The relationship between supervisor support and individual improvisation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of perceived supervisor support on individual improvisation, and the mediating role of the psychological empowerment and improvisation-related self-efficacy in that relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected in 2011 from the large municipal organization. The total sample size was 593. The partial least square analysis conducted to estimate the mediation effects of empowerment and self-efficacy on the relationship between supervisor support and individual improvisation. Findings – The findings of the study show psychological empowerment and improvisation-related self-efficacy as mechanisms through which supervisor support affects individual improvisation. Research limitations/implications – Limitation of the study is that it concerns only one organization. The study extends understanding of the factors effecting on individual improvisation in organizations and invites management to pay attention to the mechanisms through which they can affect their subordinates. In a broader sense, the results of this study suggest organizations to develop their management system to better empower their subordinates to stimulate creativity, innovation, novel solutions to face the environmental turbulence. Practical implications – The practical implications of this study invite management to pay attention to the mechanisms through which they can affect their subordinates. In a broader sense, the results of this study suggest organizations to develop their management system to better empower their subordinates, which thereby could stimulate organizational creativity, innovation, and novel solutions to face the environmental turbulence. Originality/value – The study provides originality by examining the factors effecting on individual improvisation in organizations and by examining the effect of multiple factors, both individual level-and organizational-level factors on individual-level phenomenon (improvisation). The results of the study are valuable for organizations aiming to foster organizational creativity and innovation.