Digital leadership and innovative work behavior: impact of LMX, learning orientation and innovation capabilities

Purpose Grounded in the Social Exchange theory, this study focuses on the perception of digital leadership and innovative work behaviors. It also examines the complex effects of leader-member exchange, learning orientation, and innovation capabilities. Design/methodology/approach We undertake a quantitative approach using a two-wave longitudinal field survey of 440 employees and managers from various backgrounds working in the automobile industry in France. Findings The findings based on Structural Equation Modeling reveal that the perception of digital leadership leads to innovative work behavior while leader-member exchange moderates between the perception of digital leadership and learning orientation. The findings also support the mediating roles of learning orientation and innovation capabilities. Originality/value The study contributes important policy suggestions, raises queries for additional investigation, and suggests theoretical and practical implications for leadership and organizational environmental factors to foster innovative work behaviors in organizations.