The Role of Transformational Leadership in Fostering Employee Innovation Behavior: A Mediating Effect of Psychological Safety

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摘要

In the context of rapid technological change and fierce market competition, employee innovation behavior has become a key driver of corporate sustainable development. This study explores how transformational leadership—characterized by inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, and idealized influence—shapes employee innovation behavior, with a focus on the mediating role of psychological safety (the belief that one can take risks without fear of negative consequences). Based on a cross-sectional survey of 382 employees from 25 high-tech enterprises in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, we find that: (1) transformational leadership has a significantly positive impact on employee innovation behavior; (2) psychological safety partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and employee innovation behavior; (3) the mediating effect of psychological safety is more pronounced among non-managerial employees than among managerial employees. These findings highlight that transformational leaders can enhance employees’ willingness to innovate by creating a psychologically safe workplace, and provide practical implications for enterprises to optimize leadership styles and promote innovation.

文献引用

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