Fostering innovative behaviour: the importance of employee commitment and organisational citizenship behaviour

Abstract

The intention of this study is to examine nurses' organisational commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and innovative behaviour in the workplace. In particular, this research is framed applying social exchange theory as a lens for examining the key argument that nursing employees, who are committed to the organisation and who exhibit, will be more likely to be innovative in the workplace. A quantitative approach was applied, with a sample of 210 nursing employees from one public and two private hospitals located in Australia. The findings from a structural equation modelling analysis reported positive and statistically significant paths from affective commitment to innovative behaviour, and from OCB with an individual focus (OCBI) to innovative behaviour. The main contribution in this paper comes from new knowledge about the relationship between OCB and innovative behaviour. In addition, this study provides new research about the relationship between nursing employees' affective commitment, OCB and innovative behaviour. This research also outlines new implications for hospital management, particularly those seeking to develop an environment that fosters efficiency and effectiveness through the facilitation of OCB and innovative behaviour in the workplace.