Transformational leadership and innovation adoption: Is there a moderation role of personal initiative and job control?

Abstract

Hospital managers and chief physicians, but also doctors and nurses, in an effort to face  constant changes, are involved in innovation. This study examines if transformational leadership style is related to adoption of employees’ suggestions, and if personal initiative and job control moderate this relationship. Nurses, doctors, and auxiliary and technical collaborators (n = 137), of an Italian public hospital, participated in this study. Results show that transformational leadership was correlated to innovation adoption but, when examined moderators were included in the analysis, the relation was no more significant. Personal initiative and job control did not moderate the relationship between transformational leadership and innovation adoption but they do have a significant direct effect on innovation adoption. Findings suggest that innovation in hospitals is more related to personal variables, like personal initiative and job control, rather than to transformational leadership.