Leader trustworthiness and intrapreneurial behaviour in the manufacturing industry: the roles of psychological safety and psychological availability

Purpose - The main purpose of the study was to analyse the mediating effects of psychological safety (PS) and psychological availability (PA) on the relationship between leader trustworthiness (LT) and intrapreneurial behaviour (IB) among employees from the manufacturing industry in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of 291 who were employees from five manufacturing companies in the industrial hub of Ghana provided data for the study. A closed-ended questionnaire, specifically a seven-point Likert-type scale, was the instrument used for the data collection. The seven hypotheses developed were tested using a structural equation model. Findings - The study established that LT was related to PS and PA but not IB. Like PS, PA was found to be related to IB. Similarly, both PS and PA were related to IB. Again, both PS and PA fully mediated the relationship between LT and IB. Also, gender had a confounding effect on IB. Practical implications - LT yields direct positive outcomes such as PS and PA as well as indirect IB for employees and organisations. For organisations, especially in the manufacturing sector, to have employees who are psychologically safe, psychologically available and intrapreneurial, there should be a focus on trustworthy leaders. The leaders should be encouraged to be transparent and communicate by way of their actions and inactions and trustworthy values. Leadership training, colleague supervisor support and participation in professional and or management development programmes should be used to acquire trustworthy values. Originality/value - This study investigated the mediating roles of PS and PA on the relationship between LT and IB among employees of manufacturing firms in Ghana, which has not received the needed attention in the literature despite the challenges manufacturing firms encounter.