Design leadership, work values ethic and workplace innovation: an investigation of SMEs in Thailand and Vietnam

Abstract

This study established a new three-dimensional model identifying the relationship between design leadership, workplace values ethic (WVE) and workplace innovation. Based on an analysis of 696 usable questionnaires distributed among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand and Vietnam, our results revealed that WVE influences leadership behavior. In addition, design leadership has a significant effect on the four dimensions of workplace innovation, thus confirming an interactionist theory perspective. Furthermore, examining the under-researched Thai and Vietnamese SME context, the findings indicated that the relationship between WVE and workplace innovation is mediated by leadership behavior. In this way, the study extends the design leadership, innovation and values literatures.

Keywords:

• Leadership
• innovation
• work values ethic
• SMEs
• Thailand
• Vietnam

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Dr Ming Juan Ding and Dr Ahmad Arham for their research assistance.