The Mediated Moderating Role of Organizational Learning Culture in the Relationships among Authentic Leadership, Leader-Member Exchange, and Employees’ Innovative Behavior

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that enhancing employees’ innovative behavior can facilitate organizations’ sustainable competitiveness. This study investigated the relationship between authentic leadership and employees’ innovative behavior in Korean manufacturing and service companies. Moreover, the study examined the complex processes and conditions underlying this relationship. The results indicated that authentic leadership was significantly related to employees’ innovative behavior and that leader–member exchange mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and employees’ innovative behavior. Additionally, organizational learning culture moderated the relationship between leader–member exchange and employees’ innovative behavior. Finally, organizational learning culture moderated the mediating effect of authentic leadership on innovative behavior via leader–member exchange. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings as well as the study’s limitations for future research directions.