A Study on the Structural Relationship between Inclusive Leadership, Employees’ Affective Commitment, Knowledge Sharing, and Innovative Behavior

Rapid social changes, increasing uncertainty, and intensified competition are weakening employees’ attachment to their organizations. In recent years, even in Korean companies, there is a clear tendency to prioritize individual values over collective ones, with growing emphasis on individuality and diversity. These shifts in values may lead to difficulties in communication and mutual understanding within organizations, which can ultimately hinder knowledge sharing and innovation. For companies to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage and respond effectively to rapidly changing environments, knowledge sharing among employees and voluntary innovative behavior are essential. However, employees with weak attachment to the organization are less likely to engage in behaviors beyond their defined roles. Therefore, to encourage voluntary extra-role behaviors, it is necessary to first strengthen the relationship between the organization and its members and forster employees’ commitment to the organization. The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze whether affective commitment plays a mediating role in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employees' positive behaviors, particularly knowledge sharing and innovative behavior. Inclusive leaders can foster employees' attachment to the organization by recognizing their differences and contributions and promoting communication. Based on this assumption, this study hypothesizes that inclusive leadership not only directly influences employees' knowledge sharing and innovative behavior but also amplifies its effect through affective commitment. The study was conducted with members of the largest domestic IT corporation, characterized by high diversity in terms of gender, education, and generation. Data from 658 participants were collected for the empirical analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping methods were applied to a valid sample of 583 individuals. The analysis revealed that employees who experienced openness and fair treatment through inclusive leadership actively engaged in knowledge sharing and demonstrated more innovative behavior. Additionally, inclusive leadership was found to enhance employees' affective commitment to the organization, and this affective commitment positively influenced knowledge sharing and innovative behavior. In particular, affective commitment played a significant mediating role in the relationship between inclusive leadership, knowledge sharing, and innovative behavior, amplifying the positive effects of inclusive leadership through affective commitment. The primary significance of this study lies in its empirical verification that inclusive leadership enhances employees' attachment to the organization, and that this affective commitment is effective in promoting knowledge sharing and innovative behavior. Based on the results of this study, theoretical and practical implications regarding the importance of inclusive leadership and affective commitment are discussed, along with the limitations of this research and suggestions for future studies.