mediating between exogenous and endogenous variables. The proposed model demonstrates a high degree of predictive relevance, as validated by statistical analyses using PLS_predict and the Cross-Validated Predictive Ability Test (CVPAT). Every direct and indirect relationship hypothesis receives robust support. In sum, this study not only contributes valuable insights into the factors influencing the intention to adopt an innovation culture in ODL higher education institutions but also provides a robust model for understanding and predicting these intricate relationships.