Exploring the Impact of Ambidextrous Leadership on Innovative Behavior: The Mediating Role of Workplace Happiness in Tertiary Education
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Purpose – Considering the importance of ambidextrous leadership, this study examines the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and innovative behavior, with a particular focus on the mediating role of workplace happiness among academic staff in tertiary education. Design/methodology/approach - Grounded in Transformational Leadership Theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Data were collected via an online structured questionnaire distributed to academic staff across 12 institutions. A non-probability quota sampling technique was employed, followed by convenience sampling within each quota. A total of 371 valid responses were obtained and analyzed. Structural Equation Modeling was utilized to test the proposed relationships among the study variables. Findings –The results confirm that ambidextrous leadership significantly enhances both workplace happiness and innovative behavior. Furthermore, workplace happiness plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between leadership and innovation. Originality/value –This study advances the literature on leadership and organizational behavior by empirically validating the mediating role of workplace happiness within an academically challenging, politically and economically constrained context. It underscores the strategic importance of institutional investment in leadership development and employee well-being initiatives as levers for enhancing innovation capacity and strengthening organizational resilience within higher education institutions.
