Title: Antecedents of innovative behaviour: knowledge sharing, open innovation climate and internal communication

Authors: Maria Eduarda Soares; Pilar Mosquera; Maria Cid

Addresses: Management Department, Advance/CSG, ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua do Quelhas, n.6, 1200-781 Lisboa, Portugal ' Management Department, Advance/CSG, ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua do Quelhas, n.6, 1200-781 Lisboa, Portugal ' ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua do Quelhas n.6, 1200-781 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: Innovative behaviour is currently considered to be a key factor for the competitive advantage of organisations. In this study, we analyse the role of three antecedent variables of innovative behaviour - knowledge sharing, open innovation climate, and internal communication. Three dimensions of internal communication are considered - organisational communication, communication with superiors, and communication with peers. We used a sample of 138 employees from a consulting firm to test a conceptual model with partial least squares (PLS). The results indicate that only knowledge sharing is an antecedent of innovative behaviour in the organisation studied. Communication with superiors and communication with peers are both antecedents of knowledge sharing, but not of innovative behaviour. Furthermore, the results also indicate that knowledge sharing mediates between communication with superiors and innovative behaviour. Organisational communication and communication with superiors are antecedents of open innovation climate, but the latter does not have a significant relationship with innovative behaviour.

Keywords: innovative behaviour; knowledge sharing; open innovation climate; internal communication.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2021.117223

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2021 Vol.30 No.2, pp.241 - 257

Received: 16 Apr 2020
Accepted: 25 Jul 2020
Published online: 24 Aug 2021 *

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