Innovativeness white papers
Title: Inclusive Leadership and Employee Innovation: A Meta--Analysis and Field Experiment
Publication Date: July 12, 2026
Magazine: Journal of Management (ResearchGate)
Main Conclusions:
- Meta--Analytic Evidence: A meta--analysis of 105 independent samples (N = 39,948) confirms a robust positive relationship between inclusive leadership and employee innovative work behavior.
- Experimental Results: A field experiment involving 320 employees demonstrated that leaders trained in inclusive behaviors (e.g., openness, accessibility, and availability) significantly increased the volume and quality of employee--generated ideas compared to a control group.
- Mediating Mechanisms: The research identifies psychological safety and psychological empowerment as the primary parallel mediators that translate inclusive leadership into tangible innovation outcomes.