From leadership to innovation: the psychological pathways of intrinsic motivation and creative process engagement

Introduction: Although responsible leadership (RL) has attracted increasing attention from the academic community, the correlation mechanism between it and employee innovative behavior (EIB) has not been fully clarified. Based on the data of high-tech enterprises in China, this study explores how intrinsic motivation (IM) and creative process engagement (CPE) explain the relationship between responsible leadership and innovative behavior. Method: This study uses SPSS 27.0 and AMOS software for statistical analysis. The data is collected on the Credamo platform. After routine data screening and cleaning, 344 valid replies are used for follow-up analysis. Result: The results showed that RL was positively related to EIB, with IM and CPE independently mediating this relationship. Besides, the sequential indirect effect of RL on EIB through IM and CPE was also significant. Discussion: The findings indicated that IM and CPE serve as two interconnected mechanisms linking RL with EIB. Drawing on self-determination theory and social information processing theory, this study further illustrates how employees interpret responsible leadership-related information, develop IM, and remain engaged in creative activities.