Self-reported individual innovative behaviour, individual thinking style, organisational climate for innovation, and leader-member exchange
Date
2016-02-19
Authors
Myers, Carli Jade
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This research focused on the construct of self-reported individual innovative behaviour in order
to provide a deeper understanding into the multi-dimensional construct of innovation within an
organisation. This is because innovative behaviour within an organisation drives the
organisation to achieve profit and success. The focus of this research was to consider the extent
to which innovative behaviours were reported as being enacted within South African
organisations; as well as organisational climate, leader-member exchange, and individual
thinking styles in terms of how these factors were related to and/or predictive of individual
innovation.
The final sample comprised 265 South African employees working within management,
product development and/or design, consulting, strategizing, advertising, or marketing (in any
field). The sample was collected through non-probability, volunteer, convenience sampling.
All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire pack consisting of a Self-Developed,
Self-Report Demographic Questionnaire, the Self Report Measure of Individual Innovative
Behaviour, the Leadership-Member Exchange Questionnaire, the Climate for Innovation
Measure, and the Thinking Style Inventory.
Statistical analyses indicated that participants of this study reported engaging more frequently
in the conceptual (initial) phases of innovation and less frequently in the implementation (latter)
phases of innovation. In terms of organisational climate, both organisational resources and
organisational support were significantly related to innovative behaviour. Organisational
resources also significantly predicted innovative behaviour whereas organisational support was
not found to be a significant predictor of an employee’s innovative tendencies. Although LMX
was significantly related to innovative behaviour, it was only a significant predictor of
innovative behaviour when it was grouped with the functions of thinking styles. Innovative
behaviour was also significantly and positively related to anarchic, global, internal, external,
legislative, judicial, hierarchical and liberal thinking styles; and the legislative, judicial,
hierarchical, global, internal, external, and liberal thinking styles significantly and positively
predicted innovative behaviour; while the executive thinking style significantly and negatively
predicted innovative behaviour.
These results suggested that organisations who are striving to enhance their levels of innovative
behaviour should be extremely mindful of their organisational climate for innovation,
particularly the resources that are available to contribute to employees engaging in innovative behaviour, as well as of the quality of their leaders’ relationships with their subordinates and their workforce’s thinking styles. These findings provide a starting point from which one can work to develop effective organisational interventions, such as training programs, and / or selection and recruitment strategies, to promote and enhance individual innovative behaviour and ultimately develop the organisation.
Key words: Individual innovative behaviour, individual thinking style, organisational climate for innovation, leader-member exchange.
Description
“A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Psychology
by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Organisational Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg on 16 March 2015”