From Innovative Leadership and Growth Mindset to Creative Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model of Knowledge Sharing and Organizational Support
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54938/ijemdss.2026.05.5.813Keywords:
Innovative Leadership, Growth Mindset, Knowledge Sharing, Organizational Support, Creative PerformanceAbstract
This study aims to investigate the impact of innovative leadership and growth mindset on creative employee performance through knowledge sharing while considering the moderating role of perceived organizational support in the food manufacturing sector of Pakistan. This study builds a moderate mediation framework of leadership, individual mindset, knowledge-sharing behavior, organizational support and employee creativity based on social cognitive theory and organizational support theory. Data is collected from 340 employees of food manufacturing organizations in Pakistan. The results show that the growth of mindset and innovative leadership have a positive effect on knowledge sharing which enhances creative employee performance in the workplace. Knowledge sharing also mediates the impacts of innovative leadership and growth mindset on creative performance. Moreover, perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between innovative leadership and knowledge sharing as well as strengthening the indirect effect of innovative leadership on creative employee performance. The study contributes to the literature by explicating how leadership, employee mindset and organizational support together influence creativity through knowledge sharing processes. It also provides practical implications for the managers who want to stimulate creativity through promoting innovative leadership, growth-oriented employees, knowledge exchange and supportive organizational environment.
Downloads
References
Ageli, R., Alzubi, A. B., Aljuhmani, H. Y., & Iyiola, K. (2025). How and when entrepreneurial leadership drives sustainable bank performance: Unpacking the roles of employee creativity and innovation-oriented climate. Sustainability, 17(20), Article 9259. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209259
Ahsan, M. J. (2025). Cultivating a culture of learning: The role of leadership in fostering lifelong development. The Learning Organization, 32(2), 282–306. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-06-2024-0152
Akhavan, P., Hosseini, S. M., Abbasi, M., & Manteghi, M. (2015). Knowledge-sharing determinants, behaviors, and innovative work behaviors: An integrated theoretical view and empirical examination. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 67(5), 562–591. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-02-2015-0018
Anderson, N., Potočnik, K., & Zhou, J. (2014). Innovation and creativity in organizations: A state-of-the-science review, prospective commentary, and guiding framework. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1297–1333. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527128
Bandura, A. (1999). Social cognitive theory of personality. In L. Pervin & O. John (Eds.), The coherence of personality: Social-cognitive bases of consistency, variability, and organization (pp. 185–241). The Guilford Press.
Bock, G.-W., Zmud, R. W., Kim, Y.-G., & Lee, J.-N. (2005). Behavioral intention formation in knowledge sharing: Examining the roles of extrinsic motivators, social-psychological forces, and organizational climate. MIS Quarterly, 29(1), 87–112. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.2307/25148669
Bosua, R., & Scheepers, R. (2007). Towards a model to explain knowledge sharing in complex organizational environments. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 5(2), 93–109. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500134
Cabrera, A., & Cabrera, E. F. (2002). Knowledge-sharing dilemmas. Organization Studies, 23(5), 687–710. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840602235001
Cai, W., Khapova, S., Bossink, B., Lysova, E., & Yuan, J. (2020). Optimizing employee creativity in the digital era: Uncovering the interactional effects of abilities, motivations, and opportunities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), Article 1038. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17031038
Carmeli, A., Gelbard, R., & Reiter-Palmon, R. (2013). Leadership, creative problem-solving capacity, and creative performance: The importance of knowledge sharing. Human Resource Management, 52(1), 95–121. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21514
Chen, H., & Eyoun, K. (2021). Do mindfulness and perceived organizational support work? Fear of COVID-19 on restaurant frontline employees’ job insecurity and emotional exhaustion. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, Article 102850. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102850
Corzo Morales, Y., & Contreras Pacheco, O. E. (2024). Determinants of innovative behavior from the perspective of individual factors: A conceptual framework. Intangible Capital, 20(1), 60–88. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.3926/ic.2359
Cummings, A., & Oldham, G. R. (1997). Enhancing creativity: Managing work contexts for the high potential employee. California Management Review, 40(1), 22–38. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.2307/41165920
De Clercq, D., & Pereira, R. (2020). Knowledge-sharing efforts and employee creative behavior: The invigorating roles of passion for work, time sufficiency and procedural justice. Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(5), 1131–1155. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-06-2019-0287
Dweck, C. S. (2017). From needs to goals and representations: Foundations for a unified theory of motivation, personality, and development. Psychological Review, 124(6), 689–719. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000082
Egan, T. M. (2005). Factors influencing individual creativity in the workplace: An examination of quantitative empirical research. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 7(2), 160–181. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422305274527
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.71.3.500
Ergun, E., Tunca, S., Cetinkaya, G., & Balcıoğlu, Y. S. (2025). Exploring the roles of work engagement, psychological empowerment, and perceived organizational support in innovative work behavior: A latent class analysis for sustainable organizational practices. Sustainability, 17(4), Article 1663. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041663
George, J. M. (2007). Creativity in organizations. Academy of Management Annals, 1(1), 439–477. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.5465/078559814
Gong, Y., Kim, T.-Y., Lee, D.-R., & Zhu, J. (2013). A multilevel model of team goal orientation, information exchange, and creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 56(3), 827–851. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.0177
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Han, S. J., & Stieha, V. (2020). Growth mindset for human resource development: A scoping review of the literature with recommended interventions. Human Resource Development Review, 19(3), 309–331. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484320939739
Hitt, M. A., Keats, B. W., & DeMarie, S. M. (1998). Navigating in the new competitive landscape: Building strategic flexibility and competitive advantage in the 21st century. Academy of Management Perspectives, 12(4), 22–42. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.1998.1333922
Joo, B.-K., McLean, G. N., & Yang, B. (2013). Creativity and human resource development: An integrative literature review and a conceptual framework for future research. Human Resource Development Review, 12(4), 390–421. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484313481462
Keating, L. A., & Heslin, P. A. (2015). The potential role of mindsets in unleashing employee engagement. Human Resource Management Review, 25(4), 329–341. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2015.01.008
Khalili, A. (2017). Creative and innovative leadership: Measurement development and validation. Management Research Review, 40(10), 1117–1138. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-09-2016-0213
Khassawneh, O., Mohammad, T., & Ben-Abdallah, R. (2022). The impact of leadership on boosting employee creativity: The role of knowledge sharing as a mediator. Administrative Sciences, 12(4), Article 175. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12040175
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (1999). Encouraging the heart: A leader’s guide to rewarding and recognizing others. John Wiley & Sons.
Kremer, H., Villamor, I., & Aguinis, H. (2019). Innovation leadership: Best-practice recommendations for promoting employee creativity, voice, and knowledge sharing. Business Horizons, 62(1), 65–74. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2018.08.010
Krskova, H., & Breyer, Y. A. (2023). The influence of growth mindset, discipline, flow and creativity on innovation: Introducing the MDFC model of innovation. Heliyon, 9(3), Article e14251. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14251
Kurtessis, J. N., Eisenberger, R., Ford, M. T., Buffardi, L. C., Stewart, K. A., & Adis, C. S. (2017). Perceived organizational support: A meta-analytic evaluation of organizational support theory. Journal of Management, 43(6), 1854–1884. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315575554
Lam, A., & Lambermont-Ford, J.-P. (2010). Knowledge sharing in organisational contexts: A motivation-based perspective. Journal of Knowledge Management, 14(1), 51–66. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/13673271011015561
Le, P. B., & Lei, H. (2019). Determinants of innovation capability: The roles of transformational leadership, knowledge sharing and perceived organizational support. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(3), 527–547. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-09-2018-0566
Lee, A., Legood, A., Hughes, D., Tian, A. W., Newman, A., & Knight, C. (2020). Leadership, creativity and innovation: A meta-analytic review. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 29(1), 1–35. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2019.1661837
Liu, B., Shah, T. A., & Shoaib, M. (2024). Creative leadership, creative mindset and creativity: A self-regulatory focus perspective. Current Psychology, 43(29), 24375–24389. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-06121-x
Madanchian, M. (2025). Leadership dynamics in innovative teams. In Mastering innovation in business (pp. 103–130). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-6184-9.ch005
Mainemelis, C., Kark, R., & Epitropaki, O. (2015). Creative leadership: A multi-context conceptualization. Academy of Management Annals, 9(1), 393–482. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.5465/19416520.2015.1024502
Malik, A., Sinha, S., & Goel, S. (2020). The “screen” ing of you and me: Effects of COVID-19 on counterproductive work behaviors. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 48(3), 37–43. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2020.3013233
McMurray, A. J., Muenjohn, N., & Scott, D. (2023). Measuring workplace innovation: Scale development. Journal of Small Business Management, 61(4), 1563–1582. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2020.1844490
Millar, C. C. J. M., Chen, S., & Waller, L. (2017). Leadership, knowledge and people in knowledge-intensive organisations: Implications for HRM theory and practice. Taylor & Francis.
Oke, A., Munshi, N., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2009). The influence of leadership on innovation processes and activities. Organizational Dynamics, 38(1), 64–72. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2008.10.005
Peng, M. Y.-P., Xu, C., Zheng, R., & He, Y. (2023). The impact of perceived organizational support on employees’ knowledge transfer and innovative behavior: Comparisons between Taiwan and Mainland China. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), Article 741. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02263-2
Qi, L., Liu, B., Wei, X., & Hu, Y. (2019). Impact of inclusive leadership on employee innovative behavior: Perceived organizational support as a mediator. PLOS ONE, 14(2), Article e0212091. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212091
Rajhi, M., & Aljuhmani, H. Y. (2026). Fostering sustainable innovation through communication quality: The sequential role of trust in leadership and organizational commitment in team-based enterprises. Sustainability, 18(2), Article 554. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020554
Ringle, C., Da Silva, D., & Bido, D. (2014). Structural equation modeling with the SmartPLS. Brazilian Journal of Marketing, 13(2), 56–73.
Rogers, K. M., & Ashforth, B. E. (2017). Respect in organizations: Feeling valued as “we” and “me.” Journal of Management, 43(5), 1578–1608. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314557159
Saif, N., Goh, G. G. G., Rubin, A., Shaheen, I., & Murtaza, M. (2024). Influence of transformational leadership on innovative work behavior and task performance of individuals: The mediating role of knowledge sharing. Heliyon, 10(11), Article e32152. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32152
Shet, S. V. (2024). A VUCA-ready workforce: Exploring employee competencies and learning and development implications. Personnel Review, 53(3), 674–703. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-01-2022-0050
Sigmundsson, H., & Haga, M. (2024). Growth Mindset Scale: Aspects of reliability and validity of a new 8-item scale assessing growth mindset. New Ideas in Psychology, 75, Article 101111. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.newideapsych.2024.101111
Song, L., & Ma, Z. (2025). Enhancing creative performance among experienced newcomers: Exploring the influence of knowledge exchange, learning goals, personality traits, and technostress. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1–14. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04312-6
Souto, J. E. (2022). Organizational creativity and sustainability-oriented innovation as drivers of sustainable development: Overcoming firms’ economic, environmental and social sustainability challenges. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 33(4), 805–826. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-01-2021-0022
Tao, J., Liu, Y., & Su, D. (2025). The effect of ambidextrous leadership on knowledge sharing behavior among nurse specialists: A chain mediation role of perceived organizational support and organizational commitment. BMC Nursing, 24(1), Article 181. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02812-8
Tierney, P., Farmer, S. M., & Graen, G. B. (1999). An examination of leadership and employee creativity: The relevance of traits and relationships. Personnel Psychology, 52(3), 591–620. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1999.tb00173.x
Tran, T. A. P. (2025). The role of customer expectations and competitive pressure in shaping firm innovation decisions towards sustainability: Mediating effects of innovation perception. Cogent Business & Management, 12(1), Article 2462272. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2025.2462272
Tu, Y., Li, Y., & Zuo, W. (2023). Arousing employee pro-environmental behavior: A synergy effect of environmentally specific transformational leadership and green human resource management. Human Resource Management, 62(2), 159–179. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22137
Tushman, M., & Nadler, D. (1986). Organizing for innovation. California Management Review, 28(3), 74–92. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.2307/41165203
Von Krogh, G., Ichijo, K., & Nonaka, I. (2000). Enabling knowledge creation: How to unlock the mystery of tacit knowledge and release the power of innovation. Oxford University Press.
Yi, J. (2009). A measure of knowledge sharing behavior: Scale development and validation. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 7(1), 65–81. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1057/kmrp.2008.36
Zhao, X., Tan, G., & Wong, C. H. (2020). The impact of self-efficacy, growth mindset, empowerment and training on employees’ innovation capability: A conceptual framework. INTI Journal, 2020(40), 1–6. https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1057/kmrp.2008.36
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Iqra Zainab, Farooq Yahya Butt
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Under the Creative Common Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) license, authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
