Innovativeness white papers
Title: Transformational Leadership and Employee Innovation: A Meta--Analysis and Field Experiment
Publication Date: July 22, 2026
Magazine: Journal of Management Studies (ResearchGate)
Main Conclusions:
- Meta--Analytic Evidence: A meta--analysis of 112 independent studies (N = 42,000) confirms that transformational leadership is a primary driver of innovative work behavior (r = 0.51), significantly impacting both idea generation and implementation phases.
- Experimental Results: A field experiment involving 400 R&D professionals demonstrated that leaders trained in intellectual stimulation and inspirational motivation saw a 15% increase in team patent filings and a 22% increase in novel process improvements over a 12--month period.
- Mediating Mechanisms: The study identifies intrinsic motivation and creative self--efficacy as the critical psychological mechanisms through which transformational leaders foster employee innovativeness.