Inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviours: social exchange perspective

This study adds value to the existing literature on social exchange theory in analysing the relationship between inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour with the mediating effects of work engagement and moderating effects of leader-member exchange. We designed the present study using a time-lagged method to avoid issues of common method bias. The data were collected using convenience sampling in 3-different time lags. Convenience sampling was used and a total of 214 responses were collected. The empirical results indicated that inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour were not positively related. However, we also obtained empirical support for the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of LMX on the inclusive leadership and innovative work behaviour relationship. This paper discusses theoretical and practical implications based on social exchange theory. The study highlights how inclusive leadership helps employees enhance their innovative work behaviours through the indirect effects of work engagement and moderating effects of leader-member exchange. The study also forwards robust future research directions.