Impact of knowledge‐oriented leadership on innovative behavior, and employee satisfaction: The mediating role of knowledge‐centered culture for sustainable workplace

Abstract

AbstractKnowledge‐oriented leadership phenomenon has captured the interest of scholars and industry leaders given its positive impact on sustainable organizational and employees outcomes. By drawing on affective event theory, this research explores the role of knowledge‐oriented leadership on knowledge‐centered culture, service innovative behavior and employees' job satisfaction and the mediating role of knowledge‐centered culture. The proposed model and hypotheses were tested using survey data gathered from 456 hotels and travel agencies employees in Jordan. The analysis was conducted using the contemporary structural equation modeling modus operandi, the partial least squares. The findings confirm that knowledge‐oriented leadership promotes knowledge‐centered culture in organizations, which in turn, promotes employees' job satisfaction and service innovative behavior. Knowledge‐centered culture concurrently mediates the path linking knowledge‐oriented leadership to job satisfaction and innovative behavior, respectively. The literature is devoid of scholarly work on the impact of knowledge‐oriented leadership and knowledge‐centered culture on employee outcomes in the tourism and hospitality industry context. This study being among the first to contribute to the literature from a developing country's perspective, prescribes empirical evidence, that knowledge‐oriented leadership promotes a knowledge‐centered culture in organizations, which subsequently leads to increased job satisfaction and service innovation. Furthermore, this study provides practical implications for organizations looking to promote a knowledge‐centered culture and enhance their employees' job satisfaction and service innovation.