Leadership and creativity in the Indian R&D laboratories: examining the role of autonomous motivation, psychological capital and justice perceptions

Abstract

The present study investigates the association between R&D-specific leadership approach developed in the Indian context using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data analyses, employee autonomous motivation, psychological capital, fairness perceptions and creativity. Creativity construct was conceptualized as comprising of both behaviors and outcomes. Creative behaviors comprise of idea development (generation and promotion) behaviors and work engagement, while creative performance was measured using quantifiable outputs. Using survey data from 482 scientists in the Indian R&D laboratories, the study found that leader behaviors are directly related to autonomous motivation and justice perceptions that, in turn, are positively related to psychological capital and creative behaviors. Psychological capital is also positively related to creative behaviors. The study found significant positive relationship between work engagement and creative performance. The results of this study provide support for the leadership model and its association with employee perceptual variables, behaviors and objective performance.