Servant leadership and innovative work behavior: the role of innovation climate using evidence from the Ugandan local government sector

Purpose Drawing from the social exchange theory and leadership-making model, this study aimed to develop a research model where innovation climate (IC) mediates the servant leadership (SL) influence on innovative work behavior (IWB). Design/methodology/approach Through structural equation modeling, we evaluated the aforementioned links using data gathered from 324 employees drawn from Uganda’s local government (LG) employees. Findings The findings show that the impact of SL on IWB is mediated by IC. An IC within the organization is made possible by effective SL ethos; moreover, this climate promotes IWB. Also, the innovative nature of LG employees promotes IWB. Research limitations/implications LG leadership ought to be committed to the SL philosophy since it fosters an environment that encourages IWB. To spark IWB, it should also take advantage of the innovative environment. Management must make sure that in such a setting, supervisors are construed as servant leaders and low cadre staff have the capacity to be servant leaders. Employees will be more motivated to contribute to the organization by engaging in high IWB once they have received the training, empowerment and rewards they deserve in a setting that emphasizes effective SL principles. Originality/value Despite the existence of numerous studies, there is little empirical evidence that SL influences IWB within the setting of the LG sector. Evidence for the underlying mechanism by which SL promotes IWB is still lacking. Third, we explicitly test the IWB model developed based on euro-leaning theories using the LG context. Finally, there is a dearth of data relevant to how IC affects IWB. The research addresses these gaps.