How high-involvement work practices, leadership and job crafting influence nurses’ innovative work behavior

Purpose This study determines the effects of high-involvement work practices (HIWPs) and servant leadership (SL) on job crafting (JC). It also investigates the effect of JC on innovative work behavior (IWB). It further examines the mediating role of JC in the relationship between HIWPs and IWB, as well as between SL and IWB based on self-determination theory and conservation of resources theory. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected in two waves with a one-week interval (Time 1 and Time 2) from 138 nurses from seven public hospitals in Baghdad through survey design. The data analysis was done through structural equation modeling using smart partial least squares. Findings This study reveals that HIWPs and SL have significant effects on JC, while JC has a significant relationship with IWB. It also shows that JC has a significant mediating role in the relationship between HIWPs and IWB. Finally, the relationship between SL and IWB is significantly mediated by JC. Originality/value This study contributes to the extant literature by revealing the direct effects of JC on IWB. It further unveils the mediating effect of JC on the nexus between HIWPs and IWB, as well as between SL and IWB. This mediating effect has been overlooked in the empirical literature.