Self-Efficacy and Psychological Ownership as Drivers of Employee Bootleg Innovative Behavior: The Moderating Role of Job Autonomy

Bootleg innovative behavior among employees in technology-based enterprises represents their creativity, reflecting both their willingness and ability to independently pursue creative activities through informal channels. Such behavior often spurs more groundbreaking and practical innovation outcomes. Based on Self-Determination Theory, combined with Psychological Ownership Theory and Job Characteristics Theory, this study develops a research model incorporating a mediating variable (psychological ownership) and a moderating variable (job autonomy) to examine the influence of employees’ self-efficacy on bootleg innovative behavior and its underlying mechanisms in technology-based enterprises. The findings reveal that self-efficacy significantly and positively influences employees’ bootleg innovative behavior; psychological ownership partially mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and bootleg innovative behavior; and job autonomy significantly and positively moderates the relationship between psychological ownership and bootleg innovative behavior, with high levels of job autonomy enhancing the motivational effect of psychological ownership on bootleg innovative behavior. This study enriches the theoretical understanding of bootleg innovative behavior, provides a theoretical basis for understanding the psychological and situational mechanisms of employee innovation behavior, and offers practical guidance for technology-based enterprises in motivating employee innovation and managing bootleg innovative behavior.