Digital job resources, digital engagement, digital leadership, and innovative work behaviour: a serial mediation model

Abstract

Purpose: Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, the primary goal of this study is to conceptualise and empirically validate a theoretical framework that explains the process by which digital job resources influence the innovative work behaviour of technological professionals. Specifically, this study aims to examine the impact of digital job resources, especially digital training, and digital communication, on employee digital engagement. Furthermore, it investigates the influence of digital engagement on digital leadership and the effect of digital leadership on innovative work behaviour. Lastly, the study examines whether digital engagement and digital leadership serially mediate the relationship between digital job resources and innovative work behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from full-time technological professionals using multiple sampling techniques. A total of 307 samples were utilised for the final data analysis. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), employing SmartPLS 4.0, was used to test the study hypotheses. Findings: The findings of this study emphasize that digital engagement and digital leadership are pivotal in mediating the impact of digital communication on technological professionals' innovative work behaviour. Specifically, our results show that digital communication significantly shapes the digital engagement of these professionals. Digital engagement, in turn, positively influences digital leadership, which then fosters technological professionals’ innovative work behaviour. Notably, both digital engagement and digital leadership serve as mechanisms that link digital communication and innovative work behaviour. Contrary to our initial expectations, the study finds that digital training neither directly affects digital engagement nor has an indirect effect on innovative work behaviour. Originality/value: The present study is distinct in offering a theoretical framework outlining the steps through which digital resources influence technological professionals' digital engagement, digital leadership capabilities, and their innovative work behaviour. Prior studies have predominantly focused on antecedents of innovative work behaviour, with an emphasis on individual characteristics and organisational environmental factors. There is limited research exploring how, or even if, digital job resources – such as digital training and digital communication – affect employees’ innovative work behaviour. Additionally, the examination of the interrelationship between digital engagement and digital leadership is notably lacking in existing literature. Much of the research has instead probed the converse relationship: how leadership styles impact employees' engagement. Lastly, this research is among the pioneering efforts to consider the serial mediating role of digital engagement and digital leadership between digital job resources and innovative work behaviour, a topic that remains underrepresented in academic discourse. This study addresses these gaps.