Abstract Background: There is growing interest in and focus on healthcare services research to identify factors associated with innovation in healthcare organizations. However, previous innovation research has concentrated primarily on the organizational level. In contrast, this study focuses on innovation by individual employees. The specific aim is to examine factors with potential impact on individual employee innovation in hospital organizations. Thus, the study significantly deepens and broadens previous research on innovation in the domain of health services. Methods: A conceptual model was developed and tested on a sample of hospital employees (n=1008). Partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data with SmartPLS 3 software in two steps involving a measurement model and a structural model. Mediation analysis was used to test the proposed indirect effects. Results: Hospital employees’ individual innovative behaviour is directly and positively associated with individual creativity (b = 0.440), psychological capital (b = 0.34) and leadership autonomy support (b = 0.07). The relationships between leadership autonomy support, psychological capital and individual innovative behaviour are all mediated by employees’ creativity. Psychological capital mediates the relationship between leadership autonomy support and individual innovative behaviour. Overall, the proposed model explains 50% of the variance in hospital employees’ innovative behaviour. Conclusions: This study reveals a complex pattern of links between innovative behaviour and leadership autonomy support, employees’ creativity and employees’ psychological capital. However, the findings indicate that leadership autonomy support has an influential and multifaceted impact on hospital employees’ innovative behaviour.
Abstract Background The concept of organizational vision has been little explored within the health-care services research literature. Based on this knowledge gap in the literature, this study examines the factors that potentially promote organizational vision integration (OVI), which refers to the employees’ use of organizational vision as a guiding framework in their respective work roles. The roles of organizational commitment (OC), leadership autonomy support (LAS), and organizational culture on hospital employees’ OVI are examined. Methods Hospital employees participated in a survey. Partial least-squares structural equation modelling was performed using SmartPLS 3 software to test the proposed hypotheses statistically. A bootstrapping test was used to identify the mediating effects. Results The main findings show that: (i) OC is the most powerful factor to promote employees’ OVI (\(\beta\) = 0.26), while organizational culture (represented by the concept of internal market-oriented culture) and LAS showed significantly less and almost equal impact (\(\beta\) = 0.16 and \(\beta\) = 0.15, respectively), respectively, and in total explains 25% of the variance in the concept of OVI; (ii) LAS and organizational culture both significantly contribute to employees’ OC (\(\beta\) = 0.35 and \(\beta\) = 0.29, respectively) and in total explains nearly 40% (\({R}^{2}=0.38)\) of the variance in the concept of OC; (iii) the relationships between organizational culture, LAS, and OVI are mediated through OC; and (iv) LAS mediates the relationships between organizational culture and OVI, and between organizational culture and OC. Conclusions To promote hospital employees’ OVI effectively, hospital managers should especially focus on their employees’ OC. Specifically, they should strengthen their employees’ OC through building a strong employee-focused organizational culture in addition to leaders who practice LAS. This contributes to promoting hospital employees’ OVI.
Purpose This study clarifies the factors that foster individual innovative behaviour in the public sector by examining the effects and roles of empowering leadership, work group cohesiveness and individual learning orientation. This study also explores the direct effect of empowering leadership on work group cohesiveness and individual learning orientation, the influence of work group cohesiveness on individual learning orientation and the mediating roles of work group cohesiveness and individual learning orientation. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from an online survey of respondents working in a public sector organization. Partial least squares structural equation modelling and mediation analysis by the bootstrap method were used for the data analysis. Findings Empowering leadership and individual learning orientation had significant direct effects on individual innovative behaviour. Both empowering leadership and work group cohesiveness have significant direct effects on individual learning orientation. Empowering leadership was positively related to work group cohesiveness. The mediation analysis revealed that individual learning orientation mediates the relationships between empowering leadership and individual innovative behaviour and between work group cohesiveness and individual innovative behaviour. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on three factors that foster individual innovative behaviour in a public sector organization. Originality/value This study offers new insights into the factors that foster individual innovative behaviour in the public sector. The findings reveal the importance of using a balanced leadership style and encourage learning in the workplace for individual innovativeness by public leaders.
AbstractBackground:The concept of thriving at work (TAW) has received increased interest within health services research in recent years. TAW embraces employees’ experience of being energized and feeling alive when employed in an organization. However, previous research has been limited mainly to the investigation of factors that promote TAW. Consequently, there is a lack of research linking TAW to potential outcomes. Based on this knowledge gap, the aim of this study was to examine links between TAW and two potential outcomes: employees’ individual innovative behavior (IIB) and employee ambidexterity (EA). Thus, the study contributes to a relatively neglected area within the domain of health services research.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, a total ofN =258 Norwegian health professionals, in nine municipalities, were selected through convenience sampling. Results of the conceptual model was analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling, with SmartPLS 3 software. The study tested both for the direct and the indirect relationships. Indirect relationships were achieved through bootstrap.Results:The main results from the empirical study can be summarized as follows: (i) TAW was found to be positively linked to both EA (b= 0.46) and IIB (b= 0.22); (ii) TAW and EA explained about 30% (R2= 0.29) the variance in IIB; (iii) The relationship between TAW and IIB was found to be mediated by the EA; (iv) TAW was positively linked to each of the two dimensions that constitute EA. However, when comparing the individual strength of linkages, TAW was found to be most strongly linked to the exploitation dimension of EA (b= 0.50) and less strongly linked to the exploration dimension of EA (b= 0.35).Conclusions:Employees’ level of TAW in health care services is linked to desirable outcomes, in this study represented by EA and IIB. Managers should be aware of the development and changes in the levels of TAW of their individual employees. Consequently, continuously monitoring and cultivating the TAW of individual employees to determine whether they experience a sense of being energized and feeling alive as a member of the organization is an important practical implication. TAW is clearly a key to important outcomes. Managers should therefore strive to let all of their employees thrive.
Abstract Background: In recent years, there has been a growing focus on enhancing frontline health professionals' ability to think and act innovatively, also known as their creative performance. However, the previous research has been limited in two ways. First, only few types of leadership styles, and their association with frontline health professionals’ capability to think and act innovatively have been examined. Second, there has been a lack of research on identifying potential process mediators and examining their role in the relationship between leadership styles and frontline health professionals’ capability. To address this knowledge gap, our study investigates the impact of ambidextrous leadership, a relatively new leadership style, on facilitating frontline health professionals' capacity to think and act innovatively (creative performance). Additionally, we explore whether frontline health professionals' learning orientation (an individual-related factor) and relationship learning (an organizational-related factor) act as process mediators between these factors. No previous research has focused on these relationships. Thus, the study offers a unique contribution to health services research. Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional study, with a convenience sampling of N = 258 health professionals in nine Norwegian municipalities. The results of this study were analyzed using PLS-SEM, with SmartPLS 3 software. The study examined both the direct relationships, as well as indirect relationships through bootstrap. Results: The results reveal a positive link between health professionals’ creative performance and ambidextrous leadership = 0.224). Both relationship learning and learning orientation were found to operate as complementary process mediating factors between health professionals’ creative performance and ambidextrous leadership. When inspecting the strength of the two individual relationships that constitute the process mediating factors the results reveal the following: ambidextrous leadership has stronger impact on relationship learning compared to learning orientation = 0.504 versus = 0.276). However, when examining how the two factors individually are associated with health professionals’ creative performance the strength of relationship was opposite. Respectively, the findings reveal that learning orientation is significantly more positively associated with professionals’ creative performance compared to relationship learning = 0.302 versus = 0.163). In total, ambidextrous leadership, learning orientation and relationship learning explains 26% ( R 2 = 0.262) of the variance in professionals’ creative performance. Conclusions: This study suggest that ambidextrous leadership is capable to facilitate health professionals’ creative performance both directly as well as indirectly through the two process mediating factors, relationship learning and learning orientation. Thus, a practical implication is the importance for health service organizations to be clearly aware of those numerous of advantages that potentially can be accomplished when having leaders that are actively practicing an ambidextrous leadership style within their organization.
Abstract Background: There seems to be a consensus that a vision for an organization is a valuable thing for organizations to have. However, research on organizational vision has predominantly been studied from a leadership perspective. In contrast to previous research, organizational vision in this paper takes an employee perspective. Specifically, the purpose is to examine factors associated with the integration of organizational vision among employees in hospital organizations. Consequently, it focuses on a relatively neglected domain within health services research. Methods: A conceptual model, centred on the concept of organizational vision integration, was developed and tested on a sample ( N = 1008) consisting of hospital employees. Partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses, using SmartPLS 3 software. Furthermore, a bootstrapping test was used to inspect potential mediating effects. Specifically, the test assessed whether the proposed direct and indirect effects were statistically significant, and at the same time revealed the nature of the mediation effect. Results: The results from the empirical study reveal three key findings: i) organizational vision integration among employees is directly and positively related to creative performance in their respective work role ( β = 0.16). Organizational vision integration and employees’ psychological capital explains almost 40% ( R 2 = 0.37) in employees’ creative performance, ii) psychological capital and employees’ perception of organizational attractiveness are directly and positively related to employees’ organizational vision integration ( β = 0.19 and β = 0.41, respectively) and explains about 30% ( R 2 = 0.29) of employees’ organizational vision integration, iii) employees’ organizational vision integration mediates the relationship between employees’ psychological capital, perception of organizational attractiveness and employees’ creative performance. Conclusions: Taking an employee perspective, this study contributes to revealing whether and how organizational vision matters and its impact on hospital employees’ work performance. To achieve organizational vision integration among hospital employees successfully, this study shows that it is important for hospital leaders to be aware of the pattern of impact of both personal as well as environmental-related factors.
Purpose The aim of this study is to examine the role of organizational climate in employees’ creative performance using the public sector as an empirical context. The employees’ creative performance is divided into two entities and studied as two separate effect variables: individual creativity and individual innovative behavior. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed and tested in a survey in which employees of a public sector organization participated. Findings The findings indicate that organizational climate has an important role in employees’ creative performance. The organizational climate showed a positive and significant link to the two creative performance variables included in this study. Moreover, the study revealed that individual creativity mediates the relationship between organizational climate and individual innovative behavior. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to examining the role of organizational climate on two creative performance variables related to individual employees in the public sector. To trigger individual creativity and individual innovative behavior in the public sector, there is a need for managers to build, develop and maintain an organizational climate that supports both employees’ creativity and enthusiasm in implementing those novel and useful ideas. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first in the public sector to demonstrate the importance of organizational climate for employees’ individual creative performance. The findings of this study adds to our current knowledge and understanding of the value of organizational climate, and its influence on individual creative performance in the public sector.
Abstract Background The concept of thriving at work (TAW) has received increased interest within health services research in recent years. TAW embraces employees’ experience of being energized and feeling alive when employed in an organization. However, previous research has been limited mainly to the investigation of factors that promote TAW. Consequently, there is a lack of research linking TAW to potential outcomes. Based on this knowledge gap, this study aimed to examine links between TAW and two potential outcomes: employees’ individual innovative behavior (IIB) and employee ambidexterity (EA). Thus, the study contributes to a relatively neglected area, homecare, within the domain of health services research. Methods In this cross-sectional study, N = 258 Norwegian homecare professionals in nine municipalities were selected through convenience sampling. The conceptual model's results were analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 3 software. The study tested both direct and indirect relationships. Indirect relationships were achieved through bootstrap. Results The main results from the empirical study can be summarized as follows: (i) TAW was found to be positively linked to both EA ( b = 0.46) and IIB ( b = 0.22); (ii) TAW and EA explained about 30% ( R 2 = 0.29) the variance in IIB; (iii) The relationship between TAW and IIB was found to be mediated by the EA; (iv) TAW was positively linked to each of the two dimensions that constitute EA. However, when comparing the individual strength of linkages, TAW was found to be most strongly linked to the exploitation dimension of EA ( b = 0.50) and less strongly linked to the exploration dimension of EA ( b = 0.35). Conclusions Employees’ level of TAW in homecare services is linked to desirable outcomes, as represented by EA and IIB in this study. Managers should be aware of the development and changes in their employees' TAW levels. Consequently, continuously monitoring and cultivating the TAW of individual employees to determine whether they experience a sense of being energized and feeling alive as members of the organization is an important practical implication. TAW is a key to essential outcomes. Managers should, therefore, strive to let all of their employees thrive.
Abstract Background It is important to understand how and in what ways a leadership style is capable to promote health professionals job performance. In this study we explore a relatively new leadership style, termed ambidextrous leadership. Ambidextrous leadership encompasses a leader capability to stimulate both exploitative and explorative activities in employees. Specifically, ambidextrous leadership is linked to two types of job-directed performance of health professionals’, respectively service quality of care and creativity. The study also examine what role employee ambidexterity seems to have in this relationship. Methods To test the conceptual model of this study, a cross-sectional survey was developed and data was gathered through convenience sampling of a total of N = 258 health professionals in home care services across nine various municipalities based in Norway. The study tested and analyzed the proposed hypotheses of this study through structural equation modeling partial least square, with SmartPLS 3 software. In addition to testing the direct relationships, the study also examined the indirect relationship through mediation testing by bootstrap. Results Ambidextrous leadership were found to have a direct impact on both employee’s service quality (\(\beta\) = 0.236) of care and employee ambidexterity (\(\beta\) = 0.395). The direct relationship between ambidextrous leadership and employee creativity were insignificant. However, the relationship ambidextrous leadership and service quality of care and creativity were both mediated of employee ambidexterity. Finally, the results reveal that employee creativity mediated the relationship between employee ambidexterity and service quality of care. Conclusions Although there are some differences, both ambidextrous leadership and employee ambidexterity are capable to promote job-directed performance of health professionals. Thus, a practical implication on the basis of the findings is that healthcare organizations should recruit, train and develop their leaders to become ambidextrous leaders. Doing so will have a direct impact on level of service quality as well as employee ambidexterity. In addition, acquiring ambidextrous leadership practices will also positively transform employee ambidexterity in a positive direction and indirectly stimulate employee’s creativity as well as strengthening health professionals service quality of care offering. Consequently, health organizations should be conscious of the multiple direct- and indirect effects of practicing ambidextrous leadership.
Abstract Background In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on enhancing frontline health professionals’ ability to think and act innovatively, also known as their creative performance. However, previous research has had two limitations. First, only a few leadership styles and their associations with this capability have been examined. Second, there has been a lack of research on identifying potential process mediators and examining their role in the relationship between leadership styles and the professionals’ capability. To address this knowledge gap, our study investigates the impact of ambidextrous leadership, a relatively new leadership style, on frontline health professionals’ creative performance. Additionally, we explore whether frontline health professionals’ learning orientation (an individual factor) and relationship learning (an organizational factor) act as process mediators in this association. No previous research has focused on these relationships. Thus, the study offers a unique contribution to health services research. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of N = 258 health professionals in nine Norwegian municipalities. The results of this study were analyzed using PLS-SEM with SmartPLS 3 software. The study examined both direct and indirect relationships through bootstrapping. Results The results reveal a positive link between health professionals’ creative performance and ambidextrous leadership $$ (\beta $$ = 0.224). Both relationship learning and learning orientation were found to operate as complementary process-mediating factors between health professionals’ creative performance and ambidextrous leadership. The strength of the two individual relationships that constitute the process-mediating factors indicates that ambidextrous leadership has a stronger impact on relationship learning than on learning orientation $$ (\beta $$ = 0.504 versus $$ \beta $$ = 0.276). However, when we examined the individual associations between the two factors and creative performance, the strength of the relationships was quite different. The findings reveal that learning orientation is significantly more positively associated with creative performance than relationship learning $$ (\beta $$ = 0.302 versus $$ \beta $$ = 0.163). Ambidextrous leadership, learning orientation, and relationship learning explain 26% ( R 2 = 0.262) of the variance in professionals’ creative performance. Conclusions This study suggests that ambidextrous leadership can facilitate health professionals’ creative performance directly and indirectly through the two process-mediating factors: relationship learning and learning orientation. Thus, a practical implication is the importance for health service organizations of clear awareness of the numerous advantages of having leaders who actively practice an ambidextrous leadership style.