Abstract:
Purpose – Drawing from the social exchange theory and leadership-making model, this study aimed to develop
a research model where innovation climate (IC) mediates the servant leadership (SL) influence on innovative
work behavior (IWB).
Design/methodology/approach – Through structural equation modeling, we evaluated the aforementioned
links using data gathered from 324 employees drawn from Uganda’s local government (LG) employees.
Findings – The findings show that the impact of SL on IWB is mediated by IC. An IC within the organization is
made possible by effective SL ethos; moreover, this climate promotes IWB. Also, the innovative nature of LG
employees promotes IWB.
Research limitations/implications – LG leadership ought to be committed to the SL philosophy since it fosters
an environment that encourages IWB. To spark IWB, it should also take advantage of the innovative
environment. Management must make sure that in such a setting, supervisors are construed as servant leaders
and low cadre staff have the capacity to be servant leaders. Employees will be more motivated to contribute to
the organization by engaging in high IWB once they have received the training, empowerment and rewards they
deserve in a setting that emphasizes effective SL principles.
Originality/value – Despite the existence of numerous studies, there is little empirical evidence that SL
influences IWB within the setting of the LG sector. Evidence for the underlying mechanism by which SL
promotes IWB is still lacking. Third, we explicitly test the IWB model developed based on euro-leaning theories
using the LG context. Finally, there is a dearth of data relevant to how IC affects IWB. The research addresses
these gaps.
Keywords Servant leadership, Innovation climate, Innovative work behavior
