Seung-Wan Kang

How transformational leadership facilitates innovative behavior of Korean workers: Examining mediating and moderating processes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between transformational leadership (TL) and the innovative behavior of Korean workers. To this end, this paper also examines whether knowledge sharing and perceived organizational support (POS) influence the above causal relationship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper used a cross-sectional design, with questionnaires administered to 356 employees working in Korea manufacturing firms to test the relationship between TL and innovative behavior through knowledge sharing and the moderating role of POS. Findings – TL was significantly related to both employee innovative behavior and knowledge sharing. The results also shown that knowledge sharing mediated and POS positively moderated the relationship between TL and innovative behavior of employees. Research limitations/implications – Future research should examine antecedents of knowledge sharing and measure the effect of TL in other level such as team level, to enhance generalizabi...

Knowledge withholding: psychological hindrance to the innovation diffusion within an organisation

The transfer of innovation between organisational members has recently drawn attention from both academia and business because corporate competitiveness is linked directly to the diffusion of innovation through an organisation. As the spread of innovation within an organisation depends on the efficient transfer of knowledge between members, this study focuses on the concept of knowledge withholding, which is known to disrupt this transfer. First, Herzberg’s two-factor theory is used to prove that knowledge sharing and withholding are separate concepts and to explain the difference between them. Second, past studies on knowledge management are shown to have overlooked knowledge withholding in favour of knowledge sharing, leading to a paucity of information on the former. Third, knowledge withholding is classified into two separate behaviours: the intentional hiding and the unintentional hoarding of knowledge. Finally, four territorial behaviours related to knowledge withholding are summarised in order to suggest areas of future study.

Women Scientists' Workplace and Parenting Role Identities: A Polynomial Analysis of Congruence

We empirically examined the congruence effect of work- and parenting-role identities on women scientists’ perception of organizational support. With the assistance of the staff of the Center for Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology in South Korea, we obtained data from 215 women employed as scientists by responses to a survey. The results of polynomial regressions showed a positive congruence effect of their employment and parenting role identities on perceived organizational support (POS); the more closely aligned the two identities were, that is, the higher the level of congruence of the role identities, the stronger was the POS. These findings highlight the pivotal role played by the balance between work- and parenting-role identities in promoting a positive attitude in the workplace among women scientists. The theoretical and practical implications and limitations are also discussed.

Leader Trust, Competence, LMX, and Member Performance: A Moderated Mediation Framework:

Based on social exchange theory, this study examines the influence of leaders’ trusting behavior and competence in in-role activities on members’ perceived leader–member exchange (LMX) relationships. Our study proposes that a leader’s trust in a member contributes to the member’s perceived LMX, and that the leader’s competence in in-role activities moderates this relationship. Furthermore, our study suggests that perceived LMX mediates the relationship between the leader’s trust and members’ task performance. Finally, the study proposes that the leader’s competence moderates the mediating role of LMX in transmitting the effect of the leader’s trust on members’ task performance. Analyses of the data collected from soldiers and platoon leaders in the South Korean army support these hypotheses.