Servant Leadership on the Path to Organizational Innovation: A Psychological Analysis of Transformative Mediating Mechanisms

References

Top of Form

Abbott, D. H. (2010). Experiencing creative self-efficacy: A case study approach to understand creativity in blogging. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 2(8), 170. https://doi.org/10.5897/JMCS.9000030.

Abdi, A., & Rostami, N. (2021). A causal model of work innovation based on e-citizenship awareness: The mediating role of creative self-efficacy and digital literacy. Creativity and Innovation in Humanities, 11(2), 181–206. https://doi.org/10.22098/ael.2023.11482.1155. [in Persian]

Afrianty, T. W., Utami, H. N., Sasmita, E. E., Putra, F. R. R., & Wulandari, T. D. (2025). Linking servant leadership and career development to employee voice behaviour through engagement and commitment: evidence from State Polytechnics in East Java, Indonesia. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1), 2460628. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2025.2460628.

Aghvami Panah, M; Rastgar, A; Bagheri Ghareh Bolagh, H. (2024). Investigating the Impact of Humorous Leadership Style on Employee Resilience: The Mediating Role of Creative Self-Efficacy and Occupational Coexistence Self-Efficacy. Public Administration Perspective, 15(4), 112–134. doi: 10.48308/jpap.2024.236348.1403

Ahmadi, H., Nouri, A., & Ganjeh, A. (2016). Developing a model of work culture's impact on innovative behavior and organizational performance among elementary teachers. Educational Management Studies, 7(28), 131–146. https://sanad.iau.ir/fa/Article/1112482. [in Persian]

Ahmadi, S., & Zardoshtian, Sh. (2019). The effect of servant leadership style on job performance: The mediating role of employee empowerment. Journal of Media Communication in Sports Management, 6(23), 103–118. https://doi.org/10.30473/jsm.2019.42894.1287. [in Persian]

Allen, N. J., & Meyer, J. P. (1990). The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization. Journal of occupational psychology, 63(1), 1-18. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/j.2044-8325.1990.tb00506.x.

Askaripour, M. R., MottaghiPisheh, M. H., & Sheikhi, E. (2020). Servant leadership’s impact on innovative work behavior in Iran’s public sector: The mediating role of public service motivation and the moderating role of political skill. Public Management, 12(1), 64–84. https://doi.org/10.22059/jipa.2019.292773.2661. [in Persian]

Athanasios, T. (2024). Examining the Triadic Relationship of Servant Leadership, Teacher Leadership, and Psychosocial Safety Climate in K-12 Schools. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 1-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2024.2339880.

Baharuddin, M. F., Masrek, M. N., & Shuhidan, S. M. (2019). Innovative work behaviour of school teachers: A conceptual framework. International E-Journal of Advances in Education, 5(14), 213-221. http://dx.doi.org/10.18768/ijaedu.593851.

Bawuro, F. A., Shamsuddin, A., Wahab, E., & Usman, H. (2019). Mediating role of meaningful work in the relationship between intrinsic motivation and innovative work behaviour. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, 8(9), 2076-2084. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344123125_Mediating_Role_of_Meaningful_Work_in_the_Relationship_between_Intrinsic_Motivation_and_Innovative_Work_Behaviour.

Botella-Carrubi, D., Gil-Gomez, H., Oltra-Badenes, R., & Jabaloyes-Vivas, J. M. (2021). Employer branding factors as promoters of the dimensions of employee organizational commitment. Economic research-Ekonomska istraživanja, 34(1), 1836-1849. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2020.1851280.

Bufalino, G. (2025). Servant-leadership as an effective model for teacher leadership. Formazione & insegnamento, 15(2), 1-xx. doi: 107346/-fei-XV-02-17_12 © Pensa MultiMedia.

Cheng, S., Dong, J., Sui, H., Wang, P., & Wu, S. J. (2025). A Mediation Analysis to Detect the Effects of Servant Leadership on Teacher Organizational Citizenship Behavior Using PLS-SEM and IPMA. SAGE Open, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251335740.

Chigeda, F., Ndofirepi, T. M., & Steyn, R. (2022). Continuance in organizational commitment: The role of emotional intelligence, work‐life balance support, and work‐related stress. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 42(1), 22-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joe.22172.

Dadashpour, M., Nikayin, Z., Haji Anzahaei, Z., & Zarei, A. (2023). The impact of school principals' leadership styles on creativity of physical education teachers: The mediating role of creative self-efficacy. Journal of Education and Training, 39(1), 109–130. http://qjoe.ir/article-1-2354-fa.html. [in Persian]

Daft, R. L. (2023). Organization theory and design (P. Parsaeian & M. Erabi, Trans.). Tehran: Cultural Research Bureau. [in Persian]

Dami, Z. A. (2024). Integrative model of servant leadership style and critical pedagogy: Answers to school leadership of neoliberalism. Management in Education, https://doi.org/10.1177/08920206241266731.

Dziuron, C. L., & Halaszovich, T. F. (2025). CSR in domestic and foreign SMEs in Kenya: on the relationship between the SME manager’s values, emotional commitment to long-term socio-economic development and the firm's CSR practices. International Journal of Emerging Markets. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-08-2022-1210.

Ebrahimi, A. (2008). Organizational commitment and its relationship with job satisfaction among public middle school principals and teachers in Amol. Master’s thesis, Allameh Tabataba'i University. [in Persian]

Ekmekcioglu, E. B., & Öner, K. (2024). Servant leadership, innovative work behavior and innovative organizational culture: the mediating role of perceived organizational support. European Journal of Management and Business Economics, 33(3), 272-288. DOI: 10.1108/EJMBE-08-2022-0251.

Estigoy, E., Sulasula, J., & Guodu, X. A. (2020). Factors affecting employee commitment in the workplace: An analysis. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(27), 160-171. http://dx.doi.org/10.7176/JEP/11-27-19.

Fossum, S., Handegård, B. H., & Drugli, M. B. (2017). The Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Programme in kindergartens: effects of a universal preventive effort. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26(8), 2215-2223. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1007/s10826-017-0727-3.

Ghanbari, S., Majouni, H., & Taajobi, M. (2022). Exploitative leadership and innovative performance: The mediating role of knowledge hiding. Applied Sociology Quarterly, 33(4), 123–144. https://doi.org/10.22108/jas.2022.133935.2297. [in Persian]

Gholipour, A., & Hazrati, M. (2009). Developing a servant leadership measurement instrument for Iranian public organizations. Management Research Journal, 2(3). https://sid.ir/paper/493750/fa. [in Persian]

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist press.

Hendriks, M., Burger, M., Rijsenbilt, A., Pleeging, E., & Commandeur, H. (2020). Virtuous leadership: a source of employee well-being and trust. Management Research Review, 43(8), 951-970. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-07-2019-0326.

Hulpia, H., Devos, G., & Rosseel, Y. (2009). Development and Validation of Scores on the Distributed Leadership. Inventory Educational and Psychological Measurement, 69, 6, 1013-1034, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013164409344490.

Jafari, P., Ghorchian, N. A., Behbodian, J., & Shahidi, N. (2012). A structural model of self-efficacy, competencies, and organizational commitment and their effects on teaching quality. Research and Planning in Higher Education Quarterly, (32), 49–67. https://journal.irphe.ac.ir/article_702783.html. [in Persian]

Jalalian, K. (2022). Entrepreneurial leadership and innovative performance in knowledge-based businesses. Business and Economics Research Bulletin, 13(27), 19–28. https://journals.iau.ir/article_702001.html. [in Persian]

Janssen, O. (2000). Job demands, perceptions of effortreward fairness, and innovative work behavior, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 73 (3), pp.287-302. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1348/096317900167038.

Kanfer, R. (1990). Motivation and individual differences in learning: An integration of developmental, differential and cognitive perspectives. Learning and individual differences, 2(2), 221-239. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/1041-6080(90)90023-A.

Karimi, S., Ahmadi Malek, F., & Yaghoubi Farani, A. (2021). Investigating the impact of innovation climate on agricultural experts’ innovative behavior: The mediating role of psychological capital and creative self-efficacy. Agricultural Extension and Education Research, 14(1), 35–52. https://sanad.iau.ir/journal/jaeer/Article/825687. [in Persian]

Karwowski, M., Lebuda, I., & Wiśniewska, E. (2012). Measurement of creative self-efficacy and creative role-identity. High Ability Studies, 22, 291-231. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1017/9781316979839.021.

Kreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (2021). Organizational behavior. McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., & Rowatt, W. C. (2023). Humility in novice leaders: links to servant leadership and followers’ satisfaction with leadership. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(1), 154-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.1952647.

Kumar, D., Upadhyay, Y., Yadav, R., & Goyal, A. K. (2022). Psychological capital and innovative work behaviour: The role of mastery orientation and creative self-efficacy. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 102, 103157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103157.

Kustiawan, U., Marpaung, P. A. R. D. A. M. E. A. N., Lestari, U. D., & Andiyana, E. (2022). The effect of affective organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and employee engagement on job happiness and job performance on manufacturing company in Indonesia. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics, 19(52), 573-591. http://dx.doi.org/10.37394/23207.2022.19.52.

Laub, J. A. (1999). Assessing the servant organization: Development of the servant organizational leadership assessment (SOLA) instrument. Florida Atlantic University. DOI: 10.12691/education-3-6-4.

Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., Zhao, H., & Henderson, D. (2008). Servant leadership: Development of a multidimensional measure and multi-level assessment. The leadership quarterly, 19(2), 161-177. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.leaqua.2008.01.006.

Makirimani, R., & Naicker, S. R. (2024). The Potential for Servant Leadership to Raise Teacher Morale in Primary Schools: Perspectives from South Africa. SAGE open, 14(4), 21582440241296634. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/21582440241296634.

Meuser, J. D., & Smallfield, J. (2023). Servant leadership: The missing community component. Business Horizons, 66(2), 251-264. DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2022.07.002.

Meyers, L. S., Gamst, G., & Guarino, A. J. (2006). Applied multivariate research: design and interpretation. Thousand Oaks (CA): Sage. Retrieved from http://helka.linneanet.fi/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=2017790.

Murray, W. C., & Holmes, M. R. (2021). Impacts of employee empowerment and organizational commitment on workforce sustainability. Sustainability, 13(6), 3163. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13063163.

Musek, J. (2007). A general factor of personality: Evidence for the Big One in the five-factor model. Journal of Research in Personality, 41, 6, 1213-1233. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.jrp.2007.02.003.

Nadi, M., Molavi, H., & Toghraei, B. (2012). The relationship between social capital and organizational justice with organizational commitment based on structural equation modeling among female high school teachers in Isfahan. New Educational Approaches, 7(2), 97–120.

Nguyen, N. T. H., Nguyen, D., Vo, N., & Tuan, L. T. (2023). Fostering public sector employees’ innovative behavior: The roles of servant leadership, public service motivation, and learning goal orientation. Administration & Society, 55(1), 30-63. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1177/00953997221100623.

Ozkan, S. A., & Ardic, K. (2022). Business innovation management: a general overview to virtuous leadership. Marketing i menedžment innovacij, (2), 184-197. https://doi.org/10.21272/mmi.2022.2-17.

RamazanNiya, F., Afkaneh, S., Aghajani, H., & Chenari, A. (2022). Organizational innovation culture, transformational leadership, and quality of work life: A qualitative study. Journal of Innovation and Organizational Behavior, 2(4), 61–73. https://journals.iau.ir/article_707323.html. [in Persian]

Rezaei-Manesh, B., & Sedighi, R., (2016). The Effect of Servant Leadership on Employee Motivation and Performance. Public Policy Making in Management (Public Administration Mission), 7(24), 51-66. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/ijpa/Article/791032. [in Persian]

Ruiz‐Palomino, P., Linuesa‐Langreo, J., & Elche, D. (2023). Team‐level servant leadership and team performance: The mediating roles of organizational citizenship behavior and internal social capital. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 32, 127-144. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/beer.12390.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American psychologist, 55(1), 68. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68.

Sadeghi Dehcheshmeh, M., Ghaedamini Harouni, A., & Maleki Farsani, G. (2021). Transformational and transactional leadership impacts on innovative behavior: The moderating role of psychological empowerment. Journal of Cultural Leadership Studies, 3(1), 36–62. https://clsj.ir/spring2021.php. [in Persian]

Saravi Moghadam, N., & Ali Ahmadi, A. (2023). Factors influencing innovation culture, organizational dexterity, and competitive advantage. Journal of Future Management, 21(70), 27–48. http://www.modiriyatfarda.ir/Article/43876/FullText. [in Persian]

Schowalter, A. F., & Volmer, J. (2025). Trajectories and associations of perceived servant leadership and teacher exhaustion during the first months of a crisis. Occupational Health Science, 9(1), 57-88. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1007/s41542-024-00206-x.

Shakeri, F., Tahari, M. H., Dehghan, H., & Kavandi, R. (2011). Studying the Relationship between Organizational Climate and Process Innovativeness by Structural Equation Modeling. Research in Production and Operations Management, 2(1), 29–46.

Spears, L. C. (2025). Servant leadership and Robert K. Greenleaf’s legacy. In Servant leadership: Developments in theory and research (pp. 15-35). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69922-1_2.

Su, W., Lyu, B., Chen, H., & Zhang, Y. (2020). How does servant leadership influence employees' service innovative behavior? The roles of intrinsic motivation and identification with the leader. Baltic Journal of Management, 15(4), 571-586. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/BJM-09-2019-0335.

Tang, W. G., & Vandenberghe, C. (2020). Is affective commitment always good? A look at within-person effects on needs satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 119, 103411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2020.103411.

Tierney, P., & Farmer, S. M. (2002). Creative self-efficacy: Its potential antecedents and relationship to creative performance. Academy of Management journal, 45(6), 1137-1148. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.2307/3069429.

Turner, K. (2022). Servant leadership to support wellbeing in higher education teaching. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 46(7), 947-958. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.2023733.

Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of management, 37(4), 1228-1261. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1177/0149206310380462.

Wang, Z., Meng, L., & Cai, S. (2019). Servant leadership and innovative behavior: A moderated mediation. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 34(8), 505-518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JMP-11-2018-0499.

Weihua, H. (2025). Expanding the understanding of teacher servant leadership in undergraduates' collaborative learning behavior: A dual-process framework. Acta Psychologica, 258, 105168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105168.

Widmann, A., & Mulder, R. H. (2018). Team learning behaviours and innovative work behaviour in work teams. European Journal of Innovation Management, 21(3), 501-520. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-12-2017-0194.

Wu, H., Peng, Y., Li, F., Ma, C., & Li, X. (2025). Perceived servant leadership and physical health issues among Chinese schoolteachers: the chain mediating role of challenge stress and depersonalization. Current Psychology, 1-16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07567-8.

Wu, H., Zhao, J., Qiu, S., & Li, X. (2024). Servant Leadership and Teachers’ Emotional Exhaustion—The Mediation Role of Hindrance Stress and Depersonalization. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1129. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/bs14121129.

Wytsma, M. J. (2023). Leading for Success: Leader-Member Exchange Relationships and Employee Creative Self-Efficacy. University Honors Theses. DOI: 10.15760/honors.1359.

Zahed-Babolan, A., & Seyyedkalan, S. M. (2015). Perceived innovative organizational climate and its effect on creative self-efficacy and innovative behavior among student-teachers. Organizational Education Management Journal, 4(1), 103–125. http://journalieaa.ir/article-1-31-fa.html. [in Persian]

Zhang, Y., Liu, S., Aramburo, C. A., & Jiang, J. (2025). Leading by serving: How can servant leadership influence teacher emotional well-being?. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 53(3), 602-624. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432231182250.