Leadership behavior and innovation performance in the UAE's telecom and ICT industries

PurposeThis study aimed to determine the indirect effects of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on innovation performance through the serial mediation of climate for innovation and individual creativity.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 139 employees working in various ICT and telecommunication industries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).FindingsThe analysis results revealed positive and significant relationships between transactional leadership and the creation of a climate for innovation for individuals' creativity and innovation performance. The results also indicated employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation mediation, the transformational and transactional leadership and individual’ creativity relationships.Practical implicationsThis research suggests that investing in organizational climate improvement provides a dynamic platform for creativity and innovation in the workplace.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to investigate the relationships in ICT and telecommunication organizations in a developing country, the UAE. The study includes associations between transformational and transactional leaderships and employees' sense of creativity and innovation performance and the impact of employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation.