Zhao, N; Liu, Q; Li, H; Siamuzwe-Manase, V and Skitmore, M (2026) How does mindful leadership affect individual innovative behavior in megaprojects?–a cross-level study. International Journal of Construction Management, 26(2), pp. 349-364. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
Purpose: While mindful leadership attracts growing attention, research remains siloed in single-level analyses, neglecting cross-level dynamics between individual and organizational dimensions. This study investigates how mindful leadership drives individual innovation through individual-organizational multilevel interactions, with psychological empowerment mediating and organizational innovation climate (OIC) moderating these cross-level mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach: A non-probability sampling strategy was employed to gather data from 421 organizational members involved in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) project. Subsequent analyses utilized SPSS 25.0 for preliminary diagnostics, AMOS 24.0 for confirmatory factor analysis, and HLM 6.08 for multilevel regression modelling, thereby rigorously testing the proposed theoretical framework. Findings: The multilevel analysis reveals that organizational-level mindful leadership significantly predicts individual innovative behaviour (γ = 0.26, p < 0.01), while simultaneously enhancing psychological empowerment across levels (γ = 0.31, p < 0.01). Psychological empowerment played a partial mediating role (indirect effect=0.15, p < 0.05). OIC both mediates the leadership-innovation link (γ = 0.28, p < 0.01) and moderates the empowerment-innovation relationship (interaction effect γ = 0.18, p < 0.05). Originality/value: These findings address the critical gap in multilevel leadership studies by revealing cross-level mediation-moderation mechanisms. The research extends the explanatory boundaries of mindful leadership theory through organizational-individual integration, providing empirical evidence for innovation management in megaproject contexts.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | HLM; individual innovative behavior; megaprojects; mindful leadership; organizational innovation climate; psychological empowerment |
| Index terms: | dynamics, sampling, dimension, interaction, testing, Hong Kong, integration, methodology, evidence, indirect effect, megaproject, organizational innovation, innovation management, boundaries, empowerment, mediation, strategy, confirmatory factor analysis, regression modelling |
| Subjects: | management, statistical analysis, systems engineering, organizational analysis, dispute resolution, business, data collection methods, health monitoring assessment and metrics, Geography, research methods, behavioral psychology, innovation studies, evaluation and assessment methods, strategic project management, analytical methods, professional practice, property law |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Legal Issues, Health and Safety, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Geographical Context |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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