Cultivating Innovative Work Behavior Amongst Academics Of Public Universities In Uganda: The Significance Of Psychological Empowerment

The study assessed the significance of psychological empowerment dimensions on innovative work behavior (IWB) for public university academics in Uganda. The specific objectives were: (1) to analyze the effect of self-determination on innovative work behavior among academic staff; (2) to determine the effect of competence on innovative work behavior; (3) to investigate the role of meaning as a dimension on innovative work behavior; and (4) to evaluate the contribution of impact on innovative work behavior. The research design was quantitative that used 357 academic staff from 10 public universities. The response rate was 86.3%, resulting in 308 returned questionnaires. Results revealed that all the dimensions of psychological empowerment had a significant effect on innovative work behavior with; (1) self-determination (β = .793, t = 2.019, p = 0.001); (2) competence (β = .582, t = 1.932, p = 0.001); (3) meaning (β = .204, t = 1.416, p = 0.001); (4) impact (β = .318, t = 1.001, p = 0.001). The findings here highlight the critical role psychological empowerment plays in enhancing innovative work behavior among academics in Uganda. Public universities in Uganda are therefore expected to cultivate and nurture self-determination, ensure staff competence, creativity and meaning with impact that can enlist innovative work behavior in order to enhance not only institutional quality and performance but integrate the university efforts in the national development agenda.