Antecedents of frontline service innovation within an agricultural, retail and services organisation within the Western Cape
Nieder-Heitmann, Marietjie (2019-12)
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Research on innovation in services is limited and it is only since the Gross Domestic Profit (GDP) of services sectors in most developed countries have started to exceed that of manufacturing, that the need for research has increased. Apart from the dramatic growth in services, the continous increase in business competition justifies more research on the manifestation and reinforcement of innovative behaviour on the individual frontline level. This study explored and empirically evaluated a theoretical model that identifies antecedents of Frontline Service Innovation amongst frontline employees within an agricultural retail, trade and services organisation within the Western Cape. The nomological network of latent variables included Frontline Service Innovation, Psychological Ownership, Emotional Intelligence, Empowering Job Characteristics, Innovative Organisational Climate, Psychological Safety, Creative Self-Efficacy and Empowering Leadership. The data was collected by means of a self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire and 150 questionnaires in total were completed. The measurement model was statistically evaluated by means of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and, where necessary, Linear Structural Relations (LISREL), but only PLS-SEM was utilised for the statistical evaluation of the structural model. The most important findings of the current study were that both Emotional Intelligence and Creative Self-Efficacy had a significant direct relationship with Frontline Service Innovation and Creative Self-Efficacy mediated the relationship between Empowering Job Characteristics and Frontline Service Innovation. In addition, the relationships between Empowering Leadership and Innovative Organisational Climate, Empowering Job Characteristics and Creative Self-Efficacy, Empowering Job Characteristics and Psychological Ownership, and Empowering Job Characteristics and Psychological Safety were established as being significant, with the mediating effect of Innovative Organisational Climate on the relationship between Empowering Leadership and Psychological Safety also being significant. This study richly contributes to research on service innovation. The limitations of the current research project are discussed along with recommendations regarding future research. The findings have enabled the researcher to discuss the practical implications thereof and to recommend a number of interventions aimed at facilitating Frontline Service Innovation in similar organisations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Navorsing oor innovasie in dienste is beperk en het eers in die meeste ontwikkelde lande ‘n toename getoon nadat die Bruto Binnelandse Produk (BBP) van die dienstesektore dié van vervaardiging begin oorskrei het. Benewens die dramatiese toename in dienste, regverdig die deurlopende toename in besigheidsmededinging die manifestering en versterking van gedrags-innovasie-patrone op die individuele kontakdiensvlak. Hierdie studie het ‘n teoretiese model, wat die oorsaaklike faktore van Kontakdiens-Innovasie onder kontakdienswerkers wat in ‘n landbou kleinhandel-, handel- en dienste-organisasie in die Wes-Kaap werksaam is, ondersoek en empiries geëvalueer. Die nomologiese netwerk van latente veranderlikes het onder meer Kontakdiens-Innovasie, Sielkundige Eienaarskap, Emosionele Intelligensie, Bemagtigende Poseienskappe, Innoverende Organisasieklimaat, Sielkundige Veiligheid, Kreatiwe Selfbekwaamheid en Bemagtigende Leierskap ingesluit. Die data is ingevorder by wyse van ‘n self-geadministreerde papier-en-potlood vraelys en 150 vraelyste is voltooi. Die metingsmodel is statisties geëvalueer deur middel van “Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)” en, waar nodig, “Linear Structural Relations (LISREL)”, maar slegs “PLS-SEM” is aangewend ten einde die strukturele model te evalueer. Die belangrikste bevindinge wat die studie opgelewer het is dat beide Emosionele Intelligensie en Kreatiewe Selfbekwaamheid ‘n beduidende positiewe verwantskap met Kontakdiens-Innovasie toon, en Kreatiewe Selfbekwaamheid die verwantskap tussen Bemagtigende Poseienskappe en Kontakdiens-Innovasie bemiddel. Daarmee saam is daar bevind dat die verwantskappe tussen Bemagtigende Leierskap en Innoverende Organisasieklimaat, Bemagtigende Poseienskappe en Kreatiewe Selfbekwaamheid, Bemagtigende Poseienskappe en Sielkundige Eienaarskap, en Bemagtigende Poseienskappe en Sielkundige Veiligheid beduidend is, met die bemiddelende effek van Innoverende Organisasieklimaat op die verwantskap tussen Bemagtigings Leierskap en Sielkundige Veiligheid wat ook beduidend is. Hierdie studie dra ryklik by tot navorsing oor dienste-innovasie. Die beperkinge van die toepaslike navorsingsprojek word tesame met aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing bespreek. Die bevindinge het die navorser in staat gestel om die praktiese implikasies daarvan te bespreek en ‘n aantal intervensies, wat daarop gerig is om Kontakdiens-Innovasie in soortgelyke organisasies te verbeter, aan te beveel.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/107296