Abstract:
Leadership; organisational commitment; organisational justice and organisational
citizenship behaviour (OCB) are some of the most rigorously researched topics in
organisational behaviour. Most studies aptly focus on the effects of these variables on
several organisationally desirable variables, including all forms of task performance
and extra-role performance. Traditionally, studies have focused on task behaviours,
and only recently have researchers focused their attention on extra-role behaviours
such as OCB and innovative work behaviours (IWB) as mechanisms that can be used
to leverage organisational competitive advantage. While most studies find consistent
relationships among leadership, organisational commitment, organisational justice
and OCB, the results on leadership and attitude drivers of innovative work behaviours
have remained elusive and equivocal. There is also a notable paucity of research on
the relationships among extra-role behaviours, as most researchers focus more on
antecedents of these behaviours than outcomes. Moreover, several streams of
research on extra-role behaviours have developed independently, resulting in
fragmented research that militates against knowledge consolidation, and useful
application in real work environments. The aim of my professorial lecture is to provide
the results and lessons I learned from the consolidated model I developed and tested
on these concepts over my academic career. The results suggest that transformational
leadership and OCB were the potent predictors of IWBs; and while organisational
justice and organisational commitment failed to consistently predict IWBs, they proved
useful as either mediating or moderating variables in several studies I conducted. I
show how the results of my studies can be used to inform policy towards creativity and
innovation in organisations and the Lesotho economy
