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Ambidextrous leadership and employee innovation in public museums

Ching-Wen Kung (Institute of Human Resource Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan)
Jin Feng Uen (Institute of Business and Management, National Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan)
Shou-Chi Lin (Institute of Human Resource Management, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan)

Chinese Management Studies

ISSN: 1750-614X

Article publication date: 28 April 2020

Issue publication date: 28 August 2020

1019

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of ambidextrous leadership on employees’ innovative behaviors in public museums based on the ambidexterity theory of leadership for innovation. It also examines the mediating mechanism of organizational climate for innovation in public museums.

Design/methodology/approach

Multisource survey data were obtained from 30 human resource managers, 74 department managers and 237 employees of Taiwanese public museums. Multilevel path analysis was conducted to test the proposed model.

Findings

Ambidextrous leadership has the most significant effect on employees’ innovative behaviors. Moreover, organizational climate for innovation has a mediating effect on the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and employees’ innovative behaviors.

Practical implications

This study provides a new perspective on dynamic and complementary ambidextrous leadership, thereby providing important practical implications for innovation management in public museums. Specifically, leaders should apply ambidextrous leadership behaviors in their daily operations to develop an organizational climate for innovation and facilitate employees’ innovative behaviors.

Originality/value

This study is the first to explore the influence of ambidextrous leadership in a museum. In addition, it examines the mediating effect of organizational climate for innovation to explain the effect of ambidextrous leadership on employees’ innovative behaviors. The findings provide valuable insights for both researchers and managers of public and private entities.

Keywords

Citation

Kung, C.-W., Uen, J.F. and Lin, S.-C. (2020), "Ambidextrous leadership and employee innovation in public museums", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 995-1014. https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-05-2018-0523

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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