Abstract:
Purpose: The study is concerned with the determinants of innovative work behavior
and examines pluralistic impact of job demands, job resources and personal resources
employees’ innovative work behavior directly and through the simultaneous
mediating role of eustress and work engagement.
Design/ Methodology/ Approach: The study is explanatory in nature and uses
triangulation approach for data collection and integration. 436 knowledge workers and
40 managers of IT sector of Pakistan are respondents of quantitative and qualitative
parts of research respectively. Quantitative data have been collected through survey
approach using a well-structured questionnaire. Whereas, semi-structured in depth face
to face interviews have been conducted for qualitative data collection and analyzed
using thematic analysis technique with the help of NVivo software application.
Findings: The study findings confirmed the distinctiveness of variables used in the
research. The results of statistical analysis and interview contents confirmed that job
demands (creativity role expectations & workload), job resources (autonomy &
intellectual stimulation) and personal resources (creative self-efficacy & resilience)
promote innovative work behavior while eustress and work engagement mediate the
relationship between JD-R and IWB of employees working in IT sector of Pakistan.
Originality/ Value: The research study contributes to innovation and JD-R theories
with novel empirical knowledge through delineating the linking mechanism between
job demands, job resources and personal resources and innovative work behavior. The
main novel contribution of the study is exploration of knowledge pertaining to
simultaneous mediating role of eustress and work engagement between JD-R and
innovative work behavior. Moreover, in contrary to previously highlighted negative
impacts of job demands, this study has explored the positive spiral of job demands
which has potential to stimulate eustress, work engagement and innovative work
behavior of employees. The newly explored knowledge is helpful in strengthening the
innovative work behavior of employees to promote creativity and innovation and uplift
the IT sector of Pakistan to substantial extent.
