Leadership behavior and innovation performance in the UAE's telecom and ICT industries

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the indirect effects of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on innovation performance through the serial mediation of climate for innovation and individual creativity. Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected from 139 employees working in various ICT and telecommunication industries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings: The analysis results revealed positive and significant relationships between transactional leadership and the creation of a climate for innovation for individuals' creativity and innovation performance. The results also indicated employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation mediation, the transformational and transactional leadership and individual’ creativity relationships. Practical implications: This research suggests that investing in organizational climate improvement provides a dynamic platform for creativity and innovation in the workplace. Originality/value: This study is one of the first to investigate the relationships in ICT and telecommunication organizations in a developing country, the UAE. The study includes associations between transformational and transactional leaderships and employees' sense of creativity and innovation performance and the impact of employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation.