Abstract
Innovation is important for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to peace and justice, as well as strengthening defence and security institutions. In view of innovation and the creation of an innovative environment, the influence of leaders not only on the innovativeness of employees, but also of the organization as a whole, is considered one of the most prospective areas of future research. This article explores the influence of leadership behaviour (support for innovation, delegating, intellectual stimulation, and rewards) of top (sample size N = 275) and middle (sample size N = 891) management on the innovative behaviour of military officers. The empirical validation of the selected four leadership behaviours is based on the methodology of quantitative sociological research—a questionnaire. Research results show that strong and statistically significant correlation relationships were established at the level of top managers (commanders) between such factors as Intellectual Stimulation and Delegating, Rewards and Delegating, Delegating and Support for Innovation, as well as Support for Innovation and Rewards. Meanwhile, for middle-level managers (military officers) two strong relationships were found between such factors as Rewards and Delegating, and Delegating and Support for Innovation. Analysis of the compatibility of opinions showed that although commanders and military officers both appreciate the leadership behaviours of the top and middle management of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, it was also found that commanders are more positive about the opportunity to offer new ideas at their military unit. Furthermore, they are more positive about the statement that leadership grants them the right to take decisions and implement them, and they are also more positive about taking the initiative, when they feel support for innovation. The identified difference in the leadership behaviours of top and middle management leads to the conclusion that, at different hierarchical levels of leadership, innovative behaviour of subordinates is influenced differently in the innovation promotion process in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Highlights
Introduction iationsIn the dynamic, global reality, which is affected by new technologies, and by the pandemic, adaptation to the VUCA environment is becoming a necessity for both public and private sectors, leaders, organizations, and the environment [1]
Employees are encouraged to rethink old problems and solve them by generating new and innovative ideas (H1 Intellectual Stimulation is correlated with Support for Innovation)
The task of the leader applying intellectual stimulation (H2 Intellectual Stimulation is correlated with Delegating) is to challenge the status quo, encourage risk taking and thinking outside of the box, inspire entrepreneurial behaviour, etc. [72,74]
Summary
Introduction iationsIn the dynamic, global reality, which is affected by new technologies, and by the pandemic, adaptation to the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) environment is becoming a necessity for both public and private sectors, leaders, organizations, and the environment [1]. It is the ability of individual units of the armed forces to adapt and operate, and the ability of the entire armed forces to change with the changing environment, i.e., to change operations in line with the change of operating conditions, which is becoming extremely important [2,3] This context emphasizes the need for the ability of management and leaders to build new opportunities for the organization and the importance of promoting and supporting innovation [4], and the need to promote individual innovations of personnel [5] in order to survive and combat threats.
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