Authentic leadership and employee knowledge sharing behavior: Mediation of the innovation climate and workgroup identification

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations of authentic leadership (AL) with employee knowledge sharing behavior and intervening processes.

Design/methodology/approach

A correlational study is presented with a sample of 562 workers belonging to diverse Spanish organizations.

Findings

The results obtained by means of multiple regression analysis showed positive associations of AL on employees’ knowledge sharing behavior. Specifically, the effect on these employee behaviors was fully mediated by the group innovation climate, and partially by their identification with the workgroup.

Research limitations/implications

Future works should study this association in depth and examine possible differential relationships of AL on diverse types employee knowledge, explicit, and implicit, proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995).

Practical implications

The study indicates the type of leadership that should be developed in organizations, and the type of processes and environments to foster in the work units to stimulate acts of sharing knowledge among the members.

Originality/value

This is the first study examining innovation group climate and workgroup identification as mediators between AL with employee knowledge sharing behavior.

Citation

Edú-Valsania, S., Moriano, J.A. and Molero, F. (2016), "Authentic leadership and employee knowledge sharing behavior: Mediation of the innovation climate and workgroup identification", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 37 No. 4, pp. 487-506. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-08-2014-0149