Mediating-moderating effect of employee creativity and team potency on expatriate innovative work behaviour

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how learning goal orientation (LGO), participative decision-making (PDM) and leadership member exchange (LMX) influence innovative work behaviour (IWB) through expatriate employee creativity (EC). This research study further contributes to the extant literature by investigating team potency’s (TP) potential interaction effect on the expatriate EC–IWB relationship. Design/methodology/approach: Data were gathered via survey from 175 expatriate employees in non-managerial positions in the United Arab Emirates. Partial least square structural equation modelling was used for analysing the collected data. Findings: The statistical results show that PDM, LGO and LMX have a direct positive impact on IWB. The statistical findings also reveal that EC mediates the LGO and IWB relationship. Furthermore, TP has a significant positive moderating effect on the EC and IWB relationship. Originality/value: This work adds to the literature in the field on innovation work behaviour and its antecedents by analysing data within the expatriate employee context, where empirical examinations are limited.