The dynamics of leader technical competence, subordinate learning, and innovative work behaviors in high-tech, knowledge-based industry

Bibliographic Data

ID15068093
AuthorsSyed Imad Shah (0000-0002-4097-2838, University of Peshawar), Wajid Khan (0000-0003-2993-9276, Hazara University, corresponding author), Bilal Afsar (0000-0003-0635-0346, Hazara University), Sajjad Ahmad Afridi (0000-0001-8020-2806, Hazara University), Bilal Bin Saeed (0000-0001-8255-7846, Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University, Abbottabad, Pakistan)
Year2020
Volume33
Issue1
Pages623-638
Publication date2020-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEconomic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1331-677X • E-ISSN: 1848-9664
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/1331677x.2019.1699140
OpenAlexW3011395290
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited65

This study tests a conceptual model for understanding the relationship between subordinates’ ‘learning work behaviour’ and ‘innovative work behaviour’, with the moderating role of their leaders’ self-reported as well as subordinates’ rated ‘leader technical competence’. The study was conducted in the context of a high-tech, knowledge-based telecommunications industry. Based on the evaluation of job description, leaders/managers with responsibilities of not only managing internal and external stakeholders but also capable to lead engineers to resolve any technical issue multiple-source data were collected from the identified leaders and their respective subordinates working with telecommunication operator (n = 179). This study proposed a three-way interaction moderation model between the independent variable (subordinate learning work behaviour) and the moderator variables (that is, the self-assessed leaders’ ‘technical competence’ and subordinates’ rated ‘leader’ technical competence’) to predict the subordinates’ ‘innovative work behaviour’. Our results demonstrate that that subordinate learning work behaviour had the strongest positive relationship with subordinate innovative work behaviour when both the leader self-assessment of technical competence and the subordinates rated leader’s technical competence were high. This study fills an important gap in leadership literature by focussing on the technical competence of leaders which has received little attention from leadership research in knowledge-based industries

High tech · Knowledge management · Moderation · Pedagogy · Political science · Vocational education · Work behavior · Computer Science · Engineering · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Knowledge Management and Sharing · Psychology · Social Psychology