Investigating the Relationship Between Leadership Styles and Employee Innovation Behavior in Thai Private Universities

Background/purpose. In the context of increasing competition in higher education, Thai private universities face ongoing challenges in promoting employee innovation. Although leadership is widely recognized as a key factor influencing innovation behavior, prior research often examines leadership styles in isolation. This study aims to investigate the integrated effects of responsible, servant, and transformational leadership on employee innovation behavior, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of knowledge sharing and innovative self-efficacy.

Materials/methods. A quantitative research approach was employed using a structured questionnaire distributed to employees in Thai private universities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the hypothesized relationships and examine the mediating effects.

Results. The findings reveal that responsible, servant, and transformational leadership styles are commonly practiced in Thai private universities. These styles have significant positive effects on both knowledge sharing and innovative self-efficacy, which in turn enhance employee innovation behavior. Moreover, knowledge sharing and innovative self-efficacy act as key mediators that strengthen the relationships between leadership styles and innovation behavior.

Conclusion. This study demonstrated that responsible, transformational, and servant leadership each play a crucial role in fostering employee innovation behavior in Thai private universities. Responsible leadership builds trust and open communication, encouraging knowledge sharing and innovation. Transformational leadership motivates employees to exceed expectations and enhances their confidence to innovate. Servant leadership supports employee development and well-being, creating a collaborative environment that nurtures innovation. Together, these leadership styles enhance knowledge sharing and innovative self-efficacy, ultimately contributing to a dynamic, innovation-driven academic culture.

Keywords: Leadership styles, Thai private universities, employee innovation behavior, knowledge sharing, innovative self-efficacy

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