Servant Leadership, Employee Engagement, and Innovative Work Behavior in Higher Education: A PLS-SEM Study from Pakistan

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigates the impact of servant leadership on the innovative work behavior of academics in Pakistan’s public universities. It tests employee engagement as a mediator in the relationship between servant leadership and innovative work behavior within the framework of Social Exchange Theory.

Design/methodology/approach: Stratified random sampling was used to obtain the required data from 490 academicians from seven public universities in Pakistan. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was used, and the measurement and structural models were tested using SmartPLS software.

Findings: The measurement model demonstrated good reliability and validity, with Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted exceeding the recommended thresholds. It was discovered that servant leadership positively affects innovative work behavior and employee engagement. Employee engagement positively affected innovative work behavior and partially mediated the relationship between servant leadership and innovative work behavior.

Research limitations/implications: This cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences, and the use of self-reported data in one country context might reduce generalizability. Longitudinal designs and cross-country studies are recommended for further research.

Practical application: Academic innovation can be enhanced by employing servant leadership practices, not just through monetary rewards, but by building the engagement of faculty when resource constraints are present in university administration.

Originality/value:This study applies Social Exchange Theory to the slightly overlooked realm of public higher education institutions in a developing economy and provides empirical evidence of the relationship between servant leadership and innovation through engagement with limited resources within the academic environment.