The Mediating Role of Work Engagement in the Servant Leadership Creativity Relationship Among Chinese University Faculty
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Abstract
Background and Aim: This study examined the mediating role of teachers’ job engagement in the relationship between servant leadership and teachers’ innovative behavior in higher vocational colleges in Liaoning Province, China. Specifically, it aimed (1) to develop a mediation model linking servant leadership to innovative behavior through job engagement, and (2) to determine the extent to which engagement explains this relationship.
Materials and Methods: A quantitative design was employed with data from 385 faculty members selected via stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire using five-point Likert scales was administered, and data were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Reliability and validity were confirmed, and model fit was assessed using multiple indices.
Results: Servant leadership had no significant direct effect on teachers’ innovative behavior (β = 0.07, p > 0.05) but showed a significant positive effect on job engagement (β = 0.63, p < 0.001). Job engagement, in turn, had a significant positive effect on innovative behavior (β = 0.52, p < 0.001) and fully mediated the relationship between servant leadership and innovative behavior. The SEM demonstrated strong fit (χ²/df = 1.154, GFI = 0.985, AGFI = 0.969, CFI = 0.985, TLI = 0.984, RMR = 0.019, RMSEA = 0.022).
Conclusion: Findings demonstrate that servant leadership enhances innovation indirectly through job engagement, underscoring the centrality of engagement in faculty creativity. Theoretically, the study extends servant leadership research by establishing full mediation in a Chinese higher education context. Practically, it suggests that vocational colleges should prioritize engagement-focused leadership development to foster innovation and faculty well-being.
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