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Top Management's Transformational Leader Behaviors and Innovation Orientation: A Cross-Cultural Perspective in Eight Countries

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  • Engelen, Andreas
  • Schmidt, Susanne
  • Strenger, Lis
  • Brettel, Malte

Abstract

This study builds upon the established relationship between top management's transformational leadership and firm-level innovation. It extends current research by determining how specific transformational-leader behaviors influence the firm's innovation orientation and how national culture moderates this relationship. The study examines these behaviors empirically in 954 firms from eight countries. Findings reveal that six transformational-leader behaviors positively influence innovation orientation but with differing levels of intensity. Only two of these relationships, “providing an appropriate model” and “accepting group goals,” are culturally independent, while the other behaviors' effects tend to be culturally dependent. For example, “providing intellectual stimulation” has a stronger effect in collectivist cultures, cultures with high power distance, and low uncertainty-avoidance cultures than in other cultures. Similar culture-dependent findings emerge for other leader behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Engelen, Andreas & Schmidt, Susanne & Strenger, Lis & Brettel, Malte, 2014. "Top Management's Transformational Leader Behaviors and Innovation Orientation: A Cross-Cultural Perspective in Eight Countries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 124-136.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:20:y:2014:i:2:p:124-136
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2013.04.003
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    Cited by:

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    2. Rubino, Michele & Vitolla, Filippo & Raimo, Nicola & Garzoni, Antonello, 2019. "Cultura nazionale e livello di digitalizzazione delle imprese europee: evidenze empiriche," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 581-593.
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    5. Youngsam Cho & Mannsoo Shin & Tejinder K. Billing & Rabi S. Bhagat, 2019. "Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and affective organizational commitment: a closer look at their relationships in two distinct national contexts," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 187-210, July.
    6. Lewellyn, Krista B. & Bao, Shuji ‘Rosey’, 2015. "R&D Investment in the Global Paper Products Industry: A Behavioral Theory of the Firm and National Culture Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 1-17.
    7. Logan L Watts & Logan M Steele & Deanne N Den Hartog, 2020. "Uncertainty avoidance moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and innovation: A meta-analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(1), pages 138-145, February.
    8. Olsen, Jesse E. & Gahan, Peter & Adamovic, Mladen & Choi, Daejeong & Harley, Bill & Healy, Joshua & Theilacker, Max, 2022. "When the Minority Rules: Leveraging Difference While Facilitating Congruence for Cultural Minority Senior Leaders," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(2).
    9. Wilson, Grant Alexander & Case, Tyler & Dobni, C. Brooke, 2023. "A global study of innovation-oriented firms: Dimensions, practices, and performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    10. Andrea Nagy & Carmen Mihaela Băbăiță, 2017. "Orientation Towards Innovation, Participative Decision-Making And Performance In Romanian Hotels," Revista de turism - studii si cercetari in turism / Journal of tourism - studies and research in tourism, "Stefan cel Mare" University of Suceava, Romania, Faculty of Economics and Public Administration - Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department., vol. 24(24), pages 1-9, December.
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