Impact of Learning Goal Orientation, Self-Efficacy, Transformational Leadership, and Job Autonomy on Innovative Work Behavior of Software Developers A Study in a Leading IT Company in Sri Lanka

Abstract

People who display innovative work behavior have opportunities to explore knowledge related to innovation and use it to develop their competencies and gain new insights. However, there is a research gap in the Sri Lankan context regarding the factors that affect the innovative work behavior of software developers in the IT industry. This study aims to address this gap by examining the factors affecting the innovative work behavior of software developers in an IT company in Sri Lanka. Drawing from a rich scholarly history, the researcher identified four main factors that influence the innovative work behavior of software developers: learning goal orientation, self-efficacy, job autonomy, and transformational leadership. This study followed a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional field study design, utilizing deductive research methods. The primary data for this study was collected by distributing 159 survey questionnaires that met acceptable levels of validity and reliability. The study used a convenience sampling method, with the type of investigation being correlational and cross-sectional in nature. The unit of analysis was at the individual level. Software developers working full-time, part-time and contract basis in the selected IT company were considered as the respondents for this study. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and simple regression were applied to analyze the data. The findings of this study support the empirically justified notion that learning goal orientation, self-efficacy, job autonomy, and transformational leadership are strong predictors of innovative work behavior among software developers. Moreover, the findings generate important implications, especially for software developers and managers in enhancing innovative work behavior, which is increasingly demanded in the fast-evolving IT industry.