Ambidextrous Leadership and Innovative Work Behavior:Evidence from South Korea Semiconductor Industry

Abstract

The semiconductor industry is a competitive, complicated and a cyclical sector with a highly dynamic business climate which requires an effective leadership style to operate and succeed. This study explores the important issue of how leadership facilitates employee innovative work behaviors in the semiconductor industry. Based on the assumptions of the ambidextrous leadership theory and social exchange theory, we collected data from 300 workers employed in the semiconductor industry of South Korea. The study investigated (1) the impact of ambidextrous leadership on innovative work behavior, (2) the mediating effects of workers decision-making autonomy and workplace learning in the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and innovative work behavior, (3) the moderating role of resistance to change in the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and workplace learning, and (4) the moderating role of openness to experience in the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and innovative work behavior. SmartPLS 4 and SPSS v24 was used to analyze our data. The study revealed that ambidextrous leadership positively influences workers innovative work behavior. In addition, decision-making autonomy and workplace learning partially mediated the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and innovative work behavior. Moreover, resistance to change was found to be a significant moderator in the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and workplace learning. Based on these findings, we conclude that ambidextrous leadership is very imperative for semiconductor businesses seeking to foster employee innovative work behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also discussed.