الإسهام النسبي لأبعاد القيادة التمكينية في تعزيز سلوك العمل الابتكاري لدى أعضاء هيئة التدريس بجامعة جدة

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the relative contribution of empowering leadership dimensions in enhancing innovative work behavior among the academic staff at the University of Jeddah. Specifically, it sought to determine the level of practice of empowering leadership dimensions among academic leaders, the level of innovative work behavior among the academic staff, in addition to testing differences according to gender, years of experience in higher education, and academic rank, and analyzing the correlational relationship between the two main variables. To achieve these objectives, the study employed a descriptive-correlational approach and relied on a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool from a sample of 341 academic staff members at the University of Jeddah. The results indicated that the level of practicing empowering leadership among academic leaders was high(M = 3.91, SD = 0.94).  The findings also revealed no statistically significant differences in participants’ perceptions regarding the level of practicing empowering leadership based on gender, years of experience, or academic rank. Conversely, the results showed that the level of innovative work behavior among the academic staff was high(M = 4.09, SD = 0.97). Moreover, statistically significant differences were observed in participants’ perceptions regarding innovative work behavior based on years of experience, favoring faculty members with 10 or more years of experience, whereas no differences were attributed to gender or academic rank. Also, the correlation analysis showed a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between the level of empowering leadership among academic leaders and the level of innovative work behavior among the academic staff (r = 0.642, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the overall model was statistically significant (F = 58.34, p ≤ 0.001), and that the empowering leadership dimensions collectively explained 41.2% of the variance in innovative work behavior (R² = 0.412). These findings suggest that increased practice of empowering leadership contributes to enhancing innovative work behavior among the academic staff. In light of the findings, the study recommended the importance of enhancing the dimensions of empowering leadership, particularly the dimensions of trust in subordinates’ high performance and participation in decision-making, given their relatively greater contribution to fostering innovative work behavior among the academic staff. The study also emphasized the need to create a work environment that encourages autonomy, meaningful work, and the reduction of bureaucratic constraints, as well as the implementation of training programs to support academic leaders in areas of empowerment and motivation, alongside establishing periodic evaluation mechanisms for innovation at the university level.

Keywords: Empowering Leadership, Academic Innovative Work Behavior, Academic leaders, Academic Staff, University of Jeddah.